Former Red Wing hockey player makes Red Bull Crashed Ice national team

ST. PAUL - Andrew Bergeson hoped deep down that he could do it. After making it through the first round during finals competition of Red Bull’s Crashed Ice competition, Bergeson looked at his ranks and realized he would skate as a member of Team USA for the rest of the 2012 Crashed Ice season.

“I never thought I’d be skating as hard as I can down the track,” Bergeson, 24, said. “Realistically, I wanted to come here, go down the track and not get injured … I had the most fun of my life.”

Bergeson, a Red Wing high school alumnus, was seeded 43rd going into the final day of competition and his second place finish during the first round allowed him to advance to the round of 32. It also secured his place on Team USA and it means he will travel to Valkenburg, Netherlands Feb. 2-4 for the second leg of the 2012 Crashed Ice circuit.

When he decided to tryout for Crashed Ice in Duluth, Bergeson’s goal was to get a chance to skate down the track. As he finished his first practice run, he knew he could aim higher.

“I realized I am pretty good at this,” Bergeson said. “I’m not always the best athlete but I’m going to work harder than everyone.”

Canada’s Kyle Croxall won the championship by beating out reigning Crashed Ice world champion Artuu Pihlainen and Croxall’s brother, Scott.

Red Bull reported an estimated 80,000 spectators showed up for the event.

Tags: red wing, sports, proam, hockey