Kiwi athlete Wyn Masters officially lived up to his name Sunday, winning the first major race of Crankworx Rotorua, the GIANT Toa Enduro, by mastering a truly gnarly course.
Weather reports predicting rain would hit early in the day proved all too accurate as the racers, not half an hour into the race, found themselves giving up mint-condition tracks
for messy mud bogs capable of cobbling even the best riders.
"My toughest stage was three, but it was the stage I was most looking forward to. Someone told me I was second in the race at the top, and then I tried to go way too hard, and it was the biggest mess. I've never seen that stage look like that - I couldn't get out of the ruts," said Masters.
The track in question, Hatu Patu, was billed as crash and carnage central even on a sunny day, and having bounced off the bike pretty quickly, Masters was under the impression he was out of contention until hearing he was just 20 seconds behind his brother, Eddie Masters, going into Stage 6.
"I would have been stoked to be on the podium with him, but I had to be above him," said Wyn, noting he poured on the gas.
This is the first time at the top of the podium for Masters in the Enduro World Series and Crankworx, and he was, in the end, joined by his brother, who took third place.
