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THE WORLD’S NUMBER- ONE MEN’S MAGAZINE

MARCH 2019 ISSUE 92

WI NTE R IS COM I NG

STONE COL TH E R ETU R N OF

F1 2019 SEASON PREVIEW P. 50

HANSEN P. 36

R E L AT I O N S H I P S

FINANCIAL CHEATING TH E FACTS & FIG U R ES

P. 92

#MENTOO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY P. 68

FACEBOOK/MAXIMAU TWITTER/MAXIM_AUS INSTAGRAM/MAXIM_AUS YOUTUBE/MAXIMAUSTRALIA

WWW.MAXIM.COM.AU INC GST

FITNESS: HOW TO GET A GRIP PRINT POST APPROVED PP 100003469

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REAL-LIFE vs VIRTUAL SEX

THE WHISKY WORLD TOUR

CONTENTS IS SUE 92 — MARC H 2019

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SPOTLIGHT GETTING TO KNOW BEAUTY BETH HURRELL ADVENTURE HOW SKIER ANDRZEJ BARGIEL TURNED THE WORLD’S SECONDHIGHEST MOUNTAIN INTO THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS DOWNHILL

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MACHINES TESLA, THE FERRARI 488 PISTA AND POLARIS RZR RS1

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TITAN HOW ELON MUSK AND SPACEX HAVE BREATHED LIFE BACK INTO THE SPACE TRAVEL INDUSTRY TECH KRIX SURROUND SOUND SETTING NEW STANDARDS GAMES THE EXPLOSIVE, MIND-BLOWING AND BUTTONMASHING DEVIL MAY CRY 5 COVER GIRL MODEL, TV STAR AND STONE COLD BABE AND TYANA HANSEN ACTION THE OFF-ROAD COMPETITION THE ELEPHANT CHARGE IS A CAN’T-MISS EVENT FOR THRILL SEEKERS MOTORING OUR FORMULA ONE 2019 SEASON PREVIEW BAR MAXIM ’S FINEST WHISKY WORLD TOUR HEALTH & FITNESS THE GRIP STRENGTH WORKOUT

56 90 92 90 98

GROOMING THE COOL NEW RANGE FROM JACK THE BARBER HAS YOUR HAIR STYLING WOES SORTED

BERETTA INSIDE THE 500-YEAR-OLD ITALIAN DYNASTY OF THE WORLD’S FINEST FIREARMS

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RELATIONSHIPS WHAT IS FINANCIAL CHEATING?

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SEX VIRTUAL VS REAL-LIFE, PLUS THE BEST SILICONE AND WATER-BASED LUBRICANTS 24 HOURS TO LIVE COMEDIAN ROSS NOBLE DISCUSSES HIS FINAL DAY ON EARTH

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LITERATURE NEW BOOK #MENTOO EXPLORES THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

WOMAN OF THE WORLD FORMER NFL CHEERLEADER AND POCKETROCKET HOTTIE KALYSSA

SPORT WE CHAT TO GUN NBA ROOKIE TRAE YOUNG

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Santi Pintado (spintado@nuclear.com.au)

Phone Mail

COVER TYANA HANSEN P H OTO G R A P H E D BY

A R T H U R S T. J O H N

Email Web facebook twitter instagram youtube Art Director

National Advertising Manager

Marketing Director Managing Director

Fashion Editor Grooming Editor Motoring Editor Gaming & Tech Writer

+612-9363-1464 PO Box 230, Double Bay NSW 1360 maxim@maxim.com.au www.maxim.com.au maximau maxim_aus maxim_aus maximaustralia Luke Shaddock (lshaddock@nuclear.com.au) Abdul Khan (akhan@nuclear.com.au) Natalie Downs Michael Downs

Adriana Dib Shonagh Walker Bill Varetimidis Chris Stead

MAXIM WORLD WIDE BRAND LICENSING

Chairman and CEO, Biglari Holdings Inc. Mr. Sardar Biglari Senior Paralegal & Rights Manager Catherine Baxter

