As crews put the finishing touches on the track for the Red Bull Crashed Ice race in the city’s river valley, CTV News got a look at the drops, twists and turns the athletes will skate on in just over a week.
“They are skating as fast as possible, and then jump over this first drop off which is a pretty steep 40 degrees,” Drouin said.
Athletes will encounter challenging obstacles throughout the track route, including a point called Canadian Big Air, meant to set athletes up to break records.
“What we are trying to do there is give maximum speed to the athletes so they can register the longest jump ever done on skates,” Drouin said.
Producers plan on installing nets over parts of the track, but Drouin insists skaters were involved in designing the track, and said they will be able to handle the track, calling them “fearless guys.”
This time around, Drouin promised better views for spectators compared to 2015.
“This year the course is wide open in a large park, visible from many points,” Drouin said.
The 2015 event was free, and attracted an unprecedented crowd of spectators to the river valley. This time around, tickets are available for sale, and beer gardens will be set up near the track.
“We are targeting the same crowd, but the experience will be better for everybody,” Drouin said.
On Wednesday, track construction was on schedule, with athletes getting their first taste of the race a day before the event begins on March 9.
Tickets to watch the event Friday start at $5, tickets for Saturday go for $8 – a pass for both nights is $10. Details on tickets can be found online.
With files from Nicole Weisberg
