Crashed Ice

It's a race on a manmade, 1,100-foot downhill, urban ice course, that has a series of berms, turns, whoops, jumps, steep chutes and a uphill portion. And you must do it in full... hockey gear.



The skaters, mostly hockey players, fly down the track and at times hit speeds of over 50 kilometres and hour, as they fly around corners and over bumps.



The Red Bull Crashed Ice race will return to the U.S. this November 11 in downtown Boston's City Hall Plaza.

It will mark the first time this frigid downhill race has graced an urban U.S. location, having previously taken place in Duluth, Minn., in 2003 and 2004.

Beginning at 7p.m., competitors will race in full hockey gear down a 1,100-foot manmade ice course riddled with whoops, berms, a gap jump and even an uphill portion. They will need to combine their ice hockey, skating and boardercross skills as they scramble for the finish line in heats of four, with the top two advancing until a champion is crowned. Still can't picture it? Imagine a cross between luge and roller derby...on hockey skates.

GUTS TO GLORY

All hockey players, adrenaline junkies and action-sport fanatics who think they've got what it takes are encouraged to register online (www.redbullcrashedice.com) for one of the 19 tryouts to be held throughout the U.S. and Canada between August 27th & October 7th.

There will be a separate Men's, Women's, Collegiate and a "BullPot" bracket -- the last of which will include one student from each of the Beanpot schools (Northeastern University, Boston University, Harvard University and Boston College) in an all-out battle for campus pride. The winners will split a prize purse of almost $16,000.

KINGS ON ICE

In Red Bull Crashed Ice's six-year history, an American has never won. Sweden's Jasper Felder dominated the first six events beginning in Sweden in 2000. His winning streak came to an end just this past spring when three Canadians, led by Gabriel Andre, reached the podium above him in front of 35,000 screaming spectators as Red Bull Crashed Ice made its debut in Quebec City.

It's the first time I seen any footage of this ice race... it looks like a blast. I think they ought to make them carry hockey sticks and have them have to bring a puck down the course with them also. Now that would be crazy.