© 2019 MAXIM Inc. The name “MAXIM” and the MAXIM logo are registered trademarks of Maxim Media Inc., and used under license by (publisher). All rights reserved. The United States edition of MAXIM is published monthly by MAXIM Inc. 268 W. 44th Street 5th Floor New York, NY, 10036 For international publishing or licensing inquiries: maximworld@maxim.com

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SPOTLIGHT

GETTING TO KNOW…

Beth

Hurrell model and MAXIM cover girl. What’s not to love?... P H OTO G R A P H E D BY N E I L D I XO N

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I N T E R V I E W BY S A N T I P I N TA D O

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SPOTLIGHT

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“CHARACTER IS SHOWN IN HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE WHO CAN DO NOTHING FOR YOU.”

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he best thing about this MAXIM shoot is… working with [photographer] Neil Dixon again. He has such a natural aptitude for photography so it makes the shoot flow so easily. It’s also the third time I’ve shown up in MAXIM, so that’s very cool.

When I’m not posing for MAXIM I’m… reading, drinking coffee, hanging out with my cats or all three things simultaneously. My best asset is… kindness, because it’s really one of the most important things anybody can be. Period. I feel sexy when… I’m living in the moment – when anything feels possible. That's exciting, and sexy. They do say novelty is the greatest aphrodisiac. I can beat anyone at… an argument – mum’s words. The last thing that made me LOL was… waking up on Monday morning and putting together a puzzle of everything I did on 10-too-many drinks last Sunday night. I laughed and cried and swore I would not drink again. Don’t hold me to it.

The worst pick-up line I’ve ever heard is… “Are you my HSC test because I would do you for three hours with a 10-minute break in between.” If I’m your HSC test you must be 17 or 18 and that’s just simply not OK. A guy is more likely to get lucky with me if he is… tall, dark and handsome. One thing a guy should always know about women is… to never compare them. Women are complex, compelling, impossible to predict and there are really no two the same. What I find sexy about men is… a quiet confidence. My perfect date would be… a vegan restaurant followed by some live music. The funniest thing that’s happened while attending a MAXIM VIP party is… well, pre-party we locked our luggage in the house, didn’t have any spare keys and had a plane to catch. The wooden front door literally got fly-kicked down. The best junk food is… the vegan Hungry Jacks burger – I literally finished one 10 minutes ago. It’s sick! Public nudity is… a powerful thing.

At bedtime I wear… fluffy cloud pyjamas. Not even just at bedtime – I leave the house in it and I’m not sorry. What I love most about social media is… being able to have an outlet to express who I am or what I am feeling, and to be able to look back on that year after year and see the personal growth and memories. The weirdest thing someone has sent me via social media is… almost always somebody with a foot fetish wanting explicit feet pictures. The worst word in the English language is… moist. My superpower would be… invisibility. There’s so many reasons – all the free concerts I could see, all the information I could find out… it’d be the best! One thing I’d change about the world is… everything really. The best piece of advice anyone has ever given me is… character is shown in how you treat people who can do nothing for you. In five years I’d like to be… Enjoying a simple life, uncomplicated, unmaterialistic and rich in experience and friendships. ■

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SPOTLIGHT

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“THEY DO SAY NOVELTY IS THE GREATEST APHRODISIAC.”

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SPOTLIGHT

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“WOMEN ARE COMPLEX, COMPELLING, IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT AND THERE ARE REALLY NO TWO THE SAME.”

