Sports

This Is Ice Cross Downhill: The Extreme Sport Combining Downhill Skiing and Roller Derby

Canadians Take Top Honors at Red Bull Ice Cross Downhill Competition in the U.S.

Competitors at the 2012 Red Bull Crashed Ice competition in the United States. (Photo: Red Bull)

It seems appropriate that the sport combining the structure of downhill skiing with ice skates and four competitors who often crash into each other on their race to the finish would be sponsored by the extreme energy drink Red Bull. And if you haven’t heard about the sport, you’re likely to soon.

The Wall Street Journal describes ice cross downhill as a mixture of ice hockey, motor cross and roller derby. Since 2001, Red Bull has hosted a championship series for the sport — Red Bull Crashed Ice — after it took off in Stockholm, Sweden, gaining interest with teams from around the globe. The sport originated when two Austrian athletes decided to wear ice skates down an icy ski slope, according to the Journal.

Canadians Take Top Honors at Red Bull Ice Cross Downhill Competition in the U.S.

(Photo: Red Bull)

Watch the Wall Street Journal footage of the 2012 Red Bull Crashed Ice in Saint Paul, Minn., where racers started off with a three-story ramp:

Red Bull describes the sport as “a steep downhill track dotted with chicanes, jumps and rollers” with four competitors shoulder-to-shoulder “pushing, sliding, sprinting and wrangling.” First one to the bottom wins. Skaters often reach up to 40 miles per hour.

Taking the top spot at the competition this year in Saint Paul was Canadian Kyle Croxall with 1,000 points. Second went to Arttu Pihlainen from Finland, and Canadian Scott Croxall sailed into third. Watch this highlight real where Kyle beat out defending champion Pihlainen with more than 80,000 viewers at the event:

According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. team targeted hockey players at first but has since been branching out to cultivate the ultimate ice cross downhill team:

For last year’s championship, U.S. coach Charlie Wasley, a former college hockey star, assembled a team from college hockey rosters. “We were horrible,” the 37-year-old said of the Americans’ 16th out of 20 finish. It made him realize something: “You don’t catch air in hockey.”

This time, Mr. Wasley cast a broader net, looking for those who excel in various extreme and winter sports. His team draws on experience in motocross, snowboarding, in-line skating, BMX biking and gymnastics, among other sports. “Guys who have raced before are more fearless,” he said.

Tigh Isaac, a 23-year-old speedskating Olympic hopeful, is the new prototype. He has years of experience in hockey, ski jumping, mountain biking and racing sport bikes and go-carts. The result is “one super athlete,” he said, “for lack of a better word.”

David Kron, 34, a snowboarder, water-skier and hockey player, broke his neck and back on a dirt bike in 2007, but is eager to try his mettle. After taking a bad spill on the icy course this week, he felt woozy, but got back into line for another run “because I told so many people I was going to do this.”

The two other U.S. team members are brothers, Danny and Andrew Bergeson, who have experience in ice hockey and skiboarding. The brothers took sixth and seventh place at this year’s event.

According to the Wall Street Journal, this year’s 446-yard course was hailed as the toughest yet with a 45 degree angle hill, a 90 degree turn and a 16-foot high banked U-turn, taking less than a minute to complete. Here’s a play-by-play of the course:

Ready to say goodbye to soccer?

Comments (29)

  • AxelPhantom
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 11:01pm

    My son did it a few years ago he thought it was the most fun thing he had ever done. Too bad we live in the south!

    Report Post »  
  • The_Hut_In_Co
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:35pm

    Just try doing that on skates. Not double runners I might add!

    Report Post » The_Hut_In_Co  
  • Gumbercules
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:31pm

    I assume they wear all that padding so they can fight, like real hockey? That’s what I want to see, a four-way fight break out in the middle of the race!

    Report Post » Gumbercules  
  • The Rewd
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:26pm

    JEEZ LOUISE, BLAZE, STOP WITH THE AUTO-START VIDEOS !!!!!!!!!!!!

