With a bar set high, a podium step which is harder to crack than your workmate’s Facebook password, and a rich heritage of producing some of the world’s finest racers, New Zealand’s elite downhill scene does not seem like an easy thing to break into. Rotorua’s Keegan Wright is forcing his way into the club, quickly shimmying up the rankings and causing upsets against top-tier racers.

Only a few short years ago, he was just another pesky teenage grom who could huck his meat on a bike. Keegan’s heritage of racing does not stem from a long line of family racers, nor a long time spent on the trails as a kid. He grew up racing with the Rotorua BMX Club, but as he got older he slowly became bored of the BMX racing scene. Due to injuries and looking for more of a challenge and a chance to refresh his passion for riding bikes, he took to the Whakarewarewa forest and instantly fell in love with mountain biking. (How could he not when the forest is only a five minute ride from his doorstep?)

Keegan talks line choice with Cole Lucas and Connor Hamilton atop the newly felled lower section of the National DH Track in Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest

Once he was familiarised with a big bike it was only a matter of time before his talent and drive would lead him to great heights within the downhill scene. I remember shooting a North Island Series round in Dome Valley, Auckland in late December 2013. This was Keegan’s first season racing downhill and I remember being blown away by this hyperactive kid on an old Turner DHR; he seemed to levitate above the track and was disgustingly quick through corners. I didn’t know who he was before the race but for sure knew him after it! Since then I’ve watched ‘Keegz’ grow as a rider, learning his craft and developing into an elite level, world class racer, and thankfully level out as person! He can now hold a serious conversation for more than five minutes, however it always costs me a beer.

I recently managed to get Keegan sat down to try and understand what makes him tick, what his goals are for 2016/2017 and how the young phenom has become a name to watch if you ask those in the know. Believe me, you’d have better luck trying to herd a cat than get Keegan to sit in one place!

One of Keegan’s First Video Features – Part of Flow Mountain Bike‘s Rotorua Top 10 Video Series

With your roots firmly planted in DH but now hitting the top steps of enduro races, do you see yourself making the change from racing both downhill and enduro, to concentrating on enduro anytime soon?

No, not at all. Downhill is for sure my favourite format at present and enduro is rapidly growing on me, but I’m in no way looking to forego either. Enduro is great because I don’t have to stop between runs!

Do you think the rise of enduro racing has affected the downhill racing scene at domestic level within New Zealand?

I think Enduro has brought a load more people into a competitive arena within the sport which is great, but it won’t kill downhill racing anytime soon I believe. The scene is still just as big as when I started racing.

What do you think the NZ racing scene is lacking, or could do with to make it better?

It’s running pretty good, but I think some prizemoney at the National rounds and just more publicity would help encourage more riders into the sport.

You originally started out BMX racing, how young were you when you started and why did you stop?

I started racing BMX when I was 8 years old, and did it for about seven or eight years. After the 2013 New Zealand team’s test trials I had a few injuries and that’s when I decided to hang the BMX bike up.

A good mate of mine Des Curry gave me one of his old mountain bikes to take out for a ride, and ever since I’ve been hooked. I started taking racing pretty seriously once I did a few downhill races in 2012 and got the taste for it, caught the bug! I’ve been hooked on racing ever since and just want to keep getting better and better.

Nothing but raw pace, Keegan is always tucked and well over the front

How seriously do you take training off the bike?

I know that gym work helps heaps and that’s why I try gym a few times a week. When I started racing at elite level I was trained and coached by Ari Barrett from Queenstown. Same guy who trains George (Brannigan) and Bernard Kerr when they are in Queenstown. Recently I have started training myself and just getting out riding as much as I can. I just love riding my bike and the rest will follow.

Do you plan to race any Enduro World Series races this year?

Hopefully I’ll get to do three or four EWS rounds. I plan to race the American round, Whistler Crankworx and the final round.

How do you manage training for two disciplines and the differences in both racing styles?

I think training for enduro transfers to downhill well, same with riding downhill to enduro. Living in Rotorua it’s easy to ride both bikes in the same day with the Southstar shuttles in the forest.

What does a normal day of training consist of for you?

I try to get out on some sort of bike most days and try to head to the gym twice a week. I have been training in the local boxing gym with some of Rotorua’s best up and coming fighters and my mate Connor Hamilton. It’s good because we all help push each other and get motivated from each other’s stoke. Just getting out riding and having fun is the best training for me especially living in such a sick place for bikes. I also like to get out with a few young bucks that I know who are starting to ride. It’s always fun helping out the younger generation.

How do you spend your rest days/days off?

I never really have a day off to be honest. I’m always keen to get out riding with some mates, but if I’m not riding I’m either doing some sort of activity with my friends, sorting out races,riding the motocross bike, getting out sledging, playing PS4 or working.

Is riding your day job yet?

Nope, riding is still just a hobby, but one which I’d like to turn into a profession for sure! I’m a whitewater sledge guide by day and do lots of other random work to make some dollars for racing.

The Rotorua riding scene – tell us about that.

It’s so hectic living in Rotorua for mountain biking, it’s super handy and I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am today without living here. It’s so easy to get sidetracked in the forest, you look at the time and it’s 9 in the morning, you ride for a bit  thinking it’s only a few hours later and it’s 4 or 5 in the afternoon. I’m stoked to live in Rotorua, it’s awesome!

What motivates you to ride well and stay hungry for it?

Racing is what motivates me. I just want to get faster and faster and get better results at each race.

During the summer you train a lot with some of NZ’s finest, riders of the likes of Wyn Masters, Blenki and George Brannigan. How does that help you?