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SPOTLIGHT

STATUS UPDATE FULL NAME: Beth Ellen Hurrell BORN: February 6, 1997 HOMETOWN: Sydney, NSW LIVES: Gold Coast, Qld FIVE-WORD SELFDESCRIPTION: “Strong-willed, imaginative, compassionate, philosophical and free-spirited.” HOBBIES: “Painting.” GIRL CRUSH: “Lana Del Rey.” FAVE DRINK: “A glass of red.” HANGOVER CURE: “Just completely avoid being awake while you’re hungover. Keep sleeping until its passed. Magic!” FAVOURITE FOOD: “Avocado on toast – with or without Vegemite. OMG!” FAVOURITE MOVIE: “Candy. Heath ledger is a legend and I’m all for supporting Aussie films.” FAVOURITE SONG: “Vienna” by Billy Joel because it sounds like my DNA.” LIFE MOTTO: “If it’s not on a plate, it can wait.” INSTAGRAM: @bethellenhurrell

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ADVENTURE

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PEAK PERFORMANCE How Polish skier ANDRZEJ BARGIEL turned the world’s second-highest mountain into the world’s most dangerous downhill... BY K E I T H G O R D O N P H OTO S R E B U L L C O N T E N T P O O L

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n May 6, 1970, Japanese ski adventurer Yuichiro Miura managed to carve down part of Mount Everest’s South Col, eventually falling down the icy face and careening toward an open crevasse, and likely death, until he was miraculously stopped by a snow patch. That day, the legend of the “man who skied down Everest” was born, and it was unlikely to be outdone by any sane human anytime soon. After all, if skiing a small part of Everest, a vicious mountain where hundreds of climbers and Sherpas have lost their lives, was insanely risky for Miura, the thought of someone attempting to ski the much more treacherous K2 was pure fantasy. For all the notoriety and high fatality rate of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on earth, it is K2, the second-tallest, that remains the more challenging and dangerous summit, ranking only behind the lethal Annapurna. While more climbers have died on Everest, K2’s fatality rate of one death for every four successful ascents is another level of grim. Only the very best alpinists in the

world even attempt K2, with its challenging mix of high-level ice, rock, and mixed climbing, unlike Everest and its long rope lines guiding climbers to the peak. As dangerous as Everest has proven to be, K2 is a different beast altogether for climbers, never mind skiers. This only makes Andrzej Bargiel’s death-defying descent on July 22, 2018, even more superhuman. For it was Bargiel, a 30-year-old alpinist and skier from Poland, who successfully ascended the steep final sections of K2’s summit, only to strap on his skis and set off for the bottom from an altitude of 8,611 metres. Whereas Miura chose a specific section of Everest to descend, Bargiel skied down as much of the descent as possible, only removing his skis for areas without sufficient snow and piecing together parts of four different routes to maximise the drop he could achieve on his skis.Bargiel has had his sights set on skiing some of the world’s biggest mountains for some time, even forming a team for such challenges called Hic Sunt Leones (Here Come the Lions). After racking up legitimate climbing accomplishments like MAXI M.COM.AU

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ADVENTURE

Manaslu (the eighth-tallest mountain) and Shishapangma (14th-tallest), each a member of the 8,000-metre club, Bargiel took time during his successful ascent and ski descent of Broad Peak (12th-tallest) to look over at one of its neighbors in the Karakoram mountain range, K2. He noticed that the face, despite its terrifying reputation, just might be possible for him and his team. Bargiel had first attempted the seemingly impossible in 2017, but as is often the case on the world’s tallest mountains, Mother Nature decides when she will allow climbers an opportunity to even try. Because of extensive rockfalls and avalanches, Bargiel and his team couldn’t make inroads on the route he planned to descend on his skis. As logistically challenging and expensive as such expeditions can be, a return for Bargiel was far from certain. After his successful descent in 2018, he told Redbull.com, “I don’t like to go back to the same places. But then I thought that I’d devoted so much time, research, and money to the project

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already that I had to give it another shot. I was worried that due to climate change, the big glacier would transform too fast, and that if I waited a few years before coming back, the line I had in mind wouldn’t be viable anymore and all the work would’ve been wasted. This year, everything fell into place and things felt much easier.” If Bargiel was unsure of the risks he was facing prior to his climb, he was harshly reminded of the dangers when he and his team learned of a missing climber on neighbouring Broad Peak. Highly regarded Scottish climber Rick Allen was presumed dead after disappearing during his descent, before Bargiel and his brother located him via their drone and directed rescuers to him, who then assisted Allen back down to safety. It was hardly an auspicious start to the expedition, but served as a stern, if unnecessary reminder of how even the world’s top climbers can be helpless in the face of raw nature. But a few days later, the incident would be a footnote on the accomplishments of the Polish adventurer.

