Downhill racer Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (Te Arawa) is on course to win a global mountain bike title in Canada.
“To be in the lead, it feels good. I don’t know what else to say - It’s all good,” a smiling Pene said.
“I didn’t expect it [at the start of the year]. I just turn up to the races and have fun.”
The 22-year-old from Rotorua is set to be crowned King of Crankworx 2023 in Whistler on Saturday (NZ time) after an “epic” week and year of results.
Crankworx is a global tour of mountain bike festivals that take place in Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Canada.
“It feels good, it feels good to win gold here,” Pene said earlier this week after victory in the pump track challenge at Crankworx Whistler, which moved him one step closer to the coveted title.
“I felt like if I knew my line and I knew how to get that smooth - if I did get it, I was on.”
The overall titles of Crankworx King and Queen are awarded to the riders that accumulate the most points across a multidisciplinary challenge, involving multiple events and disciplines, over the four international festivals. This year’s festivals were in Rotorua, Cairns, Innsbruck (Austria) and Whistler.
Pene has an unassailable lead - with one event to go - after amassing 839 points in his run-in to claiming the top prize. Canada’s Bas Van Steenbergen (718) is second and Australia’s Jackson Frew third (700).
Caroline Buchanan of Australia is on track to take out the title of Queen of Crankworx 2023.
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