Final race will take part of the Ottawa 2017 celebration and join Marseille as new venues in 2017 Ice Cross Downhill calendar
Ottawa will host the Ice Cross Downhill World Series Season Finale for the first time on March 4, 2017, as the country celebrates its 150th anniversary in the nation’s capital. The final race will feature a track built on the Ottawa Locks of Park Canada’s historic and picturesque Rideau Canal, overlooking some of the most iconic views in Canada.
The championship series will kick off in the brand new location of Marseille, France followed by two popular returning stops in Jyväskylä-Laajis, Finland and Saint Paul, Minnesota.
“This sport just keeps growing in popularity every year and this year is definitely going to take it to the next level,” said Christian Papillon, the championship’s sporting director. “Along with two popular stops coming back in Jyväskylä-Laajis, Finland and Saint Paul, Minnesota, we’ve got two new races in incredible environments on the calendar: 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.”
RETURN OF ATHLETE RECRUITMENT
Canada has historically hosted local qualifier events across the country to recruit athletes to compete in the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship. Again this season, The ATSX Federation (All Terrain Skate Cross / www.atsx.org) will act as the governing body for the sport of Ice Cross Downhill, requiring all eligible athletes to become ATSX Federation members in order to register for one or multiple Red Bull Crashed Ice and Riders Cup events. A full overview of rules and standings will be available soon at www.atsx.org.
NEW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The new Junior World Championship will make its exciting debut to all stops of the series this season. For the first time, athlete’s ages 16-20 will compete at each Red Bull Crashed Ice race with the same rules as the main races. This new category will work with the ATSX Federation to create more opportunity for young athletes to get involved in the sport.
RETURN OF THE RIDERS CUPS EVENTS
As the sport continues to grow there will also be six Riders Cup competitions – races staged by riders for riders that are worth ¼ as many championship points as the Red Bull Crashed Ice stages. The traditional season opener will be in Wagrain-Kleinarl, Austria on Dec. 10 with the next stop in Rautalampi, Finland on Jan. 28, as well as in Sherbrooke, Canada. The forth stop will be in Moscow on Feb. 4 and the last two races will be in Canada, in La Sarre on Feb. 18 and back in Bathurst, Canada on Feb. 25.
CANADIAN ATHLETES LOOKING TO RECLAIM TITLE
The 2015 champion and Canadian hometown hero, Scott Croxall (ON) will look to reclaim his title after American rival Cameron Naasz won the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship in 2016. Another Canadian hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Dean Moriarity, will be looking to beat out his competition after finishing 3rd last year and training in the off season to take gold in his country’s capital city.