SIBLING SHOWDOWN
Brothers split seconds apart in national title race, Sammie Maxwell secures win at the Whaka 100
Words: Emily Murphy
Images: Rachel Hadfield
Christchurch mountain bike pro Craig Oliver held his title after five-hour battle with his brother at the Whaka 100 Mountain Bike Marathon, with returning champion and Olympian Sammie Maxwell taking back her title after losing it last year to Josie Wilcox.
The three-day mountain bike event, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, attracted more than 3000 riders to Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest from October 24-26, injecting an estimated $4.5 million into the local economy.
Participants could choose between six event categories, ranging from the fast and furious Whaka Eliminator, to the challenging 172km Whaka Miler.
Craig Oliver edged his way to victory in the Shimano 100km when he crossed the finish line at 05:00:04, split seconds ahead of his brother, Ben Oliver (Christchurch), who claimed second place.
Over 100km of world-class singletrack, they battled it out wheel to wheel the entire five hours. A tricky slippery climb in the final 500m caused Ben to put a foot down, costing him the sprint to the finish.
“It was unbelievable, I didn’t think it could get any better than last year. I was all in today to win,” says Craig.
Ben, who placed second to Craig by a four-minute margin in 2023, says this year’s race “came down to the wire”.
“It was so cool seeing all the spectators out there around the course and the finish line here is epic – this is the place you want to perform around New Zealand – this is one of the best races.”
Matthew Wilson (Cambridge) secured the bronze medal.
In the women’s Shimano 100km, Sammie Maxwell finished at 05:46:44, 15 minutes ahead of Gwendalyn Gibson (California USA), while Pricilla Thompson (Taupo) took out third.
Sammie says she rode conservatively but kept Gibson within reach. After stepping things up in the closing stages, she was delighted to top the field for the second year running.
“I love this race so much, but I wasn’t originally planning to do this race as I was on a break,” says Sammie.
“I got some test results back … that showed I am in a really healthy position, so I begged my coach to let me ride because I love this event and wanted to be here.”
As well as gold for the Shimano 100km, Sammie and Craig took the National Jersey for the Marathon MTB National Championships.
“I love this race so much, but I wasn’t originally planning to do this race as I was on a break.”
Sammie Maxwell
Event numbers
A total of 3100 mountain bikers from across the globe took part in the event – an increase of 2000 per cent since the inaugural Whaka 100 in 2007.
Event spokesperson Mike Cockin says thousands of spectators packed out race headquarters.
“The turnout has been fantastic. It’s great to see so many people supporting the friends, whānau or complete strangers, giving them that extra push to get the job done.”
Cockin says the addition of e-bike categories in recent years has proven popular – the Whaka 100 is the biggest eMTB event gathering in the country.
“It’s really opened the event to a cycling community that might otherwise think twice about throwing their hat in the ring. There’s a huge amount of skill that goes into mountain biking, and having these categories enables those participants to challenge themselves with a bit of help from a motor.”
This year, 8 per cent of riders opted to ride an e-bike, the majority (60 per cent) aged between 40 and 59.
As well as the Shimano 100km, the Whaka Eliminator, and the 172km Whaka Miler, contestants had the choice of the 5km Kids’ Fun Ride, the That’s It 10km, Stan’s 25km and the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty 50km.
“Our Whaka Kids 5km was a real highlight of the event, with elite riders joining and riding the course with them, signing medals and taking photos,” says Cockin.
The event’s youngest competitor was just 5 years old, the oldest 81.
Whaka Eliminator
The Whaka Eliminator was a crowd favourite. Riders raced shoulder-to-shoulder around a tight and twisting 300m course featuring timber jumps, berms, and rollers.
The event also doubled as the Eliminator MTB National Championship.
Hamilton’s Josh Cavanagh raced to victory as his challengers in the strong final four line-up crashed out in the first tight corner.
“I did a lot of BMX racing when I was younger which is where a lot of my power has come from, and this was BMX racing on a mountain bike,” says Josh.
“This is such a well-run event and really enjoyable. I am here with a bunch of my teammates and to compete against them is special.”
In the women’s category, Nelson athlete Rae Morrison topped the podium, holding off defending champion Sammie Maxwell.
“That was a sore kind of fun. Short and sharp and I gave it everything. I am used to racing enduro which takes several hours in the mountains, and this was completely the opposite,” says Rae.
“Rotorua is a world-class destination for mountain biking, and we’re proud to showcase that to the rest of the world.”
Andrew Wilson, Rotorua NZ chief executive
A win for the local economy
Rotorua NZ chief executive Andrew Wilson says the city is “absolutely buzzing”.
“We’ve been delighted to host the Whaka 100 Mountain Bike Marathon and welcome so many manuhiri (visitors) into our backyard.
“Rotorua is a world-class destination for mountain biking, and we’re proud to showcase that to the rest of the world.”
Cockin says he’s grateful to have the backing of the community in bringing the event to life.