Riding Rotorua’s IKONic Slopestyle Course with Griffin Paulson

Griffin Paulson stepped onto the Crankworx World Tour Slopestyle scene back in 2021 when he took on the Title Slopestyle presented by CLIF at SilverStar Bike Park course, expertly designed by Brett Rheeder. Only narrowly missing the podium, the good Canadian kid from smalltown Prince George, BC, saw an outpour of support from his home country as he pushed the limits of what he could do on two wheels. 

Never one to steer away from progression, the Maxxis rider continued to push his skillset throughout the 2022 season competing at Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle, Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle, and Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza with injuries and all. After Crankworx Rotorua, Paulson took some “much-needed time to fully recover and heal” for the quickly approaching 2023 season. 

On his recovery process and how he’s feeling about being on the start list for this year’s Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza event, Griffin Paulson said: 

“It (2022 Crankworx World Tour) was a bit of rough season for me and ended on a hard note as well, injuring my at the time “good ankle.” I took some much-needed time to fully recover and heal. I went home to my snowy town of Prince George in northern British Columbia where biking was less on my mind and focused on physio and rest. 

I’m super happy to be back in time for this event (Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza)! It was just the right amount of time to feel confident on both my feet again. Riding the course for the first time felt so good and was the true test, as I hadn’t ridden on dirt since last year’s event.” 

On training for a season with such a quick turnaround, while balancing recovery and setting new goals for the year ahead, Paulson continued: 

“It’s definitely a different feeling showing up to an event in what is, for me, basically the middle of winter! I’ve been very fortunate to have Air Rec Center Indoor Bike Park as my training grounds for the winter. It’s not exactly “large” Slopestyle training, but I’m feeling pretty confident anyways! 

I’m going into this season with my main goal to just have the time of my life living my Slopestyle dream. Apart from that, I’m looking to stay fit and healthy throughout the entire season and I am hungry to get back up there results wise.” 

Kitted out with Maxxis IKON tires, which he rides “at a rock hard 62 psi,” the rider cheekily shared that they’re “feeling so good on the “IKONic” [Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza] course.”