Crankworx Cairns Kicks Off: Official Australian Whip-Off Championships and RockShox Downhill Seeding

The fourth edition of Crankworx Cairns has officially launched, leading into what is already shaping up to be a picture-perfect week in Tropical North Queensland. A contrast to last year’s festival, the Paradise Edition of the Crankworx World Tour returns under clear skies and high spirits.

Riders across disciplines are raving about the meticulously built and dialled-in trails of Smithfield MTB Park, with thanks to the craftsmanship of World Trail and Flux Trail. The terrain is primed, the jungle buzzes, and the stage is set for a week of elite-level mountain bike action.

RockShox Downhill Cairns – Seeding Day

Today featured seeding for the RockShox Downhill Cairns, giving fans a preview of what’s to come in tomorrow’s finals. Reigning King of Crankworx and Aussie sensation Ryan Gilchrist topped the men’s seeding, clocking in 1.576 seconds ahead of last year’s champ, Connor Fearon. Jackson Frew’s third-place seeding adds more Aussie firepower to the lineup.

In the women’s field, Australia dominated once again with Sian A’Hern taking the top spot, followed by Cairns local legend Tracey Hannah and Sacha Mills.

Find the full seeding results here.

Reigning King of Crankworx Ryan Gilchrist proves once again that he is a force to be reckoned with across disciplines. (c) Clint Trahan

Official Australian Whip-Off Championships

As the sun set over the rainforest canopy, the day wrapped with style and airtime at the Official Australian Whip-Off Championships.

Australia’s Josh Jolly and Remy Morton soared to the top of the men’s podium, with Kiwi Cameron Clemett taking third.

On the women’s side, Tilly Boadle wowed the crowd and judges to secure gold, ahead of Sweden’s Emma Olofsson and fellow Aussie Elleni Turkovic.

Josh Jolly shared the top spot with fellow Aussie Tilly Boadle. (c) Clint Trahan

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow’s finals for the RockShox Downhill Cairns will stream live on Red Bull TV (3–5 PM AEST). And more is to come this weekend with packed double events each day:

Saturday brings the debut of Crankworx Cairns Full Tilt, an intense group-start gravity race, followed by the Pump Track Challenge under the lights.
Sunday features the highly anticipated Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle, boasting one of the most competitive fields in recent memory – find the rider list here; and the Specialized Dual Slalom on a newly redesigned track.

Spectators on site and fans at home can watch Tracey Hannah race on home turf tomorrow. (c) Clint Trahan

Don’t Miss Out

With incredible weather and high energy across the venue, fans nearby are encouraged to grab last-minute tickets online and join the action. For those tuning in remotely, catch all the highlights and live broadcasts on Red Bull TV.