Dubai, April 14, 2011– The countdown has started for the new season of Red Bull X-Fighters, one of the most exciting motocross competitions in the world. After a decade spent between bullfight arenas in Spain and Mexico, the Rodeo in Texas, and Samba squares in Rio, as well as the Italian eternal capital Rome, the city of fog London, and other European cities, the shows continue in their eleventh year and will land for the first time in the city of beauty and modernism, Dubai.

The first round of Red Bull X-Fighters 2011 will be held today, against the backdrop of the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex in Dubai, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council. A track will be built on site with the capacity of 15000 spectators. Red Bull X-Fighters 2011 in Dubai is supported by du, and as part of its newly launched live entertainment platform ‘du Live!’

Red Bull X-Fighters Rome_Mat Rebeaud in Action

Red Bull X-Fighters is being launched for the first time from Dubai, UAE, and will end in Australia for the first time too. It will pass by Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Poland where it landed before alike many other locations around the world during its 10 years history.

The international competition started in July 2001 when a group of the best FMX riders got into a spontaneous competition at an historical bullfighting arena in Valencia, Spain. The event was such a success that it was repeated the next year in another historical arena in Madrid in front of 23000 spectators. In 2003, the event expanded to two rounds in both Valencia and Madrid. After a single round in the Spanish capital in 2004 where the legendary rider Travis Pastrana won over Nate Adams, the event went up to the international level and moved to Mexico in the  following couple of years, where bullfighting is also a local heritage.

The first Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour was held in 2007, won by Pastrana, and included stops in Ireland, Mexico, and Spain. The series expanded to 5 rounds in 2008, adding Brazil, USA, and Germany to the locations, then Canada and UK in 2009. An additional sixth round was added last year as well as new locations in Russia, Italy, and Egypt, the first Arab country to host Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour before the UAE get the chance to host the opening round of the 2011 season in Dubai.

From 2001 till 2011, a long history of unique shows and many amendments to the rules and regulations due to “the requirements of the championship that should be closer to the public’s hearts and minds” as states Tes Sewell, Sports Director of Red Bull X-Fighters. “Some judgemental issues were subject to a series of changes that appealed to the riders. Moreover, spectators are now aware of every detail in each round, which involves them in the event that will certainly witness unprecedented competitions this year with the extended experience and ever improving style of the riders” explains Sewell.

The event is in cooperation with Audi, Swatch, The Walk and the Dubai Sports Council, as well as with the collaboration of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

Tickets sales at www.timeouttickets.com , www.timeouttickets.com and in all Virgin Megastores across the UAE.

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