Words | Daniel Self
The DH summer season may have wrapped up but enduro racing in NZ is still well and truly underway. With the EWS coming to Nelson next year the Aorere enduro pulled most of the country’s big hitters in for race day. Some heavy rain leading into race weekend added to the excitement. This race was going to be one for the books!
Stage one was a special one. Nelson’s newest trail, funded by the Santa Cruz Bicycles PayDirt initiative, the riders were in for a treat! Photo – Sven Martin
The man to beat this weekend. Brady Stone and his Megatower ready to race! Photo – Sven Martin
Kurt Lancaster had a major part in the construction of the new PayDirt trail, and he looked right at home on course. Photo – Sven Martin
Todd Ballance making short work of the ruts that began to form after some heavy rain during race week. Photo – Sven Martin
Cole Lucas was looking rapid in practice, with the EWS round here next year he will surely have his sights aimed high. Photo – Dominic Blissett
Young gun Bex Hufflett put out some pretty hot times early on in the race, even taking an overall stage win! She will be one to watch in future. Unfortunately a crash put her out of the race this weekend. Photo – Sven Martin
Daniel Self finding out how quickly things can go wrong on the treacherous off camber. Photo – Sven Martin
Cam Beck has had a stellar of a season, 4th u21 this weekend might be respectable for most, but after a win at 3 Peaks we know Cam is hungry for more. Photo – Dominic Blissett
Kieran Bennett had a solid day one, finishing up in 5th and reminding the young guns why you can never rule him out. Photo – Sven Martin
Oliver Elkington was back racing after a couple of months off with injury. It didn’t take him long to get back up to speed with a 1st place in U21 on stage 2. Photo - Sven Martin
Max Hides deep in the jungle near the top of Aorere, at over 10 minutes long this stage was a real lung burner. Photo – Sven Martin
Robin Pieper enjoying the new singletrack and on her way to 5th in open Women. Photo – Sven Martin
Kieran Bennett had a rough day two. If you look closely you can also spot Cole Lucas’s bike with no front brake, another rider who crashed on the wild stage 5 and consequently had a major mechanical. Photo – Sven Martin
Daniel Self had a slow start to the weekend but managed to sneak back into the top 5 by the end of day two. Photo – Sven Martin.
What could have been. Cole was sitting in 2nd place after day one. He will be hungry for redemption next time around. Photo – Dominic Blissett
Emma Bateup was course sweeper for the weekend, getting back into the swing of things after shoulder surgery last year. Word on the street is she was the unofficial winner on stage 7. Photo - Pete Marshall
Kurt Lancaster takes out the master’s class. Photo – Sven Martin.
Todd Ballance on his way to the U21 win. Photo – Sven Martin
Man of the match. Brady Stone had an outstanding weekend, winning 4/7 stages and coming home with a 40 second lead! Photo – Sven Martin
That’s a wrap! Photo – Sven Martin
Full results can be found here