How To Host a World Final in the Middle of a Pandemic

The pandemic has been detrimental to sporting events But RedBull still managed to host their breaking championships.

Red Bull BC One 2020 World Finals

(Photo: Red Bull)

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have been detrimental to sporting events the world over. RedBull, however, still managed to host their annual breaking championships, the BC ONE 2020. The event features breaking or breakdancing, a hip-hop dance form that originated in the Bronx.

We learn how this event was organised and what all precautions were taken, through the eyes of one of the finalists.

B-girl Jilou who had reached the semi-finals this year calls it “a unique experience” but she giggles as she mentions that there were so many safety measures.

“It felt like my whole day involved only safety measures.”

B-girl, Jilou

The Red Bull BC One 2020 took place this year at Salzburg, Austria, on a much smaller scale compared to the previous years. There weren’t any cyphers or qualifying battles. but just the knockout rounds, semi-finals and finals, with just a handful of breakers.

Jilou had to take the COVID test twice, once before she departed from Berlin and the other after landing in Salzburg. The breakers were kept in a bio-bubble in an isolated part of the hotel. No one was allowed in or out.

They had to stay in their rooms most of the time and could use one of the three practice rooms individually. The practice rooms would be sanitised after every session.

“If we went to eat at a restaurant, each of us had to sit at one table, away from everyone else. We were a closed bubble, which meant none of us could leave the hotel and no outsider could come in. We were lodged in a separate part of the hotel. There was a little part (on the outside of the hotel) where we could go, but they made sure that there was no contact with the outside world.”

B-girl, Jilou

Many breakers claimed that while they couldn’t tour and participate in several competitions this year like they usually do, the time off allowed them to practise and heal.