Born-and-raised Whistlerite Georgia Astle and Kirsten Van Horne of Nelson, B.C. made their debut appearances on a Crankworx Whip-Off podium at Crankworx Rotorua in New Zealand on March 22, earning silver and bronze respectively. Both Canadian Elite Women threw down solid performances but fell short of eventual winner Vinny Armstrong.
“The jump was sweet,” said Astle in a press release. “It was kind of like a chiller version of the Innsbruck Whip-Off jump. In my opinion, I think it is the perfect Whip-Off jump. It’s super floaty on the way up, and then it’s nice and easy set down to bring the whips back. I really liked this course!”
“I kept running back up because it was so fun, and I just wanted more,” added Armstrong, of New Zealand. “This is the biggest women’s field we have had in Rotorua, I think. I love just training with my mates, and we are all such good friends and it’s good fun like hyping each other up.” It was the second Whip-Off appearance and second podium finish for Edgar Briole, but this time, the French athlete took top step among Elite Men. British riders Kaos Seagrave and Kade Edwards put on a show as well to round out the top three. Seagrave brought home the silver medal, and Edwards snagged bronze. “Insane course, good people and I’m feeling good,” said Briole. “It was sick, I was a bit stressed at the start because it was a bit wet from yesterday,” remarked Seagrave. “We had a couple laps in and the boys did some work to it and did an amazing job. We just had one of the sickest times just throwing some whips with your mates.”
The Rotorua crowd made noise all day while riders were frothing and running back up to the top of the course to get more laps in at the Official New Zealand Whip-Off Championships. Next up is the Air Downhill event, which begun on March 23.
