General News
15 October, 2022
Aussies take over the podium at Crankworx Cairns
LOCAL favourites Mick Hannah and Caroline Buchanan brought a double Aussie victory to finish the exciting week of Crankworx Cairns 2022.
The Dual Slalom was a rivalry like no other, and the track was ready to throw some curveballs to ensure only the best riders stood on the podium on Sunday.
Athletes made the most of what tropical north Queensland has to offer, from encounters with crocodiles to snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.
The response from local government, the crowds and the riders were electric and solidified the return of Crankworx Cairns from May 17 – 21, 2023.
It was a fierce competition for the Men’s Gold medal Dual Slalom matchup, with hometown favourite Mick Hannah taking on 2021 Crankworx King Bas Van Steenbergen.
Hannah was pulling triples off the wall in most of his runs and had to claw his way back from a deficit a few times.
Ultimately, he had the speed and skill to beat Van Steenbergen on home soil in front of crowds chanting “Go Sick Mick” so hard the banners were falling from the fences.
“It’s amazing here in Cairns in front of the crowd; it’s just awesome,” Hannah said.
“Thanks for bringing the event here; it’s just a dream come true.
“We get to race these things all over the world, and we have so much support from home, so to put the show right in our backyard was just sick.”
The Aussies were out in force, with Jackson Frew taking out bronze over Sam Blenkinsop.
Frew came out of run one with a slight advantage of 0.16, and run two was so tight it was too close to call without review.
It was a massive week for Caroline Buchanan, with three trips to the podium, two of them on the top step after coming back from a shoulder injury.
Buchanan took out the Women’s Dual Slalom against local favourite Harriet Burbidge-Smith. Coming off the back of a win in the Pump Track, Buchanan was sprinting hard and hitting the berms with enough force to pull ahead, launching Burbidge-Smith into the silver place.
“The girls bring on an absolute new standard. Me and Haz, we’ve raced head-to-head multiple times before,” Buchanan said.
“It really was that fairy tale experience for the Aussies to come head-to-head in the final, and these are the moments where you just step up, find that extra gear within yourself and try to shut out the nerves and give it 100%.
“We’re not even braking into the last corner, so it is absolutely the wildest pin ride. Probably the favourite course I’ve ever ridden,” she said.
It was a dog fight for bronze between Vaea Verbeeck and Jordie Scott. Both riders were pushing as hard as they could, but Verbeeck was able to make up time on the inside turn to take the win 0.18 seconds ahead of Scott.
The top four ladies running for Crankworx Queen were in the finals of the Dual Slalom, and the leaderboard was a game of musical chairs all week.
Even with fourth place in Slalom, Scott has retained her seat at the top with Verbeeck and Buchanan nipping at her heels.
After Mick Hannah’s victory, Tomas Lemoine was knocked from the number one Crankworx King position by Van Steenbergen, and Hannah jumped from fifth to third place on his ride to the top.
To finish the event, siblings Mick and Tracey Hannah finally had the chance to share the podium. It was a homecoming for the pair to dominate the competition on home soil in front of family and friends.
