Currency reform

At Red Bull CAN you make it?! 103 teams from 15 countries completed a rally to Paris. The challenge: the only currency they had at their disposal were cans of Red Bull.

From Rome, Manchester, Madrid, Berlin and Budapest many paths lead to Paris. One of them taken by ‘Huge incredible adventure to Paris’, the three-person Red Bull CAN you make it?! winning team, was a labyrinthine 4596 kilometers. At the trans-European paper chase it was less about the quickest and most efficient way to travel but more about the fun factor and the number of adventures experienced along the way.

Only currency allowed: Red Bull cans

All that the 103 teams had for their trip were maps and a generous quota of Red Bull cans – money, cell phones or their own modes of transport were strictly prohibited. And unnecessary. Using the Red Bull cans the 103 teams not only drummed up sleeping quarters and transport but also a carriage ride through Vienna, a gondola ride in Venice, a plane trip to Mallorca, TGV tickets, a night at a casino, entry tickets for a FC Barcelona home game and a parachute jump – to mention only a few of the bartered objects. An Italian team even went so far as to suggest using Red Bull cans as a new currency in the European parliament. But because they had to arrive punctually on October 31 in Paris they couldn’t wait for the vote.

Crowd winner: ‘Wonderwall’; overall winner: ‘Adventure’

Alongside the number of kilometers covered and stops made at check-ins, online-voting by fans able to follow the adventures of ‘their’ teams through blogs also decided the winner. The most points were collected by Alex, Ilka und Helga from the ‘Huge incredible adventure to Paris’ team. Second and third respectively were the Hungarian teams ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Money’. The drop-out rate was a moderate 5.8, the fun factor 100 per cent. ‘The best part of it was meeting so many people and also the friendships that were formed along the way,’ the winners from Frankfurt, Germany, said. ‘And of course the partying at the finish in Paris with all the participating teams.’