Snowmobile freerider Chris Burandt of Kremmling, Colorado and videographer Rich Van Every of Carlsbad, California, took first-place honors at the Red Bull Fuel + Fury April 8-15. The riding took place in Alaska, but the event happened all over the world. The public voted at Red Bull parties across the country as well as from viewing the action videos on-line.
The duo won the “Best Overall Segment” prize, along with $7,000, with their entry “My Hot Pocket Sponsor Me Video.”
“I’m feeling really good,” said Burandt, who also won the 2005 Red Bull Fuel + Fury in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “It was about teamwork. Rich and I put a lot of effort into our video. We were the first ones into the editing rooms and the last to leave, and it showed.”
ALASKA AS THEIR PLAYGROUND
From Sunday, April 9 to Thursday, April 13, sixteen teams of the world’s best freeride snowmobilers and videographers spent their days riding and shooting in the majestic Alaskan backcountry at locations ranging from nearby Turnagain Arm to Valdez. Evenings were spent in editing rooms creating their two- to four-minute original video segments.
The teams had one last chance to add content to their videos at Friday’s Red Bull Fuel + Fury jam session at Alyeska Resort. The riders threw down their best tricks on a sprawling natural terrain course, built by SCS Racing, in front of an enthusiastic crowd. In a sign of things to come, “Big Air” Burandt went big in his two runs and was voted the winner of the jam session, taking the $5,000 prize. WPSA pro racer Levi LaVallee, HMK’s Kirk Zack and the participating riders were the judges of the competition.
After the jam session ended, the teams returned to the editing rooms to meet the 11:59 p.m. video submission deadline, at which time the videos were digitized and posted online.
“This is such a unique event for not only the riders but for the filmers,” said Van Every, winner of the 2006 X-Dance best picture award. “I’m so proud to be a part of this competition. It was a lot of fun to feel the pressure of competition by having to make our video in a week.”
ELECTION DAY
All of the teams’ videos were turned over to the court of public opinion on Saturday, April 15. Via www.redbullfuelandfury.com and at parties across the country, the public had the opportunity to view and vote for their favorite segments, which were announced Saturday night in Anchorage, at the 4th Avenue Theater at the Red Bull Fuel + Fury “Vision + Decision” party. A capacity crowd gathered to watch all of the videos.
Cody Borchers and his videographer, Dave Craig, won $3,000 for their second place entry. Kyle Armbrust and Andy Baugh tied for third place with Randy Sherman and Clayton Stassert, each team winning $1,000.
In the Fuel + Fury “preem” categories, also judged by the pubic, Borchers won “Best Run,” Christoph Von Alvensleben soared to “Biggest Air” and Jay Quinlan made his “Worst Wreck” pay off, as each rider took home $1,000.