RED BULL FUEL + FURY:
Returns to its Roots (and Snow) in Alaska Backcountry, April 8-15, 2006
Santa Monica, Calif. (March 13, 2006) – In search of snow, the next edition of the Red Bull Fuel + Fury freestyle snowmobiling competition invades the Alaskan backcountry near Girdwood, Alaska, April 8-15, 2006. After a two-year urban assault atop dirt and woodchips on the historic grounds of the abandoned Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee, Wis., the 2006 event returns to its natural habitat – with a new twist.
Always pushing the sport of freestyle snowmobiling, the 2006 Red Bull Fuel + Fury will feature up to sixteen of the world’s best backcountry riders, who will select and team up with the industry’s top videographers. Together, they will take part in the seven-day filming competition featuring Alyeska Ski Resort as home base and the ChugachRange, which gets more annual snowfall (600+ inches) than anywhere else on earth, as their playground. In addition to the new location, the public will have the final say in who will take home a share of the $20,000 purse.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to the roots of snowmobiling and letting the public have a say,” said 2003 Red Bull Fuel + Fury winner Jay Quinlan, who grew up in the 49th state. “The backcountry is where the sport was created. Riding on natural terrain lets you really express your own style, and the video element will allow us to put a broader range of things in our segments.”
TAKE ONE! ACTION!
Each rider-videographer team will create a two-to-four minute segment of video footage that will make up their “run” in the competition, replacing the standard two-minute run in a stadium-style contest. Each rider will select his own videographer from such notable snowmobile filmmakers as Slednecks, Rath Films, Turnagain Hardcore Productions and Frontier Films. Riders are also free to select other independent producers of their choice.
The first six days (Saturday, April 8 – Thursday, April 13) will be spent riding the backcountry, with cameramen on-hand capturing the action. On Friday, April 14, the final day of competition, riders will tackle a natural terrain park on Glacier Bowl atop Alyeska Ski Resort. This competition will be a jam-session style format that is open to the public, providing riders one last chance to capture solid tricks on film. All of the finished segments will be due at 11:59 p.m. on Friday. Entries will be digitized and posted online for one day of judging on Saturday, April 15.
Voting: YOU be the Judge!
The entire snowmobile community will determine the competition’s winner. By logging onto www.redbullfuelandfury.com throughout the day on Saturday, April 15, the public will be able to view each rider’s segment and cast their e-ballot for their favorite.
Viewing/voting parties will take place at Polaris dealers or local snowmobile clubs throughout the lower 48 states. The remaining votes will come from the attendees at the Red Bull Fuel + Fury viewing party on Saturday, April 15 in Anchorage, at the historic 4th Avenue Theater, from 7:00 p.m. - midnight. At the end of the night, all votes will be tallied and the winners will be announced.
The industry’s best sky pilots
A field of 16 riders, including eight representing Alaska, has been invited to compete:
·
Kyle Armbrust (Anchorage, AK)
·
Jimmy Blaze (Anchorage, AK)
·
Cody Borchers (British Columbia, CAN)
·
Chris Burandt (Kremmling, CO) - 2005 winner
·
Sam Carver (Valdez, AK)
·
Dane Ferguson (Anchorage, AK)
·
Tommy Frankson (Anchorage, AK)
·
Heath Frisby (Caldwell, ID)
·
Kourtney Hungerford (West Yellowstone, MT)
·
Geoff Kyle (British Columbia, CAN)
·
Ross Mercer (Whitehorse, Yukon, CAN)
·
Jay Quinlan (Breckenridge, CO) - 2003 winner
·
Dan Phillips (Glenallen, AK)
·
Jason Semler (Anchorage, AK)
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Randy Sherman (Anchorage, AK)
·
Christoph Von Alvensleben (Anchorage, AK)
Alternate:
Lee Stuart (Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN)
The 2006 event boasts $20,000 in total prize money, including $5,000 for the “Best Run” from Friday’s Jam Session at Alyeska. The remaining $15,000 will be divided for the overall segment prizes (to be split between the rider and videographer) - $7,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place, plus three $1,000 “preems” for “Best Line,” “Biggest Air” and “Worst Wreck.”
RED BULL FUEL + FURY
Considered the premier freestyle snowmobile competition in the world, Red Bull Fuel + Fury’s origins are in Jackson, Wyo., when in its second year of competition in 2003, Jay Quinlan performed the first backflip in competition history. In 2004 and 2005, the event moved to an urban environment at the abandoned Pabst Brewery complex in Milwaukee, Wis., and featured a unique course with double the jumps and elements the riders faced in prior competitions. In 2006, Red Bull Fuel + Fury will return to its roots: the backcountry.
For more information please visit: www.redbullfuelandfury.com.
