11+ HOURS OF LIVE CRANKWORX ACTION COMING TO RED BULL TV AND CRANKWORX.COM
International MTB season kicks off from New Zealand with the best of the best from across disciplines converging on Rotorua for first Crankworx World Tour stop of 2020
ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND March 5, 2020 – New year. New decade. More Crankworx coverage at your fingertips than ever before.
From now through August, the best athletes in the world from multiple disciplines will come together across the Crankworx World Tour to compete and celebrate mountain bike culture, bringing the world along for the ride.
Kicking things off, Crankworx Rotorua 2020 is ready to go live to the world, sharing the ultimate experience in mountain biking.
On deck for the first stop of the Crankworx World Tour:
- More live coverage on Red Bull TV than ever before
- Exclusive Crankworx social media content
- Behind-the-scenes Red Bull features with your favourite stars
March 5-8 will see 11 hours of mountain bike coverage broadcast live from Rotorua. For the first time in Crankworx history, all live events will be available on crankworx.com and Red Bull TV. This marks the beginning of a three year partnership between Crankworx and Red Bull.
Here are the details of what to watch, when and where.
Thursday, March 5
Where to watch:
Red Bull TV and crankworx.com
When:
Thursday, March 5: 5:30 p.m. NZDT
Wednesday, March 4: 8:30 p.m. PST
Thursday, March 5: 5:30 a.m. CET
Details:
A whole new challenge awaits, on an all-new course for the 2020 100% Dual Slalom Rotorua within the main festival grounds, bringing it closer to all the Crankworx action. Famed course building duo Adam King and Chris Martin of Empire of Dirt have brought to life a world-class course that’s steeper and more technical, leading to tighter racing over shaped berms, rollers and finishing on a series of flat turns.
Watch for:
- Keegan Wright (NZL) – The local rider has proven his prowess on the Dual Slalom track before, and is the Rotorua’s reigning champ.
- Vaea Verbeeck (CAN) – The reigning Crankworx Dual Slalom World Champion, Verbeeck has been training hard on the Kiwi dirt over the past month in preparation for the season kickoff in Rotorua.
Friday, March 6
CLIF Speed & Style presented by Mons Royale
Where to watch:
Red Bull TV and crankworx.com
When:
Friday, March 6: 5:30 p.m. NZDT
Thursday, March 5: 8:30 p.m. PST
Friday, March 6: 5:30 a.m. CET
Details:
A revamped course for CLIF Speed & Style presented by Mons Royale is set to deliver the goods at Crankworx Rotorua 2020. The course follows a new line and has some new features, including a step up built for tricks, a multi-option rhythm section straight off the start and an extended middle straight. The cannon logs have been removed with more classic berms added to lead riders into a new improved last trick jump.
2020 will be the first time a women’s category of Speed & Style is run in Rotorua, with 15 women on deck top compete. Get ready to watch the boys and girls throw down!
Watch for:
- Casey Brown (CAN) – Long considered the most stylish pro female in competition, Brown is set to take on a field of 14 women in this first running of the women’s category is Rotorua.
- Tomas Lemoine (FRA) – He’s fast and stylish – a winning combination in Speed & Style. Lemoine has certainly showed he’s got what it takes, finished just off the podium in Rotorua last year, but coming in second in the overall series standings.
Saturday, March 7
Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza
Where to watch:
Red Bull TV and crankworx.com
When:
Saturday, March 7 2:00 p.m. NZDT
Friday, March 6 5:00 p.m. PST
Saturday, March 7 2:00 a.m. CET
Details:
The first contest of the 2020 Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship season, the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza is not to be missed. This is where the 14 best Slopestyle riders in the world will lay it all on the line. Amplitude, originality, difficulty, execution, and flow – it all has to be on point. Prepare to be amazed at what’s possible on a bike today. The Rotorua course is a rider-favourite, shaped by the late legend Kelly “McGazza” McGarry and his building partner Tom Hey. This year an all-new feature will be making its debut. Hey, the mastermind behind it, says it’ll be great for combos, adding a new dimension to the big, fast and flowy course. Tune in to see the debut of the as-yet unnamed feature!
Watch for:
- Emil Johansson (SWE) – The all-time comeback kid, Emil’s story is one for the history books. He fought back against illness and adversity in 2018, coming back swinging mid-season in 2019, pulling off a win at the biggest contest in the discipline, Red Bull Joyride.
- Erik Fedko (GER) – Singled out as one to watch in 2020, this rising star goes big, and puts his signature style on everything he does.
