Photo Epic: Whip-Off - Crankworx Rotorua 2022

If you'd have looked out the window Sunday morning here in Rotorua, everyone would have said you're laughing, thinking that the Whip-Off would go ahead here at Crankworx Rotorua. This year has been one of the wettest instalments on record, creating havoc for riders and management as they've tried to reschedule postponed events. Originally set for Wednesday night, the Whip Off was due to kick things off with a bang, but instead many woke later that night after a day of rain delays to just that, big bangs, as a huge thunderstorm really drove home the reality of how this week was going to go.

After keeping riders waiting around for 8 hours on Wednesday, the call was finally made to delay the whip off until further notice, later then on Sunday, during the lunchtime break before the Slopestyle, in order to give the course the best chance of drying out and benefitting off of the big crowds. Come Sunday, the tarps were pulled, a what greeted riders and course builders was a sodden and soft course. The show must go on, and it was all hand to the pump to get gravel down in the flat bottom, gas torches going, and the course dried out enough to ride.

45 minutes before the start of the event, a small shower blew through, adding to everyone's woes, but thankful it was only light. By this point, many of the staple whip-off-ers had already left after getting tired of the mud and weather. The likes of Vinny Armstrong and Robin Goomes were kitted up and ready to go, but after watching many of the guys constantly struggling to even clear the jump, they strayed away and watched this one from the sidelines. A combination of the jump being too soft, and a constant headwind meant the remaining 17 riders had their work cut out for them, having to push back into the bush-line just to get enough speed.

The likes of Dave MacMillan and Allan Cooke always put on a show, but the one to watch was Matt Begg, hungry to repeat last year's win.

Beyond what's already been said, there's nothing left to say, so instead of reading mediocre captions for every bit of sideways action, enjoy this carousel of uninterrupted whips.

Results

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Racing and Events Crankworx Photo Epics Crankworx Rotorua 2022 Whip Off