-Red Bull Crashed Ice kicks off the 2013 World Championship Series with daring athletes from across the globe bringing the heat on ice to Niagara Falls, Ontario on December 1, 2012 -
TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2012 /CNW/ - Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship skates back to Canada for the eighth year in a row, but for the first time ever the season will open in Niagara Falls, Ontario against the breathtaking and spectacular natural backdrop of the magnificent falls. The stage is set for an epic season opener as the top ice cross downhill athletes from across Canada and around the globe get ready to hurtle down the 460-metre urban ice track built with massive drops, gaps, steps, hairpin turns, and big-air jumps in front of thousands of roaring fans - all for the chance to win Red Bull Crashed Ice glory.
In March 2012, Kyle Croxall (Mississauga, ON) became the first Canadian to win the overall World Championship title in this electrifying sport that has captivated the heart and soul of Canadians. The sport's popularity surged around the world with a nail-biting championship battle between Croxall and Finland's Arttu Pihlainen that came down to an intense fight to the finish in the last few metres of the final race of the season. Current World Champion Croxall, who thwarted Pihlainen and his brother Scott to capture the title in 2012, will have two stops in Canada to prove his mettle on home soil. The season opens on December 1, 2012 in Niagara Falls, ON, and the heart-pumping, thrilling season will come to a close with the sport's most iconic stop in the heart of Quebec City, QC on March 16, 2013. "I always expect to make the podium. Although coming first overall again would be very difficult, I believe it is something I can do and I will strive for that," said Kyle Croxall.
The Course
Red Bull Crashed Ice promises to rock and awe with its epic features and proportions. Running 460 metres (1,509 feet) in length, an average width of 4.5 metres (15 feet), the Red Bull Crashed Ice course unfurls into a massive total of 2,500 square metres (26,910 square feet) of ice! The race will start under the gaze of the world's famous 775-feet tall Skylon Tower and will conclude by one of the seven natural wonders of the world - Niagara Falls. The start gates are the first and last chance for skaters to enjoy the spectacular views of Niagara Falls and Buffalo, New York, as they'll quickly be storming down Murray Street to the cheers of thousands of screaming fans.
The course starts with a bang, as the 30-degree drop launches competitors to intense speeds of over 50 km/h before hitting a steep turn and a step up bridge in the IMAX theatre parking lot. Then, ice cross downhill mavericks will sprint in a series of waves, pushing them up and down on the inclined hill. The action continues as skaters battle for first place on a course that heralds obstacles, including jumps, bumps, and gaps, draining competitors down to Murray Street for the straight that gives them the chance to battle for position. With glory and the magnificent Niagara Falls again in sight, the skaters will sprint down, making a sharp turn next to the Edgewaters Tap & Grill and hit the finish in the park. If they've got the skills, then its back to the top for another go until one racer is crowned champ in the both the men's and women's divisions.
A crew of hundreds will spend four weeks constructing this discipline-twisting course, spreading over 50 boxes (4ft x 4ft x 4ft, 1700 pounds each) of—you guessed it, crashed ice—across the streets of Niagara Falls. To ensure a smooth ice surface, a cooling system featuring chiller machines will help produce the right temperature throughout the build of the course. Polymer boards are used to keep competitors on the track and fans from harm's way. But with an amped Saturday night crowd, they'll also serve as the rhythm board for the thousands of fans cheering the next heat of racers. Combined, crashed ice and boards alone are not enough to hold the course up to the pounding from fans and skaters alike. Hundreds adjustable steel legs and a couple thousand large wood screws provide foundational support to the infrastructure.
The Quest to Qualify
In its eighth year in Canada, Red Bull Crashed Ice saw more than 6,000 brazen athletes fight for their spot in the 2013 ice cross downhill series at 12 qualifying events across the country. A random lottery selected 200 men and 20 women per qualifying city to tackle individual speed trials on a challenging flat-surface obstacle course filled with jumps, dives, and turns. Fifty walk-up spots were also available at each event for determined athletes who weren't selected in the lottery. To narrow the crop of athletes down to 100 men and 20 women, top participants from each qualifier who demonstrated the best skating skill, agility, speed, and strength earned a spot at the main event in Niagara Falls.
New Race Format
The format is simple, but the racing is fierce. Anyone who has aspirations of becoming the 2013 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Champion will have to prove himself against some of the best skaters in the world in front of tens of thousands of fans. Each stop of the 2013 World Championship features qualifiers for national and international athletes.
