Red Bull 5000 Down

WHISTLER, BC – 2010 – For a second year, Red Bull 5000 Down hits Whistler Blackcomb with a mass start downhill mountain bike race. On September 11th and 12th, mountain bikers will gather at the peak of Whistler Mountain, at Whistler Blackcomb Resort in British Columbia and will descend more than 2,182 metres (7,159 feet) and a vertical of 1,530 metres (5,020 feet) in order to cross the finish line in the Whistler Village. All riders will need to sustain constant physical and mental effort to maintain control during the entire descent, which will take approximately 20 minutes for the fastest participants.

Red Bull 5000 Down features 250 men and women starting simultaneously from the snow-capped peak of Whistler Mountain. Fly down past the Roundhouse Lodge, riders will enter the world-famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park at the top of the Garbanzo Express chairlift, before riding the Park’s giant slalom course and then finally crossing the finish line in Whistler Village. Over the course of two days, participants will be challenged by bar-to- bar racing as they battle side-by-side, dealing with fatigue and navigating through dirt trails riddled with jumps, stunts, drops and root-strewn terrain.

The event will draw some of the greatest North American and European riders to Whistler Blackcomb. Among the riders will be a combination of the sport’s emerging and established superstars, including 2008 World Champions Gee Atherton and Rachel Atherton, Red Bull Rampage 2009 winner Brandon Semenuk, Stevie Smith, Darren Berrecloth, Matti Lehikoinen and Filip Polc. The top five men will share a cash purse of $9,500 and the top three women will share $3,500.

How to Enter
Categories are open to both men and women 17-years-old and over. Each racer will have to qualify on Saturday, September 11th for a spot in the race on Sunday, September 12. Out of the 400 qualified athletes, the fastest 250 will move on to the race on Sunday. Registration opens July 1st at eventsonline.ca/events/redbull5000down. No on-site registration is available.

From July 1st to August 9th, registration cost will be $60 for Whistler Blackcomb pass holders, $70 for non-pass holders. Registration includes race plate and a two-day pass to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Late registration (August 10th to September 9th) will be $80 for pass holders and $90 for non-pass holders.

Full body armor and a full face helmet are required for all participants. The event is free to spectators in the village.

Event Schedule:
PRACTICE: Friday, September 10th QUALIFIERS: Saturday, September 11th RACE: Sunday, September 12th

For information about Whistler Blackcomb, please visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com. To learn more about RockShox, please go to: sram.com/rockshox. Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/redbullcanada