Crankworx is coming home in 2022.
On February 10, the mountain bike festival announced it will return to Whistler this August after being cancelled each of the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Events will take place in Whistler from August 5 to 14.
This past summer the tour made its return to B.C. after a one-year hiatus with stops at multiple resorts in the province including Silverstar, Sun Peaks and Kicking Horse, but was unable to return to Whistler due to the logistical challenges of adhering to the provincial health orders with the way the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is set up.
“Because of the ways we were able to pivot, the past two years have been full-on with races and contests that kept the progression and inspiration going,” said Crankworx managing director Darren Kinnaird in a press release.
“But having Whistler on the calendar makes things feel complete. It’s where Crankworx began and our biggest festival on the tour. To be able to bring the world together there again is going to be surreal and amazing.”
Created in Whistler in 2004, Crankworx has since grown into a three-stop world tour with annual events in Innsbruck, Austria, Whistler and Rotorua, New Zealand.
But this year, on top of returning to Whistler this August, Crankworx has also announced that it will be breaking new ground with a fourth stop on the World Tour in October—location to be announced—before the finale in Rotorua in November.
The location of this fourth event will be announced in the coming weeks. “It’s going to bring something totally unique and special to the tour,” said Kinnaird.
The tour kicks off in Innsbruck June 15 to 19, and with the Leogang World Cup happening in the days before, it is expected that many of the world’s top riders will be making an appearance.
From there the tour will be coming back to Whistler for nine days of action from August 5 to 14, with a packed schedule that includes the return of the Enduro World Series Whistler and a special course for the 10th annual Red Bull Joyride.
The tour will then go to the mystery location in early October before wrapping up, as usual, in Rotorua from November 5 to 13, where King and Queen of Crankworx will be named.
Find more info at crankworx.com.
