All Eyes to the Skies as Red Bull Air Races Roar into Town

Friday, 01 May 2009
Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222

The skies above San Diego Bay will be the center of attention on Saturday and Sunday, May 9 and 10, when the Red Bull Air Race Championships return to the city. The races feature the world's best race pilots in a motor sports competition that combines speed, precision and skill. This will be the third year for the adrenaline-packed event, which draws over 100,000 spectators to the waterfront.

The race course is one-quarter of a mile long and covers an area of the bay just north of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge, adjacent to Embarcadero Marina Park South, behind the San Diego Convention Center. Pilots will be practicing in the area on May 6, 7 and 8. On May 6, practice will occur from 12 to 3 p.m. On May 7, practice times are 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. On May 8, practice times are 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. During practice sessions and race days, the US Coast Guard will close San Diego Bay in the course area and up to the G Street Mole.

General Admission tickets for race viewing areas at Embarcadero Marina Park North, behind Seaport Village and Embarcadero Marina Park South, are now available for online purchase at the Red Bull Air Race website. They will also be available for purchase on the event days at ticket booths located at the entrance to the parks.

Parking will be limited in the bayfront area. The San Diego Trolley will be providing additional service from Qualcomm Stadium to the Convention Center trolley stop on both race days. Public parking is available at the Convention Center parking garage on Harbor Drive, the public parking structure next to the new Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel at Park Boulevard/8^th Street and Harbor Drive, the parking lot next to PETCO Park and at many other parking lots in the downtown area.

A section of the public walkway behind the Convention Center will be temporarily closed to pedestrians from April 29 through May 15 to allow for set up, operation, and break down of event support equipment and facilities. An alternate pedestrian route has been established to ensure public safety during these times. In order to maintain public access to the bay, directional signage and traffic enforcement personnel will reroute pedestrians to a sidewalk that follows the bayfront side of the Convention Center, right along the east side of Convention Way.

By using this route, pedestrians will still have access to Embarcadero Marina Park South, the public fishing pier, JJ's Deli, Joe's Crab Shack and the remaining areas of the public walkway connecting to other waterfront businesses.

The event organizers have established a hotline for noise and safety concerns. The number is (619) 400-4750. The hotline will be available from May 6 through May 10.

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