Mountain Biking: Crankworx hailed as best event

Crankworx Rotorua and a local downhill mountain biking club have won top national awards during Cycling New Zealand's annual awards night.

The organisation's AGM and awards night in Christchurch at the weekend recognised clubs, individuals and events involved with cycling across the country.

Held earlier this year, Crankworx Rotorua was named the Mountain Biking Event of the Year, while Descend Rotorua picked up the award for Mountain Biking Club of the Year.

Descend Rotorua president Dave Hamilton said it was a huge achievement for the young club.

"We have been running since 2010, so to have progressed to this level in such a short time is not what any of us expected," he said.

"It is great ... everyone knows that a club like Descend Rotorua is heavily reliant on its volunteers. So on behalf of all those people it is a huge achievement."

Descend Rotorua hosted the national downhill champs in 2014 and 2015 and was heavily involved with the downhill event at Crankworx this year.

The club also organises the New Zealand Downhill (NZDH) series each year which features stops all over the North Island.

"I think [the award recognises] what effort you put in as a club, and not only what you do for your club members but for mountain biking in general," Hamilton said.

He was also honoured for his personal involvement with mountain biking, winning an outstanding contribution award.

Crankworx Rotorua was held in March and attracted thousands of mountain bike fans to the Skyline Gravity Park on Mt Ngongotaha.

The Crankworx event featured the world's best downhill and slopestyle mountain bikers and set Rotorua alight during the week-long festival.

Cycling New Zealand highlighted that it was also the largest mountain biking event held in New Zealand since the 2006 World Championships, which was also held in Rotorua.

Cycling New Zealand said the latest awards were also meant to recognise achievements in 2014, but were based on events and performances dated from March to March each year, making Crankworx eligible for an award.

About 26 awards were handed out on the night for road cycling, track cycling, BMX and mountain biking.