January 19, 2010 - This year marks the sixth year of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. The fifth race of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship season will be held, in partnership with New York City, Jersey City, NJ and Liberty State Park, over the Hudson River on June 19 and 20. Races will also be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE; Perth, Australia, and Lisbon, Portugal. 

The Red Bull Air Race, (Red Bull popular energy drink) established in 2003 and created by Red Bull, is an international series of air races in which competitors have to navigate a challenging obstacle course in the fastest time. Pilots fly individually against the clock and have to complete tight turns through a slalom course consisting of pylons, known as "Air Gates". 

The races are held mainly over water near cities, but are also held at airfields or natural wonders. They are accompanied by a supporting program of show flights. Races are usually flown on weekends with the first day for qualification then knockout finals the day after. The events attract large crowds and are broadcast, both live and taped, in many nations. At each venue, the top nine places earn World Championship points. The air racer with the most points at the end of the Championship becomes Red Bull Air Race World Champion. 

“New York City is known for its ability to draw some of the world’s greatest, large-scale events each year, and we’re always happy to welcome new and exciting sporting events that amplify its reputation as one of the most electrifying cities in the world,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “The Red Bull Air Race World Championship will, without a doubt, bring a new element of adventure to this city, and add to the incredible roster of events taking place here in 2010.” 

In 2009, the Red Bull Air Race was broadcast in over 180 countries reaching over 300 million viewers. The two-day spectator experience, coupled with the global television broadcast, will showcase New York as a premier sporting destination. The race in New York and Jersey City also represents an exciting opportunity to stimulate the local economy. 

“Jersey City is fast becoming a premier destination to host major events, such as the All Points West concerts and the 2009 Barclays golf tournament,” said Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy. “The Red Bull Air Race is a high-caliber event that provides international exposure and will bring millions of tourism dollars into our city. We are aggressively marketing Jersey City as a global brand and we are thrilled to have the world’s most talented pilots compete above our Hudson River waterfront.” 

The Red Bull Air Race is different from all other motorsports in that it takes its race track with it wherever it goes around the world bringing the action to the spectator. To do this, it takes a logistics operation unparalleled in the sports business to transport 380 tons of infrastructure and race equipment including 15 light-weight, 24-foot wingspan race planes and the sport's own traveling air traffic control tower. 

“Staging a Red Bull Air Race in New York City and Jersey City marks an important milestone in the history of the global motorsports championship and we feel privileged to be given this opportunity,” said Bernd Loidl, CEO of the Red Bull Air Race. “We look forward to our partnership with both cities and providing spectators with an incredible experience as well as enabling millions of television viewers around the globe to watch the best race pilots compete against the spectacular skyline of some of the world’s great cities.” 

Over the past five years, the Red Bull Air Race has held races in major metropolitans such as London, Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, and in the U.S. in San Diego, Detroit, San Francisco, and Monument Valley, Utah. Of the fifteen race pilots from around the world, two are Americans, Kirby Chambliss from Arizona and Michael Goulian from Massachusetts. Each pilot operates a year-round race team including a technician and team coordinator. The end goal for each race team is to accumulate as many points throughout the season in a quest to achieve the prestigious honor of 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Champion.