Heavy rain overnight was no impediment for champions Craig Oliver and Olympian Sammie Maxwell who successfully defending their national titles at the 2024 Whaka 100 MTB Marathon in Rotorua today.

After four hours of arguably the toughest annual mountain bike test in New Zealand, Oliver (MitoQ-NZ Cycle Project, Christchurch) out-sprinted younger brother Ben for the honours over the 100km test in the famed Whakarewarewa Forest.

​Experienced mountain bike professional Rae Morrison and promising schoolboy Josh Cavanagh took out the respective elite honours in the MTB Eliminator National Championships, staged as part of the Whaka 100 event in Rotorua.

National jerseys were up for grabs for the third time, with Cycling New Zealand partnering with the most popular MTB event in the country, which has attracted more than 3000 competitors over the weekend.

Hey Whaka 100 riders!

As race day approaches, fueling your body right is just as important as training hard. To help you optimize your nutrition, we've teamed up with CLIF Bar to give you the inside scoop on what to eat before, during, and after your rides. Whether you're gearing up for those intense climbs or planning how to stay energized throughout the race, this guide is packed with practical tips to keep you performing at your best. It's a must-read for learning where to start or what to tweak for your training and event day fuel.

Read on for knowledge!

​Lining up at the start of the Whaka 100, there’s an air of nervousness as the morning mist lifts to reveal a clear, crisp morning and a sea of hardy souls gathered at the start line of a big day on the bike. Some will know what they’re in for, others will not have a clue. I know what I’m in for, but not exactly ready for it.

Sitting atop a bike in the middle of this crowd and scanning the scene, it’s obvious there’s quite the cross-section of society on the starting grid. I’m seeing every embodiment of nervousness, from nail-biting to full-belly laughs and a load of people generally fidgeting with nervous excitement.

Just who are these people, I wonder? My mind drifts, and I make my own assumptions:
See Part 1 here!

Lining up at the start of the Whaka 100, there’s an air of nervousness as the morning mist lifts to reveal a clear, crisp morning and a sea of hardy souls gathered at the start line of a big day on the bike. Some will know what they’re in for, others will not have a clue. I know what I’m in for, but not exactly ready for it.

Sitting atop a bike in the middle of this crowd and scanning the scene, it’s obvious there’s quite the cross-section of society on the starting grid. I’m seeing every embodiment of nervousness, from nail-biting to full-belly laughs and a load of people generally fidgeting with nervous excitement. Just who are these people, I wonder?

​My mind drifts, and I make my own assumptions: Denise the Doctor, Darryn the Dentist., Eddy the ebiker....