The Crankworx team managed the impact of some terrible weather without blinking. Rescheduling the Whip-off to a night time slot under lights may have made it even more spectacular.
The Slopestyle was off the charts - outrageous, courageous, heart stopping. Roll on 2018.
I've marshalled on the mountain biking on all but one Xterra since 2002 and look forward to doing so again this April.
It's a brilliant event, superbly run by Frank Clarke and his team. Special mention: Dave Donaldson who wrangled the MTB marshalling crew for the 15th year with his usual consummate organisational skills.
Bonus: Young local star Sam Osborne took the men's title. 2017 was a break-out year for Sam on the international off-road triathlon stage and he'll keep pushing on from that. However, I suspect that win on trails he grew up on, in front of his proud family and friends, will be one he'll look back on very fondly.
Organisation: The Rotorua Trails Trust keeps going from strength to strength, fuelled by a devoted, committed, hardworking group of volunteers – from the board, to trail adopters, working bee organisers and those who put their own time into maintaining our trails.
A lot of the work is behind the scenes and unglamorous, but is absolutely crucial to the health and continued growth of the trail network for mountain bikers, runners, walkers and equestrians.
Very close runner-up: The Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's Emergency First Response Unit, keeping us all safer in the forest.
Special mention: Mike (the Moa) Noble, friend to the trails, friend to all.
Wish for 2018: That more people would join this 'community'. Those who contribute are a tiny percentage of trail users. Anyone who can afford a bike can surely splash out $5 to join the Trails Trust: rotoruatrailstrust.co.nz/join
Bad news: Just after 11pm on the evening before the Singlespeed Worlds, news came through that Dutch rider Rene Mainholts' bike had been stolen. Compounding this was that Rene and his partner, Ivon Brekelmans, were in New Zealand for four weeks of bike touring after the event.
Better news: The Singlespeed Society team scrambled and got Rene a bike to race on. Local rider Peter Fraser loaned him a bike to ride for the next week in town and then Bike Barn Rotorua helped sort one for the rest of the trip.
Best news: In December Rene's bike was handed into the police and Paul Laing from the Singlespeed Society (with help from Mainfreight) organised its return to The Netherlands.
All a timely reminder that while New Zealand is a friendly place, like anywhere, we have our share of bad eggs.
Take care out there in 2018.