- Nicholi Rogatkin (USA) – After an uncharacteristic 2019 in which podiums evaded him, Rogatkin is surely fired up and ready to send it. He took the win in the event 2017.
Check out the full RIDER LIST for more.
RockShox Rotorua Pump Track Challenge
Where to watch:
Red Bull TV and crankworx.com
When:
Saturday, March 7: 8:00 p.m. NZDT
Friday, March 6: 11:00 p.m. PST
Saturday, March 7: 8:00 a.m. CET
Details:
The perfect way to round out a day of ultimate skill on Mount Ngongotaha. The RockShox Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by Torpedo7 will finish off a major day following the Slopestyle. An absolute fan-favourite, the Pump Track in Rotorua is often home to some of the most heated battles of the festival, and has proven to be a place where local talent shines and the heavy-hitters come out play.
Watch for:
- Jill Kintner (USA) – Back and ready to battle, Kintner’s explosive power and skill has seen her top innumerable podiums over the course of her career. After spending most of 2019 focusing on Enduro, she stormed the scene in Whistler, capturing yet another Pump Track win at Crankworx Whistler.
- Tommy Zula (USA) – the American rider finished his 2019 Crankworx season with his first win on the Pump Track in Whistler. Rotorua will be his Crankworx festival outside of Whistler. He’s sure to be fired up and ready to prove he’s got what it takes to take on the Crankworx World Tour.
Sunday, March 8
Crankworx Rotorua Downhill presented by the Professionals
Where to watch:
Red Bull TV and Crankworx.com
When:
Sunday, March 8: 3:30 p.m. NZDT
Saturday, March 7: 6:30 p.m. PDT
Sunday, March 8: 3:30 a.m. CET
Details:
Some new lines will give Crankworx Rotorua Downhill presented by Gull a fresh new twist for 2020. The beginning of the international Downhill racing season, some of the world’s best will close out another Crankworx Rotorua festival with the heart-stopping action on the slopes of Mount Ngongotaha. This rider-favourite course will have some new twists and turns to challenge racers, including a new bottom section through the trees sending riders down a steep wall of freshly-carved dirt, and into a shark fin launch pad into the finish arena.
Watch For:
- Troy Brosnan (AUS) – This DH all-star hasn’t raced the track at Crankworx Rotorua since 2017, and will surely be gunning for the win once again as he starts his 2020 international racing season.
- Tracey Hannah (AUS) – A fixture on the Crankworx scene, Hannah is coming off a super successful 2019 racing season that included a win in 2019’s Rotorua race, as well as the overall Crankworx Downhill Championship.
All Day, Every Day
To take your Crankworx experience to the next level, stay tuned to Crankworx World Tour on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. At your fingertips: exclusive athlete content, broadcast promotions and partner videos will be shared throughout the festival. Fans can expect to see clips of top runs, GoPro course previews, bike checks, athlete and Rotorua cultural features plus timely highlight pieces.
Plus, check out RedBull.com/Crankworx for additional goods from the festival, including exclusive behind-the-scenes edits with some of your favourite athletes. For German-speaking fans, watch for Erik Fedko’s vlog on YouTube giving a peek into his experience on the ground and what it takes to compete.
And as the action from the first stop of the Crankworx World Tour kicks off, we’re already getting ready for the next. Tickets are now on sale for Crankworx Innsbruck, the only European stop in 2020: https://ticketorganizer.eu/organizer/crankworx-innsbruck
Keep up with all the action from the Crankworx World Tour on Crankworx.com, including LIVE event coverage, schedule and broadcast info, tickets, event details, and results from across the tour.
You can also follow along at RedBull.com/Crankworx, including LIVE coverage on Red Bull TV of:
CLIF Speed & Style presented by Mons Royale
Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza
100% Dual Slalom Rotorua
RockShox Rotorua Pump Track presented by Torpedo7
Crankworx Rotorua Downhill presented by Gull
Head to RedBull.com/Crankworx for broadcast details and times.
Release photos: Dropbox
News: Press releases
Photos: Flickr
General resources: Media kit
About the Crankworx World Tour
Crankworx is the ultimate experience in mountain biking. Born in Whistler, B.C. in 2004, Crankworx has evolved into a multi-stop international festival series. The Crankworx World Tour brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines. Crankworx World Tour festivals also host races for amateurs, CWNEXT categories for next gen athletes, Kidsworx contests for young riders, participatory events, and celebrations of mountain bike culture, all while showcasing amazing destinations. For additional information, visit crankworx.com.
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Media Contact
Julia Montague | Communications Manager, Crankworx World Tour
julia@crankworx.com