Two of New Zealand’s most promising young gravity riders have claimed their first hometown elite downhill titles at the Cycling New Zealand MTB Elite Nationals in Rotorua today.
Former Junior World Champion, Jenna Hastings claimed the elite women’s title while Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, a former junior world championship podium placegetter, took out the elite men’s honours.
Both gravity stars who learned to ride in Rotorua, compete for UCI professional teams with Hastings, 20, riding for Pivot Factory and Pene, 23, with MS Intense on the UCI world circuit.
Today they powered down the famed Taniwha Track in the Whakarewarewa Forest, a 1.8km run with a 309m descent, to secure their first elite titles, and will sport the national jersey on the world stage this year.
Hastings won the junior downhill world title at Les Gets (France) in 2022 along with junior national titles in 2021 and 2022. She was second to Jess Blewitt in the elite championship for the last two years, but has battled injury which has thwarted her international ambitions.
“It started a bit slick on track and dried out and became more blown-out as more people raced on it,” said Hastings. “I took it step-by-step and tried not to push too hard as I am trying to stay healthy. It paid off and I am stoked.”
She was fastest in the seeding run and claimed the win by nearly three seconds from double junior world championship placegetter, Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory) and Hastings’ younger sister, Kate who was an impressive third.
Pene, third junior at the 2019 world championships in Canada, won the national junior title in 2018 and has been runner-up in the elite competition in 2022 and last year, both in Queenstown.
The MS Intense professional was fastest in the seeding run, then watched as fellow Rotorua professional Lachlan Stevens-McNab, a top-10 world ranked gravity rider, took the lead with a strong run of 2:31.50.
Last to run, Pene went nearly one second faster to clock 2:31.50 for his first national elite crown, which proved a popular victory.
“I was pretty confident in the track, my riding, the environment… everything. I ended up pulling off the top step,” said Pene.
“I am so glad to actually win here in Rotorua because it’s hometown and I finally get to win a nationals here. It is real special to win here where I grew up and where I learned riding.”
Outstanding junior prospect Oli Clark from Kaikoura was third in 2:32.89.
Results:
Female, Elite/U19: Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory, Rotorua) 2:56.81, 1; Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing, Auckland) 2:59.53, 2; Kate Hastings (Rotorua) 3:01.84, 3.
Under-17: Addison Rutherfurd (New Plymouth) 3:04.21, 1; Capella Martin (Martinborough) at 3.25s, 2; Millie Waite (Havelock North) at 6.30s, 3.
Under-15: Keira Burborough-Murphy (Rotorua) 3:10.17, 1; Tilly Salter Quinn (Christchurch) 3:50.58, 2.
Male, Elite: Tuhoto Ariki Pene (MS Intense Racing, Rotorua) 2:26.93, 1; Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Union, Rotorua) at 1:04, 2; Tyler Waite (Yeti-Fox Factory, Hawkes Bay) at 2.21, 3.
Under-17: Matthew Wallace (Rotorua) 2:48.65, 1; Harper Lock (New Plymouth) 2:54.57, 2; Noah Evans (Rotorua) 2:55.14, 3.
Under-15: Cole Hulsebosch (Tauranga) 2:37.57, 1; Jed Kuegler (Cambridge) 2:38.96, 2; Camden Rutherfurd (New Plymouth) 2:39.15, 3.