CRANKWORX - Official Oceania Whip Off Championships presented by Spank

Photos and correspondence by Clint Trahan

The sun went down in Rotorua but the heat turned up. Also turning up, a whole slew of radically skilled riders to put on an epic show at the Official Oceania Whip-Off Championships presented by Spank.

Starting post sunset means the riders threw down their best whips under the lights in Rotorua, New Zealand in front of crowds that certainly showed their appreciation for the skills on display.

Brook MacDonald coming in hot.

The stories of the night break down to three areas:

Casey Brown simply leading the pack for the women...

Casey Brown - now eight times Whip Offs Champion in 4 years.

With respect to the rest of the field, Ms Brown is in a class of her own on this event. At the rate she is progressing, her streak is in no danger of being broken. The woman just gets sideways.

Ryan ‘R-Dog’ Howard leads the pack in a very tightly contested competition...

R-Dog claiming the win at Rotorua for the third time in four years.

I wouldn’t have wanted to be a judge on this one. While the womens show belonged to Casey Brown, one could make an argument for second place finisher Kaos Seagrave as the top male rider of the night.

Easy steez from The Claw - Spank Factory Freeride Team.

Tyler McCaul rocking his white FastHouse kit topped out the mens podium in a well deserved 3rd place.

Tyler McCaul getting that GT sideways.

The event took place under the bright spotlights, backlit by the Rotorua skyline...

What are the Whip Offs if not for trains...

I’ve been to just about every whip-off competition since Sven Martin birthed it years ago. This one, under the lights, is special. If you get the chance to make your way down here, I highly recommend checking it out.

Brett Tippie - Spank Factory Team - on crowd control.

The energy in the crowd was electric, which only further charged the athletes to take as many runs into Mount Whip as humanly possible. 

R-Dog, title secure, goes-off script from whip to spin.

That’s a wrap from Rotorua. Next stop, Innsbruck Austria June 13-17. Be there, or tune in online and watch the next stop in the Crankworx World Tour.

Spank Factory Freeride Team's Sam Reynolds - because he can.

RESULTS...

WOMEN

1st - Casey Brown
2nd - Vinny Armstrong
3rd - Alexandrea Wohlgensigner

MEN

1st - Ryan Howard
2nd - Kaos Seagrave
3rd - Tyler McCaul