Red Bull 5000 Down

WHISTLER, BC – August 23, 2010 – New features on the course and athlete roster promise an exciting second edition of Red Bull 5000 Down hitting Whistler Mountain Bike Park in British Columbia on September 11 and 12, 2010. Over the course of two days, mountain bikers will gather at the peak of Whistler Mountain to descend more than 2,182 metres (7,159 feet) and a vertical
of 1,530 metres (5,020 feet), 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.

All riders will need to sustain constant physical and mental effort to maintain control during the entire descent. Flying down past the Roundhouse Lodge, they 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 finally crossing the finish line in Whistler Village. This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity to race from the peak, as Whistler Peak is usually not opened for mountain biking.

The event will draw some of the greatest North American and European riders to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Among the riders will be a combination of the sport’s emerging and established superstars including 2008 World Champions siblings, Gee and Rachel Atherton. “I’m super excited to come out and race the event,” said Gee. 2009 female winner Katrina Stand is looking
forward to coming back and defending her title in the 2010 Red Bull 5000 Down.

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 ($80 for pass holders and $90 for non-pass holders) is open until September 9th at
eventsonline.ca/events/redbull5000down and includes race plate and a two-day pass to the Whistler Bike Park. No on-site registration is available. Full body armor and a full-face helmet are required for all participants.

The event is free to spectators in the village.
Event Schedule:
Friday, September 10: 10am – 8pm: Open Training
Saturday, September 11: 12pm – 6pm: Qualifiers
Sunday, September 12: 11am: Mass Start Women / 12pm: Mass Start Men / 2pm: Awards
For information about Whistler Blackcomb, please visit whistlerblackcomb.com.
To learn more about RockShox, please go to: sram.com/rockshox.

Are you up for it?  Did you race last year?  Who’s going 5000 Down?  Tell us here…