If skiing down a narrow, 50-degree couloir named the “bottleneck” isn’t scary enough, doing so at more than 8,000 meters isn’t supposed to be possible. That’s difficult ski terrain closer to sea level, but Bargiel had to flawlessly descend while his muscles burned for oxygen that simply wasn’t available at such heights. “I was fully aware of the dangers at all times,” Bargiel told Redbull. com. “I needed good visibility and excellent snow conditions. We had a large telescope that I used to observe the face all the time. It’s essential to have a lot of experience so, based on your knowledge and the information you draw from observing nature, you can find the right moment to move and to act on the mountain.” Bargiel knew better than to be deceived into thinking the mountain is a stable entity. It’s a constantly shifting puzzle, as snow conditions change and some sections go from relatively safe to completely impassable overnight. He had to carefully scout his path, and then make sure that conditions hadn’t changed, surprising him during his descent. “There are one or two steep sections, where you have to pass at the right time

to be safe so that the snow isn’t too hard or soft and there’s no avalanche danger,” Bargiel said. “And the sun shines exactly on the spots where you need it, but it’s not too warm, because otherwise you have seracs [ice blocks] falling on your head. There’s a lot of data.” There’s a general philosophy in big-mountain climbing that getting to the summit is only half the battle. This is true for all climbers, as the majority of accidents occur during descent, but perhaps no one has had more reason to avoid summit celebrations than Bargiel. After all, despite successfully climbing perhaps the most difficult mountain on earth, he had only completed the comparatively “easy” part of his day. “Reaching the summit, I didn’t feel like a winner. I got there, put warmer clothes on, and took a photo of myself,” Bargiel said in his post-descent interview with Redbull.com. “I acted a bit like a machine, because I knew the most important and most difficult part was still ahead of me. Fortunately, I work in a way that such a challenge cuts me off from everything. Nothing scares me. I might’ve worried before, during preparation, but when the time comes, I just do it.” ■

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MACHINES

FUTURE LE MANS of

BY B I L L VA R E T I M I D I S

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A

ccording to Omar Alfarra Zendah, Tesla will win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2030. He’s not a psychic, or a Nostradamus enthusiast — just a really biased concept designer. He, along with four other students at the Institute of European Design Barcelona, came up with the T1 vision, which is an outsideof-the-norm take on an electric race car concept. The vehicle looks into future technologies largely unavailable today, and the design focuses around how wind can be best utilised in order for the T1

to earn energy and increased acceleration. Originally conceived for the Michelin Design Challenge, it uses free-standing wheels with in-wheel turbines to pull the air through ducts and into a large rear turbine — creating bumper power in the process. As a whole, the T1 team speculates their baby will produce 1,000kW of power in a car that weighs only 900 kg. From that power-to-weight ratio the students can then estimate the racer could reach 410 km/h. To help harness all that power, (naturally) grippy Michelin tyres on both the front and

rear axles turn independently, causing the wheelbase to shorten and make the car more agile than a double-jointed ballerina. A 70 kilowatt battery would store the energy and start the car before the wind power kicks in. Each turbine is 3D printed from aerogel, enclosed within high tensile magnesium wheels and graphene tyres. When it comes to concepts, you wouldn’t expect anything less from Elon Musk and his legion of followers. They took their vision of wind power and took it further than a baked bean eating contest ever would.

