Red Bull X-Fighters 2009 World Tour revving up for first-ever Canadian stop at Calgary Stampede Park

The world's premiere freestyle motocross series will be kicking up dirt
    and good times in Calgary on May 30!TORONTO, March 19 /CNW/ - The Red Bull X-Fighters experience charges onto
Canadian soil for the first time ever at Calgary Stampede Park on May 30,
2009, giving FMX fans the thrill of a lifetime. Five countries, 170,000
spectators and 1,130 jumps - those are a few of the high-flying numbers riding
with Red Bull X-Fighters. The real story is in the concept: accelerate
motorsport to the ultimate level and combine it with creative orchestration at
iconic locations. In addition to returning stops in Mexico City, Fort Worth,
Texas, and Madrid, this year Red Bull X-Fighters introduces the best in FMX to
Calgary and London, UK - two cities that aren't strangers to huge icons and
high-octane.

    GREATEST FMX RIDERS MEET "GREATEST SHOW"

    On May 30, 2009, Calgary will be witness to a new type of wild ride,
albeit at a familiar venue. Red Bull X-Fighters will make its Canadian debut
in none other than the historic Calgary Stampede Park Grounds, home to the
world famous Stampede, the 10-day festival, exhibition and rodeo that attracts
over a million visitors from early to mid-July every year. Known as simply
"The Greatest Show on Earth", the Stampede welcomes a worthy tenant when Red
Bull X-Fighters and the international freestyle motocross elite come to town.
With record-breaking crowds and no shortage of thrills and spills, the annual
Calgary Stampede has plenty in common with X-Fighters, and the world's best
FMX fighters are champing at the bit to throw down a high-octane rodeo of
their own!

    TOURING TOROS

    Among the athletes leading the historic two-wheel charge into Calgary are
Jeff Fehr, the first-ever Canadian to compete in Red Bull X-Fighters, 2008
Tour Champion Mat Rebeaud of Switzerland, distance world record-holder and
Vegas fave Robbie Maddison, as well as rising star Dany Torres.
    Indeed, despite the breathtaking staging and spectacular shows, the
sporting battles remain at the centre of attention. The duels between eventual
champion Mat Rebeaud of Switzerland and American Jeremy Stenberg; Rebeaud's
incredible round in Texas with 10 backward flips; the first 540 by Sweden's
Fredrik Johansson in Madrid; Norwegian Andre Villa's horrifying crash in Rio;
and the thrilling come-from-behind challenge by young Spaniard Dany Torres,
who crowned his strong season with a victory in Warsaw.
    The third season kicks off with a start that has become a tradition -
Mexico City - on March 27. After that the competition packs up and wanders
north of the 49th with the second stop of the season in Calgary (May 30)
before moving back south to Texas for a return to Dallas/Fort Worth (June 27).
The European leg of the tour starts with a double event in Madrid (July 16-17)
and concludes in London on August 22.
    According to Tes Sewell, tour sports director, last year's successful
format, 'Rookies against Heroes', has been developed even further for this
year: "Instead of four top-seeded riders we'll have eight this year who will
duel it out with the local challengers."
    Rebeaud is ready for the challenge: "It's insane how fast the sport is
growing." On his greatest challenger in 2009: "We'll know more after the first
training session in Mexico, but I would think it's going to be Dany Torres -
no one improved as much as he did over the course of the last season!"TICKETING INFORMATION
    Tickets are available for purchase now at www.ticketmaster.ca.

    Ticket prices are as follows:
    Standing   $20
    Grandstand $25 - $37.50
    Infield Grandstand $40

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
    For further information, photos, video clip as well as rider biographies
please visit www.redbullxfighters.com.

    RED BULL X-FIGHTERS WORLD TOUR RIDER LIST

    Jeff Fehr          (CAN)
    Robbie Maddison    (AUS)
    Johan Nungaray     (MEX)
    Thomas Pages       (FRA)
    Petr Pilat         (CZE)
    Eigo Sato          (JAP)
    Cameron Sinclair   (AUS)
    Jeremy Stenberg    (USA)
    Dany Torres        (ESP)
    Andre Villa        (NOR)
    Mat Rebeaud        (SUI)

    RED BULL X-FIGHTERS WORLD TOUR DATES

    MARCH 27     Plaza de Toros                   Mexico City, MEX
    MAY 30       Calgary Stampede Park            Calgary, CAN
    JUNE 27      Stockyard                        Fort Worth, USA
    JULY 16& 17  Plaza de Toros de las Ventas     Madrid, SPA
    AUGUST 22    TBD                              London, UK

For further information: photos and video, please contact: Michelle
Easton/Alana Lipton, Edelman, [phone] x 347/222,
[e-mail]/[e-mail]; Sonia Klinger/Josée
Laperrière, Red Bull Canada [phone]/[phone],
[e-mail]/[e-mail]