RED BULL COLD RUSH EXPLORES

PROGRESSION IN SKIING AT RED MOUNTAIN RESORT

Multi-discipline competition includes a slopestyle session in an open pit mine, summit approach, big mountain descent and an online vote for People’s Choice

Toronto (Jan. 7, 2008) – Red Bull Cold Rush returns to Red Mountain Resort on February 8 – 9, as 21 of the world’s best freeskiers compete for the title of most versatile and best all-around skier, as judged first by the athletes themselves and then by fans everywhere via a People’s Choice Award on http://www.rip.tv. In addition to pride, also stoking the action will be a single, winner-take-all purse of $5,000.00 with the chance to take home an extra $1,000.00 for the People’s Choice. New for 2008, the highest scores through each discipline are worth $500.00. 

Day One of competition will kick off with a slopestyle session in an open pit mine that will be captured in film and photo to support the judging process. The open pit mine is a unique venue as it is shaped by wind and snow making the features 100% natural. The opportunity for athletes to get creative is limitless. Day Two brings the summit approach on Mt. Roberts, where following the ascent skiers will hit their favourite line and further feed content for the judging session.

Skiers will have the first say in determining the winner, with points awarded for each component:  Summit - maximum 20 points; Freeskiing – max 40 points; Slopestyle – max 40 points.

All videos will then be uploaded to rip.tv where fans will be able to vote for the Red Bull Cold Rush People’s Choice Award starting on Feb. 11th by 11:59 pm PST, with voting closing Feb. 22nd. Voters who participate in the rip.tv People’s Choice Award will also automatically be entered into a draw for a free pair of skis signed by the winner.

Featuring the top emerging and established talents in skiing, the athlete roster for Red Bull Cold Rush will include Whistler wunderkinds Sean Pettit and Kye Petersen, icons of the sport like JP Auclair and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, and a collection of other talents like Eric Hjorleifosn ,Chris Rubens, and Andy Mahre …just to name a few. Hosting the action will be one of the world’s foremost big mountain playgrounds, Red Mountain Resort. Located in Rossland, BC, Red offers a labyrinth of underground abandoned mining tunnels for the history buff, and 3,000 vertical feet of mountain surface detailed by chutes, glades and big lines – a perfect environment for mining the skills of today’s most progressive skiers.

Additional supporters of this event include Diamir, Colltex, and Red Mountain Resort.

Red Bull Cold Rush is free to spectators. For a full athlete roster, additional information on Cold Rush, and post-event images and video, please visit http://www.redbull.ca/coldrush