BULLDOG UNLEASHED!

WE MEET UP WITH THE 'PEOPLE'S CHAMPION' BROOK MACDONALD TO GET THE LOWDOWN ON HIS AGGRESSIVE STYLE, RACING PEDIGREE AND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A TOP DOG ON THE DOWNHILL SCENE

- Will Soffe

VITAL STATISTICS

Name Brook Macdonald

Age 30

Nationality Kiwi

Sponsors Red Bull, MS Mondraker Team, 100%, Michelin, Shimano, Fox suspension, Renthal, e*thirteen

Nicknamed the Bulldog' for his aggressive riding style and tenacious attitude, Kiwi racer Brook Macdonald is one of the World Cup riders who receives the most cheers on the track. We're used to seeing him cruising down descents in Queenstown or flying high on Red Bull TV's DH coverage, but today we're meeting him in the somewhat quieter and less glamorous environs of the Cwmcarn Forest car park to go for a ride and find out what makes him tick.

Dogged determination

"It was Wyn Masters who came up with it, in 2009, when we were both on the Ancillotti team," says Brook, explaining how he earned his nickname. "I'm pretty sure it came about because I used to 'bulldog' my way down the hill, and if I crashed, even if it was a massive one, I'd just kind of shake it off and carry on. 'Bulldog spirit' means never giving up. Even if my weekend's not going well, I just sort of erase all the problems so I'm able to go at it with a fresh mind when it's time for important moments like qualifiers or race runs."

Brook needed all his bulldog-like tenacity in 2019, after he broke his back in a horrifying crash at the DH World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. Following invasive surgery, he had to relearn to walk and ride again in stages, then undergo rehab. Incredibly, just 13 months later, he made a triumphant return to international racing at the 2020 World Champs in Leogang, Austria. The full story of his recovery was made into a feature-length Red Bull movie, The Road Back.