Sport
3 April, 2025
Mountain bikers go full tilt
CRANKWORX Cairns has finally unveiled its mystery event with the ‘Full Tilt’, a world-first course and format to push athletes to the limit with three riders going head-to-head on a challenging new course.
This year’s Crankworx Cairns, from May 21 to 25, is taking innovation to a new level with the announcement of Full Tilt – a new course and format never seen before in Australia and only recently being trialled in selected hubs around the world – designed by local track designer genius from World Trails Glen Jacobs.
Full Tilt will bring more excitement to the competition and a more interactive experience for the audience who will be able to come closer than ever to the bikers.
“Full Tilt is a brand new, global product,” Mr Jacobs said.
“Full Tilt is multi-rider, multi-functionality, the course has huge options, it’s about a 20 to 32 track with a lot of obstacles on the way down but it’s rider against rider taking all different lines, a variety of skill, speed and talent.
“This trail is different, it’s compartmentalised, it’s not in the forest, it’s out in the open and this track is designed like porcelain.
“This even should create a stir because it’s the first time globally and it’s going to be released here at Crankworx Cairns and, hopefully from here, this is the standard and we’ll move forward around the globe.
“In Cairns we get to do it first and try this technical side of riding with three riders on course elbow to elbow and spectators can now group around the track and see everything.”
Cairns’ most decorated mountain biker and multiple Crankworx Cairns winner Mick ‘Sik Mik’ Hannah said it was exciting to see Cairns be the first to trial a new modality.
“Full Tilt is going to be very exciting, bringing something new to the festival is a challenge these days, and this is something that’s never been done anywhere else in the world and I know other riders and myself are super excited about it,” he said.
“It’s head to head, bar to bar racing, all the events you’ve seen at Crankworx so far are timed events on separate courses so with the Full Tilt you can be more creative just as Glen and the team can be more creative with the course because they don’t have to build two individual courses.
“Also the venue we have here feels like a stadium and that makes it easy for the spectators and media to capture the action.”
Assistant minister for tourism and Member for Barron River Bree James said Crankworx is expected to inject over $7 million into the Queensland economy.
To find out more about Crankworx Cairns’ full program, visit https://bit.ly/3PZq0uW
