The Crankworx caravan returns to the immense rainforest and signature red dirt of Tropical North Queensland with another packed lineup of racing and events from May 21-25, once again preceded by the Masters World Championships a week prior.
Most of the classics are back, however, there is a shake-up in this year’s agenda. Let’s dive deep into what’s crackin’ in Cairns for the fourth iteration of Crankworx in Oz.
Related:
Countdown To Crankworx | Riding and Exploring Tropical North Queensland
Party In Paradise | Crankworx Cairns through the lens of Jesse Chirizzi
Crankworx is bringing the big show back to Tropical North Queensland once again for a party in paradise.
What to expect at Crankworx Cairns?
Racers will be on-site at Smithfield MTB park for a sticky beak at the many courses from Tuesday, May 20, with practice starting on the same day for a number of the competition formats. Things quickly ramp up the following day with the Specialized Dual Slalom practice getting underway, RockShox Downhill practice, Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle Practice and the Crankworx Cairns MTB Street Jam (try saying that five times, fast).
Warm up those vocal cords and plonk yourself down trackside as the competition truly starts firing from Thursday (May 22), with the practice and finals for Specialized Dual Slalom; two racers run side-by-side down the exquisitely crafted course, battling each other and the clock to avoid cruel elimination. Insane berms, punchy jumps and fast rhythm sections are primed for riders to punish the heavenly crimson dirt. They complete one run on each side of the course, with the fastest combined times taking home the bacon. Racing for the proverbial rashers, if you will.
It really wouldn’t be Crankworx without some physics-bending pump track racing, now would it? Big names like Ryan Gilchrist will likely return to defend their honour and the overall King of Crankworx title with his trademark fury (and wry smile), while British ripper Martha Gill will be fired up to retain her respective title as Queen of Crankworx. Points are gathered throughout each Crankworx World Tour stop, and the best gatherer of pointage is crowned winner. Will they be unceremoniously dethroned this year?
Related:
Triple Champion, Zero Tricks | Ryan Gilchrist on his break out 2024 season
The Dual Slalom is always a spectical of rider skill and course building at Crankworx, and it will kick off the festivities in Cairns.
Red Snake Rodeo at the Roshox Downhill
Thursday marks the start of the Rockshox Downhill Cairns practice session, with some track tweaks to Australia’s most iconic course — the Worlds DH track. Expect to see racers flailing their appendages on slick downhill bikes in the ever-anticipated Red Snake Rodeo. This is by no means an official name for the DH race, but one we’re keen to coin.
The Rockshox Downhill will also double as the final event on the brand-new AusCycling Continental Series.
Tracey Hannah absolutely dominated last year on the Worlds DH track. We hope she’ll be back to defend her title in 2025.
The 2024 iteration saw Australia’s golden girl Tracey Hannah storm to victory with an EIGHTEEN-second advantage over the closest rider, Ellie Smith, on a sodden and slick track, and we can only hope she’s back this coming year to lay waste to a potentially dry course. Pending tropical weather systems, naturally.
Connor Fearon ensured an all-Aussie gold situation in the men’s event with an insane run, unperturbed by slimy rock and roots, and will look to remain in form this year. Fellow countrymen Jackson Frew and Joel Sutherland were hot on his heels last year, and here’s to hoping we’ll see more classic runs for the ‘25 race.
Friday (May 23), will see the pre-race practice and finals for the Downhill race go down, so make sure you’ve pre-scoped your heckling positions among the lush ferns. The Alien Tree is always the spot for race-changing moments, as is the rock garden, and don’t forget Ronning’s Ramp for some high-speed, airborne riders. Silly outfits are optional but highly encouraged, along with noise-making apparatus.
Kids can also get right in on the action with a handful of activities and fun at the Cairns Esplanade and Sea Eagle Event Lawn. This goes down May 17 and 18. The Crankworx team tells Flow it is still crossing some ‘t’s and dotting a few ‘i’s, and further details will be released closer to the time. Watch this space for more.
Last year there were questions going into Crankworx Cairns as to whether the slopestyle would go ahead. Fortunately, the event team and the athletes were able to reach an agreement, and everything ran smoothly.
Clear for takeoff | Slopestyle and Whip-off are back
Naturally, a week-long mountain biking event wouldn’t be quite the same without a whip-off, the ever-simple yet photogenic celebration of sideways. Post up with the thousands of fellow spectators joining the action for the Official Australian Whip-Off Championships on Thursday afternoon and holler at your favourite airborne animals as a warm-up for the big show.