It’s a big help with my riding, just getting to follow someone faster is always handy, it helps me improve loads being able to ride with those boys.

Who has been your biggest influence?

I think Des Curry has been the biggest influence on me, but Blenki, Wyn and George have also helped me out loads.

In a build-up to their international season earlier this year, Jared Graves and Richie Rude spent upwards of a week in Rotorua and our understanding is that you played guide for them. How was riding with racers of that pedigree?

Yeah, I was lucky enough to be able to ride with them. We did a few downhill laps on the trail bikes and it was probably the most fun I’ve had riding, just pushing the trail bikes to the limit and pinning it. It’s a great learning experience riding with those fellas!

At the end of the 2015 National Downhill Series, you had a big crash during practice of Round 4 in Dunedin––a steep and rocky track that isn’t for the faint hearted––that ended your season. What happened?

I was doing some practice runs with some of the lads, the day was going awesome, then I decided to try and do a full-pace run. I knew most of the track quite well, except this one little rock garden that caught me out. I was coming into it feeling confident, but I think my chainguide or crank hit a big rock and it just swapped out my back end. That resulted in me going face first into a pretty big rock and breaking my jaw, cheekbone, eye socket, left hand and also dislocated my right hand. Good times!

As a result you had to sit out the NZ National Champs, Oceanias and Crankworx Rotorua. How hard was watching Crankworx from the sidelines?

It was soooo hard but I also learnt a lot from watching the downhill, seeing the different line choices, where they brake and where they don’t brake. It was a massive learning experience for me. For sure I’m not keen to be watching in 2017 though!

Was that the biggest crash you have had to date?

That’d probably have to be the biggest crash. But when I got my first mountain bike, the first day I went out on it I was railing around a corner in the rain when my back wheel slipped and my leg got caught between a tree and a stump. I was reaching up to pull my leg out and as I was doing that a rider came around the corner and smashed into me, breaking my fibula and tibia. I had about an hour hike out of the forest. It wasn’t the nicest hike that’s for sure.

Guys who ride with you notice that you have two very different size legs…

I was born with a disability called talipes. When I was born my foot was pretty much backwards and I had to have a series of operations to get it straight. I underwent about seven operations and for the first three years of my life I was in a cast. Since then I’ve been in a cast on that leg another two and a half years. My smaller leg actually has more power than my bigger leg, though so it doesn’t really give me any problems.

Is it true you have to wear different size knee pads?

(Laughs) Nope, that’s false, both the same size knee pads!

What’s your favourite race venue?

There’s so many wicked venues around, but for me it’d have to be Whistler Canadian Open downhill race during Crankworx, such sick vibes and everything is so close and easy to get to. Everyone there is just frothing about bikes and watching and racing. It’s rad.

Favourite place to ride?

Pila, Italy or Morzine, France.

Favourite trail in the Whakarewarewa forest?

All the illegal tracks are up there for sure, but Cutties down to the Blue Lake is sick too!

Keegan with good friend and Wide Open teammate Cole Lucas

What team are you on for 2016?

I ride for many brands but my key sponsor and team is Wide Open, a local distributor in Rotorua who have a long history of supporting up and coming racers and freestyle athletes. I am lucky to have my good mate Cole Lucas on the same team now, and am looking forward to just getting out riding with him and seeing him succeed on the international stage also.

Being sponsored by Wide Open is a big break for you. How does being supported by a company with such a rich history in top-end athlete development help you?

Yes, I am so thankful for them supporting me and believing in what I do. Matt (Whitaker, Wide Open owner) has helped riders of the likes of Kelly McGarry, Conor Macfarlane and Matt Scoles, and back in the day was a pinner on the World Cup DH scene, so he knows what it takes and understands my needs. He is a massive help with connecting us to big brands. I’m super thankful also that Cam (Wide Open’s technical manager) takes care of my bikes for me and comes to some of the local races to help me.

What are your goals for this coming season?

Race the rest of the World Cup DH series, do the last two stops of the Crankworx World Tour and three or four Enduro World Series races. And hopefully make the New Zealand World’s downhill team.

If Keegan’s natural enthusiasm, inability to sit still, and got get ’em nature is anything to go by, he will be a good bet to turn his racing dreams into reality this season. I find myself sliding forward in my seat at the thought of Keegz succeeding, and will be watching and following his results closely. If he can ride his bike faster than he can run his mouth, we just might be about to see some more big upsets, this time against the international heavyweights.

Keegan would like to thank his sponsors Wide Open Distributors, Giant Bikes New Zealand, Gravity, POC, Stans NoTubes, Five Ten, Hope, Marzocchi, Unit Clothing.

Bike Fleet:

• DH – Giant Glory Advanced 0
• Enduro – Giant Trance 0
• DJ – Giant STP
• MX – Yamaha YZ250

Results:

• 2014 Junior National Champion – Downhill
• 2014 Downhill World Champs – 9th Place – Junior Men
• Crankworx Rotorua 2015 – Pumptrack – 2nd Overall
• Crankworx Whistler 2015 – Canadian Open DH – 9th Overall
• 2015 Giant 2W Enduro Series – 1st Overall
• 2015 Enduro World Series – Round 1, Rotorua – 2nd U23 Men
• 2015 Downhill National Series – Taupo – 1st Place Elite
• 2015 Downhill National Series – 440 MTB Park, Auckland – 3rd Place Elite
• 2016 UCI Downhill World Cup – Round 2, Cairns, Australia – 55th Place Elite Men

2015 NZ Crown Placings:

• Downhill – 6th Overall
• Enduro – 8th Overall