Home trails put on national stage for mountain bike event
The Western Bay of Plenty will take centre stage this October when hundreds of New Zealand’s best young mountain bikers roll into the region for the 2026 National Secondary Schools Mountain Bike Championships. A pinnacle event that will put the local trails, local riders and the wider community in the nations spotlight.
From 4-9 October, over 800 riders from approximately 190 schools will take part in the largest National Secondary Schools Mountain Bike Championships ever held, competing across five disciplines at Summerhill Mountain Bike Park and Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest over six days of action packed racing.
For local riders, the opportunity is about much more than racing says Shannon Fisken, President of Mountainbike Tauranga who are hosting the nationals.
“These championships are the pinnacle of school mountain biking in New Zealand,” says Shannon. “For many young riders, travelling long distances is usually part of competing at this level. To bring a national championship event to their backyard and give them the chance to race against the best riders in the country on trails they know and love is incredibly exciting.”
Hosting a national event of this scale is a significant achievement for the region. Only a handful of mountain biking clubs around New Zealand have the facilities, trail network, volunteer capacity and organisational support required to host the championships.
Following the successful hosting of the North Island Schools Championships in 2025, Mountainbike Tauranga were invited by Cycling New Zealand to deliver the national event, recognising both the quality of the region’s trails and the strength of its mountain biking community.
Anna Haycock, Public Relations and Marketing Lead at DirtCraft who are delivering the event alongside Mountainbike Tauranga says bringing the event to the Western Bay creates a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation of riders.
“We’re seeing mountain biking continue to grow in popularity with young people, and an event like this shows them what is possible,” says Anna. “They’ll see riders from all over the country pushing themselves, supporting their teammates and representing their schools. That experience can be incredibly motivating.”
Beyond the competition itself, organisers hope the event will encourage more local students to enter through their secondary school and challenge themselves on a national stage.
“Mountain biking teaches resilience, confidence and independence, but it’s also about having fun and being part of a community,” says Anna. “We’d love to see local students take advantage of this opportunity to compete at a national championships on their home trails.”
The event has received support from various local and national sponsors, as well as funding from the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund. Fund partner TECT’s Chief Executive, Wayne Werder says this event is a fantastic example of why the Fund was established.
“It creates opportunities for local people, attracts visitors to our region and creates opportunities for our community to connect, celebrate and participate.”
Fellow fund partner Western Bay of Plenty District Council is also excited for the region to host the nationals. With Community and Strategic Relationships Manager, Jodie Rickard sharing that no single organisation could deliver the impact achieved through a collaborative fund like this.”
“By the five fund partners working together, we’re able to support events that strengthen community connections, showcase our region nationally and create lasting benefits for residents and visitors.”
While the championships will showcase some of New Zealand’s most talented young riders, organisers are equally excited about the opportunity for the wider community to get involved.
A community race day on Sunday 4 October will give riders of all ages and abilities the chance to experience the event atmosphere and ride on the same courses that will later host national competition.
Spectators can also expect a vibrant festival atmosphere throughout the week, with food vendors, sponsor activations and great viewing points to witness all of action on the trails.
“This isn’t just a mountain biking event, it’s a community event,” says Shannon. “We want local families, schools and supporters to come along, cheer the riders on and experience the energy that comes with a school championship. The community race day is a great way for people to have a go themselves and be part of the excitement.”
The nationals are a chance to showcase everything that makes the Western Bay a place to visit and a mountain biking destination.
When riders and families leave at the end of the week, they will be talking about the incredible trails, the welcoming community and the experience they had here.
But overall, the event organisers hope local young people see what’s possible and are inspired to get on their bikes, challenge themselves and become part of the local mountain biking community.
Key Event Details:
- Event dates: Sunday 4 – Friday 9 October 2026
- Event schedule/locations:
o Summerhill Mountain Bike Park
o Whakarewarewa Forest
- Entrants much be enrolled in year 7 -13 at secondary school to participate in the National Secondary Schools Moutain Bike Champs 2026.
- Anyone can participate in the Community Event on Sunday 4 October.
- Full event information can be found at:
o National School MTB Championships: https://www.schoolscycling.nz/national-school-mtb-championships/
o Community Race: https://dirtcraft.nz/events/national-school-community-race/
For more information, email info@communityfund.org.nz
About the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund
The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund supports community events across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, helping bring people together through inclusive, community-driven experiences.
The Fund brings together five funding partners — Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT Community Trust and Western Bay of Plenty District Council into a single, streamlined funding process. This approach reduces complexity for event organisers, who previously needed to apply to multiple organisations separately.
