Second chances don't happen everyday but Levi LaVallee will get his shot at redemption on New Year's Eve in San Diego when he attempts to break his own world record jumping his snowmobile 361ft over the San Diego Harbor.

The mental hurtle LaVallee must get past may prove more difficult than the jump itself. He's only one year removed from critically injuring himself attempting to break the same record. The night to which LaVallee was to make his leap into stardom on National Television didn't pan out as he had to settle for the world record in practice. That is until this year when LaVallee gets a second opportunity.

"I am so pumped to be able to come back to Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.," said LaVallee. "Last year obviously didn't go the way I was hoping, and I am excited to have another chance at this amazing opportunity."

This time he'll be joined by Robbie Maddison, a two-time alumni of Red Bull New Year. No Limits. Maddo will be looking to jump his bike more than 400 feet to eclipse the current record of 391 feet.

"Jumping long distances is a passion of mine, and I'm excited to come back for New Years Eve and sail over San Diego Harbor," said Maddison. "400 feet is my goal. It's not all about getting the world record to me, it's more about understanding this feat and the commitment ahead to achieving what most would consider an impossible jump."

Maddo kick-started No Limits in 2007 by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet over a football field in Las Vegas and followed it up in 2008 by jumping onto - and off - the 96-foot-tall Arc De Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas.

The event will air live from San Diego, Calif., on Saturday, December 31 at approximately 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT on ESPN.

Due to the injury Levi LaVallee sustained yesterday while practicing for his world record snowmobile jump on New Year's Eve in San Diego, event organizers have decided to cancel the event.
This serves as a constant reminder that the safety and health of the athletes is more important than anything else. Red Bull has released an official statement regarding the cancellation of Red Bulls, New Year, No Limits.

GrindTV Newswire via Redbull-SANTA MONICA, CA (December 17, 2010) - Levi LaVallee was injured on Tuesday, December 14, while practicing in Southern California for his planned world record snowmobile distance jump at this year's Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. event, set to take place in San Diego on December 31 and telecast on ESPN. LaVallee was immediately transported to a local hospital where he is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery. As a result of this incident, however, it has been decided that Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. will be cancelled this year.

The safety of Red Bull's world-class athletes is paramount, and all precautions were taken during LaVallee's testing sessions to ensure he could perform in the safest-possible setting.

Leading up to the event, LaVallee, 28, from Longville, MN, worked with athlete performance experts, aerodynamics experts and engineers, in addition to his core team, in an effort to get the most out of his body and snowmobile. During testing, LaVallee jumped an astounding 361 feet, eclipsing the existing record by 60 feet. This jump will be submitted for world record certification.

LaVallee has had a very successful career in several snowmobile disciplines. A snocross racer for more than 15 years, he took up freestyle in 2007, and at Winter X Games 12 in 2008, he won the gold medal in the Freestyle and Speed & Style events and was named Athlete of the Games. In 2009, he won the Pro Stock Snocross championship and came this close to landing the first-ever snowmobile double backflip at Winter X 13, garnering global media attention. Earlier this year, at Winter X 14, he took gold in the newly-created Snowmobile Knock Out event, his seventh Winter X Games medal.

LaVallee was to be the fourth athlete to star in Red Bull's annual New Year's Eve celebration on ESPN, which highlights extraordinary athletes pushing their physical, mental and technical limits to break boundaries and records. Robbie Maddison jumped his motorcycle 322 feet over a football field in Las Vegas in 2007 and followed it up in 2008 by jumping onto - and off - of the 96-foot-tall Arc De Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas. Also in 2008, Rhys Millen backflipped an off-road truck. Last year, Travis Pastrana jumped his rally car 269 feet over water, landing on a barge in Long Beach's Rainbow Harbor.

Who is Levi LaVallee?

Simple, he's a seven-time Winter X Games medalist and champion snocross racer, but you knew that right?
He's also gained notoriety for attempting a double backflip at Winter X Games 13 on his snowmobile. He's accomplished pretty much everything there is to achieve in snocross racing, that is until now.

