Dates announced for Red Bull Crashed Ice in Ottawa
By Michelle Nash Baker
Ottawa East News, Oct 13, 2016
Mark your calendar – the dates have been set to determine who in the world is the best at hurling themselves down an ice hill.
Ottawa is set to host the Red Bull Crashed Ice world championship event at the Ottawa Locks – beside the Chateau Laurier and Major’s Hill Park – on March 3 and 4.
The Red Bull Crashed Ice season was announced on Oct. 12. Leading up to Ottawa, the season will make stops in Marseille, France on Jan. 13 and 14, Jyväskylä-Laajis, Finland for a second year in a row on Jan. 20 and 21. Saint Paul, Minn. will be the venue for the third race on Feb. 3 and 4 with the season concluding in Ottawa.
In a press release, the championship’s sporting director Christian Papillon said this year welcomes two new environments.
“This sport just keeps growing in popularity every year and this year is definitely going to take it to the next level," Papillon said. "… Le Vieux Port de Marseille in France is a mind-boggling location because it's not even close to being a winter city, and we're going to introduce a new location in Ottawa. They're going to be insane."
According to the organization, ice machines will create a race track to compensate for the Mediterranean temperatures in Marseille.
The event features a downhill course, about 400 metres long, with jumps. Skaters can travel up to 82 kilometres per hour while skating downhill.
Racers compete four at a time, with the first two to cross the finish line advancing to the next round. There are both men’s and women’s divisions.
Event organizers have made a point to host events in urban areas with interesting backdrops – such as in Niagara Falls and Quebec City – and internationally in cities such as Moscow, Helsinki, and Valkenburg in the Netherlands.
The course is built with spectator stands all around, lighting for evening events, and often features music and DJs.
The event is one of the many events the city has secured as part of its Canada 150th anniversary celebrations.
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...ice-in-ottawa/
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