Enduro Action from Crankworx New Zealand - Giant Toa Enduro - Mountain Biking Pictures

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Matt Walker laid it all out today, riding loose and fast and pushing as hard as he can. Three stage wins and a 25-second lead over 2nd place for a well-deserved win. Photo by Sven Martin

No knee pads needed. Matt Walker about to drop in for the day. Photo by Sven Martin

Anneke Beerten speeding to the win. Photo by Sven Martin

Rae Morrison, 2nd place with one stage win at her first big race with the Lapierre team, just 14 seconds behind Anneke. Photo by Sven Martin

Eddie Masters racing in his 2016 kit but with last year's swim trunks and rotting shoe laces, as only he can do in NZ. Surprising some (but not us) with a 2nd place finish. Photo by Sven Martin

Josh Carlson throwing down the power. He was one of the few riders to race in a full face today. 3rd place. Photo by Sven Martin

Josh Carlson chose to race his regular, longer-travel EWS race bike (Giant Reign), wanting to get more race time on the bike he will be riding all season. He admitted a Trance and lighter set up may have helped him, but ultimately this was good training for the upcoming season. Photo by Sven Martin

Early morning goon riding on the way to the start this morning by soon-to-be winner Matt Walker. Photo by Sven Martin

Anneke Beerten settting off on the first liaison out of day. Photo by Sven Martin

Sam Blenkinsop setting off as the Te Puia geyser erupts in anticipation. Photo by Sven Martin

Rachel Throop weaving through the ferns. Photo by Sven Martin

Brook MacDonald with a respectable 7th place at a relatively pedal-heavy race compared to the EWS here a year ago. Photo by Sven Martin

Annika Smail with a solid 3rd place in Pro Women today taking two stage wins on her home trails. Pretty awesome! Photo by Sven Martin

Ahh, we love the redwood forest. Photo by Sven Martin

Fast-rolling rear tires were the order of the day. Photo by Sven Martin

Finn Van Leuven getting loose on Billy T trail. Photo by Sven Martin

Annika Smail through the ferns. Photo by Sven Martin

Phil "Web Edit King" Atwill. Photo by Sven Martin

Ross Measures, when not tethered to an electronic device for SRAM, can throw some mean shapes on a bike while we wait for riders between stages. Photo by Sven Martin

Former DH World Champ, and still very much a shredder, Vanessa Quin into 4th place today. Stage 6 singletrack sending. Photo by Sven Martin

Local favorite, Carl Jones, was looking ready to fight for the win with two stages wins and 2nd place before crashing on K2 (Stage 4). Photo by Sven Martin

Sam Blenkinsop had a busy day. 4th place in Enduro (with a stage win) and then 3rd place in the Whip-Off that evening. Photo by Sven Martin

New Zealand thunder, Cam Cole, making the trails weep. Stage 4, K2. Photo by Sven Martin

Rupert Chapman blowing roost with the big, old grab-some-gears-power-wheelie-corner exit. Photo by Sven Martin

Patented Blenki ET-suck-it-up-to-flat. Even Paul Angus would be proud. #hucklife. Photo by Sven Martin

Winning bike with the dawn. No smoke machines used here with Anneke Beerten smoking the competition. Photo by Sven Martin

Stoked as bro! Congrats Matt Walker. Photo by Sven Martin

Pro Men and Pro Women's podium. Photo by Sven Martin

The first Enduro World Series qualifier of 2016 wrapped up at Crankworx New Zealand in Rotorua with Matt Walker and Anneke Beerten taking Pro wins. The course had a bit more pedaling than last year's race and the trails were in fine condition. Total stage times were at 35 minutes for Pro Men with less than 40 seconds separating the Top 5.

Photos and story by Sven Martin