Red Bull Crashed Ice is probably the coolest race I've ever seen. It's a sprint "down a frozen ice course filled with jumps, bumps, and hairpin turns," and it is awesome:



Cameron Naasz is the best Crashed Ice racer in the world, and he uses CrossFit to train for this crazy event. We caught up with him leading up to the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul to chat about his training, what he'd like to see added to the CrossFit Games, and which Games athlete is his favorite:

How does CrossFit help you in an event like Crashed Ice?

CrossFit by definition is "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity" and in part that is exactly what Red Bull Crashed Ice is when you break it down. We are throwing our bodies down a frozen ice course filled with jumps, bumps, and hairpin turns and we need our bodies to react quickly and efficiently in order to be successful. The overall strength and balance I gain from CrossFit helps me to adapt and react quickly when I'm racing at high speeds.

Do you add in anything special to supplement your regular workouts or does your training in the gym look like regular ol' CrossFit?

I try to use several different methods of training but when I'm in my regular gym, Tangletown CrossFit in south Minneapolis, I partake in the normally scheduled classes around four times a week and then create customized workouts with my workout partners a few times a week also. Our customized workouts still follow normal CrossFit workouts but we will substitute more explosive movements like extra high box jumps or weighted Bulgarian squat jumps along with some quickness work like the agility ladder and balance work. In addition to working out at my CrossFit box I also train at a more hockey specific training center, Acceleration North in Arden Hills, and work with the staff there to improve the technique and power of my skating stride. Outside of gym work I like to keep my body guessing by rollerblading at skate parks, snowboarding, mountain biking, and playing a lot of hockey.

Do you have any CrossFit heroes/Are you a fan of any CrossFit Games athletes?

I follow the tons of different CrossFit athletes on social media and YouTube and I think that my favorite athlete has to be Mathew Fraser. He is my favorite because I feel like I can relate to him the most. After my rookie season I came in 3rd place in 2013, 3rd place in 2014, 2nd place in 2015, and finally won the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship last season in 2016. There is nothing more motivating to me than watching the look of motivation and determination that Fraser had from even before the open and all the way through the games last year. I know personally what it's like to have that fire inside and what it takes to go out and achieve what you want the most!

Given that you compete in a sport so different from the CrossFit Games, what would you like to see added to the Games competition?

I love it when they introduce a challenge that throws the entire field for a loop like the pegboard workout so I think it would be pretty cool if they took a page out of the ninja warrior book and created some sort of salmon ladder workout or something of that nature. In Red Bull Crashed Ice the athletes that can adapt the fastest tend to be the most successful and I feel like CrossFit is really similar in that way.

Which CrossFitter would you like to see compete in Crashed Ice?

Just like any athlete that does CrossFit, I am a huge Rich Froning fan and I know he loves to get into a roller hockey game from time to time. I saw a video of him playing on YouTube and he is definitely a little wild on a pair of roller blades but I think it would be great to see if the man who can do anything can also conquer a Red Bull Crashed Ice course.

The Saint Paul Red Bull Crashed Ice event will be available LIVE on Red Bull TV on February 4, 2017, at 9:00 PM EST. Fans from around the world can watch a dedicated 90-minute showcase of the action-packed event HERE. Red Bull TV is distributed digitally as an app across mobile phones, tablets, consoles, OTT devices, Smart TVs and online at www.redbull.tv.