The only “Red Bull Flugtag” in 2022 in Asia and the first in Taiwan officially took off today (the 18th) in Taichung City! Mayor Lu Shiow-yen attended this event in person to show her support and welcomed sports fans nationwide to participate in this event. She expressed that she had seen this competition on TV before and thought that it was quite fun and interesting. She also welcomed everyone to come to the event to experience this hot-blooded and craziest creative flight machine competition on earth from a close distance, which is promoting Taichung on the international stage.

Mayor Lu said that “I would like to give special thanks to the Central Government for cooperating with the local government. Today, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen also attended this event. I would like to thank commanding officers of the Ministry of the Interior; Sports Bureau, Police Department and Fire Bureau of Taichung City Government; Red Bull Taiwan; Chinese Taipei Cultural Leisure and Sport Association; Taiwan International Ports Corporation; Taichung Harbor Police Department; Taichung Harbor Fire Brigade; and Tungs' Hospital for your cooperation. Because of your concerted effort, we have managed to give Taiwan a very pleasant and beautiful ‘Flugtag’ (literally refers to ‘the flying machine day’).” Apart from gifting Taichung’s specialty of “milk sun cakes” to Deputy Interior Minister Chen, Mayor Lu also expressed her wish that everyone would perceive Taichung as a happy city and that Taichung would be promoted on the international stage again.

Deputy Interior Minister Chen said “It is a great pleasure to attend the 2022 Red Bull Flugtag. Today, I would like to thank Taichung City Government for its support and cooperation with the Central Government to hold this event at Port of Taichung. This event has opened a new page for post-pandemic outdoor sports with a brand new impression. It not only sells Taiwanese young people’s creativity, vitality and confidence in the world, but also lets citizens be immersed in the dream of flying.

Director of Sports Bureau Li Yu-jui pointed out that the Red Bull Sport competition represents a city’s young vitality and shows its support to young people for demonstrating themselves. Such spirit, according to Li, is closely related to Taichung City’s current sports development. He therefore expressed his aspiration that Red Bull Flugtag would not only promote Taichung, but also let Taiwan stand on the international stage!

Tai Tzu-ying, the Red Bull sportswoman and judge of Flugtag, looked at every flying machine and said “After watching the Red Bull Flugtag videos taken overseas, I have been looking forward to today’s event. I have seen the giant dragon, fire brigade, 101 and some designs and think that all of them are very interesting!” Apart from encouraging all flying machine teams, she also said that she was looking forward to seeing a flying machine designed in the shape of a shuttlecock, “Because shuttlecocks can fly too!”.

After arriving at the venue today, Mayor Lu cheered and high-fived with all participating teams. She also paid a special visit to the “Firefighters for Life”, which is the home team that represents Taichung, and yelled “Guards and firefighters go!” together with all firefighters, hoping that they would fly high and far. She also visited the “Flying together with cotton”, a sanitary-pad-themed flying machine, and was really amazed particularly by its female driver. Next, she visited the “Nausea Warrior - The Hangover” and signed on the flying machine. She also coincidently saw Taipei Councilor and internet celebrity Chiu Wei-chieh (nicknamed “Guaji”) and made high-fived him to welcome him to Taichung. The venue was bustling and everyone started to dance to the music, delivering a pleasant festival atmosphere.

“Imagination gives you wings!” the Sports Bureau expressed that Taichung was a happy and livable city that supported the young generations to develop their creativity and encouraged citizens to participate in various sports activities. The Bureau said that it was a great honor for Taichung to be able to hold this excellent creative competition. This year, over 40 flying machine teams with different backgrounds have joined the competition. Some of them are medical personnel and some are aircraft pilots. Everyone has racked their brain to put wings on pork belly buns (also known as “gua bao”), fire ambulance and even Mazu’s head to turn them into flying machines to fly out from Port of Taichung. All of these have really made Red Bull Flugtag the coolest and most awesome sports event in recent years. It is also the City Government’s aspiration that, through the Red Bull Flugtag, not only will the world see Taiwan and Taichung, but also all citizens will be able to experience “Cool Sports, Cool City” and the vitality and passion of Taichung City.

Sports Bureau pointed out that the Flugtag competition that took place in Taiwan for the first time already made a splash before the launch, where 633 teams signed up and 45 of them were selected to compete in Taichung. The official flying machine “Flying Sedan Chair” driven by MC Dr. Beauty was the first one that went into the ocean; and, in the cheering of Mayor Lu and the audience, kicked off the creative flying machine show presented by the following 42 teams.

The team that came up next was “A pork belly bun without parsley and fatty meat, please”. After two months of flight tests, the team members eventually created a pork belly bun that flew and were very confident about their flying machine! Pilot Tina expressed “All of us love pork belly buns and we hope that, by taking this opportunity, Taiwan’s local delicacy will be seen by the world!” The next was “Firefighters for Life”, which was created by Taichung City Fengyuan Fire Brigade. The chief of Fengyuan Fire Brigade expressed “Our work is inspired by the turbo nozzle that firefighters use to extinguish the fire. We have added a pair of flying wings on it, hoping to demonstrate the “going forward” and “never give up” spirit of firefighters!”

Nevertheless, it is a pity that the home team formed by Taichung City’s fire bureau failed to take off. Mayor Lu joked that she would ask the Director of the Fire Bureau to write a report on that! She further smiled and said “Although we are not the team that flew the furthest, we are definitely the funniest team.” As the entertaining effect outweighed the practical, Director of the Fire Bureau Tseng Chin-tsai also smiled and said that their machine would eventually fly one day as having a dream is the most beautiful thing!

The organizer Red Bull Taiwan Inc. mentioned that Red Bull Flugtag had been held in almost a hundred cities around the world and it had always been one of the most eye-attracting, creative and funniest international competitions. This year, the Red Bull Flugtag will take place in Hungary, the United States, Turkey, Finland, Estonia, Taiwan, Canada and New Zealand, a total of 8 countries. For the first time being held in Asia, the Red Bull Flugtag that takes place in Taiwan is jointly organized by Red Bull, Chinese Taipei Cultural Leisure and Sport Association, Sports Bureau of Taichung City Government under the guidance of the Ministry of the Interior. The unique flying machine performance not only presents the beauty of flying, but also encourages citizens to take the challenge and realize the dream of flying. On this day, the participants not only competed on how far they can fly, but also had their creativity fired up and realized their dreams magnificently!

The Red Bull Flugtag takes place today from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the entire event is also live broadcasted on Red Bull’s Facebook Fanpage, LINE VOOM account and Yahoo TV. All citizens are welcome to join Taiwan’s first Red Bull Flugtag and watch the craziest and boldest flight show online.