The electrifying clink of heavy metal to ice and the deafening roars of 110,000 fans heralded the unmistakable return of Red Bull Crashed Ice to its roots in Quebec City for the 2011 World Championship season closer on Saturday, March 19.
All eyes were on 2010 Quebec City champion Kyle Croxall of Comox as he fought to knock rival Arttu Pihlainen of Finland off the top block in a battle for the title in front of his home country crowd. At the end of an intense crusade against competitors clashing head-to-head on a colossal 540-metre urban ice track, Pihlainen emerged victorious in the fastest sport on skates with Croxall placing second in the world championship standings, third in Quebec City.
Pihlainen outpaced and outmatched the 63 other ice cross downhill aces to take full grasp of the glory and the 2011 title. Quebec native Louis-Philippe Dumoulin seized second place in Quebec City, bringing the home province crowd to their feet – chanting his name as he marked the return of a Quebecer to the podium.
Pihlainen earned the title of Red Bull Crashed Ice World Champion after winning three of the season's four stops in Munich, the Netherland, Russia and Quebec City to accumulate 3,800 points. Croxall came a close second, amassing 3,200 points. His brother Scott finished third overall with 2,030 points. The top finishers in each division skated away with not only bragging rights, but took home a share of the prize purse totalling $15,150.
Glacial Makeover
Running 540 metres long, an average of 4.5 metres wide and with a 60-metre vertical, the course featured a new start—shorter and lower—that showcased the skaters’ strength, speed, and technique. Starting at the Château Frontenac, this year’s ice track required strategy and offered racers more passing opportunities.
A Cut Above
Participants were selected from more than 11,000 Canadians, who registered for one of 12 qualifying events across the country. A lottery randomly selected 200 men and 20 women per qualifying city to tackle individual speed trials on a traditional ice-hockey surface. To narrow the field down to 100 men and 20 women, the top participants from each qualifier who demonstrated the best skating skill, agility, and strength earned a spot at the main event in Quebec City.
About 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 a 540-metre long ice track coiling through the city’s stunning landscape while in a battle to the finish.
To start the journey to Quebec City, on Jan. 15 the world’s best ice veterans returned to Munich’s Olympic Park for the Red Bull Crashed Ice season opener, where Kyle Croxall captured the first win of the season in front of 23,000 fans. After a challenging race, Pihlainen finished first in Valkenburg on Feb. 5. The icy endeavour moved to Moscow on Feb. 26 and Pihlainen grabbed his second win of the season.
Each stop of the 2011 world championship featured an elimination round for national and international athletes. The fastest 64 Canadian and 64 international athletes from each shoot-out advanced to the elimination round. The ice mavericks were then seeded into brackets of four, as the two skaters with the highest speeds advanced to the finals on March 19.
– Red Bull Crashed Ice 2011