Unfortunately for those (myself included) who have been jonesing for the next round of Red Bull Ultra Natural insanity, Red Bull and Travis Rice have announced that the competition will not be held in 2014. Due to television time conflicts with Olympic coverage, the event is taking a reprieve for this season. However, what seems like a huge bummer for the snowboard crowd may actually be a pivotal opportunity for Rice, Red Bull and affiliates, who are looking to amp up the competition and take it global.
Check out what Travis, Red Bull, and Baldface Lodge’s Jeff Pensiero had to say about the decision:
From Travis Rice:
“I have a vision for this event but it was Jeff, the loggers, and the whole Baldface team that allowed me to turn that dream into reality. From building the features, to working with the best people in the business, to shredding pow with a group of the best snowboarders and friends in the world, that’s what it’s all about right there. Establishing Red Bull Ultra Natural at Baldface Lodge was an absolute honor and a privilege, and I hope we’re able to repeat the same amazing quality and vibe of the event as we begin to scout new locations next year.”
From Red Bull:
“As a progressive visionary, Travis Rice has a long term goal of hosting Red Bull Ultra Natural in various locations around the globe. Additionally, the television time slot for Red Bull Ultra Natural in 2014 is being pre-empted by extensive Olympic coverage. As a result, the difficult decision to postpone the event in 2014 has been made. After two amazing years of creating and hosting a truly unique, successful and groundbreaking event, Red Bull will work with Travis next year to scout new backcountry zones for a potential build site. Red Bull would like to tip their hat to the entire event crew and Baldface Lodge staff for their participation in helping to shape the future of competitive snowboarding. Everyone from the loggers to the build crew to the homies and staff of Baldface Lodge magically transformed the now famous “Scary Cherry” run into what has become that of snowboarding legend, all in a backcountry location that allowed the greatest snowboarders of our time to freeride together for seven amazing days.”
From Jeff Pensiero, Baldface Lodge:
“I was given the opportunity of a lifetime when asked to host Red Bull Ultra Natural. It took two years of planning, cutting and laboring to create the course, and during that process we experienced a lodge collapse! It could have been easy to get lost in all the challenges at that time, but the opportunity to create something this incredible was just too great, to allow failure in any way. Working with Travis was like having rocket fuel in the tank and his endless energy and creativity helped with the lodge rebuild as well as the course build. I can’t thank him enough for his positivity and support over the years. What we were able to accomplish with Travis and Red Bull truly changed the face of competitive snowboarding forever.”
