Freeze X Fest coming to Soaring Eagle this weekend

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There may be blood, sweat and snow all flying at once this weekend at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort.

The second Freeze X Fest, a Michigan Winter Action Sports event, will take place Saturday and Sunday at 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd.

And although crashes are not particularly welcome, they still leave a lasting impact, especially in Plymouth senior Jason Hyde’s mind.

“The crashes are epic, but we’d hope that they don’t (crash),” he said. “But if they were to, it is crazy — they just slide.”

Hyde, Central Michigan University’s campus representative for Freeze X Fest, is thrilled about the event.

“Especially after helping set up the course and seeing the way everything is laid out it is going to be even bigger and better than last year,” Hyde said. “It’s only going to keep improving.”

Freeze X Fest is considered to be one of the largest winter action sports events in the Midwest. One of the bigger events during the games is the United States of America Snowboard Association Rail Jam that will go throughout the weekend.

The categories within Freeze X Fest include the Ski and Snowboard Rail Jam, an obstacle course for snowboarders of any level to compete on while vying for cash and prizes of more than $3,000. Also included is the Freestyle Snocross, an exhibition where athletes jump 500 pound snowmobiles nearly 40 feet in the air, sometimes doing complete backflips, or a variety of other aerial stunts.

The final event is AMA Ice Racing, where motorcycles with metal screw and studded tires, racing around an oval and reaching nearly 100 mph, said Freeze X Fest Marketing Director Corey Bixby. Saturday night also includes the Freeze X Fest Afterparty.

Novi junior Emily Pelts is attending Freeze X Fest for the second time, and she does not mind the cold.

“I really liked it last year and it was fun and cool to watch other people do tricks and do what they love to do,” Pelts said. “You could tell everyone was eager to participate in the rail jam. They were really focused. You could feel their energy.”

Hyde said it is always that thrill factor when people push their limits.

“That is where progression comes in,” Hyde said. “This is where they get to train for the pinnacle sporting event at the X Games.”

Bixby said the excitement of this weekend is for everyone to enjoy, even the audience.

“If watching events at the Freeze X Fest doesn’t get your heart racing, then you might want to get checked out by a doctor,” Bixby said.