Crankworx Summer Series
Words & Images Liam Friary
The magnetic pull of Aotearoa’s southern landscape never fails to captivate my spirit. When the invitation arrived to journey to Christchurch for the Crankworx Summer Series, there wasn’t so much as a moment’s hesitation in my response. I packed my gear and threw in a 35mm point-and-shoot film camera – an Olympus MJU II – to capture it.
The thriving mountain biking community in Ōtautahi continues to expand impressively and leaves me in awe each time I return. Within hours of touching down, I found myself pedalling up the Port Hills and into the trails of Victoria Park; it wasn’t long before I was lost but, luckily, a smartphone makes pinning locations easier. After that I stayed not far from the back wheel of the local guides. The hours flew by and as the sun dipped we headed for some grub and beer at Moon Under Water. True to form, the place was absolutely chocka, with barely room to squeeze through the animated crowd of riders and locals. The telltale collection of mountain bikes stacked haphazardly out front proves this is indeed the place where the biking community congregates.
Before immersing myself into the Crankworx spectacle, I ventured deep into the backcountry. I like to ride before I watch riding as it gives a good energy. The alarm screamed, I ran a quick shower, and we were off before the first light of dawn—heading out to Craigieburn for a couple of hours of riding. The best way to get the most out of the trails is on an eMTB so, with the help of a local guide, we did the ‘classic hits’ of Craigieburn. It was so damn lush through the beech forest, with the mountains peeking out every so often. The trails keep you on your game with technical rooted features, exposure, and flat out fast sections—where I was hauling a bit too much at some points. Towards the back end of the ride, we filled our bottles with water from the river and washed our faces. The stoke level was high as we pedalled back and I cracked up when my eMTB ran out of juice just before reaching the truck. The legendary Sheffield Pies warranted not one but two visits, to fuel and refuel my energy stores. After a quick wash at my digs I managed to arrive at the Crankworx event in time to catch the afternoon’s competitions.
After the disappointment of the inaugural event’s cancellation, anticipation had built tremendously for this second attempt. The electric atmosphere was felt from the moment the Uber driver drew up close to the event. This was a real vibe, with groms left, right and centre, frothing. The industry’s prominent presence, combined with the genuine excitement of the locals celebrating this event in their hometown, created an infectious energy. I walked around chatting to people from the biking scene and it reminded me that we are a strong community. I mean bikes are a bloody good tool for bringing people together. The crowd was a wide spread of age groups with heaps of families. It makes me think these events keep the next generation inspired. The crowning spectacle of the Crankworx Summer Series is the Slopestyle competition. The wind had been playing a bit of havoc during practice so it was decided to move the event to early Sunday morning. I walked up the hill—the crowd was littered everywhere, in high spirits waiting for the next rider to drop. The hillside hype was infectious and being a part of live sporting action is something really special. The athletes really threw down and this grassroots event even managed to rival its bigger brother. Those few days immersed in the Crankworx Summer Series, combined with a quick trip into the backcountry, reminded me just why bikes—and the mountain biking community—are so bloody good.