    I was cranking some Bowie from a live Berlin concert when BAM I HAVE BLAST BEATS AND A SWEDE SCREAMING AT ME IN MY HEADPHONES !!!!!!!!!!!!

    For the love of all creatures great and small have some consideration.

    Report Post » The Rewd  
  • Joyzee
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 6:33pm

    almost a rollercoaster on ice*….i think

    Report Post »  
    • DoubleThrowDown
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:26pm

      All I see is a group of people that won’t be able to walk when they are 50yrs old. Just like NFL players, the only difference is that they get payed in the NFL.

      Report Post »  
  • dinadp
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 3:21pm

    Go Kyle! The Finn, Pihlainen, kicked his butt last year so I’m glad the Canadian took top honors in the first stint. And, according to the Red Bull website, he’s a Canadian Forces firefighter – so he’s a patriot too.

    Report Post » dinadp  
  • Ratcraft
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:31pm

    Sport is to racist to make it in America. They will have to open training centers in the inner city or Jesse and Al will sue. I love it though, pure sport.

    Report Post » Ratcraft  
  • Ratcraft
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:31pm

    Sport is to racist to make it in America. They will have to open training centers in the inner city or Jesse and Al will sue. I love it though, pure sport.

    Report Post » Ratcraft  
  • gemmeri
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:03pm

    Insanity incarnate.

    Report Post »  
  • Reload
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 1:55pm

    I can’t wait to see a pile up and somebody take a skate edge to jugular a la Clint Malarchuk.

    Report Post » Reload  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:25pm

    meh

    Report Post »  
    • charleyrocks
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:30pm

      Wow that’s great, it keeps the white guys off the streets smashing glass and robbing stores lol. Good stuff

      Report Post » charleyrocks  
  • jungle J
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:15pm

    as long as no taxpayer money is involved.

    Report Post »  
  • GollygeeMrwilson
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:01pm

    Now, why didn’t I think of that?

    Report Post » GollygeeMrwilson  
  • audiemurphy
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 11:59am

    it’s very entertaining I watched it the other night in between hockey games ……..
    Go Canucks …… don’t fear the team ….. fear the fans! :) haha

    Report Post » audiemurphy  
  • AmazingGrace8
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:56am

    In life, some will take very careful steps to cross-over a barbed-wire fence and others JUST PLOW RIGHT THROUGH IT “AT A BLINK OF AN EYE” Wild & crazy and enjoyed watching(not doing..) the extreme that so many love to do. There has to be an extreme gene in their DNA.

    Report Post »  
  • Secret Squirrel
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:54am

    .
    Now that’s fun!
    I’d pay to see that!
    Participate? Um,…..no.

    Report Post » Secret Squirrel  
  • bpodlesnik
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:40am

    Insane!

    Report Post » bpodlesnik  
  • RightThinking1
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:39am

    Now, if they would just skate into an ice ring and fight UFC style, we would have it all…

    Report Post »  
  • chips1
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:37am

    What happens if you get injured in sports like this one? Does Obamacare cover you ? The government will claim that you deliberately put yourself in a situation that has a high probability for injury and they might convict you of violating rules of conduct. Think about it. It’s what the government does best.

    Report Post »  
  • cyclops
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:16am

    Where do I sign up? LOL!!!!!!!

    Report Post » cyclops  
  • randy
    Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:16am

    Stupid

    Report Post » randy  
    • rweallinsane
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:22am

      Why “stupid” Randy?

      Such a typical response…I would bet you watch hours of football or baseball a week. Right Randy? Armchair athlete?

      This looks insane, so much fun…going fast, direct competition against other athletes. No “team” ********….just you and your enemy. Fastest wins…

      Report Post »  
    • ProbIemSoIver
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 1:53pm

      This will be short lived.

      It is cool for about 15 minutes.

      Why don’t these guys trade in the skates for skis or snowboards, and do some real Downhill racing on a Mountain ?

      This will as popular as indoor jet ski racing or indoor bass fishing .

      Report Post » ProbIemSoIver  

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