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2003 Red Bull Ride
Australia, January 19 - 24, 2003
Allen shines through the haze at the 2003 Red Bull Ride
by Linda Critchlow
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Australian Grant Allen was the only competitor to attempt the daunting 8.5 metre (28 foot) drop on the practice day of the 2003 Red Bull Ride, an international, extreme mountain bike contest at Jindabyne today.
Recognised across the globe for his fearless jumping and blasé approach to huge drops, Allen completed his landing flawlessly. Today's effort was a solid endorsement of Allen's reputation in the mountain biking Mecca of North America, and complemented his performance at the 2002 Red Bull Ride, where he was the first to attempt that course's 20ft vertical drop.
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In intermittently smoky conditions 27 invited competitors from nine countries became the first riders to take on the toughest mountain bike course ever created. Half a dozen bikes were broken and a Canadian competitor suffered a broken wrist in an eventful day leading up to tomorrow's competition day.
The new course consists of 13 man-made and natural stunt sections strung over a kilometre of steep and rocky trail, where competitors from nine countries will be judged on technique, control, fluidity and overall impression. The difficulty of the line they take down the mountain is also vital; Allen's giant drop is the largest of four possible drops making up section five of the course.
