Giant Toa Enduro, Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Photo Epic

Mar 9, 2016
by Cameron Mackenzie  
Last year enduro riders from across the globe descended on the trail mecca of Rotorua, New Zealand for the first Enduro World Series event to be held in the region. This year the EWS took a break from New Zealand and a local enduro was put on as part of the 2016 Crankworx Rotorua festival.

With a strong focus put on showcasing Rotorua's hardest trails last year, this year came as a welcome relief to those who found last years trail mix a tad on the challenging side. Rotorua is famous within New Zealand for its classic trails, many of which can be found under the towering tree canopies. So it only made sense to expose the international riders to the very trails that have helped make it famous in the first place. With a diverse mix of steep, natural, blown out and pedally trails to test even the strongest of the worlds best enduro riders, this was by no means a walk in the park...

photo
  Riders started at 7am deep in the Te Puia Thermal Park, Opposite the Pohutu Geyser

Ride or die.
  Louis Hamilton - Ride or die.

Rae started mid pack in the elite women today Before the day even started she was labeled as one of the favourites for today win.
  Rae started mid pack in the elite women today, but before the day even started she was labeled as one of the favourites for the win.

photo
  Anneke Beerten dropping in to the start ramp.

Josh Carlson mentally preparing himself for the long day ahead.
  Josh Carlson mentally preparing himself for the long day ahead.

Brook attacked the top of stage 1 in true bulldog fashion
  Brook attacked the top of stage 1 in true bulldog fashion.

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro
  Eddie Masters, who has yet, still not cut any tape...

Keegan Wright high in spirits Out there supporting the locals playing pranks on riders with George Branigan and still sporting his fat face post having a plate put in his cheek
  Sadly a week earlier, Keegan totalled himself in a DH National Cup round and has since been mending a broken wrist, jaw and cheek...

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro

Josh Carlson went big up top on stage 1. Rather than pre jumping a small drop he went for a double up over 2 drops.
  Josh Carlson went big on stage 1 and rather than pre-jumping a small drop, he doubled it up over the 2 drops.

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  Riders didn't need work too hard though, Stages 2 and 3 all started from the same central point and they were all offered uplifts.

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro

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Phil tackling the inside line on one of the more challenging parts of the 12 minute long stage
  Phil tackling the inside line on one of the more challenging parts of the 12-minute long stage.

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  Georgia Petrie, digging deep in darkness.

Anneke Beerten picking it up for a sneaky double deep in a Rotorua classic - Hot X Buns
  Anneke Beerten picking it up for a sneaky double deep in a Rotorua classic - Hot X Buns.

Pro Mens winner Matt Walker keeps it flat through stage four.
  Pro Men's winner, Matt Walker, keeps it flat through stage four.

As of the end of stage 4, Carl Jones was up by 7.79 seconds over Matt Walker, followed by Brook Macdonlad in third, +9.26 behind Jones.

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro
  Local boy Carl Jones sending the big gap at the start of K2. It was clear to see that riders who took the risk and hit this, exited the following section at lest half a second faster.

Josh Carlson was deadly precise in every move he made today
  Josh Carlson was deadly precise in every move he made today.

Blenki fought hard all day today Looking dangerously quick everywhere
  Blenki also fought hard all day, looking dangerously quick everywhere.

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  Maxi Dickerhoff sampling the powder that greeted riders on stage 5 - K2.

K2 was the hardest stage in the Whakawerawera forest. An old grade 5 listed trail that has since been logged. It is now a steep, blown trail in the open with a lot of exposure.

Brook smashes through the water trap on stage five.
  Brook smashes through the water trap at the bottom of K2.

Nation brings a pop of colour to the beautiful surroundings of stage five.
  Joseph Nation brings a pop of colour to the beautiful surroundings of K2 - Stage 5.

Eyes on the prize Smashing bushes for the win
  Eyes on the prize, smashing bushes for the win.

Kiwi blokes
  Bergamont Team - Kiwi blokes all round!

Riders spent close to 6 hours in the saddle today and in the hight of the NZ Summer, any shade was a treat when waiting to drop in between stages.

Cam keeps it low over the log gap in stage six.
  Cam Cole keeps it low over the log gap on stage 6.

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro

Riders then got shuttled across town to Skyline Mountain Bike Park to race the final stage of the day. This started from the same point as the downhill and continues through the old 2006 World Cup DH course. Once it exits the natural trails at Skyline, riders then continue down Sprint Warrior to finish in the main arena.

Crankworx Rotorua 2016 - Giant Toa Enduro

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  Dropping into the top of the Skyline stage.

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Champagne showers all around for Matt Walker and Anneke Beerten. After 6 hours in the saddle in 26 degree temperatures This must has felt blissful
  Champagne showers all around for Matt Walker and Anneke Beerten. After 6 hours in the saddle in 26+ degree temperatures, this must have felt blissful!

bigquotes I agree that the local riders have the best chance today, Carl is riding amazingly well at the moment, but you can't rule out the strong downhill boys like Blenki and Brook.Then there is Josh Carlson who just attacks everywhere. Anneke should have it over Rae, she's in the best form I've ever seen her in - Wyn Masters, GT Factory Racing
Results: pinkbike.com/news/crankworx-rotorua-giant-toa-enduro-results


