National Championships Rotorua

Photo credit: Barry Page

The 2014 National Championships were held in Rotorua on the weekend, as an opening event of the Rotorua Bike Festival. The Descend Rotorua team kept the track interesting, by building a new top section specially for the Nationals. After everyone had done a few runs the new line was all torn up and sketchy, with slippery roots being exposed in the off camber and ruts heading for trees. This made the riding more exciting and a lot of fun!  

Photo credit: Alan Ofsoski

In the lower section, the track run some of the older lines that are fast and rough. It was a challenge to do full runs through practice because my hands and fingers got so tired. The track finished with a cool double jump, that was fun to ride and  watch the riders on.


Photo credit: Liam Bethell

On Sunday we got up to the track early to get in some practice before seeding and race runs. Up the top in the new section, the track had changed a little where the fresh dirt had been pushed lower and lower in the off camber parts. Because of this, I had to change some of my lines for the race.

Photo credit: Barry Page

After seeding in 5th place, I had a good race run taking two seconds off my seeding time to hold my position and finish 5th in the under 19's. This weekend I am back down to the Rotorua Bike festival to compete in the 2W Gravity. It will be a really fun weekend, then I will have two weeks break before we head down to Mt Hutt for the Oceania Championships.     

Photo credit: Liam Bethell