Adrenaline, anticipation, and the framework to perhaps the most spectacular man-made course in sport – is filling the streets of historic Old Quebec as Red Bull Crashed Ice returns to its roots for a seventh year on March 17.
The race is the World Championship finale, after three previous races in St. Paul (USA), Valkenburg (NED), and Are (SWE). All eyes will be on the current world championship leader Kyle Croxall, the 19 Wing Comox firefighter, and his close rival, 2011 world champion Arttu Pihlainen from Finland.
In Are, Croxall saw his lead in the overall standings cut to 240 points from Pihlainen going into the final race of the season in Quebec City, with up to five racers within a shout of taking the title which Croxall has been the favourite to claim. The current top three are Kyle Croxall 2,200, Pihlainen 1,960 and Scott Croxall 1,700.
World Championship points are up for grabs at each of the four stops of the Red Bull Crashed Ice series: 1,000 points all the way down to 0.5 points can be collected for athletes who place first to 100th. Whoever finishes the season with the most points after the four races will be crowned the 2012 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Champion.
Adam Horst (Fort St. John, B.C.) scored possibly the biggest upset in the history of ice cross downhill, as the Canadian secured an incredible win during the third race of the season in Are while Kyle’s brother, Scott, finished third.
The track put the skids under the championship charge of Kyle Croxall as the overall leader and winner of the first two races hit the wall at the quarter-final stage. The Croxall brothers and Horst will definitely be hot on their heels, vying for a spot on the podium again in 2012 in front thousands of screaming spectators in Quebec City.
The Quest to Qualify
This year, more than 10,000 Canadians registered for the chance to compete at one of 13 qualifying events across the country. From there, 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 Quebec City.
Red Bull Insider App
Now fans can keep a finger on the pulse of all the Red Bull Crashed Ice excitement with the Red Bull Insider App – the ultimate guide to Quebec City and all the Crashed Ice action – now available in the AppStore.
For those who have ever dreamed of skating down the Red Bull Crashed Ice track, they get their virtual chance with the Red Bull Crashed Ice Game. Control power, speed, stamina, and acceleration are all awaiting with the touch of a button at www.redbull.ca/crashedicegame.
Crashing the Airwaves
The 2012 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship has been crashing airwaves throughout the season as Rogers Sportsnet and TVA Sports are broadcasting all four stops of the series. Witness all the action live from Quebec City on March 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Rogers Sportsnet and TVA Network from the comfort of your own home as skaters brave the extreme ice tracks at speeds of more than 60km/hr.
What It Is
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 550-metre long ice track coiling through the city’s stunning landscape while battling massive jumps, gaping drops, hairpin turns and each other to the icy, epic finish.
Each stop of the 2012 World Championship features an Elimination Round for national and international athletes. In Quebec City, the National Shoot-Out for Canadian athletes takes place on March 15, and the International Shoot-Out for international athletes only, takes place on March 16. The fastest 64 Canadian and 64 international athletes from each shoot-out will advance to Friday night’s Elimination Round. These ice mavericks will then be seeded into brackets of four, as the two skaters from each bracket with the highest speeds advance to the Finals on Saturday, March 17.
Keep in Touch
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Follow us on Twitter: @redbullcanada | @CrashedIce | #crashediceCAN
For more information about Red Bull Crashed Ice, visit: www.redbull.ca/crashedice.
– Red Bull Crashed Ice