Press Release: Crankworx
Not long to go until live broadcast in the wet tropical rainforest of Crankworx Cairns begins. With nothing but sunny days in the forecast, the tracks are looking immaculate and ready for the world’s best to battle it out for the paradise edition of the Crankworx World Tour.
When: May 18, 3:00 – 5:00 pm AEST
The track, a collaboration by Elevate Trail Building and Flux Trail, spans 285m and showcased speed, technicality, and airtime with seven berms, a shark fin, and two jumps. With Tomas Lemoine absent this year, 2023 Crankworx Rotorua Speed & Style gold-medalist Mike Ross is a strong contender, seeking redemption after finishing fourth in 2022. The women’s field is stacked with many of the riders no strangers to the podium. We’ve got the Queen of Crankworx, Caroline Buchanan mastering both Speed & Style; teasing a never before seen trick yesterday in training. Will this be enough to beat freeride athletes Robin Goomes and Harriet Burbidge-Smith? Both fresh off a jam session on the FMB Diamond-Level Slopestyle course here in Cairns (and were absolutely loving it!). Watch live on the Pinkbike homepage or crankworx.com.
When: May 19, 3:30 – 5:00 pm AEST
The party race! This one got absolutely rowdy for Crankworx 2022. From a mandatory wall ride to moguls, this Crankworx Dual Slalom track is like no other. In last year’s Specialized Dual Slalom, Cairns’ own Mick Hannah got the crowd going wild as he battled the King of Crankworx, Bas van Steenbergen in a tight race. This year, Maxxis athletes Jackson Frew and Bas van Steenbergen will be charging for that top step and it’s fair to say we may see these three on the podium, but it’s anyone’s race for who will stand on which step. Maxxis athlete, Caroline Buchanan emerged victorious in 2022 and based on her World Tour results this year, there’s few who can knock her off the first place position. Red Bull rider Harriet Burbidge-Smith, 2022 Crankworx Rotorua Dual Slalom champ Martha Gill and Jenna Hastings will surely be nipping at the Queen of Crankworx’ heels in this race. Watch live on the Pinkbike homepage or crankworx.com.
When: May 20, 10:00 – 11:30 am AEST
Many gold-medal contenders for the Crankworx Cairns Pump Track Challenge. With masterclass champions of the sport like 2022 Crankworx Cairns Pump Track defending champion Jayce Cunning, Niels Bensink, Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, and Bas van Steenbergen, we are sure to see razor thin margins and seriously tight battles amongst the men’s field. The reigning Queen of Crankworx, Caroline Buchanan is arguably the one to watch for the women’s field, but young gun Kiwi rider, Jenna Hastings will be hot on heels and hungry for a gold medal. Watch live on the Pinkbike homepage or crankworx.com.
When: May 20, 3:00 – 5:00 pm AEST
Crankworx Cairns 2022 Slopestyle event was an unforgettable moment for 14 of the top Slopestyle riders in the world. Hosted for the first time in Cairns, Australia, the third Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship contest of the season witnessed moments so tense that you could hear a pin drop, and moments so explosive they were nearly deafening. SRAM athlete Nicholi Rogatkin, who was seeking redemption in Cairns, emerged as the winner, followed by Erik Fedko and Max Fredriksson. This year’s Slopestyle event will keep you on the edge of your seat with Maxxis athlete Emil Johansson looking to seek redemption from last year’s contest. But can Dawid Godziek find another few points in his bag of tricks to surpass Johansson or can defending champion Nicholi Rogatkin pull it all together once again for a two for two Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle gold-medal? Watch live on the Pinkbike homepage or crankworx.com.
When: May 21, 3:00 – 5:00 pm AEST
The Crankworx Cairns 2022 Downhill event brought the riders and spectators back to an iconic track in the history of downhill racing. With Rob Warner and Eliot Jackson on the mic, elevated coverage, 2023 could prove to be a different story. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene and Sam Blenkinsop were on fire in Rotorua but mistakes in the finals cost them a shot at the podium, so they’ll be looking to redeem themselves here in Cairns. Sam Hill was injured during training in 2022 and will be back looking for a win on home soil. Of course, local legend Mick Hannah will be seeking the ever-elusive international win on his hometown track. On the women’s side, Scotswoman Louise Ferguson, and the 2022 Junior World Champion Jenna Hastings will be charging for that top step of the podium. Watch live on the Pinkbike homepage or crankworx.com.