Red Bull Flugtag

After a two year layover, Red Bull Flugtag returned to Canada on August 3, making waves in the Ottawa River. The stakes were high and costumes fierce, but it was one team that really strutted their stuff! Over 50,000 spectators witnessed team Surf and the City pilot their home-made craft - imagine a yellow New York taxi with surfboard wings – a whopping 25.3 m (83 ft), just 1 m (3 ft) shy of the Canadian record. Showing an undeniable flair for fashion and nose for flight, Surf and the City took home flying rights along with $7,500 in prize money which they are donating to a children’s surf school in Tofino, BC.

“This was awesome and one of the best times of our lives,” said Shawna Olsten of Surf and the City. “We’re so excited to have won and to be giving the money to charity in order to set-up kid surf camps. If anyone gets the chance to do this the next time it’s in Canada they should do it – for sure!”

Inspired by the HBO show Sex and the City, Surf and the City danced in their Manolo’s and bikinis - designer handbags in tow - before powering pilot Jennifer Rainnie and their New York Taxi down the Flugtag flight deck. Along with Mr. Big, this four-woman team of west coast surfer girls glided their craft smooth past the 25 m (80 ft) marker.

Flugtag - which is pronounced FLEWG-TOG – is German for “flying day”, but in this case it means flying off a 6.7 m (22 ft) deck into the open water! Thirty-two teams of up to five people spent weeks sketching and building their human-powered flying machines and today finally unleashed their unique concoctions of creativity and aerodynamics. In the shadow of the stately Parliament Buildings, crafts flew as far as their homemade wings could take them before splashing into the currents of the Ottawa River.

Frisbee in the Sky with Diamonds from Barrie, ON earned second place – skydiving lessons – with a distance of 15 m (43 ft) and by spinning a psychedelic tie-dyed frisbee off the flight deck. Third place was awarded to Flighthouse – picture a lighthouse with wings - of Bedford, NS, who flew 19 m (62 ft).

“This was an amazing event to be a part of on such a beautiful day in Ottawa with such a great turnout,” said Red Bull Flugtag Judge and Calgary Flames Player, Dion Phaneuf. “The teams took a lot of time and pride in the things they built and it was really great to see all the creativity.”

With 32 teams from across Canada airborne, there were some graceful dives as well as quite a few belly-flops. Between a Flying Dutchman, a home-made Beavertail, some Banana Hammocks and members of The A-Team there to represent, the judges had a difficult decision to make. Ultimately, it was Red Bull Baron Jager Bomber who won the crowd over, winning the People’s Choice Award and receiving the most SMS votes from fans, also taking home the prize of a trip to experience an upcoming Red Bull event. Surprising the crowd with their lime green Speedos which were hidden under their lederhosen, Red Bull Baron Jager Bomber piloted their sharp-looking craft into the river with style.

“It’s what the fans say that matters,” said Evan Lycklama of Red Bull Baron Jager Bomber. “All our wildest dreams just came true. We would do this again anytime.”

Since its debut in 1991 in Vienna, Austria, more than 50 Flugtags have been held around the world – from Ireland to San Francisco, attracting up to 300,000 spectators. The record for the farthest flight-to-date currently stands at 195 feet set in 2000 at Red Bull Flugtag Austria.

Text from www.redbull.com