Mountain Biking: Wright sweeps enduro opener

The opening Giant 2W Gravity Enduro event of the season gets underway next to the Holiday Inn Rotorua on Saturday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Downhiller Keegan Wright set a new record at the Giant 2W Gravity Enduro event in Rotorua - winning every stage during the opening race of the series.

Local rider Wright was a cut above his rivals on Saturday in the Whakarewarewa Forest, posting the fastest time in all six stages of the race.

Event organiser Neil Gellatly said Wright was the first man to achieve a clean sweep at one of their contests.

"It is the first time it has been done in our race series."

The Giant 2W Gravity Enduro series includes three races each season with the next two races being held on December 12 and February 13.

Enduro racing mixes aspects of downhill and cross country racing where riders complete timed stages, which count towards their overall time.

About 430 riders took part in the opening race on Saturday in near perfect conditions.

Gellatly said Raewyn Morrison (Nelson) also raced brilliantly to take out the women's title, winning five of the six stages in the women's race.

Both Wright and Morrison are now in the running for a $10,000 prize.

Sponsors Ray White Real Estate have put up the cash incentive this year for anyone who can win all three events during the series, in either the men's or women's division. If both a male and female rider achieve the feat they will split the prize and get $5000 each.

"Obviously Keegan and Raewyn are the ones that have lined themselves up for the Ray White $10k Slam prize," Gellatly said. "If they keep performing like they did on Saturday then they have a good showing to win it, but it all depends on who else enters."

Morrison is an experienced enduro rider and is currently ranked ninth in the world in the mountain bike discipline.

-Giant 2W Gravity Enduro results from Saturday (after all six stages):

Men's race: 1 Keegan Wright (34min 48sec), 2 Matt Walker (35.14), 3 Sam Shaw (35.41), 4 Carl Jones (35.57), 5 Daniel Self (37.02).

Women's race: 1 Raewyn Morrison (40min 45sec), 2 Annika Smail (41.20), 3 Janine Kavanagh (43.45), 4 Katie O'Neill (43.58), 5 Aly Bennett (45.04).