Ross Mercer of Whitehorse, Yukon, jumps 80.3m (263.5’), breaking previous record of 74.6m (245’)

Steamboat Springs, Colorado, March 11 – Canadian Ross Mercer took snowmobiling to new heights today by establishing a new world record of 80.3m for longest snowmobile ramp jump, surpassing the previous record of 74.6m. Mercer performed the jump at The Compound, the world’s largest snowmobile terrain park, located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. An official world-record attempt, Mercer’s accomplishment was verified by Landmark Surveyors, and has been filed with Guinness World Records.

“I just went as fast as my sled would go, and I exceeded my expectations,” said Mercer. “My goal today was 250 ft., but going into this I really didn’t know what to expect. Once you get out here those numbers get pretty big when you’re trying to do them on a snow machine.”

Born in the former mining town of Cassiar, BC, and now residing and training in Whitehorse, Yukon, Mercer has taken advantage of his natural hometown environs to emerge as Canada’s best freestyle sled-X rider, and is considered among the world’s elite. As a discipline, freestyle sled-x has risen from a scattered group of amateurs to one of the fastest growing winter sports, generating worldwide audiences everywhere from the Winter X-Games to Red Bull Revolution on Machines in Moscow, which drew over 30,000 fans to Red Square.

Added Mercer: “I’m just really happy to be part of the process and pushing the sport to new levels. I’m looking forward to going home, celebrating and resting.”

Mercer’s feat comes after months of planning and collaboration with sponsor Red Bull. Performed on a 2007 Ski-Doo race chassis with an 800 engine, the world record jump came after a methodical training program where Mercer gradually increased his speed and the distance of the ramp from the landing.

“The radar gun was key because we started close up and then moved back 10 feet at a time, keeping careful track of my speed and making sure there were no surprises,” continued Mercer. “It was very systematic and I didn’t have a bad landing the entire time.”

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