Articles Written by: Lara Simard
Ottawans flood the street for Barbegazi’s first launch in the Byward Market
Gliding through the air across a 40-foot drop and pelting snow, Chris Coosemans could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. There is no better feeling than being so high above the ground, with thousands of supportive fans gathered around for one action-packed weekend.
Barbegazi took place in the ByWard Market from Feb. 6 to 8, featuring some of the most impressive aerodynamic snowmobile freestylers in the world. Chris Coosemans, Rasmus Johansson and Daniel Shaffer have been staging freestyle snowmobile wonders for over a decade each.
Coosemans, who assembled the team this year, said he was first inspired to follow this career from watching movies as a kid. After 14 years of hard work and dedication, he is proud to say his dream is a reality.
“I’ve put my life into this sport from a very young age,” Coosemans posted on Instagram after successfully partnering with X Games; which he competed in before the Ottawa show. “Time to lock in and make my younger self proud.”
Coosemans does most of his shows and competitions in the northern communities of the United States, some performances even in the summer.
Originally, he is from Cold-Lake Alberta, coming closer to his current home in Brighten Ontario for the Ottawa show.
“It’s super cool being here in Ottawa, the capital of the country, and some of these people may have never even seen a snowmobile before,” he said.
Barbegazi made a soft launch in 2013, welcoming more than 4,000 participants and featuring snowboarders and lumberjacks performing multiple winter sports in Quebec. The event is the first Ottawa edition run by Tribu Experiential coordinators.
Micah Desforges, the executive producer, says he was inspired to start the snowmobile show in 2017 to bring people together for a unique experience. The event does just that. With its high-energy music and attraction to adrenaline junkies, the free festival brings life to the downtown core in the difficult winter months.
“That’s the goal. We want people to be surprised and delighted about something they would never expect in a downtown setting,” Desforges said.
This year, the event featured three different athletes, a bustling crowd and many breathtaking tricks performed by the riders. The athletes would do 360-degree flips, handlebar handstands and lengthy leg-free leaps. Most of the action took place at the 7 p.m. shows, but both had impressive turnouts.
The first night was cancelled due to the weather, losing traction in the snow. Even with a weather warning issued by the City of Ottawa, people gathered from all around the street to the top of a four-storey parking garage to see what the hype was around the dynamic event.
“Last night people showed up in a big way – unfortunately we had to play it safe,” said Desforges after the first show.
“Tonight, we have three riders and it’s going to be bigger, better and the wind is supposed to die down, so you’ll have the best shows; more flips, more actions, more adrenaline and we’re expecting a pack house night.”
Rasmus Johansson, an athlete who has been riding since he was 17 years old, was also reluctant to cancel the Friday show.
“So, after X Games, I went back home to Sweden and then I flew back after five days and set his (Coosemans) second snowmobile up in his shop and got it ready for this,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the turf is frozen with snow on it. So, we don’t have any traction.”
There are many things the athletes must take into consideration, and safety is of utmost importance.
“The integrated experiences we create generate thrills and chills in a way that people never forget,” reads the Tribu website. “We will never stop to produce experiences that spark thrills and beaming smiles that make our generation’s heartbeat.”
Barbegazi launched in Ottawa as part of Winterlude for the first time this year, reviving York Street into a packed tourist attraction.