Red Bull Crashed Ice Returns to Edmonton for Ice Cross Downhill World Championship Season Finale

-- Brand new track design, features and start location will up-level 2015's event experience, complete with two days of activity open to the public. Tickets on sale November 16. --

EDMONTON, Nov. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - The final showdown of the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship will make its highly anticipated return to Edmonton this March 9 and 10, 2018. The event site and track will feature a brand new design, more challenging features and a new start location along with two separate days of activity; the Juniors and Freestyle World Championship, followed by the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship season finale.

"After a huge success in 2015, we are excited to host the Red Bull Crashed Ice season finale again in 2018," says Mayor Don Iveson. "This event is a great opportunity for Edmontonians to celebrate winter and showcase our city to our guests and a global audience."

Ice Cross Downhill has had a longstanding relationship with the City of Edmonton. From Qualifier events held at local ice rinks in earlier seasons through to its first-ever season finale race hosted in 2015, which brought out 70,000 roaring fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a single-day public sporting event in Edmonton's downtown core.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to have Red Bull Crashed Ice returning to Edmonton in 2018," says Brad Ferguson, President & CEO, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. "Major events, like Red Bull Crashed Ice, further strengthen our reputation and image internationally as a premier sport tourism destination and promote future tourism to the region by showcasing the vibrancy of our city."

"When this racing series first came to Edmonton in 2015, it was an absolute sensation, generating an estimated economic impact of more than $10 million for the province," says Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism. "The Government of Alberta is once again proud to help support this thrilling event that showcases our beautiful province to an international audience, and encourages us to embrace winter and have a great time doing it!"

Edmonton's 2018 Red Bull Crashed Ice track is set to outshine 2015's edition, with all track details planned for release later this season. 2015's urban ice track was one of the most unique in the sport's history, stretching an enormous 415-metres long, complete with a 45-meter vertical drop. It took almost a full month to build, and swerved from Jasper Avenue down to the banks of the frozen North Saskatchewan River.

"Edmonton's crowds were electric at 2015's Red Bull Crashed Ice event," says Chris Papillon, Red Bull Crashed Ice Sport Director. "I can't wait to bring the season finale back to this city. The average climate and track conditions also lend themselves very well to rider performance, which should raise the level of competition we see between athletes. I know they've already heightened their level of training for the upcoming season."

For over a decade, Ice Cross Downhill has entertained Canadian fans and elevated the sport to new heights. Thousands of Canadians have competed since the first Red Bull Crashed Ice event and the tracks have evolved dramatically, redesigned each year to continue challenging athletes' skill. 

Tickets on Sale
In order to elevate the event's onsite experience and ensure audience security, 2018's Red Bull Crashed Ice event in Edmonton will be ticketed. Friday's Juniors and Freestyle World Championship tickets will be priced at $5 (including taxes and fees) and Saturday's Ice Cross Downhill World Championship season finale will be priced at $8 (including taxes and fees).

"Our priority is to provide a safe and memorable experience for all guests," says Nicole Pioirer, Director, Civic Events & Festivals. "We are anticipating a large crowd and tickets will allow for better management and flow of people on the event site."

General admission tickets will be open to the public on November 16, 2017 at 12:01pm MST through Ticketmaster, with all additional information (including multi-day pass options) available at www.redbullcrashedice.com.

Canadian Athletes Reign Supreme in Global Circuit
This is the 13^th straight year that Canada will host a Red Bull Crashed Ice event - more than any other country in the series' history. Canadians continue to demonstrate their dominance in the sport around the world, and the same will be true this year.

Canada's star female competitor, Jacqueline Legere, will be looking to defend her first place title for a third time this season, reflecting that the competition "…has been getting stronger each year", further noting, "I'll have to train extra hard if I want to keep my title. I know I'll have to step up my game."

Local Canadian hero in the men's category, Scott Croxall, also returns hungrier than ever this season after being knocked from his throne by Cameron Naasz (USA) in past seasons. Scott took home first place at Edmonton's 2015 event, so victory on Western Canadian soil may be imminent this season.

2018 Season Bigger Than Ever
The 2018 Red Bull Crashed Ice season will traverse the globe, kicking off in January in Saint Paul, Minnesota – the state's seventh Ice Cross Downhill race. A short two weeks later, the event will move to the far northern reaches of Europe in Jyväskylä, Finland, a race stop known for its unique natural ice track on a ski resort. Marseille, France will then host the third race of the year late February before the final, and arguably most important race of the year, touches down in Edmonton on March 9 and 10.  

After its successful debut last year, the Juniors World Championship will return in 2018, functioning as a feeder competition to help younger racers gain invaluable experience racing Ice Cross Downhill tracks. There will also be five Riders Cup competitions in 2017/2018, standings of which are worth ¼ as many championship points as the Red Bull Crashed Ice races.

Ice Cross Downhill World Championship 2017/18 Calendar:

• December 2017: Riders Cup, Wagrain-Kleinarl, Austria
• January 19/20 2018: Red Bull Crashed Ice, Saint Paul, USA
• January 27 2018: Riders Cup, St Petersburg, Russia
• February 2/3 2018: Red Bull Crashed Ice, Jyväskylä-Laajis, Finland
• February 10 2018: Riders Cup, Saariselka, Finland
• February 16/17 2018: Red Bull Crashed Ice, Marseille, France
• February 24 2018: Riders Cup, Minnesota, USA
• March 3 2018, Riders Cup, La Sarre, Canada
• March 9/10 2018: Red Bull Crashed Ice, Edmonton, Canada

About Red Bull Crashed Ice
Ice Cross Downhill is entering its 18^th season of international competition, and is recognized as the most unique and challenging sport of its kind. A combination of hockey, boardercross, and downhill skiing, athletes hurtle down an obstacle-filled urban ice track that weaves through city streets four-at-a-time at speeds of up to 80 km/hr. Since 2001, over 1,000 athletes from more than 25 countries have taken part in more than 40 Red Bull Crashed Ice races.

Red Bull Crashed Ice Newsroom
The Red Bull Crashed Ice Newsroom (redbullcrashedicenewsroom.com) allows media partners to view, retrieve, display, and share hi-res photos, recordings and moving images of every Red Bull Crashed Ice stop, completely free of charge. For more news and content including media accreditation, please visit the newsroom at www.redbullcrashedicenewsroom.com.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram: #crashedice @redbullcanada @redbullcrashedice

Official Website: www.redbullcrashedice.com

SOURCE Red Bull Canada

Alison Palmieri, Edelman, [phone], [email protected]; Gemma Pasquarelli, [phone], [email protected]