CRANKWORX ROTORUA KICKS OFF THE 2023 SEASON WITH FIRST EVER LIVE BROADCAST ON LEGENDARY DH TRACK

ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND March 18, 2023 — Crankworx Rotorua is set to launch the 2023 world tour over the next seven days. Kicking things off tomorrow, the RockShox Taniwha DH from the Whakarewarewa and Tītokorangi forest in Rotorua with more cameras to capture more of the action for fans following along from home.

Live Coverage + Event Insights

All five broadcasts during Crankworx Rotorua 2023 will be live on Red Bull TV (times below are listed in local NZDT – event links include viewers’ local Red Bull TV times): redbull.com/nz-en/events/crankworx-world-tour-rotorua

RockShox Taniwha Downhill

*Louise Ferguson taking the top seeding position of the Elite Women’s field in the RockShox Taniwha DH | Photographer: Clint Trahan*

Sunday, March 19: 4:00 p.m. NZDT
https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/live/crankworx-world-tour-2023-rotorua-downhill
Course length: 2.3km with an elevation of 320m
Average lap time: 3-4min
Course overview: The Taniwha ‘National’ DH track is very well known in NZ as the OG. The track features an abundance of tight technical roots, along with high-speed drop jumps and full-on gnar. The middle section of the track is home to the biggest jumps spanning 14m and 18m. The infamous couch chute sees riders hit speeds around 60km/hr followed by the pimp stump, being the roughest part of the course. The sprint to the line is the new motorway section resembling a supercross straight rhythm of doubles, whoops and steep on/offs. The last steep section resembles a tree stump graveyard and shoots riders into 2 gap jumps, the first being 12 meters and the second being the finish line jump of 10 meters. High speed, high risk, high adrenaline.
2022 Winners: Sian A’Hern (AUS) and Sam Blenkinsop (NZL)
2023 Seeding Results: https://www.crankworx.com/results/results/

Crankworx Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by Torpedo7

*“The fans here in Rotorua are so good, this is what we live for,” Caroline Buchanan said, basking in her 2022 Pump Track gold-medal glory. | Photographer: Clint Trahan*

Friday, March 24: 6:30 p.m. NZDT
https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/live/crankworx-world-tour-2023-rotorua-pump-track
Course features: The track consists of four berms each side and seven rollers coming back through the middle with a stall wall
Average Lap Time: 12s
Course insights:
- A throwback to the original Rotorua Pump Track Course, in location and format. However, the course quality has evolved and with bigger berms and new features this promises to be a high-octane competition.
- Notable features: Towards the end of the course a spine feature will kill rider speed to the line, promising to create some nail-biting finishes.
2022 Winners: Caroline Buchanan (AUS) and Niels Bensink (NED)

Speed & Style Rotorua

*Tomas Lemoine on his way to earn a Speed & Style gold medal sweep of the 2022 Crankworx World Tour | Photographer: Clint Trahan*

Saturday, March 25: 3:00 p.m. NZDT
https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/live/crankworx-world-tour-2023-rotorua-speed-and-style
Notable features: 2022 saw new lower section including rhythm straight. Lower jump nice big step up for big tricks and angled away from each other to avoid mid-air collisions! Both jumps approx. 7m
2022 winners: Caroline Buchanan (AUS) and Tomas Lemoine (FRA)

Dual Slalom Rotorua

Sunday, March 26: 10:30 a.m. NZDT
https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/live/crankworx-world-tour-2023-rotorua-dual-slalom
Course features: Four sets of berms with nine rollers, then into one mega stall wall, finishing off with flat chamber turns
Course length: 450m
Average Lap Time: 25-30s
2022 Winners: Martha Gill (GBR) and Jackson Frew (AUS)

Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza

*2022 Winner of the Triple Crown of Slopestyle & the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship winner, Emil Johansson. | Photographer: Clint Trahan*

Sunday, March 26: 2:30 p.m. NZDT
https://www.redbull.com/nz-en/live/crankworx-world-tour-2023-rotorua-slopestyle
Gravity-fed and loaded with man-made features, including giant sculpted jumps, narrow canon logs, near-vertical wallrides, and huge drops.
Slopestyle delivers tricks, flips, and high-energy, mind-blowing action.
14 spots are open to elite-level athletes with the top six riders according to the SWC Standings from the previous year automatically qualifying. Invitations will also be issued to the next top-8 riders from the FMB World Tour Ranking as of 6 weeks prior to event start date. If a rider has ever won Red Bull Joyride, then they are granted lifetime entry.
2022 winner: Emil Johansson

SOCIAL

Crankworx will be providing fans with a complete Crankworx experience through its social media channels (Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube), in addition to live coverage. This includes exclusive behind-the-scenes content and event highlights featuring athletes immersing themselves in the festival, trails, and adventures in this renowned destination, which has become one of the ultimate playgrounds for mountain bikers around the globe.

Stay tuned for updates on Crankworx Rotorua as they come, and stay up to date with all things Crankworx: crankworx.com

Photos for media use: CWX Media Drive

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.