SWEDE STARS AT 2021 CRANKWORX FINALE AS BURBIDGE-SMITH SHINES ACROSS EVENTS

Emil Johanssson, on his way to the win. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– Swedish star Johansson came into the New Zealand week looking to extend his astonishing winning slopestyle streak to six and defend his 2020 Rotorua victory from the likes of main rival Nicholi Rogatkin.

It was all high-fives, hugs, and champagne for Emil Johansson after his final run at Rotorua. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– The 22-year-old Johnansson delivered in a thrilling Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza event on Saturday as he edged out Frenchman Timothé Bringer and American Rogatkin to win with a huge 95.75 score.

(Left to righ) France’s Timothé Bringer (second place), Emil Johansson (first) and Nicholai Rogatkin (third) took the top three spots in the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza at Rotorua. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– Dropping in last on the first run among the field of 13 riders, he was pure fluidity and precision with breathtaking tricks that included a triple whip, a 360 can to nac nac, and a 360 oppo double whip.

Emil’s  check for $25,000 for scoring the 2021 Crankworx Triple Crown (winning all three Crankworx Slopestyle events in 2021) accounted for less than half of the $60,000 total prize money that he collected in Rotorua, New Zealand. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– Johansson, who earned $25,000 for the Triple Crown, $20,000 for the event and $15,000 for the World Championship overall win, said: “I just at the moment can reflect on the past and how much stuff that needed to be put in place to get this far. My sixth Crankworx event in a row winning. And last year getting the overall canceled, it was something I was definitely looking forward to for this year.”

Nicholi Rogatki looked like he might have been doing enough incredible tricks in his second Rotorua run to possibly outscore Emil Johansson’s winning run, but Rogatkin crashed twice near the end of his second run and missed completing a 1440 (four complete spins in the air in a single jump). Those mistakes wrecked Rogatkin’s chances for an upset. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– Rogatkin added: “I came down with a first run I was really stoked on, which secured me second in the Slopestyle World Championship, and then I tried to do everything I could to take down Emil on my second run. Didn’t quite get the 1440 I was hoping for on the third jump.”

Tomas Lemoine showed some impressive moments in his runs, too. Photo by Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool

– Elsewhere Bas van Steenbergen and Vaea Verbeeck produced enough quality at the final 2021 stop to clinch the King and Queen of Crankworx titles respectively after excellent seasons across disciplines.

– Canadians Van Steenbergen and Verbeeck took home $20,000 each with the latter defending her crown while Van Steenbergen’s trophy was won on the back of four 2021 event wins and eight total podiums.

– Kiwi Kialani Hines and Australian Burbidge-Smith completed the women’s 2021 overall podium with New Zealander Tuhoto-Ariki Pene and Australian Jackson Frew rounding out the men’s top three.

– Burbidge-Smith, 25, won the Breakthrough award for her strong 2021 Crankworx World Tour results and Casey Brown won the Spirit Award for her Crankworx and mountain bike contributions this year.

– In the other main events, Kiwi Brook Macdonald earned his first win since a devastating back injury in the men’s Dual Slalom with Hines claiming her maiden “official” Crankworx Dual Slalom victory.

– Earlier that day, Van Steenbergen earned his first Crankworx Pump Track victory while Australian Caroline Buchanan marked her return to Crankworx with her sixth Pump Track win in the sun.

– Macdonald, 29 – who was covered head to toe in mud – said: “It’s been such a long time since I’ve won a race. I honestly, I’m over the moon.”

– Burbidge-Smith opened her week with victory in the Speed & Style event as New Zealand’s Billy Meaclam won the men’s race, while Kiwi duo Jenna Hastings and Louis Hamilton won their respective downhill events.

– Burbidge-Smith said: “It was a mental battle from yesterday morning until now. Are we riding? Are we not riding? The wind’s good, the wind’s bad. The rain’s on, the rain’s off. It was gnarly.”

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