The 2023 Crankworx Whistler Dual Slalom yielded a number of engaging storylines. For instance, we could talk about Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, who assumed the King of Crankworx throne for the first time by earning bronze. We could discuss Jackson Frew’s triumph in the race itself, as he put up the day’s fastest time. There’s also Harriet Burbidge-Smith, who emerged on top among women for her third dual slalom gold medal of the season.
However, to find the true crossroads of Thursday's thrilling spectacle, we must go back to run No. 2 of the semifinal between Pene and Ryan Gilchrist.
‘I felt like I was in a washing machine’
Gilchrist took the opening round of the Aussie-versus-Kiwi showdown, matching Pene stride for stride through each banked corner and gate. An infinitesimal margin separated them: one one-thousandth of a second. All chips were on the table going into the next heat… and that’s when it happened.
Surging to his limit in order to keep up with Pene, Gilchrist struck the penultimate red gate with his wheels. Man immediately disconnected from bike in a spin cycle of flying steel, flailing limbs and swirling dust. Medics rushed to the downed athlete’s side, as did Pene himself, and audience members watched with bated breath.
“I just felt like I was in a washing machine for a few seconds there,” Gilchrist recalled. “I always say that long crashes are better than short crashes because it means that there wasn't a short impulse and a head injury.”
Despite remaining on the ground for quite some time, the Australian was able to walk off the course under his own power. Not long afterwards, the crowd heard an unusual bit of news: it was he, not Pene, who advanced to the big final.
Though Gilchrist failed to finish his run, Pene had missed a gate, which normally results in a disqualification and a 1.5-second penalty. Facing a rare double fault in the same heat, officials ruled that the semifinal winner would be determined by the initial run—the same run in which Gilchrist barely edged out Pene.
At that point, the obvious question became: was Gilchrist healthy enough to continue?
“I was able to compose myself, because somehow, I actually wasn't that injured,” he said. “I'm covered in scratches, my shirt’s covered in blood, and I lined up at the gate a little bit half-hearted, not sure if I was going to be safe to get down.
“I had people telling me: be safe, be careful, be smart—and I also had the fire in my belly to win a gold medal.”
Gilchrist gave himself a fighting chance at championship hardware, but besting an opponent of Frew’s calibre after a high-impact crash was always going to be a tall order. Once he made a substantial error near the top of the course and lost much of his speed, Gilchrist elected to withdraw from competition.
No one went home that night unimpressed with the 21-year-old’s tenacity.
“He’s Australian. That’s just what we are,” quipped Frew. “Total respect for him. I definitely understand the decision to pull out of that one, and it's probably a smart decision.”
Ultimately, Frew took his victory lap down the course alone. The Canberra native can, at 25 years of age, finally cross "Crankworx gold in Whistler" off his bucket list.
“Still hasn't sunk in. This is a bit of a dream come true, to win a pro event in the Boneyard, in Whistler,” Frew admitted after the race. “Dual slalom is one of my favourite events and I’m on cloud nine. I’m sure it will sink in, maybe tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Pene proceeded to overcome American teenager Eddie Reynolds in the small final to secure his bronze—and his crown.
Enter the kingslayer
For the past two years, Pene watched and learned from former King of Crankworx Bas van Steenbergen. The Vernon-based veteran held the overall title in 2021 and 2022, and had been on track to win again after tour stops in Rotorua, Cairns and Innsbruck. That was, of course, before a certain New Zealander caught fire in Whistler.
Pene locked up four medals (a gold and three bronze) in as many contests this week: Canadian Open Downhill followed by air DH and then pump track, which he won. His fourth podium result in dual slalom, combined with van Steenbergen’s quarterfinal defeat to Frew, put the writing on the wall.
With 839 points compared to the Canadian’s 718, Pene had reached the promised land.
Many men in their early twenties are known for being loud and outspoken, but Pene isn’t one for fiery soundbites. He didn’t fixate on the King of Crankworx standings either, instead viewing each race as its own challenge. Do not mistake his laissez-faire attitude for apathy, however—the Kiwi is one of Earth’s most versatile mountain bikers, and he lets his performance do the talking.
“Happy to pull off the King,” Pene said. “Bas is always up there, so you just try to aim for him, match his intensity and all that sort of stuff. He’s definitely one to follow to know where your pace is at. Good to learn from him.”
Now, riders from all walks of life will be looking to learn from the new King.
Check back in with Pique Newsmagazine as Crankworx Whistler rolls on.
