BettyGoHard Women Action Sports Blog

Red Bull Crashed Ice - a crazy sport, super fun to watch and something I have never felt the need to want to compete in!  I do admire those that do, although have always questioned their sanity. I recently posted a blog on their current recruitment for athletes especially the girls.

I am always inspired when I find out that Girls really will do anything.  The gains that have been made in the world of women's mountain biking, women's surfing, women's snowboarding and so many other action sports is incredible over the past ten years.  No longer are the photographers telling us that we are not going big enough to play with the big boys.  So when I got the email from Red Bull Crashed Ice asking if I could promote the event to my Betties I was stoked, I also wanted to find out more about the girls that are out there playing already.

If you have not watched Crashed Ice you have no idea how tough these girls need to be.  These girls are cute and athletic and come from everyday lives, but they are hardcore.  We got a hold of their athlete profiles to give you a little insight to the girls behind The Red Bull Crashed Ice!

Elaine Topolnisky

Where is your hometown? Logan Lake

Where is your current residence? Kamloops

What is your age? 29

What is your occupation? Registered Massage Therapist

How many years have you competed in Red Bull Crashed Ice? One year

Fannie Desforges

Where is your hometown? Fournier, Ontario

Where is your current residence? Ottawa

What is your age? 22

What is your occupation? I am a student in Teacher’s College at the University of Ottawa, studying to become a gym teacher. I play varsity hockey, and am looking forward to a great 5th year with the Gee-Gees.

How many years have you competed in Red Bull Crashed Ice? This season will be my 5th year competing in Red Bull Crashed Ice.
My 1st year I finished 5th overall and last year I finished 1st.

Jenny Isabelle Dubé

Where is your hometown? Mirabel, Quebec

Where is your current residence? Montreal, Quebec

What is your age? 22

What is your occupation? I am a student at the University of Quebec in Montreal and also work as a waitress.
How many years have you competed in Red Bull Crashed Ice? This will be my 5^th year competing in Red Bull Crashed Ice.

What is your sports/athletic background?

Elaine Topolnisky - I started skating when I was two years old. My parents put me in figure skating but my true passion was hockey. Logan Lake didn't have a female program, but after years of convincing, I was finally allowed to register with the boys. I started playing minor hockey at 9 years old and played all the way through the college level. My high school years were spent in Langley and New Westminster so that I could play at a AAA level. I now play on a local Kamloops Team and attend drop in hockey when available. I also downhill ski. I started skiing when I was four years old and loved the rush of going fast. I used to scare my parents with my tuck-and-go-straight style because they couldn't keep up by the time I was eight. I still ski today and try to do a couple big trips per year.

Fannie Desforges - I play hockey and soccer. I also played ball hockey for the Canadian national team in the 2011 World Championships held in Slovakia.

Jenny Isabelle Dubé - I’ve been playing hockey since the age of 10; I played with boys for three years before playing with girls. I also practiced in training camps with team Quebec. I then played three years of College AA with Les Nordiques du College Lionel-Groulx.

What is your favourite part about competing in Red Bull Crashed Ice?

Elaine Topolnisky - The competition is tight. Everyone who is racing is a great athlete and you really have to work for a win. The energy from the crowd is amazing and feeds into the adrenaline rush of racing.

Fannie Desforges - The adrenaline it gives you. The rush of the course when you go down the track at top speed is a phenomenal feeling.

Jenny Isabelle Dubé - This is an amazing event! The sport gives me an adrenaline rush, which I believe is what makes Red Bull Crashed Ice so popular and memorable.

What have you been doing to prepare for this year’s competition?

Elaine Topolnisky - I work out a few times per week and now with the hockey season starting, I plan to get as much ice time as possible. I have two Siberian Huskies who keep me active and we often go skating on every frozen lake we find.

Fannie Desforges - I’ve trained hard during the hockey off season and have been working hard in the gym all summer. Now that the hockey season has started, I need to keep pushing myself to get faster. Speed is a huge advantage when it comes to Red Bull. A quick start is the most important part of the race, since it allows you to gain position and better control your race.

Jenny Isabelle Dubé - To prepare this year, I will have to train much harder at the gym because I am no longer part of a hockey team. I’m starting cross fit training, which I think will help me get in shape for the competition.

I just received an email from Red Bull looking for ladies to step up and conquer the Red Bull Crashed Ice this 2012/2013 season.  They are on the search for fearless female athletes.   Have you heard of Red Bull Crashed Ice?  Check out this video for a crash course!  It is the ultimate in Winter sports and is right up there with crazy things Canadians do with snow and ice:)  I used to think it was crazy!  but after watching it last year it looks like a lot of fun, I just can't skate that well. (that's my excuse anyway).

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Tough Mudder look out there is a new game in town for the true extreme among us. Red Bull Divide and Conquer is happening on June 16^th, a team event that involves a Mountain Runner, Mountain Biker and Whitewater Kayaker. Sounds easy enough; however you want to pick your discipline carefully. The mountain runner is up for a near double ascent of Grouse Mountain and 6000 ft of climbing, the mountain biker enjoys a grueling uphill before dropping in to a flowy downhill with all the features of the famous North Shore trails, pick your stead carefully, this section is not about the bike but the rider. Handing off to the Kayaker on your team they will drop into the Capilano River for a fun and varied 10 km river ride that will put them into the ocean for the final leg.

