| EVENT REPORT 02.06.09 12:37 PM |
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| Movable Mountain |
| A month of construction and 24-hour snow-making paid off for Red Bull Thursday night, when a crowd of 20,000 gathered to see snowboarders descend the nine-story ramp. |
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For those who have driven down F.D.R. Drive, near Houston Street, at any point in the last month, their eyes have likely strayed from the road to the mysterious steel behemoth growing out of the trees in East River Park.
A little investigation—or a run-in with one of hundreds of promotional posters in the subway and on the street—revealed that the structure was actually a snowboard jump, built by Red Bull for last night’s first Snowscrapers competition. The almost daylong event featured 20 professional snowboarders vying for $100,000 in prize money and drew an estimated crowd of 20,000 yesterday for hours of snowboarding, live music, and subfreezing temperatures. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | A recent technological development, the nine-story ramp was built using a method called stack box, which uses containers and a reconfigurable truss system to build stable, easily dismantled structures.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | With the help of Pennsylvania ski resort Jack Frost Big Boulder, Red Bull created snow on site for the month leading up to the competition.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | None of the 20 competitors ended up needing the requisite safety net that bridged the landing areas.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | Large screens were set up throughout East River Park so everyone could see the performances and the snowboarding.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | U.S. snowboarder Jack Mitrani spoke with the crowd between turns on the ramp.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | Despite the fact that most attendees arrived in the early afternoon, the crowd stayed through the finals, which ended around 10:00 p.m.
Photo: Brian Nevin |
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 | Some people on site found less conventional ways to stay warm.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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 | Local metal group Anthrax took to the stage just before the finals to take the crowd's mind off of the cold.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash |
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“It’s always been a dream of our Red Bull snowboarding team to bring a big backcountry jump to the most urban setting,” head of northeast sports marketing at Red Bull Jeff Regis said in an interview last month. Regis credited the first-time endeavor to new technologies that allowed the ramp’s construction and strategic partnerships with event producers Aura360, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and snow purveyors at Pennsylvania’s Jack Frost Big Boulder ski resort.
So much preparation may seem like a waste for just one night of competition, but the grounds won’t be dismantled just yet. During New York City’s public school vacation week (February 16 through 22), the ramp will be reconfigured to a three-story slope open to the public, with complimentary sled and board rental for anyone looking to try it out.
—Michael O'Connell
RELATED TOPICS
Red Bull, Snowboarding
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