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IRONWOOD, Mich. (WLUC) – The iconic Copper Peak in Ironwood will come to life with thousands of spectators Saturday, May 12 during the Red Bull 400.
The 2018 edition of the race will be hitting up 17 venues all over the world. Copper Peak is the first stop. Red Bull 400 organizers call it the world’s steepest 400 meter race. The hill has a 37 degree incline.
“If someone comes here they can expect to find a very large hill that is bigger than they ever imagined,” said Copper Peak event organizer Bob Jacquart.
The iconic ski flying hill was built in 1969. Its 241-foot-tall ramp was constructed from 300 tons of steel back in 1969. Copper Peak has the world’s largest artificial ski jump tower.
This is the first international competition at the Peak in 24 years. The flying ski hill was the site of 10 international ski flying competitions from 1970 to 1994. It still attracts thousands of visitors every year because of the panoramic view from the top of the 26-story tower. These visitors are not enough to restore the hill’s former glory, however.
“Just to snow the hill and snow the tower, plow the parking lots and all of that sort of thing would probably cost anywhere between $60,000 and $80,000. Meets are held in the winter time and of course a lot of people don’t travel and the crowds didn’t quite live up to what was needed to pay those bills,” said Copper Peak board president Charlie Supercynski.
Efforts are underway to re-establish Copper Peak as the western hemisphere’s largest active ski jump and host the Summer Grand Prix competitions. The International Ski Federation requires major updates to renew the hill’s certification.
“We have acquired a new profile, been approved by the international ski federation. We have the design, we have the profile. In order to build it we’re looking to secure the necessary funding for the project,” said Supercynski.
That project will cost an estimated $10 million dollars. Legislative efforts are underway in Lansing to secure $10 million to help Copper Peak reach this goal.
Organizers hope the Red Bull 400 will also help bring Copper Peak back to its former glory. If this year’s race is successful, Red Bull could sign with Copper Peak to host it for the next five years.
About 450 athletes are signed up to compete.
“I really think Red Bull will come back. The goal was to post in the middle of January and be half full by April 1 and fill up in the month of April. It filled up in two days and there are over 700 (athletes) on a waiting list,” said Jacquart.
Athletes will race up the hill in heats of 25 people each. The first heat of the race is set to begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, May 12 with the final heat set to start around 3:30 p.m.
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