Jason Connor

Jason Connor (born 25 February 1988 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealand professional Downhill Mountain Biker and community focused ambassador. He competed in the New Zealand National Downhill Series from 2005 to 2022 and has competed in the IXS Cup since 2021. He is an M1 Class National Champion, A World Record Holder, and multi time overall podium finisher in the New Zealand Downhill Series, and National Championships.
=====Professional career=====
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=====2004 – 2011=====
Connor competed in the junior class from the age of 16 with consistent top 5 finishes.
He qualified for the 2006 UCI Junior World Championships in New Zealand, but could not race due to a broken collar bone. 
=====2012=====
Connor won his first elite class race in 2012 before suffering a serious injury from a crash at a race later that year. 
The crash left him temporarily paralyzed from below his L1 vertebrae for over a week resulting in a 5 year absence from the sport. 
=====2017=====
In 2017, Connor returned to racing with a focus on building a team to support younger athletes, and was focused on winning a national title. 
=====2018=====
In 2018, Connor launched the race team which would become known as “DVS One Pure Racing” with support from his major sponsors.
He also began to build his confidence on the bike after the 5 year absence claiming numerous podiums in the NZDH Series, and Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series.
Connor finished 8th at the inaugural Crankworx Rotorua event after crashing in finals.
=====2019=====
In 2019, Jason Connor won the Cycling New Zealand National Downhill Series Championship overall title, and carried the momentum into the National Championships. 
Connor finished 4th at the Cycling New Zealand New Zealand National Championships after a mechanical issue that caused a minor crash and left him to finish the race without a chain. 
Connor kept the momentum running into the 2019 Cranworx Rotorua Downhill qualifying 3rd. Then on 22 March 2019 whilst completing his final practice run, Connor came up short on one of the final doubles resulting in a broken humerus which was also dislocated, a torn rotator cuff, and server tendon and tissue damage. 
After an intensive surgery and recovery time, Connor went on to compete at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, Canada with the help of his physio team at Vigour Physio (Tomas Galdames & Tahere Reha), but failed to overcome the pain and restrictions of his injury, subsequently finishing in 31st after numerous mistakes in his finals run.
Upon returning to New Zealand, Connor went on to finish 6th in the NZDH Series.
=====2020=====
In 2020, Connor Crashed at the second round of the New Zealand National Downhill Series after a second place finish at round one in Bluff. The result was a broken clavicle which split at the Acromion end of the bone. 
He managed to race in the final two races with support from his physiotherapist (Tomas Galdames) to finish in 3rd overall for the series. 
Connor went on to get some redemption in the Crankworx Rotorua Downhill two months on, finishing 4th after a mistake in the mid-section of his finals run. 
With the uncertainty of racing going ahead due to Covid19, Connor focused on setting a World First, Official World Record with Red Bull NZ. He completed 25.1 kilometres of the Cambridge Velosolutions pump track in a time of 57 minutes and 32 seconds setting the first official pump track endurance world record whilst raising awareness for early detection of breast cancer for the Keep A Breast Foundation.
Connor also finished 3rd overall in the NZDH series to finish off a near perfect season in his first year of Open Men
=====2021=====
Connor moved up to the Open Men class at the end of the 2020 season and made a compelling effort to finish 3rd overall in the Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series in his first full season in Open Men.
Connor claimed another 4th place finish at the Cycling new Zealand National Championships after another mechanical issue mid-way through his final run. 
With Covid cancelling the Crankworx Rotorua festival, Connor and fellow team mate Isaac Doell went to Europe to compete on the European circuit. Unfortunately Covid caused most of the events to be cancelled, but Connor had a series of standout results on the international circuit. The most notable being the Copa Catalana DH Cup in Andorra where he pulled back 16 seconds to finish 7th in the Pro M1 Class.
=====2022=====
Connor came back to New Zealand in great shape for the 2022 New Zealand season, and the speed showed at the first round of the New Zealand National Downhill Cup until a un significant crash resulted in an awkward fall causing a minor concussion. 
Whilst off the bike, Connor had some more bad luck with a kidney stone diagnosis.
After a quick recovery, Connor managed to claim 3rd place at the Auckland round of the Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series, and went on to take 4th at the Cycling New Zealand National Championships. 
Another serious injury whilst filming a video segment caused Connor to suffer another concussion and a fractured clavicle which required surgery. Connor went back into hospital for another procedure to drain a brain aneurism caused by the crash.
This crash ultimately ended Connors 2022 season and stopped him from training for the upcoming 2023 season.
=====2023=====
Connor and his Fiancée (Stephanie Lewandoski) relocated to Winnipeg Canada where Connor is now focusing on work with the local government and city of Winnipeg to build a Velosolutions pump track and mountain bike facility for the community. 
He is currently training for the 2024 European season and plans on breaking his own world record to raise awareness around mental health in younger athletes/individuals. 
=====Major titles=====
•	2012 – 1st place – Round two of the New Zealand National Downhill Series – Pro Elite Class
•	2019 – 1st place – Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series overall champion, Pro M1 class
•	2019 – 4th place – Cycling new Zealand National Championships
•	2020 – 3rd place – Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series overall – Pro M1 class
•	2020 – World First Official World Record with Red Bull NZ
•	2020 – 3rd place – NZDH series overall – Open Men Class
•	2021 – 3rd Place – Mountain Bike NZ New Zealand National Downhill Series overall – Open Men Class
•	2021 – 4th place – Cycling new Zealand National Championships
•	2022 – 4th place – Cycling new Zealand National Championships
=====Notes=====
1.	Creator and Manager of the DVS One Pure Racing, youth development team
2. Advocate for the development of mountain bike facilities in Winnipeg and Manitoba to provide youths of the province with somewhere to develop their skills and advance in the sport of mountain biking.
Category:1988 births
Category:People from Auckland
Category:New Zealand people
Category:New Zealand mountain bikers
Category:Ambassadors