If you haven't heard of Levi, you will soon, he's about to become a household name when he attempts to launch his snowmobile 301 feet over the San Diego harbor this New Years Eve live on ESPN. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Red Bull Athletes to successfully set a world record attempt on national television.

Check out this clip getting to know what motivates Levi to attempt to set this world record.

Santa Monica, Calif. (November 10, 2010)- While our friends to the north call them snow machines, most of us know them as snowmobiles, and the hipper folks simply call them sleds. No matter what you call this mode of transportation, history will be made by Levi LaVallee on New Year's Eve at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits., airing live on Friday, December 31 on ESPN, immediately following the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (approximately 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT).

LaVallee, a seven-time Winter X Games medalist and champion snocross racer, will attempt to jump his Polaris snowmobile longer than ever before and eclipse the current record of 301 feet. In addition to his racing exploits, Levi is widely-known for becoming the first person to double backflip a snowmobile in 2009.

The event will take place at the Embarcadero Marina Park in the Port of San Diego. Embarcadero is Spanish for "landing place," making it an appropriate location for LaVallee's jump. On-site viewing will be free to spectators at Marina Park. Gates will open at 6:00p.m. PT.

"I can't even explain how excited I am to be part of this year's Red Bull: New Year. No Limits.," said LaVallee. "With the jump gap itself being longer than the existing distance record, it is going to be one heck of a ride!"

"For the fourth year we have the opportunity to showcase an extraordinary athletic feat. This year's jump by world champion snowmobiler Levi LaVallee will continue in that tradition," said Joan Lynch Owens, vice president and executive producer, ESPN content development."This is the kind of anticipation television our fans expect to see on ESPN."

San Diego may not be the first place one thinks of when discussing snowmobiles, but the lack of snow won't hinder the 28-year-old native of Longville, Minnesota (population 180), the Turtle Race Capitol of the World and home to weekly meat raffles. Yes, turtles and meat - but not turtle meat. LaVallee will use artificial turf on his1,100-foot run-up path, which will provide the necessary grip for his snowmobile's track to ensure maximum speed as he hits the take-off ramp. LaVallee's jump will take him over a 300-foot water gap at the entrance of the Marina. A small amount of snow will be sprayed on the landing ramp to provide necessary slickness so Levi can make a smooth landing.

"It will be awesome for people to see a snowmobile making a world record distance jump in San Diego," said LaVallee."Snowmobiles are made for snow, and last I checked there isn't much snow in San Diego, but it is a great location for this event. Only at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. would you see something like this."

Leading up to his big night, LaVallee will work with athlete performance experts, physicists and engineers, in addition to his core team, in an effort to get the most out of his body and 450-pound snowmobile. Valuable information will also be attained and put into future snowmobile development.

LaVallee has had a very successful career in several snowmobile disciplines. A snocross racer for more than 15 years, he took up freestyle in 2007, and at Winter X Games 12 in 2008, he won the gold medal in the Freestyle and Speed & Style events and was named Athlete of the Games. In 2009, he won the Pro Stock Snocross championship and came this close to landing the first-ever snowmobile double backflip at Winter X 13, falling off on the hard impact but garnering global media attention. Earlier this year, at Winter X 14, he took gold in the newly-created Snowmobile Knock Out event.

LaVallee becomes the fourth athlete to star in Red Bull's annual New Year's Eve celebration on ESPN, which highlights extraordinary athletes pushing their physical, mental and technical limits to break boundaries and records. Robbie Maddison kicked things off in 2007by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet over a football field in Las Vegas and followed it up in 2008 by jumping onto - and off - of the 96-foot-tall Arc De Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas. Also in 2008, Rhys Millen back flipped an off-road truck and just missed sticking the landing. Last year, Travis Pastrana jumped his rally car a staggering 269 feet over water, landing on a barge in Long Beach's Rainbow Harbor.



Photos courtesy of GarthMilan/Red Bull Photofiles

Another Winter X Games has come and gone, but not without high drama, record breaking performances, familiar domination, and even a double back flip on a snowmobile.

The town of Aspen was rocking out once again as massive crowds braved the dumping snow throughout the weekend to enjoy the winter sports version of the Super bowl.