Far beyond the backstage drama of Slopestyle in years prior, the event is geared up for more flippin’, rotatin’ aerial madness, culminating in the finals on Sunday (May 25). If last year’s male competitor roster for the event is anything to go by, names like Rogatkin, Fedko, Isted and Johansson will descend on Cairns to wrest the Slopestyle title away from unstoppable Pole, David Godziek — last year’s undisputed style lord.
Expect to see the women’s event further push the airborne envelope. We hope to see Harriet Burbidge-Smith healthy again after sustaining a big injury at Cranworx Whistler alongside fellow Aussie ripper Caroline Buchanan, lining up to take on Swedish powerhouse Alma Wiggberg and consistently strong Robin Gomes. This is fast becoming one of the most exciting elements of Crankworx, and one you’re absolutely not going to want to miss.
There is something brand new on the agenda for Crankworx Cairns in addition the the Quadzilla Enduro. The event team isn’t ready to share the details of this pro only event just yet, so we can only speculate.
A new enduro and something shrouded in mystery
Not content with a roster already bursting at the proverbial seams, the team have added the intriguingly named Quadzilla Enduro which runs on Saturday (May 24). A four-stage, lung and leg burner featuring lactic acid inducing climbs and technical descending across four stages. This one will be a fun watch indeed, and will likely lend itself well to the more racebred competitors in attendance.
The schedule also promises a shadowy mystery event, all new for Crankworx, scheduled to wrap up the festival on Sunday. Back in December, Crankworx announced it was canning Speed and Style after feedback from athletes, spectators and event partners. This new mystery event will seemingly slot into the Speed and Style-sized hole in the event lineup.
We pressed the Crankworx team for any hints they could provide, but they are keeping their cards close to their chest. So, Flow can only speculate that they’ve finally decided to include crocodile wrestling in the roster after years of Mick Hannah campaigning for its inclusion.
Global viewing figures from the last three years have yielded nearly 2 million eyeballs and around $19.5m AUD in revenue for the state, with some 23,600 attendees to the event and surrounding area. Not bad, Queensland. All signs point to this year’s event racking up yet more notoriety as the most exotic stop on the Crankworx roster.
Crankworx is not just a spectator event and there are racing categoris for all ages.
Crankworx is not just for the pro riders
As ever, you can anticipate the rowdy yet family-friendly atmosphere Crankworx is well loved for, with all the major bike brands in attendance for the gear expo. Some of the sport’s biggest names in racing (past and present) will be wandering the event village, so keep those eyes peeled, and you can bet there will be activations, meet and greets and poster signings.
Crankworx is not just for the pros, with amature racing categories ranging from U15 to Veteran 40+ in every event bar Slopestyle, Whip-Off and the new mystery box.
Live music, parties, gear demos and the like are also on the agenda, but the Crankworx team are still shoring up the details. We’ll update you with more info as the final pieces of the festival fall into place.
There is more to Crankworx than just spectating, bring your bike, sign up for a race and explore the trails near Cairns.
Bring your bike, even if you’re just spectating!
Let’s not forget that Cairns is an epic mountain biking destination! In previous years, beyond the demos hosted by the festival, the Smithfield trail network was closed off to the public. However, that still leaves, the Kuranda DH, Davies Creek and Atherton all within a short drive. So, even if you’re not racing, don’t forget your bike, as there is no shortage of trails to ride. And of course, no trip to Tropical North Queensland would be complete without a reef charter, chasing waterfalls, and maybe some bungee jumping too.
Related:
Flow’s Ride Guide | Up high in Atherton
Festival passes are available over at the Crankworks Cairns website, so snag yours for the fun in Australia’s most rambunctious rainforest.
If you’re on the face as to whether to race (go on, do it!), then bear in mind the rider registration deadline is Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 11:59pm AEST.
The post Crankworx Goes Troppo | Crankworx festival descends on Cairns this May appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.
The Crankworx caravan returns to the immense rainforest and signature red dirt of Tropical North Queensland with another packed lineup of racing and events from May 21-25, once again preceded by the Masters World Championships a week prior. Most of the classics are back, however, there is a shake-up in this year’s agenda. Let’s dive
The post Crankworx Goes Troppo | Crankworx festival descends on Cairns this May appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike. Read More Flow Mountain Bike
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