Whipping Under the Friday Night Lights: Photo Epic - Crankworx Rotorua 2017
After being delayed due to rain earlier in the week, the Official Oceania Whip Off Championships were rescheduled as a nighttime affair immediately following the Dual Speed and Style. This double header of events on a Friday night made the venue feel more like a rock concert than a mountain bike festival, as DJ's pumped out tunes and flood lights lit up the sky above the massive whip jump. By far the largest crowds of the week were in attendance and a few thousand people could be seen and heard cheering as their favorite riders took flight; Sideways through the skies above Rotorua.
While it may have been a bit dark, there was just enough light in just the right places for the riders to throw down in complete confidence, and as they became more comfortable on the jump the style and amplitude just kept increasing. In the end, it would be Casey Brown proving once again she is the one to beat amounts the women, and newcomer Reed Boggs would add his name to list of whip off champions in the men's round.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy a photo epic of bikes in flight under the Friday night lights...
Riders scoping the lighting of the drop in.
David McMillan.
Eliot Jackson with that classic moto style.
Finn Iles with some mid-flight yoga.
Wearing white was a smart idea for a night comp.
Finn Iles past sideways, this time with both feet back on the pedals.
Iago sending it on 29 inch wheels.
T-Mac sending it into 3rd.
Phil Atwill in flight.
Casey Brown took the win for the women.
Side by side trains.
All aboard the whip train.
Alex Fayolle floating over the Rotorua city lights.
Eliot Jackson.
Iago Garay loving it.
The Bulldog getting all out of shape.
KB was nervous excited before dropping in.
R Dog lays it flat. Doggy style took second.
Casey Brown unclipping for a quick leg dangle.
Rem Dog giving it.
The crowd was huge.
The line up for drop in.
Brook Macdonald.
Cam Zink.
Nack.
Eddie Masters and Matt Walker training things out.
Wheelie Wednesday king Wyn Masters manualed the downslope early on in the evening to the delight of the crowd.
Bernard rocks all the bright colours to make sure he can be spotted against the night sky.
R-Dog's whips landed him in 2nd place. It's awesome when he looks right at you as he whips.
Rotorua Whip Off Champion, Reed Boggs.
Ryan Howard boosting.
EWS racer Zakarias Johansen with the nack nack.
Kieran Bennett rocks those matching blue spokes to complement his V10.
Why whip when you can flip?
Tippie watching Reed throw down.
Bas Van Steenbergen.
Josh Brycleand took a few runs, then found it more fun cheering on his friends.
Eliot Jackson.
This crew went more sideways than anyone else in Rotorua.
MENTIONS: @davetrumpore / @AJBarlas / @mdelorme / @FRNZ / @cameronmackenzie / @spank-bikes
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Member since Feb 26, 2008
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Personally, love the style of the flattie, but it looks more tech to keep the bike vert and have to contort yourself to get fully sideways with both feet still on the pedals.
I'd be thrilled if I could do either... the only thing I can whip is my willy...
Personally I make sure they are cropped out of as many photos as possible.