Rocky Trailblazer Award

Rocky Trailblazer Award

Supporting the next generation of mountain bike athletes

With the Rocky Trailblazer Awards we want to create an environment that recognises achievements beyond just race times. Mountain bikes are an amazing avenue of joy, and we want to celebrate that.

This year the inaugural Award focuses on our cross-country athletes and there are are two major categories for female adults and juniors.

Additionally a ‘rising star award’ will be recognising a male and female rider in both adult and junior classifications.

Enter a Nomination

This year, the award will focus on fostering female race participation and grassroots growth of the sport in general.

Rocky Trail Entertainment’s new initiative is an extension of their efforts to promote the sport’s growth in a sustainable way. The award will not focus on the fastest, but reward those who show consistency, engagement and improvement throughout the year. In it’s inaugural year, the Award is open to all riders who have been or are participating in any Rocky Trail cross-country event in 2023.

The adult awards will be under the patronage of Bec Henderson, who will support the company in fostering female race participation and grassroots growth of the sport in general. The junior award, on the other hand, will be headed up by Zoe Cuthbert.

Meet Our Patrons

With the Rocky Trailblazer Awards we want to recognise the enormous achievements of Bec and Zoe in mountain biking and in 2023 find the next round of female and ‘rising star’ athletes who will change the sport, this year starting with riders in our cross-country portfolio of events.

Meet Your Award Patrons

Rebecca Henderson

Bec Henderson needs no introduction in the world of mountain biking and is without a doubt Australia’s most successful female mountain biker of all time.

In addition to her Olympic representation, Bec has an impressive track record of achievements in mountain biking.

She has won ten back to back National Championship titles and has stood on the podium multiple times at the World Cup. These accomplishments are a testament to her skill and hard work and dedication to the sport.

Follow Bec

“I really appreciate the effort from Rocky Trail and look forward to supporting this initiative especially in identifying ways to help grow the sport and develop female and younger riders.” – Bec Henderson

“I look forward to stepping up and representing this award and to providing my expertise in racing, training as well as writing and illustrating too so we can motivate more women and riders to explore their potential in mountain bike riding – and racing.” – Zoe Cuthbert

Zoe Cuthbert

Zoe has represented Australia internationally since 2018 and has won multiple gold medals in the Junior category, including at the national championships and Oceania Championships.

She was also named Cycling Australia and Mountain Bike Australia Junior Mountain Biker of the Year. In 2020, she won another gold at the Oceania Championships and the national championships in the U/23 category.

In addition to her other accomplishments, Zoe Cuthbert also won a silver medal in the Cross-Country event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. This achievement further cemented her status as one of the top young talents in the sport of mountain biking.

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The Awards

Rocky Trailblazer Award

Bec Henderson Award

For Most Impressive Female Adult Rider

Rocky Trailblazer Award

Bec Henderson Rising Star Award

Recognition of Talent (Male and Female Adult Rider)

Rocky Trailblazer Award

Zoe Cuthbert Junior Female Rider

For Most Impressive Female Junior U19 Rider

Rocky Trailblazer Award

Zoe Cuthbert Junior Rising Star Award

Recognition of Talent (Male and Female Junior U19 Rider).

WHO CAN BE PART OF THE AWARDS?

We want to create an environment that recognises achievements beyond just race times, where there is less pressure and we want to break down barriers to enter. We want to showcase a pathway for keen riders and foster their plans plan for progression. Bec and Zoe will inspire our racers by us sharing their racing journey in Australia and overseas.

Enter a Nomination

Terms & Conditions do apply

The awards will not focus simply on the fastest riders, but rather on those who stand out the most and are impressive throughout the year. The goal is to recognise the efforts and hard work put in by the riders, their engagement within the Rocky Trail community and efforts to encourage more people, particularly women, to participate in the sport. Additionally, the award will recognise a “Rising Star Award” for female and male riders for both adults and juniors.

The Rocky Trailblazer Award is an excellent opportunity for young and aspiring racers to showcase their skills and hard work in endurance competitions. It will provide a platform for female as well as talented adult and junior riders to be recognized for their contributions to the sport, and to inspire more people to take up mountain biking.

Rocky Trail Entertainment wants to reward the achievements of female and junior mountain bikers and promote their participation in the sport. By focusing on the overall engagement and talent of riders rather than just the fastest, the awards encourage more people, particularly women, to take up the sport and work towards becoming better riders. The Trailblazer Award is a step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse mountain biking community, and it is our vision to inspire a new generation of riders to hit the rocky trails.

Did you know that Bec and Zoe are also members of our Rocky Trailheads Rider Rep Programme – our #rockytrailracer liaison and support network. Find out more…