Red Bull to stage extreme ice event on cathedral steps

This may be a first:

A Red Bull Crashed Ice extreme sports event is going to be staged on the steps of the Cathedral of St. Paul come January.

The event, which is referred to as a “downhill ice cross,” pits international competitors skating down a specially designed ice ramp. To see a video of the competition, visit RedBullCrashedIce.com

Then imagine the picturesque view of the Cathedral of St. Paul behind the racers.

Months of planning meetings with the City of St. Paul, the Cathedral of St. Paul and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have been held to minimize the impact on those attending Mass at the Cathedral, local businesses and area residents, who are likely to suffer the greatest inconvenience prior to and during the Jan. 12, 13 and 14 competition.

City and Red Bull representatives met with members of the local community Dec. 1; a second meeting was set for Dec. 2. Although the event is more than a month away, everyone involved is seeking input about upcoming temporary street closures, parking, noise issues and more. Beginning Dec. 19, some street parking is to be closed for one block along Dayton Avenue, between John Ireland Boulevard and Louis Street.

All parking will be open from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25 to accommodate the Christmas crowds expected for Masses at the Cathedral.

When track construction begins Dec. 26 and through the weekend of the event, Red Bull will be providing off-site parking and shuttle services for all Mass times, according to Carolyn Will, Cathedral director of media and public relations. As the construction date gets closer, updated information about where parishioners can park to catch a shuttle will be on the Cathedral website at http://www.cathedralsaintpaul.org under “Latest News.”

Find more details here.