Dawid Godziek triumphed over Swedish rival Emil Johansson to claim his first Crankworx Slopestyle victory on Sunday in Cairns, while local star Harriet Burbidge-Smith secured third place in a historic event where men and women competed together for the first time in the Crankworx FMB Slopestyle World Championship (SWC). Here’s a detailed recap:
Challenging Conditions and Course Layout
Throughout the week, the world’s elite freeride MTB riders battled challenging conditions at Smithfield Mountain Bike Park. Tropical rain showers complicated the efforts of both course builders and athletes.
The rain persisted on Sunday morning, but the weather improved by the afternoon, allowing the competition to start at 2:30 PM.
New course features included two significant jumps that replaced the halfpipe at the course’s bottom. All alternates present, including Mia Moore and Tobey Miley, had the opportunity to compete for the first time in SWC history.
Men’s Competition
Dawid Godziek from Poland achieved his long-awaited first Crankworx Slopestyle gold with an impressive 93 on his first run, showcasing precision and amplitude.
Emil Johansson, a Crankworx legend, posted a 90.25 on his first run and improved to 92.25 on his second, but it wasn’t enough to surpass Godziek.
Frenchman Timothé Bringer earned bronze with an 89.25 first run, while German Erik Fedko finished fifth with an 86.25 run.
“It was always my dream to get this gold medal here. It’s been a long journey as well. I dreamt about it, so it couldn’t be any better. It’s the best feeling ever.”
Godziek expressed his joy, stating,
Women’s Competition
In the women’s event, Australian Harriet Burbidge-Smith scored a 75 on her first run but was outperformed by Kiwi Robin Goomes and Swede Alma Wiggberg.
Rookie Alma Wiggberg, competing in her first SWC event, secured gold with an 89.75 on her second run. Goomes followed with 86 for silver, and Burbidge-Smith claimed bronze.
“Having Alma back on the circuit, I was already expecting amazing things from her. And seeing her first run was sick, and then us dropping in for our second run, it motivated me to try something new. And then, Alma came through and did something she has never done before as well. That was just insanely sick, and it just makes you be a better rider.”
Reflecting on Wiggberg’s return from injury, Burbidge-Smith said,
Significant Milestone and Future Events
The inclusion of both male and female riders in the same event marked a milestone for the sport, highlighting growing inclusivity in Freeride Mountain Biking.
As the Crankworx World Tour moves forward, Australian Ryan Gilchrist and Briton Martha Gill lead the overall standings. The next event is scheduled for June 12-16 in Innsbruck.
Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle PRO – MALE Standings
| Rank | Name | Nation | Sponsors | Run 1 | Run 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dawid GODZIEK | POL | Specialized, Red Bull, Industry Nine, Continental, BT Project, RTR Bikes, SRAM, Rock Shox | 93.00 | 40.00 | 93.00 |
| 2 | Emil JOHANSSON | SWE | Trek Bicycles | Red Bull | SRAM | Rock Shox | FASTHOUSE | Maxxis Tires | Giro | G-Form | Industry Nine | HT Components | Etnies | Thule | Sensus | 90.25 | 92.25 | 92.25 |
| 3 | Timothé BRINGER | FRA | Canyon, nineyard, Michelin, DT Suisse | 89.25 | 86.5 | 89.25 |
| 4 | Nicholi ROGATKIN | USA | Specialized, Bent Water Brewing, Kali, SRAM / RockShox, Spank, GoPro, Michelin, Alpinestars, Profile, DT Swiss, Magic Shine, Masters Of Dirt | 86.62 | 14.75 | 86.62 |
| 5 | Erik FEDKO | GER | YT Mob, Red Bull, SWATCH,Title, Maxxis, SRAM, ROCKSHOX, Industrie Nine, Type. | 76.00 | 86.25 | 86.25 |
| 6 | Lucas HUPPERT | SUI | Specialized, ABUS, El Tony Mate, Riding Culture, Title, Kenda, Motorex, Flying Metal Crew, Züritrails | 85.00 | 54.00 | 85.00 |
| 7 | Paul COUDERC | FRA | Commencal bikes, Monster Energy, Ilabb, Giro, Title, Marzocchi, michelin, Dakine, HT components , Novatec | 83.00 | 32.5 | 83.00 |
| 8 | Tobey MILEY | GER | Rose Bikes,Alpina,Weber Werke,Noa Hubs,Kenda,Evoc,Motorex | 78.25 | 40.00 | 78.25 |
| 9 | Jake ATKINSON | GBR | GT Bicycles | Muc-Off | TSG | Halo | Gusset | Helfare | Avail | Maxxis | 7.00 | 74.37 | 74.37 |
| 10 | Ben THOMPSON | CAN | Cannondale, Sram, Rockshox, Title, Troy Lee Designs, Ride Wrap, Fluid Function. | 70.75 | 64.25 | 70.75 |
| 11 | Griffin PAULSON | CAN | Canyon, ilabb, We Are One Composites, Title mtb, Maxxis | 60.75 | 70.12 | 70.12 |
| 12 | Max LANGILLE | CAN | Marzocchi, Title, Rocky Mountain, | 36.75 | 66.00 | 66.00 |
| 13 | Tom ISTED | GBR | Giant Bikes, DHarco, Etnies, SR Suntour, Abus, Kenda, DMR | 43.00 | 49.00 | 49.00 |
Crankworx Cairns Slopestyle PRO – FEMALE Standings
| Rank | Name | Nation | Sponsors | Run 1 | Run 2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alma WIGGBERG | SWE | Specialized, Sixpack, AVAIL | 84.75 | 89.75 | 89.75 |
| 2 | Robin GOOMES | NZL | Yeti Cycles, Mons Royale, Adidas 510, POC, SR Suntour, Shimano, Enve, Kenda, Deity, Wide Open NZ | 81.25 | 86.00 | 86.00 |
| 3 | Harriet BURBIDGE-SMITH | AUS | Red Bull, Canyon Bikes, POC, SRAM, Kenda, Title, GoPro, Missing Link Bikes | 75.00 | 74.00 | 75.00 |
| 4 | Caroline BUCHANAN | AUS | Trek Bicycles • Knobby • Boost Mobile • Oakley • FIST • Fasthouse • ODI • Bell Helmets • Maxxis • MAGURA • Marzocchi • Deity | 70.00 | 63.75 | 70.00 |
| 5 | Shealen RENO | USA | PROPAIN Bicycles, Boiron USA, Stan’s No Tubes, Six0 Compound | 59.5 | 65.5 | 65.5 |
| 6 | Mia MOORE | CAN | Kona, Title | 15.00 | 15.00 |
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