Local riders used their home advantage to finish strongly in the Crankworx Summer Series enduro mountain bike racing at Matangi Station MTB park yesterday (Wednesday March 1).

Alexandra’s Cooper Millwood finished first in under 17, and second overall for men.

Hayley Harris took top spot for under 19 women, and was the sixth fastest female overall. 

Cooper said he was stoked with his result.

“I was just trying my hardest, sprinting as hard as I could, saving it for the downs.”

Hayley said living in Alexandra and having world class trails on her back doorstep to ride whenever she wants to is special. 

“I loved every minute of it, and I was one of the last riders down stage five so there was a big crowd on the hill, which was pretty good.”

Under 19 women winners (from left): Sianna Roka (Canada) second, Alexandra’s Hayley Harris first, and Steffi Moss (also from Alexandra) third

The men’s elite and overall best time went to Queenstown based rider Bradley Harris, and third and fourth men were locals Sam Sole (also second in elite category) and Matt Scoles (third in elite).

On the podium for the men’s elite riders (from left): Sam, Bradley and Matt

For the women overall fastest time went to French rider Morgane Jonnier, narrowly beating Louise Ferguson (UK).

Kiwis Jenna Hastings (Rotorua) and Kalani Muirhead (Wānaka) came in third and fourth overall for women (and second and third in elite women’s category respectively).

Junior women’s downhill world champion Jenna (18) in the enduro

The three top placed males and females were awarded prize money ($1000 for first, $750 for second, and $500 for third). 

Categories were CWNEXT (for the next generation of riders, in age classes 13-14, 15-16, 17-18), open (over the age of 19), and elite (over the age of 19).

Entrants were from Canada, the United States, Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Chile, France, Ireland and Great Britain along with New Zealand riders.

Matangi Station MTB park trails give athletes such as Kalani Muirhead (19) expansive views over Alexandra including the Mata-Au (Clutha) River

Tourism Central Otago (TCO) head of destination Anthony Longman said CSS is a great way to celebrate our mountain biking assets and build relationships between the local regional tourism organisations (Destination Queenstown, Lake Wānaka Tourism and TCO).

“Alexandra, Matangi Station MTB and other locations like Naseby Forest and the new [Cromwell] trails…are helping the district have a strong mountain bike offering that complements the existing mountain bike offering in Queenstown and Wānaka.

Anthony said cycling and mountain biking is key to Central tourism offering, from the Great Rides through to back country gravel rides, and the technical single-track. 

Locals watched the action from vantage points at Matangi Station MTB park

PHOTOS: Crankworx