Caroline Buchanan and Jayce Cunning win Pump Track at Crankworx Cairns

The Pump Track is one of the first things anyone visiting Crankworx Cairns sees, and it's just about the closest fans can get to riders as they go head to head at Smithfield Mountain Bike Park. Better yet, Pump Track is one of the two events where riders go bar-to-bar against the clock, so the action is high. When the chains come off, the game is on. Strength, momentum, and skill are the name of the game in the pump track arena where pedal-less power reigns supreme and a single mistake can cost the victory.

Crankworx newcomer and current Australian pump track champion Jayce Cunning landed on the top step on the podium. Cunning had to duke it out against legends like Blenkinsop and Lemoine to compete against with 2021 Crankworx King Bas Van Steenbergen.

Cunning was solid out of the corners and rocket-shipped out of the second corner entering the final section with enough speed to take out Baz and land gold. Not a bad effort for a rider that is used to asphalt pump tracks.

“The atmosphere was incredible; I’ve never heard a crown so loud, it was insane, even rolling up the hill to go on the start gate I could hear everyone cheering and when I was going around the track it was epic. I’m super stoked to compete at my first ever Crankworx and take out the gold here in Cairns. I have a BMX background. This is all pretty new to me. I’ve done pump track before but on asphalt, so this was my first dirt one, my first Crankworx but it was super fun and I loved it”.

When asked if he is catching the Crankworx bug, “I’ve definitely got the bug. I had it before we even raced today so that’s a good thing. I’d love to do slalom; I need to get more consistent with my flips and stuff, but speed and style would be good too. Downhill and slopestyle are way too gnarly but it’s super enjoyable and it’s good that we got another one close to home in Rotorua so hopefully I’ll be there.”

Tomas Lemoine had momentum on his side out of the back berm to grab the bronze medal from Dan Butterworth to round out the mens top three.

Caroline Buchanan was able to beat Jordy Scott grabbing the win and sliding further up the rankings into third for Crankworx Queen. Buchanan kicked off Innsbrook with a Pump Track podium 2nd, 1st in the new format in Whistler and 1st on home soil in Cairns off the back of a 2nd place finish in the Speed and Style earlier in the week.

“Gold, it feels amazing. Pump Track, I mean they say I am more of a specialty event – I love it, it’s always one that you can never be too confident, you have to stay patient till the end and this was a course that whilst it was so big and spread out you could really attack it but also had to be patient so it was really fun one, probably one of the most fun on the tour and I am so happy that the Cairns community now get to keep this world-class Pump Track facility for future events.”

Just like the contention over who created the pavlova, it was a real Aussie versus Kiwi battle for bronze between Jenna Hastings and crowd favourite Harriet Burbidge-Smith. Both riders gave it their all, but Hastings was quick out of the gate and won bronze and her first podium spot this week.

The legacy of the brand-new pump track will live on as not only is this a track built for Elite Athletes to battle it out, but the track will become a permanent feature at the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park for all mountain bikers to enjoy. The classic Crankworx layout sees dual lanes, big berms and rollers calling for high speed.

Results

1. Jayce Cunning (AUS) // Caroline Buchanan (AUS)

2. Bas Van Steenbergen (CAN) // Jordy Scott (USA)

3. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) // Jenna Hastings (NZL)