Photos and Words Dominic Hook

Baxter Maiwald is a 17 year old Melbourne-based downhill rider following the UCI World Cup series, having only taken up riding a mere three years ago after seeing some DH videos on YouTube. Although he had been riding BMX and motocross since a very young age, mountain biking was a whole new challenge and he has grabbed his chances with both hands, rising quickly through the ranks in Australia and now taking on the world.

Naturally drawn to downhill, Maiwald started riding the big bikes regularly and decided he’d enter some races and just give it a go to see what it was like, suprising everyone (and himself) by placing 2nd in his very first race. Baxter decided to take this mountain biking thing a little more seriously and has been racing to the top ever since.

In 2015 Baxter took on an epic solo adventure at the tender age of 16, working at a local bike shop on weekends to fund a return ticket to Europe. He didn’t have any real plan except to get to as many races as possible and ride as fast as he could. He had a wild time and met loads of people, getting some good results and media attention through photos and even some video edits while on the international stage.

Photo Moss Mediahouse

This year Baxter raced his first ever World Cup in Cairns. However, not everything went to plan… a serious crash in a high-speed jump section on the first day of practice landed him in hospital with a concussion and broken wrist, meaning he would have to stay in Cairns hospital for ten days, three of them in the intensive care unit. Back in Melbourne for his recovery, he used his downtime to lock in the final details for his new sponsorship with Canyon Bicycles.

A couple of months ago Baxter flew out to Europe again and this time he finally got to debut in his first World Cup race, finishing 21st Junior in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. And just last weekend he raced his second junior World Cup race in Mont-Saint-Anne and this time placed 16th! He made a few minor race errors in Lenzerheide and crashed in qualifications at Mont-Saint-Anne, but “had a blast” both races and is amped to get to Crankworx Whistler with his travel mate and fellow Aussie junior Remy Morton and keep climbing through the ranks to the top 10.

This kid is such an epic example of what dedicating yourself to a goal can bring. Most people his age are still in school, working part time, searching for unis or just figuring out what they want to do with their lives (which is totally cool). And here is Baxter Maiwald, travelling the world solo, racing World Cups, chasing and landing big sponsorships and living his dream.

NAME: Baxter Maiwald 

AGE: 17

OCCUPATION: Mountain biker, trail builder and world explorer! 

GOALS: Make mountain biking my career. 

CURRENT LOCATION: Vancouver, Canada. 

HOMETOWN: Emerald Victoria, Australia. 

BIGGEST ADRENALIN KICK:  Hitting up a new jump for the first time and scaring the crap out of myself!

RIDING INSPIRATION: No person in particular inspires me, but finding that one flowy trail or loamy single track that you can have the best day riding with your friends on is a what inspires me

GREATEST ACHIEVMENT TO DATE: I’d have to say my podium finish at Crankworx Rotorua (2nd place Air DH, 3rd place DH) would be up there results wise. Also travelling the world solo for three months as a 16 year old to race my bike is something I’m proud of.

WORST CRASH: Cairns World Cup 2016; Broken wrist, severe concussion, 24 hours in an induced coma, three days in the intensive care unit and a plate with 12 screws put into my wrist. I wouldn’t recommend hitting your head that hard if you can avoid it, Haha!

CURRENT BIKE(S): Canyon Sender, Canyon Spectral Cf, a BMX, Moto and a Canyon Stitched 360.

CURRENT SPONSORS: Canyon bikes, Mavic, SRAM Australia, Clif Bar, Finish Line lubes, IXS Sports, Maxxis Aust and Oakley AU/NZ.

FUNNIEST RIDING EXPERIENCE: Any day sliding around in the poring rain getting covered in mud, laughing with your friends is usually a pretty funny experience for all! 

BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE: Travelling the world solo as a 16 year old to race my bike last year tops the list so far… But it looks like this years travels to more countries and meeting even more rad people could potentially top that!

WORST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE: Getting stitched up by airlines for having overweight bags! 

FAVE PART ABOUT RIDING BIKES: the freedom it gives and the places bikes can take you. 

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE: Hopefully an injury-free second year Junior World Cup season and loads more fun times in cool places with rad people.

SOCIAL MEDIA / WHERE TO FIND YOU: You can follow me on Instagram: baxter_maiwald  

Facebook: Baxter Maiwald Racing or Pinkbike: Baxter Maiwald