The top 32 athletes from the National Shoot-Out (qualifier for Canadian athletes) advance to the Elimination Round and the Canadians ranked from 33rd to 64th place advance to the International Shoot-Out. The top 16 female athletes advance to the finals. The top 32 athletes from the International Shoot-Out (qualifier for international athletes) automatically advance to the Saturday night finals and athletes ranked from 33rd to 64th place in the International Shoot-Out advance to the Elimination Round. In the shoot-outs, each athlete has two timed single runs and the fastest time counts. The results determine the pairings for the Elimination Round. These ice mavericks will then be seeded into brackets of four, as the 32 fastest skaters out of 64 will advance to the Finals on Saturday, December 1, 2012. The event is free to spectators.
More Icy Action: Team Challenge
For the first time, Red Bull Crashed Ice introduces the Team Challenge, giving national athletes one more chance to race down the world's most exciting ice track. Each team will be comprised of a minimum of two and a maximum of three athletes. After a round of qualifiers, the top 16 teams will advance to the Team Challenge, which will be taking place after the Elimination Round. Each team has a budget of 5,700 draft points (based on the world standings) to pick its athletes.
Arkells Live in Niagara Falls
Once the fate of the skaters has been determined, the party continues as Canadian rock band Arkells (http://arkells.ca) takes the stage on Friday, November 30 at 10 p.m. on Victoria Ave (between Clifton Hill and Magdalen Street). Winner of the 2012 Juno Award for Group of Year, the band from Hamilton, Ontario will provide an epic ending to this legendary evening. The concert is free to spectators.
Crashing the Airwaves
The 2012/13 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship will crash onto airwaves throughout the season as Sportsnet and TVA Sports will broadcast the series' five stops. Witness all the action live from Niagara Falls on December 1, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and TVA Sports from the comfort of your own living room, as skaters hurtle down a twisting, rolling ice track at speeds of more than 60km/hr.
Red Bull Crashed Ice is part of the "Red Bull Signature Series" on NBC, which features the most progressive and innovative snowboarding, mountain biking, freestyle motocross, ice cross downhill, skiing, and BMX events. The Red Bull Crashed Ice Niagara Falls race will air on NBC on January 26, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. ET. For more information, visit www.redbullsignatureseries.com.
Play Red Bull Crashed Ice Kinect
Markedly safer and a heck of a lot warmer than the real thing, Red Bull Crashed Ice Kinect will nevertheless throw you headlong into incredible speeds and hairpin turns as you skate to the finish using your body and your wits to get you across the line first. The game, which features five downhill tracks based on real event locations, will be made available through Xbox LIVE to play on Microsoft's hugely popular motion-controlled gaming system. The game will be released for Red Bull Crashed Ice Niagara Falls.
About Red Bull Crashed Ice
A combination of hockey, boardercross, and downhill skiing, Red Bull Crashed Ice sets a thrilling stage for intrepid male and female amateur and pro hockey players from around the globe. No flat surfaces here - instead, daring racers hurtle down an ice track showcasing their strength, speed, and technique while battling massive jumps, gaping drops, hairpin turns and each other to the icy, epic finish.
Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 Ranking: 1. Kyle Croxall (CAN/3000 points), 2. Arttu Pihlainen (FIN/2960 points), 3. Scott Croxall (CAN/2300 points), 4. Adam Horst (CAN/2190 points), 5. Paavo Klintrup (FIN/ 1660 points)
World Championship points were up for grabs at each of the four stops of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship: 1,000 points all the way down to 0.5 points were collected for athletes who placed first to 100th. The competitor who skated through the season with the most points accumulated after the four races was crowned the 2012 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Champion.
| 2013 Race Calendar | |
| December 1, 2012 January 26, 2013 February 9, 2013 March 2, 2013 March 16, 2013 |
Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada) Saint Paul, Minnesota (USA) Landgraaf (Netherlands) Lausanne (Switzerland) Quebec City, Quebec (Canada) |
Red Bull Crashed Ice Newsroom
The Red Bull Crashed Ice Newsroom is a free-of-charge media service providing news stories, high-resolution photographs, clips for TV, web and radio as well as race results and background information about the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship. For more news and content including media accreditation, please visit the newsroom at www.redbullcrashedicenewsroom.com. Media accreditation closes one week prior to the Niagara Falls race. All media must register by then.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/redbullcrashedice
Twitter: @RedBullCanada | @CrashedIce | #crashediceCAN
Instagram: RedBullCanada
Website: www.redbullcrashedice.com
Red Bull Playgrounds: Your exclusive mobile guide for Red Bull Crashed Ice! Red Bull Playgrounds - the only social discovery app that turns the world into your playground - is now available for the iPhone (http://bit.ly/playgroundsiphone, Android http://bit.ly/playgroundsandroid as well as on the website www.redbull.ca/playgrounds).
SOURCE: Red Bull Canada
Emily Palley-Samson | Melissa Legaspi
Edelman
416-849-8944 | 416-849-3387
[email protected] | [email protected]
Josée Laperrière
Red Bull
647-680-2855
[email protected]
Share this article