2013 Crashed Ice Party In Niagara Falls

On December 1st 2012 Niagara Falls will play host to a unique downhill race on skates sporting event called ‘Crashed Ice’, and this city on the USA Canada border is the first stop of the 2013 Red Bull Crashed Ice Tour.

This sport is also called Ice Cross Downhill and it started life as just another winter extreme sport in 2000 – but then Red Bull got involved and the sport took on a life of its own.  The rules are the same today and the rules are simple; four racers on skates hurl themselves down five hundred meters of frozen ice and ramps in an urban environment. The first competitor to cross the finish line wins the race!

This sport is brand new because we’ve never had the refrigeration technology or equipment like this to be able to make the course so affordable before this modern age. The biggest cost for such an event is the construction of the frozen track itself. The sport is popular because it offers another chance to hockey players whose NHL dreams are unfulfilled. Now they can use their skating skills for something totally unique. Read more about Crashed Ice on this Niagara Falls blog. Below is the course that has been set up for Dec 1st event which is the start of the 2013 Crashed Ice Season.

2013 race calendar will start with the opening event in Niagara Falls, then continue through the United States, Russia, Switzerland, and end with the big finale in Quebec City. Although this extreme event attraction gets a lot of international attention and has a wide audience in Europe and Asia, its a very Canadian creation and we’re proud of the fact that current World Champion Kyle Croxall, is from Mississauga, Ontario. He will be defending his title.  You can see Kyle and his brother Scott in this video,

Check the official tour website for more information. Book a hotel in Niagara Falls online now or check out our list of dining and accommodation packages to make the most of your visit. There’s lots of capacity in Coco’s bar and if you went early enough you could most likely get a table on the patio terrace which should offer a wicked view.

The photo below is from 2008 when fans had unprecedented access to the competitors – the track side seats could literally reach out and touch players as they sped past. That level of access is rare in professional sports and really rare for extreme sports.

The racers look like hockey players and wear similar helmets and padding. There has been some speculation that ice hockey could evolve ramps and speedier sloping corners because of the success of this sport.

Not only has Red Bull sponsored the event, but they helped create it and raise it up to the popularity it enjoys today. Hockey players love this new skate racing sport and there’s some good discussions about Crashed Ice on Canadian sports forum and more about Crashed Ice in Niagara Falls on this NHL hockey forum because they have nothing else to rant about except the NHL strike.

Although this is a free outdoor event for thousands of spectators, there is also a VIP premium indoor viewing area. The Red Bull sponsored ‘Crashed Fan Zone’ will open its doors at 6:00 pm and provide ticket holding spectators with an unparalleled view of the proceedings, and an insider experience. DJs will be setting the tone for the evening and they will be the first to toast the victory of race winners, probably just before 11pm.