B.C.’s Jakob Jewett started his 2024 campaign with a big result, finishing on the elite men’s podium at Crankworx Rotorua DH. The Pivot Factory Racing rider finished second behind Rotorua local and World Cup racer Lachlan Stevens-McNab.
Stevens-McNab’s Union teammate, Eliana Hulsebosch won the women’s downhill in Rotorua.
Elite Men: A Canadian breaks up Kiwi podium sweep
While Stevens-McNab was able to capitalize on the local advantage and take the elite men’s win on Saturday, Jewett managed to squeeze into second place. That disrupted the New Zealand podium sweep, with Sam Blenkinsop taking third. U.S. downhill racer-turned enduro champion Richie Rude finished fourth.
The result is especially impressive for Jewett coming from a Canadian winter to take on the Kiwi’s on home turf.
“I just wanted to have a clean run and see where my speed is at,” Jewett said after the race. “Obviously, the New Zealand and Australia boys have had a lot of time to bike, so coming from the Canada winter I just wanted to be in the mix, and yeah, super happy I’m on the podium.”
This isn’t the first big Crankworx result from Jewett. In 2023, he opened the new 1199 track, created in honor of Stevie Smith, with a win in the Canadian Open DH during Crakworx Whistler. Jakob’s younger brother and Pivot teammate, Dane Jewett, won the junior men’s race that same day.
Jewett wasn’t the only Canadian showing early-season speed in Rotorua, either. Elliot Jamieson finished 14th for the new Commencal/7Mesh team. Tegan Cruz was 15th in his first race for his new NS Bikes UR squad. Kasper Woolley (YT Mob) continued his foray from enduro into downhill with a 16th aboard YT’s prototype DH rig.
Women: Kiwi sweep
The women’s downhill saw an all-Kiwi podium led by Eliana Hulsebosch (Union).
“It was really good in the first straight, and then I got to the first bog section and I hit a tree and got a little bit lose, but I quickly told myself to breathe, recompose myself and keep the tires moving which is always ideal in the muddy stuff,” Hulsebosch said after the race. “And then, it got sketchy a couple more times, one on the road crossing.”
Cube Factory Racing’s Jess Blewitt rolled across the line second with Rotorua local Shania Rawson in third.
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