(December 18, 2010) MUNICH, Germany — The 2011 winter season will see MINI intensifying its involvement in lifestyle sporting events on snow and ice. As a cooperative partner to renowned snowboard manufacturer Burton, MINI will for the first time assist in the organization of the Burton Global Open Series.

MINI will also continue the partnership successfully launched with Austrian energy drink producer Red Bull at the beginning of 2010, which revolves around the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship.

The MINI and Burton Snowboard partnership focuses on the Burton Global Open Series (BGOS), one of snowboarding’s most progressive competition series that takes place in four countries and awards riders with an overall championship title.

Red Bull Crashed Ice world
champion Martin Niefnecker

Founded by Jake Burton, the Opens have grown from grassroots events to world class competitions attracting tens of thousands of spectators and riders from around the world. MINI will be the presenting sponsor using the events to promote the new Countryman. Additionally the BGOS male and female season champions will each receive a new MINI Countryman.

2011 MINI-sponsored events will be held in Laax, Switzerland (Jan. 8-15); Canada Olympic Park, Calgary (Feb. 1–6); and Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont (Mar. 7-13).

In another chilling promotion MINI will expand its cooperation with Red Bull for the Red Bull Crashed Ice events where groups of four athletes on ice skates plunge down an ice cross downhill track some five meters wide and peppered with bumps, jumps and banked turns.

For MINI, this committed involvement in unconventional winter sports opens up new possibilities for reaching a young, actively sporty, lifestyle-oriented target group. Countryman will once again be the promo vehicle. At the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship, MINI will mark the first presentation of the MINI Rookie Award.

This distinction is reserved for the best newcomer of the year and will reward the top-placed of all athletes venturing onto the ice cross downhill track for the first time in the new season.

After the curtain-raiser in Munich on Jan. 15, the MINI Rookie Award will also be presented at the next three events in the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship to be held in Valkenburg (Feb. 5); Moscow (Feb. 26); and Quebec (Mar. 19).