Mountain bike festival gears up with new Govt funding

An international mountain bike festival will receive Government funding to secure events in Rotorua and across the South Island, offering significant economic, social and cultural benefits to New Zealand, Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash announced today.

Crankworx will receive up to $8.1 million from the Government’s Major Events Fund to support the delivery of six Crankworx Rotorua mountain bike events including the Grand Finale in November 2022 and the return of Rotorua hosting the first stop on the Crankworx World Tour from 2023–2027. It will also secure the future of up to 24 Summer Series events, hosted across the South Island, after a successful launch in 2021.

“I’m thrilled to be able to support the future of Crankworx global events in New Zealand. This is one of the most important mountain bike festivals in the world with a huge international following, so it’s great to continue to host it in Rotorua, a city that has a well-deserved reputation as a global mountain biking destination,” Stuart Nash said.

“We’ve held Crankworx events in New Zealand for the past seven years, and they have all been highly successful, attracting of international visitors while incentivising the development of and upgrades to mountain bike and event-related infrastructure.

“The cumulative economic impact of the 2015-2021 events has been independently assessed at over $25.9 million, which doesn’t include the ongoing economic benefit of international visitors who spend travel beyond the event, as well as the lasting awareness and hype generated for Rotorua.

“As we welcome back our international visitors, it’s the perfect time to broaden our commitment to the mountain bike festival. This funding will support extended Summer Series events, which help to distribute social and economic benefits across our South Island communities, in particular to Central Otago, Queenstown, and Wanaka.

“I attended Crankworx in Rotorua last year and it was a fantastic event, even without the crowds. I can’t wait to be back in November and cheer along with all the international mountain bike fans,” Stuart Nash said.