Slipping and Sliding in Rotorua | EWS Day 1 Practice

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Intro Text

​Hard to believe, but day one of practice at the first Enduro World Series race of 2017 is in the books! The rain forest of Whakarewarewa lived up to its name and provided the riders with a slip sliding test of nerve and skill. Dig into the slide show below to catch up with all the action.

Twelve hours fresh #JamieNicoll bus adventure tattoos. Boys stuck right in sweating and getting em muddy. Josh X2. - photo Sven Martin
The greasy conditions were fun to ride in but could spit your out when you least expected it. Casey goes down and checks out the brown. - photo Sven Martin
Maes ended the season strong last year, will he start it strong is the real question now. Hatu Patu. - photo Sven Martin
Mark Scott popping for extra pump where others are brake dragging. Its all about milking the extra speed from the trail here in Rotorua. Maes continues in audio. - photo Sven Martin
Miranda Miller dropping into Rocky Horror stage. Maes still on the mic! - photo Sven Martin
Best style of Day 1 here in Rotorua. Wyn Masters is actually every photographer's dream! #styleformiles - photo @maddogboris
Jared Graves looking calm fast and calculated out here today. Stopping to check out some extra greasy sneaky sketchy high lines that lurk. Some are worth the risk, others are not. Wyn continues in audio. - photo Sven Martin
Intense team rider Jack Moir forgot his bag and had to surivive the day without water. Luckily his downhill mate Blenki helped him out. - photo @maddogboris
Sam Hill from high above on Stage 5 called "Rocky Horror". Thank God he is not wearing a green Monster jersey....aka Rotorua-Jungle-Camo! Jack Moir continues in audio for that OZ vibe. - photo @maddogboris
50/01 group meeting...if these boys are arround the stoke level is always pretty high! Assorted ramblings in audio. - photo @maddogboris
Who wouldn't want to ride here. Hard to not be amazed by this trail network. More ramblings in audio. - photo Sven Martin
Here's one rider who will be happy to see it stay wet or even get wetter. Joe Barnes in his element out here today. - photo Sven Martin
Sam Blenkinsop is like the Energizer bunny. Super fresh, fit and full of excitement today. I shouted tweak it. He misheard or rather had other ideas and instead he chose to straight-line huck an entire section of track into the exit of a corner. Least expected thing I've seen all day maybe even all year. - photo Sven Martin
Rae Morrison in her new Liv colors. Her first major race back from injury in her home country. You can bet she will be aiming for a spot on the podium. - photo Sven Martin
Craig Evans loving it when it's just like wet slippery dark black England. He never holds back and if his luck holds out he can turn some heads. - photo Sven Martin
With Josh Carlson waiting to catch a baby Mckay Vezina holds down the fort solo for Giant this weekend. He's looking even sharper and finer than last season. - photo Sven Martin
Keegan Wright could be a dark horse for a local on the podium spot (as could Blenki, Nation and Masters). He knows this forest better than most and is currently on a roll with really good form in both DH and Enduro. - photo Sven Martin
The stage that will be freaking some racers out. Lots of singlets, no gloves and no kneepad wearing riders out on the tracks today. Local as bro. - photo Sven Martin
Jerome Clementz and Marco Osbourne were on their own practice schedule today, silently smashing out runs in their new colors. - photo Sven Martin
South Islander jack of all trades Kieran Bennett has clearly been hanging out with the visiting Santa Cruz crew, the style is contagious. - photo Sven Martin
It wouldn't be a Vital slideshow if this fast style master didn't make a showing. Threading the needle into a blind fadeaway chute. - photo Sven Martin
Remi Gauvin slotting scandi ruts. - photo Sven Martin
Tough day for the squids on the hill. Not easy conditions to ride or work in. Seager finds it quite like home. - photo Sven Martin
What Seager dreams he is doing. Cody #doyoueventweakbro Kelly. - photo Sven Martin
Cecile Ravanel on the top of stage seven. Have you seen her wheelie Instagram video? Yes she is a better bike rider than you. All of you. - photo Sven Martin
Joe Nation's mechanic. Interesting sidebar, Joe was seen helping him fix flats. And yes he did the whole day and most of the stages on this rig and before you think that means the tracks are easy, they aren't. - photo Sven Martin
One more of Blenki on his first blind run of the morning. We salute you. - photo Sven Martin
Nico Lau stylishly threading the wet needles. - photo Sven Martin
Early and pretty wet start on stage 7 for the first day of EWS training here in Rotorua. Ähm which way to go? - photo @maddogboris
Joe Barnes had obviously a lot of fun with the weather conditions just like home. A little bit of Scotland in New Zealand. - photo @maddogboris
2016 EWS Champion Richie Rude was already impressively fast on the first day of training. Not even heavy rain and sticky mud can slow this guy down! - photo @maddogboris
Just minutes before it starts pi..... rain! 1 hour hard rain to start a day on the hill never killed nobody though. #notmadeofsugar - photo @maddogboris
Devinci team rider Damien Oton on his first training run on stage 7 aka Turkish Delight. - photo @maddogboris
French rider Isabeau Courdurier in the middle of the jungle. - photo @maddogboris
Rotorua local and 2017 NZ National Champ Keegan Wright having fun on his hometrails and on his new Specialized. - photo @maddogboris
Kiwi Matt Walker super impressed probably dreaming of beaches, beers and bbq. - photo @maddogboris
French - NZ Connection! Fabien Barel and his team mate Justin Leov were commentating their runs today. Not sure if it was for a GoPro video or one of Fabien's special training techniques. We'll find out soon, stay tuned for more from the jungle as we tackle day 2 of pratice tomorrow! - photo @maddogboris
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​Day one of practice saw riders tackle stages 2,3,4,5,7, for a total of 5 out of 7 stages. The remaining two stages (1 and 6) will be opened for practice Saturday, with the race taking place on Sunday. Stay tuned!

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