The world’s most prestigious one-on-one street basketball tournament moves to Taiwan and will not only crown its King but also its first-ever Queen.
Taipei (Taiwan)- Taiwan will welcome the world’s toughest basketball players in 2014 when the Red Bull King of the Rock World Finals move from Alcatraz to the prison exercise yards of Samasana Island on September 6. Now in its fifth year, the one-on-one basketball competition is a global sporting fixture executed in truly iconic and unique surroundings.
This year offers two new twists to the usual run of play. First, the World Finals move from the West Coast of the United States to Samasana Island – also known as Green Island – just off the South East Coast of Taiwan in the heart of Asia. Second, while both men and women can participate in Red Bull King of the Rock, the 2014 event will include a female-only set-up, giving female basketball players the chance to fully showcase their skills and earn the title “Queen of the Rock”.
The 32 King of the Rock finalists will include players from the 27 National Finals held in Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States. The Queen of the Rock finalists will consist of players from the 9 National Finals held in Bahrain, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey. Qualifiers will be taking place around the world beginning mid-April and will run over three months, ending in July.
Both Qualifiers and Finals will follow one-on-one street basketball rules in a single elimination tournament. Only two and three pointers count in each five-minute game, while five fouls equal an automatic loss. The competition is open to amateurs and pros alike; however, players must be at least 16 years of age to participate. Registration is first come first served at each qualifier, so players should arrive early to grab one of the coveted 64 spots to earn the chance to advance to the National Finals.
The grand prize bestowed upon the King and Queen of the Rock 2014 is an exclusive VIP trip to attend one of the Red Bull Air Race events in late 2014.
Source http://www.redbull.com/us/en
