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This project received grant funding from the Australian Government under Austrade’s Recovery for Regional Tourism program, an initiative of the $1billion Covid-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
Crankworx, the world’s most watched mountain bike event, has announced that Cairns will be added to its World Tour in 2022 and will be held for the next two years at Smithfield’s high-profile rainforest trails.
Smithfield Mountain Bike Park will become the fourth stop for the 2022 Crankworx World Tour bringing 1200 athletes, 220 volunteers and an expected 34,000 spectators across the five days to Crankworx Cairns on October 5-9.
The mountain bike park which boasts trails through the world’s oldest rainforest hosted three international mountain bike events between 2014 and 2017.
Crankworx World Tour Managing Director Darren Kinnaird said their team had been working with Cairns stakeholders since 2018 to bring the event to Australia.
“The collaboration among stakeholders including Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Cairns Regional Council, AusCycling, Yirrigandji Traditional Owners, James Cook University and Cairns Mountain Bike Club has been crucial to bringing Crankworx to Cairns,” he said.
“Crankworx Cairns will give our athletes an additional fourth competitive stop and will bring the ultimate mountain biking experience to our fans in Australia while showcasing the Wet Tropics Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef to mountain biking fans around the world.
“The Crankworx festival will feature elite competition, amateur and our CWNEXT next generation racing, Kidsworx events plus a vibrant expo and festival vibe to bring mountain bike and action sports fans together to experience Aussie hospitality at its finest.”
Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy said Crankworx Cairns would bring even more global exposure to Tropical North Queensland.
“The 2022 Crankworx World Tour coincides with our comprehensive overseas campaign to bring international visitors back to the Tropical North after Covid,” Mr. Healy said.
“We’re at the start of a golden decade of opportunity ahead of Queensland’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Events like Crankworx Cairns demonstrate our region’s ability to host world-class events and remind international audiences of our stunning visitor attractions and experiences.”
Cairns Regional Councillor Rhonda Coghlan said the inclusion of Cairns on the Crankworx World Tour was another string in the bow for the city’s growing reputation as a premier sports destination.
“To be part of arguably the world’s biggest mountain bike tour underlines the region’s reputation for putting on world-class sporting events,” Cr James said.
“Cairns has a long association with mountain biking, with the iconic Smithfield Mountain Bike Park, set in a spectacular rainforest environment, having hosted four international events dating back to 1996.
“The prospect of watching some of the world’s best mountain bike exponents in action later this year is quite exciting and there is no doubt that with the calibre of athlete on show, this event will attract thousands of people to our city and contribute significantly to our economy.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said one-quarter of the footage to be televised across the world will be devoted to showcasing Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef to encourage visitation resulting in millions of dollars in publicity.
“This prestigious mountain biking event will be held in Cairns for the next two years positioning the region as an iconic mountain biking and adventure tourism destination and cementing its reputation for hosting international sporting events alongside a stunning reef and rainforest backdrop,” he said.
“In addition to an anticipated 31,000 bed nights for our region, Crankworx will deliver a worldwide audience with the global eyeballs on Cairns further driven by a partnership with Red Bull Media House to broadcast five live finals globally and a post event 60-minute telecast to 17.8 million viewers.”
This project received grant funding from the Australian Government under Austrade’s Recovery for Regional Tourism program, an initiative of the $1billion Covid-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