Once again the King of X Games, Shaun White, did not disappoint, winning Gold in SlopeStyle and SuperPipe. White scored the highest point total in X Games SlopeStyle history with a 96.00 . It wasn't as easy in Superpipe after falling on his first 2 runs, in typical legend fashion, White threw down a 91.66 to edge out Kevin Pearce's 90.66. With his 2 gold medals he became the all time leader in gold medals with 9.

The most hyped moment of the event was Levi LaVallee's attempt at a double back flip on a snowmobile. The crowd held their breath as Lavallee flew high into the night sky. Lavallee rotated perfectly only to be bucked off on the landing. Didn't matter to him nor the crowd though, as Lavallee was stoked to be alive after nearly pulling the impossible.

A major upset went down on opening night of Winter X in the men's Ski SuperPipe Final. We expected to see a Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont showdown, but an unknown skier from France, Xavier Bertoni, shocked everyone by overtaking both Hall and Dumont, to win his first ever gold medal.

Australians own Torah Bright surprised no one by winning gold in Women's SuperPipe. She owned the pipe all weekend, in the elimination round she scored the highest point total in Women's pipe with a 97.66.

In the 2 fan voted events, mens big air in snowboard and ski, Travis Rice and Simon Dumont took home the gold. The fans were wowed by Travis Rice's backside-double-cork 1080 in Snowboard, and Simon Dumont 's famous double flip superman pose.

The weekend was full of highlights, check out the results below from each competition courtesy of our friends at ESPN.
ESPN X GAMES




Mens Skiing Super Pipe Results
1. Xavier Bertoni / 93.66 / Bib 333 / La Clusaz, France
2. Tanner Hall / 92.00 / Bib 305 / Kalispell, Mont.
3. Simon Dumont / 91.00/ Bib 303/ Bethel, Main

Womens Sking Super Pipe Results
1.Sarah Burke Whistler, BC, Canada 93.33
2.Jen Hudak Aspen, Colo.92.66
3.Jess Cumming Wilton, Conn. 84.00

Women's Snowboard Slopestlye Final Results
1. Jenny Jones / 84.33 / Bristol, Great Britain / Bib 526
2. Spencer O' (TM)Brien / 80.33 / Whistler, BC, Canada / Bib 530
3. Megan Ginter / 76.66 / Seattle, Wash / Bib 525

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Results
1. Shaun White 514 Carlsbad, Calif. 96.00
2. Scotty Lago 507 Seabrook, N.H.94.66
3. Mikkel Bang 501 Oslo, Norway 91.33

Women's Snowboarder X
1. Lindsey Jacobellis 634 Stratton, Vt. 110.619
2. Helene Olafsen 638 Oppegard, Norway 113.266
3. Sandra Frei 645 Flims-Dorf, Switzerland 113.505

Men's Snowboarder X
1. Nate Holland 608 Truckee, Calif. 100.523
2. Graham Watanabe 620 Hailey, Idaho 101.153
3. Stian Sivertzen 615 Kongsberg, Norway 105.193

Snowcross Final Results
1. Tucker Hibbert 68 Arctic Cat 1128.255
2. Robbie Malinowski 4 Ski-Doo 1164.864
3. Dan Ebert 602 Arctic Cat 1169.036

Men's Sking Slopestyle
1. Tj Schiller 316 Vernon, BC, Canada 93.00
2. Sammy Carlson 301 Hood River, Ore. 91.00
3. Colby West 315 Breckenridge, Colo. 90.00

Snowmobile Freestyle Final
Final:
1. Joe Parsons 700 Yakima, Wash. 93.66
2. Justin Hoyer 904 Ellsworth, Wis. 82.00

Bronze Match:
3. Heath Frisby 270 Bellevue, Idaho 90.66
4. Daniel Bodin 900 Malung, Sweden 88.00

Men's SuperPipe Finals:
1. Shaun White 514 Carlsbad, Calif. 91.66
2. Kevin Pearce 550 Norwich, Vt. 90.66
3. Antti Autti 542 Rovaniemi, Finland 87.33