EMIL JOHANSSON WINS 10TH CRANKWORX SLOPESTYLE GOLD MEDAL AT MAXXIS SLOPESTYLE IN MEMORY OF McGAZZA

ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND, March 26, 2023 – With Rotorua being back at the start of the Crankworx calendar, it meant two things for the slopestyle athletes: good weather and plenty of practice time. After seeing mind blowing practice footage flooding in all week, expectations going into the contest were high to say the least. Run after run of progression, in the end it was Emil Johansson coming out on top.

As Johansson’s 10th Crankworx slopestyle victory, this may have been his most technical run yet. Seeing 360 barspin to double downside whips both ways and a new flat drop flip x-up to start a heater of a run.

“Feeling great, kind of lost for words, honestly,” the Swede says. “It’s exciting, we are all competing because we like to push ourselves, and it makes us grow. We push each other by pushing ourselves. It’s sick to be part of it I think, and to play a part in the progression and to see it all step-by-step, we all get better and better by riding and that goes for everyone. Everyone is evolving all the time and that’s what keeps competitions fun and interesting.”

Second place saw Dawid Godziek, coming closer to matching Johansson’s score than anybody we have seen in recent years. With tricks like a cashroll barspin on the stepdown, and a twister no hander on one of the top features, this looks to be an exciting season as Godziek is nipping at Johansson’s heels.

“I am feeling super good,” Godziek says. “It’s a big relief to start the season ahead on the podium in a diamond event. I couldn’t be more happy. I am coming to Cairns for sure. Now I have some points in the overall, so I am going to fight for the overall result in the season.”

Third place was an exciting new face on the podium, Tom Isted put down an absolutely amazing run, finding himself on his first ever Crankworx slopestyle podium. Feeling much more confident on course this year and clearly having a solid off season, this is looking to be a great season for Isted.

“I’ve always been the bubble guy,” the British rider says. “This is the first full season where I have been guaranteed into the contest and end up on the podium so all the hard work over the winter paid off. I felt more confident on course, the course is definitely laid out better than it was for me last year so it suited my riding style way more. A few changes happened to the course from last year to this year, and they suited my riding style way more than they did before so it flowed a little bit faster, which means a bit more tricks so it worked a lot better for me.”

Results – Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza

  1. Emil Johansson (SWE) – 93.75
  2. Dawid Godziek (POL) – 93.5
  3. Tom Isted (GBR) – 88 

Full results: crankworx.com/results/  

The 2023 Crankworx World Tour season will be back before we know it, returning to Cairns in May 2023. Make sure you catch all the action from the entire 2023 Crankworx World Tour season on replay on Red Bull TV. 

Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming 2023 Crankworx World Tour season as they come, and stay up to date with all things Crankworx: crankworx.com 

Photos for media use: Flickr

About the Crankworx World Tour
Crankworx is the ultimate experience in mountain biking. Born in Whistler, B.C. in 2004, Crankworx has evolved into a multi-stop international festival series. The Crankworx World Tour brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines. Crankworx World Tour festivals also host races for amateurs, CWNEXT categories for next gen athletes, Kidsworx contests for young riders, participatory events and celebrations of mountain bike culture, all while showcasing amazing destinations. For additional information, visit crankworx.com.