Ice Cross Downhill
Ice Cross Downhill is an extreme winter racing sport that involves direct racing of multiple skaters on a downhill course. The sport is similar to ski cross racing or snowboard cross racing, the only difference is the equipment used is ice skates, instead of skis or snowboards.
Ice Cross Downhill courses are specifically designed with and icy surface that is suitable for ice skates. Similar to ski cross and snowboard cross, the course consists of several sharp turns both on the left and the right, ramps for jumps, and vertical drops. The only addition to ice cross downhill courses is that the course has protective barrier walls on both sides of the track.
Besides the skates, racers wear the same equipment as used in ice hockey. A maximum of four racers start each race, and the one to cross the finish line first is the winner. Competitions are conducted in heats format, where racers are eliminated until only four are left for the final race to decide the overall winner.
Red Bull Crashed Ice is a major world tour for the sport which consists of several races in North America and Europe. Points are awarded to racers based on finishing position and the racer with the most points at the end of the tour is declared as the world champion.
There is a very similar sport in which competitors race on snowboards (Boardercross) or snow skis (Ski Cross).
Similar Sports
- Long Track Speed Skating - ice skaters race head to head on a 400m oval track for a set distance, between 500 and 10,000 m.
- Short Track Speed Skating — 4 to 8 skaters racing around an oval ice track towards the finish line.
- Boardercross (Snowboard Cross) — snowboarders race each other on a downhill winding course.
- Ski Cross — multiple downhill skiers race head-to-head on a course including big jumps, rollers and high-banked turns.
- Slopestyle Skiing — involves snow skiing down a course of obstacles.
- Motocross — a form of motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits which include embankments and jumps.
Related Pages
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
- Winter Olympics
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Upcoming Events