MENTIONS: @officialcrankworx / @GiantBicycle / @parisgore / @cameronmackenzie




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cameronmackenzie avatar

Member since Mar 6, 2011
71 articles

42 Comments
  • 50 22
 Uplifts for riders - whats next 8" travel and fullface helmets?
You wanna be the best at exercise - get pedaling!
  • 11 26
flag YoKev (Mar 9, 2016 at 5:33) (Below Threshold)
 I personally don't like the whole uphill transfer thing, as it beats the shit outta the riders yet is NOT part of the race/stages.
Why not just make 'em all run wind-sprints right before they take off on their runs?
Enduro courses were originally supposed to be patterned after what rec riders do on their weekend rides.
If that's the case, then why don't they simply mix in some hills ON COURSE?
  • 24 6
 Its called enduro (as in endurance) for a reason!
  • 40 5
 The event still took 6 hours. Logistically, if you want to run 5+ stages, you just cant fit that all in on one day if you were to pedal everything. Plus no one is as badass as you guys.
  • 22 2
 1 shuttle + one Gondola ride (which had a almost 20 min staight climb after) I'd hardly call that dh. Plus some of the most pedally stages I've ever raced. Last year's USA National Champs for enduro, that was dh friendly with 4 out of 4 stages lift access... Crankworx, not so much
  • 7 5
 So it's sort of like endur-no.
  • 7 0
 The event for us lasted 8 hours, start at 8.30, finish around 4.30 - the Pro Women and Men had to sprint the last transition to the top of the DH stage to make their start times due to the small time allocation and traffic in town.
  • 4 0
 It was only stage 2 that was shuttled. But once stage 2 was cancelled the rest of the guys got dropped at the same place for stage 3. And then there was the gondola for stage 7. But with 7000ft climbing over nearly 40miles it was a welcome sight. Even if the gondola did only take us half way up to the top of 7.
  • 2 0
 Yeah, I'd like to see the people complaining about a lift even try to do 3 or 4 stages with moderate climbs between. You will fail if you're not extremely fit. Give them a break, having multiple timed descents makes for a damn good format IMO.
  • 10 0
 Honestly, a 12 Minute stage? I'm done after 4 -5 minnutes in race mode. 12 Minutes is sick. That is Enduro, not pedalling a Long climb. That would be Marathon
  • 3 0
 I nearly died on that one. 13 minutes at 100% in 27 degree heat doesn't suit fat kids like me.
  • 16 1
 26+ temps hey? That is a nice spring day.
  • 6 4
 That seems pretty cold. USA here.
  • 4 0
 @Deadskittles, gotta remember that we're one of the few countries in the world that uses Fahrenheit as a unit of temperature. It's Celsius most everywhere else. So 26 degrees Celsius = ~79 degrees Fahrenheit. A fine spring day indeed Smile
  • 8 2
 lol stupid american
  • 1 0
 I rode up to Hot X Buns (stage 4) this morning, admittedly from the bottom carpark, but the last part up Direct Road is just gross. I needed an XC bike. I would hate to launch into a full DH run after that.
What I'd forgotten about that trail is that there are couple of sneaky climbs, just when you bang into your tallest gear, the trail looms up and you realise that you're (well me) are not going to get all the way up so need to get to the top of the cassette.

Good fun though.
  • 1 0
 just for comparison it was C40+ here on that day.
  • 11 4
 Some with only the helmet, some full stuff,...... There no rules for riders-protections in NZ ?
  • 11 0
 too hot for protection Wink
  • 7 0
 Only regulation is for a helmet sometimes juniors are forced to wear pads but never the adult fields. Helmets are also a legal requirement riding on any public roads.
  • 5 4
 Rules don’t follow temperatures but assurances....
But I’m french and in some enduro races, we are oblige to wear full face all the time. South of france is way hotter than 26 degrees Wink
  • 1 0
 @dhridernz Thanks for the information.
Have a nice ride Wink
  • 2 1
 Was also thinking: Is no kneepads the new enduro?
  • 10 1
 Very few / no rocks in Rotorua and not a huge amount of roots so not super high risk to ride without them.
  • 2 0
 But there is a lot of trees ! Smile
  • 8 0
 picture #11, I want that trailer with everything on it.
  • 5 0
 For someone stuck writing their master's dissertation with bikes he can't ride on sloppy, flat trails in the cold and wind, this is an exceedingly cruel thing to show. I think this borders on Cruel and Unusual Punishment...
  • 5 0
 Been waiting for photo epics forever
  • 3 0
 Who is Cam Cole riding for now? It was Giant NZ last year. That does not look like a Giant in the picture.
  • 8 2
 if you are in doubt in 2016 just assume is yt. evrybody goes to yt
  • 1 1
 I think he's on Santa Cruz
  • 2 0
 Looks like he's riding for Torpedo7 this year - www.torpedo7.co.nz/community/teamt7
  • 2 0
 I would sell my bike just for going there to see this amazing competition, well, not my bike, anything less my bike jeje
  • 5 2
 giant bike looks rad!
  • 2 0
 Finally, the race circuit has begun!! Keep em coming PB!
  • 3 1
 Unreal results from the Kiwis on home turf, Good job guys! #proudsponsor
  • 1 0
 Looks like an absolute blast. Great coverage. Cool to see Bulldog mixing it up as well.
  • 1 0
 Gotta love the Spirit of Enduro reference!
  • 1 0
 Josh Carlson post that gopro vid I want to see how fast you go for 12 mins
  • 2 3
 WTF with the seatpost on the Specialized picture #11 ?
  • 2 1
 someones REALLY tall I guess?







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