Finishing up at Ambleside Park in Vancouver this is not about where you place as much as getting it done! With a total of 8000 meters of vertical and no less than 70kms covered, finishing is the goal! Men and Women are invited to take part in this event that is expected to take five to seven hours to complete. The teams can be any dynamic you choose, at the end of the day the it is the first Kayaker across that line wins it for their team.

Interested? There is no time to lose registration closes on May 15th, 2012 or until all 100 spots are filled. Competitors must be 19 years of age or older. The cost per team is $275 and includes the official Red Bull Divide and Conquer/The North Face tee plus a voucher for food and drink at the post-event BBQ at Ambleside Park.

BETTYGOHARD is looking for a team to represent the community. BGH will cover the cost of the entry fee and can assist with travel costs. Please email Natasha This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Check Out all the details below and we will see you there!

THE ULTIMATE TEST FOR COMPETITORS’ METTLE ON THE MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, AND SHORES

- Registration for Red Bull Divide and Conquer is now open to men and women –

Vancouver, BC –– Red Bull Divide and Conquer, a multi discipline endurance race on Vancouver's breathtaking North Shore, will test the competitors’ mettle on the mountains, rivers, and shores of Canada’s unparalleled West Coast on June 16, 2012. Teams of three participants will be challenged by a course that will include mountain running, mountain biking, and whitewater kayaking. Starting in the old growth forest laden North Shore of Vancouver, the Red Bull Divide and Conquer course will wind up and down over 8,000 meters of vertical, then make its way down the Capilano River and finish in the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. The total distance covered by this behemoth will be no less than 70 kilometres. Registration is now open to men and women.

Each team will be composed of three competitors: a mountain runner, a mountain biker, and a kayaker. They will push their limits in a mix of locations on the North Shore of Vancouver, including Grouse Mountain. The river portion takes the course from North to West Vancouver, finishing in Ambleside Park. The anticipated race time is between five and seven hours. The first divided team to conquer the course takes the win. Categories will include women, men and mixed but once everything is said and done, the first kayaker to cross the finish line will be crowned the champ, regardless of team dynamics.

Mountain Run

Runners will kick off the race from the incredibly scenic Cleveland Park on Vancouver’s North Shore with The Lions, the most iconic peaks in British Columbia's lower mainland. With almost 6,000 feet of climbing and a near double ascent of Grouse Mountain, runners will navigate the legendary technicality of the North Shore’s Baden Powell Trail and will push their limits until reaching the top of the Grouse Mountain ski area, where they will tag their teammate mountain biker.

Mountain Bike

Physically and technically challenged by the mountain bike section of the Red Bull Divide and Conquer course, the mountain bikers will sharpen their skills and bring a good set of lungs with a five-kilometre-section of fireroad to begin at the top of Grouse Mountain. The competitors will enter the first single track on Mount Fromme, followed by the Baden Powell trail, which is a popular training spot. These climbs will give the riders an open connection to the legendary trails of the North Shore before the initial descent with a number of newly reworked trails giving speed and flow over the natural rock and root that define the North Shore. The door is open for any bike to win; it could be a four, five or a six-inch steed, but the pilot who wins this segment will most certainly be an All Mountain stallion.

Paddle

Paddling the drop and pool Capilano River is an unforgettable and challenging ten-kilometer plus read and run course that will transport the kayakers far from the urban environment that surrounds it. The run offers a variety of small feature playspots ranging from the occasional surf wave to the odd lateral spin/cartwheel pourover. Red Bull Divide and Conquer kayakers will put in with a seal launch off the rocky riverbank at the Capilano Salmon Hatchery in the shadow of the imposing Cleveland Dam. Water levels are high and reliable in June and can reach class IV but can also fluctuate quickly, depending on the dam and Mother Nature. Kayakers will close out the race, finishing an ocean leg upon completion of the Capilano River. This is the final stretch completing the circuit in Ambleside Park.

Register your team now!

Registration will be open until May 15, 2012 or until all 100 team spots are filled. Competitors must be 19 years of age or older. The cost per team is $275 and includes the official Red Bull Divide and Conquer/The North Face tee plus a voucher for food and drink at the post-event BBQ at Ambleside Park.

Teams of three competitors can register online now at https://redbull-divideandconquer-registration.raidthenorth.com/ or a competitor – mountain runner, mountain biker, or whitewater kayaker – can find a team mate on the event website via the team finder. Open categories are welcome: men, women, or mixed. Red Bull Divide and Conquer will run rain or shine.

Red Bull Divide and Conquer is a multi discipline endurance race on Vancouver's breathtaking North Shore and will test the competitors’ mettle on the mountains, rivers, and shores of Canada’s unparalleled West Coast.

What: Red Bull Divide and Conquer

Who: Teams of three competitors: one mountain runner, one mountain biker, and a whitewater kayaker

Where: North and West Vancouver, BC

When: Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 10 a.m.

* Team check in is mandatory on Friday, June 15th from 6-7 p.m. at Grouse Mountain parking lot.

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For more information on the event: www.redbull.ca/divideandconquer