World-class slopestyle course ready for Crankworx (+video)

BIG JUMPS: Crankworx Rotorua event director Tak Mutu on top of the start of the new Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle course. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

If you build it, they will come.

While that quote comes from a 1989 Kevin Costner film, it also applies to the new slopestyle course at the Skyline Gravity Park in Rotorua.

Up to 15,000 people are expected to pack around the new slopestyle course on Mt Ngongotaha during the biggest event at Crankworx Rotorua - the Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle event next Sunday afternoon.

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"This is what the TV ads, and movies and YouTube videos are made out of," Crankworx Rotorua event director Tak Mutu said. "This is that Red Bull-style of riding."

The world's top-20 ranked slopestyle mountain bike riders will be competing next Sunday, including the only Kiwi inside the top-20, Kelly McGarry.

"We have already had a couple of international riders through and they have been frothing at the bit to get on it."

Crankworx Rotorua starts on Wednesday and runs until next Sunday, with the final event being the slopestyle event.

The slopestyle course includes nine massive jumps and each rider gets two runs on the course during the event.

Six judges are flying in from overseas to score the riders on their tricks over each jump.

Mutu said this was by far the biggest and best slopestyle course ever built in New Zealand and was built by McGarry and his track building partner Tom Hey.

"Te Puia have also been dressing the course to add that Rotorua and New Zealand flavour. It feels like an international course but it is still uniquely New Zealand."

The tallest jump on the course stands about 5.5m high and most of the track goes through the forest.

The Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle event counts towards both the Freeride Mountain Bike (FMB) World Tour and the new Crankworx Triple Crown series.

At present, Canadian Brandon Semenuk is ranked No1 in the world and is dominating slopestyle events all over the world. He will be competing next Sunday.

Mutu said they had capped the slopestyle event to 15,000 tickets and he said it had the potential to sell out.

The Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle event starts about 12.30pm next Sunday and people are encouraged to get there early to find a good spectating spot, with gates opening at 10am each day. Practice days are also open to ticket holders.

The six competitive events at Crankworx Rotorua include the Australasian Whip Off Champs on Wednesday, Dual Speed and Style on Thursday, Rotorua Pump Track Challenge on Thursday, Crankworx Rotorua Downhill on Friday, Giant Toa Rotorua Enduro next Saturday, and Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle next Sunday.

-Tickets to Crankworx Rotorua are on sale at Ticketmaster, the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre on Fenton St, or tickets can be bought on the day at the venue.