Bryn Atkinson (born 9 December 1982, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) is an Australian professional mountain bike racing cyclist from Townsville, QLD. Mother Janet, Father Graham, brother Rhys Atkinson. He started mountain biking at the age of 14 in 1996 and became a professional rider in 2002. Bryn's first introduction to the sport was through his local mountain bike club in Townsville- The Townsville Rockwheelers. Competing in several cross country type events, Bryn evolved with the sport and later found downhill. As a teenager, he moved north to Cairns, a popular location for downhill mountain biking, and host of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 1996. Glen Jacobs was the course builder for that event and several other events on the World Cup, and mentored Bryn and several other downhillers in the area.
The first Australian competitors to travel overseas and race world cups with success were Michael Ronning, Scott Sharples, Sean Mccarroll, Tai Lee Muxlow, Katrina Miller, Wade Boots, etc.. Scott Sharples would later become Bryn's coach.
Royal/ Orange was the first international team Bryn raced for in 2002. From there he later rode for Madcatz/Iron horse led by Sean Hiemdal, and teammates with Sam Hill, Nathan Rennie, and Jared Graves. 2005 Bryn signed with GT Bicycles and continued till 2008. In 2009 he and his girlfriend Jill Kintner formed a privateer program with Crankbrothers and Intense Bicycles. In 2010-11 he rode for Transition Bicycles/ Crankbrothers out of Ferndale, Wa, and is teammates with Jill Kintner, and Lars Sternberg.
Bryn is an industry favourite, a respected ambassador for the sport of Downhill, and popular with the media. His clean appearance, and calm demeanour make him easily approachable.
He currently resides, and trains, in the Blue Mountains, NSW Australia, and Seattle Washington.
Palmarès
- 2002
- 7th DH, Australian National Mountain Biking Championships
- 2003
- 4th DH, Australian National Mountain Biking Championships
- 9th 4X, Norba Series, Round 4 USA
- 10th DH, Oceania MTB Championships AUS
- 10th DH, Norba Series, Round 5 USA
- 2004
- 6th 4X, Norba Series, Round 3 USA
- 8th DH, Norba Series, Round 3 USA
- 5th DH, Norba Series, Round 5 USA
- 9th DH, Norba Series, Round 6 USA
- 4th DH, Norba Series, Round 7 USA
- 10th 4X, Norba Series, Round 7 USA
- 8th DH, Norba Series Final USA
- 2005
- 4th 4X, Sea Otter
- 2nd Pro Slalom, Sea Otter
- 10th DH, Sea Otter
- 3rd 4X, Norba Series, Round 5 USA
- 6th DH, National Series Final VIC
- 7th DH, UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, ITA
- 9th DH, MTB World Cup CAN
- 2006
- 2nd DH, Australian National Mountain Biking Championships
- 7th DH MTB World Cup, Round 5 BRA
- 13th DH MTB World Championships Rotorua, New Zealand
- 2007
- 1st US Open
- 3rd 4X Oceania Championships ACT
- 4th DH Oceania Championships AUS
- 9th 4X MTB World Cup, Round 2 SUI
- 2008
- 3rd US Open
- 9th DH MTB World Cup, Round 6, Canberra, Australia
- 2nd DH, Australian National Mountain Biking Championships
- 2009
- 8th UCI World Cup Val nord, Andorra
- 2010
- 2nd DH National Thredbo, NSW
- 1st Pro Gravity Tour #1 Port Angeles, WA
- 12th UCI World Cup #1, Maribor, Slovenia
- 2nd Pro Gravity Tour #2 Platekill, NY
- 16th UCI World Cup Ft.William, Scotland
- 2nd Pro GRT #3 Northstar Tahoe, CA
- 20th UCI World Cup Champery, SUI
- 18th UCI World Cup Val Di Sole, ITA
- 1st Overall Pro Gravity Tour Series
- 21st Overall UCI World Cup Series
- 1st Newtons Nation Bathurst, AUS