When it comes to making the cut in Red Bull Crashed Ice, there are various rules and qualification processes that an athlete must pass in order to enjoy a slice of the action. With only 64 places available at each race, competition is hot and new rules are in place to ensure that only experienced ice cross downhill athletes get to face the extremely challenging tracks. Below is a quick summary of the qualification criteria for the 2015/16 season.
Men
A maximum of 8 riders per country can compete, and it will be the 8 best-ranked athletes in the top 64 of the world ranking who get an automatic spot. In addition to this, 2 additional riders can represent their country, and these will be decided by the National ICDH association together with the All Terrain Skate Cross (ATSX) sport director. Host countries will receive 8 wildcard spots to invite national athletes to its event, who will be chosen according to their position in the world ranking and recent sporting performances. Finally, the top 3 athletes from each Riders Cup race (not qualified already) will be invited to compete in the next Red Bull Crashed Ice Event. Everyone can register to any Riders Cup event, to earn points and experience before racing at a Red Bull Crashed Ice event, via the ATSX website (www.atsx.org), and registration will be open one month before each race. Collecting points for the World Ranking is the ONLY way to qualify for a Red Bull Crashed Ice event.
Women
A maximum of 4 riders per country can compete, but a host country will receive 8 wildcard spots to invite national athletes to its event. In addition to this, National ICDH Associations affiliated with the ATSX (or affiliated clubs) may invite 1 female competitor from their country. Finally, following the first race of the season, the top 16 women athletes in the ATSX World Ranking will have a personal spot on the start list for the upcoming Red Bull Crashed Ice race.
All athletes must obtain a license from the ATSX federation to register to a Red Bull Crashed Ice.
Red Bull Crashed Ice race format
Ice Cross Downhill is the fastest sport on ice involving competitive downhill skating. At each race, consecutive heats of four skaters race head-to-head in a double elimination bracket (the fastest 2 athletes crossing the finish line race in the next round). The competition is physical, fast, and tactical. World Championship points are up for grabs at each event, and the competitor who skates through the season with the most points accumulated after all the races will be crowned the Ice Cross Downhill World Champion. Watch the video below for a full rundown of the format and rules.