Photos: Daz Caulton

"After riding downhill for a couple of years, I decided to do my first race at the age of 8! It was a local club race up in Victoria Park, the track started out easy then it led into a fire road bomb then into a few technical sections, and my dad followed me down for all my runs. Definitely a good introduction to racing." 

Wide Open: Hey Finn, where did you grow up, and where are you living now?
Finn Hawkesby-Browne: I grew up in Christchurch, and still live here. It's an ideal place to be for me, with plenty of activities to do, biking, skiing, skateboarding etc.

What does an average day look like for you?
My average day definitely starts out slow with a coffee and breakfast. Then I either head off to work, or go trail or DH riding all day. Then I end up riding dirt jumps or the skate park in the evening. Always trying to mix it up.

What age did you start riding a mountain bike? What got you wanting to ride?
My dad got me into mountain biking when I was 4 on a little 12” bike. So I can't remember a time without it.

When did you decide to compete? Can you tell us about your first event?
After riding downhill for a couple of years, I decided to do my first race at the age of 8! It was a local club race up in Victoria Park, the track started out easy, then it led into a fire road bomb then into a few technical sections, and my dad followed me down for all my runs. Definitely a good introduction to racing.

What does the morning of an event look like for you?
I'll typically roll out of bed, have some breakfast and a coffee, have a stretch, and make sure to warm my shoulder up, then gear up and head up for first practice. Nothing to different to a normal day. It's good to keep things familiar