Levi LaVallee Wins Inaugural Red Bull Boundaries Race + Video

When the snow dust settled on Saturday at the inaugural Red Bull Snow Boundaries race in Elk River, Minn., Levi LaVallee was the one holding the trophy.

LaVallee won the Open Class at what Red Bull calls one of the most unique and difficult course layouts in competitive snowmobiling. Designed to push each rider and their machine to the limit, the first year event featured an eight-mile loop where racers faced an onslaught of natural and man-made terrain, including tight wooded trails, high-speed swamps, vertical climbs, frozen ponds, and big air snocross.

Levi LaVallee celebrates his victory at Red Bull Snow Boundaries.

Beating out a field of more than 60 professional racers, X-Games legend and Snocross champion LaVallee came back from over a minute behind to take the lead in the 75-minute Open race. After overcoming everything from disintegrating frozen swamps to 100-foot jumps, LaVallee was thrilled with his victory.

“It’s awesome to win the first ever Red Bull Snow Boundaries. I didn’t anticipate it at all,” said LaVallee. “[The win] caught me a little off guard, because the goal here was to go out and have fun – and I’m great at fun, so that’s what I was going to do. It’s a timed race, so I wasn’t worried about it while I was out there, but after I wheeled myself through that last lap and found out I won, I couldn’t have been more excited.”

Zach Herfindahl, who was leading the opening half of the race, was dealing with a destroyed windshield that forced him to grind along without eye protection. Despite the challenge, he was able to finish second, being edged out by LaVallee.

“The course was brutal, unbelievable, but I had a great time. I will definitely be racing in this event if it happens again, it was a lot of fun,” said Herfindahl.

While LaVallee’s feat of winning against fellow professionals was impressive, Anthony Smith took home the win in the Ditchbanger class against more than 150 competitors. With nearly three times as many sleds on the same course as the pros, Smith was able to hang on to his fast start, traverse a course riddled with broken machines and racers who had given up, and outlast the competition.

Snowmobile racers prepare to take on Red Bull Snow Boundaries.

“I got really tired, was just trying to hold on to my lead. In the middle of the race I became exhausted, but as I closed in on the finish adrenaline kicked in and I gave it all I got,” said Smith. “I’m the fastest of my friends, but I had no idea that this would happen. I know that my 12-year old son is going to be so pumped.”