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MACHINES

ITALIAN ROCKET =V`aN ZRN[` xa_NPXy V[ 6aNYVN[ but they should have gone with the Italian word for rocket. The 488 Pista is a direct descendant of track-heavy midengine V8 Ferraris such as the 360 Challenge Stradale, the 430 Scuderia and the 458 Speciale. Just like those legends, this prancing horse was developed with data

sourced from the FIA World Endurance Championship. The power behind the 488 GTB’s twin-turbo V8 is already infamous, but just to add more ammo to the arsenal, the engineers/lunatics increased it to 537kW at 8000 rpm. It’s true there are some $1 million+ hypercars out there with that weaponry — but the 488 Pista

costs way way way less. Unlike their competitors who improve aerodynamics by adding on, Ferrari prefers cutting out (parts of the body). Check out the way the front hood dips ahead of the front bumper; Ferrari calls this innovation the S-Duct, and it looks like grandpa with his teeth out — but oddly sexy.

You’ll find a much more efficient use of lightweight materials like carbon fibre and Alcantara on this model, with the lithium battery from the 488 Challenge heavily contributing to the 90kg left on the workshop floor. Come game time, the 488 Pista will face off against the exclusives and elusives that are the McLaren 720S, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, and the Lamborghini Huracan Performante. Imagine a midengined, twin-turbo V8 supercar hanging with the snobbiest of hypercars? The Pista is ready to deliver.

2019 Ferrari 488 Pista Engine: 3.9 litre V8 twin-turbo Transmission: 7 speed dual-clutch automatic Power: 537kW Torque: 568 lb-ft@3000rpm Top Speed: 340+ km/h 0-100km/h: 2.9 seconds Price: $596,888

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BY B I L L VA R E T I M I D I S

MACHINES 2019 Polaris RZR RS1 Engine: 999cc 4-stroke DOHC twin cylinder Transmission: Power: 82kW Torque: n/a Curb weight: 607kg Fuel Capacity: 35.9 litres Price: $19,850 (approx)

POLARIS RZR RS1 The folks at Polaris are keeping busy. The company that basically created the multiseat sport UTV market isn’t kicking back - they’ve gone and dropped this new single-seat Ace unit into our wishlists. The first Ace up their sleeve had mega 4x4 capabilities within the creature comfort of a roll cage. For 2019 we’re treated

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to the mind-slammin’ RZR RS1. We know when you think of Polaris you think F1 racing; and just like the elite Formula One machines, the RS1 is a driver-centred single-seat setup — meaning you can let the engine roar without having to hear a passenger whinge. Sharing the same power/ suspension as the RZR XP

1000 model but with an upgraded drivetrain, the RZR RS1 has exceptional sight-line visibility to the front and the side as part of its new sleeker, sexier package. Polaris describe the RS1 as a “driver-focused off-road experience” and we know what they’re talking about. The Pro Star 999cc, liquid-cooled four-

stroke, parallel-twin-cylinder engine gives off that bottomend hit in the power curve that slowly levels off towards the top end – perfect ratios when you’re off-road. Since many racing series are announcing specific classes for the RS1, there will be many professional drivers itching to see what the latest from Polaris can do. Given the heightened interest, and future racer status – we’re sure the company has another social media hit on their hands. ■

BY B I L L VA R E T I M I D I S

T I TA N

THE GREATEST ADVENTURER How Elon Musk and SpaceX have breathed life back into the space travel industry... BY KE ITH G O R D O N

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t’s easy now to think of Elon Musk’s SpaceX as the ultimate success story, given the live broadcasts of its rockets soaring into space before landing softly back on terra firma minutes later. After all, there are few harder tasks for a startup than breaking into an established industry full of enormous, well-connected companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and requiring huge amounts of capital investment in research and development before any return can be expected. With each successive launch seemingly pushing SpaceX’s capabilities further and further, it’s tempting to forget how hard it’s been for the company to not only thrive but even survive. Yet are we really surprised by SpaceX’s willingness to fight the status quo and upend conventional wisdom when we remember who founded the company and still runs it? After all, Elon Musk isn’t one to pass on an opportunity, no matter how challenging. Whether it was simplifying and securing digital payments on the internet (PayPal), getting the public to accept electric cars (Tesla), or expanding renewable energy (SolarCity), Musk’s ventures all seem to find opportunity in problems that would have discouraged other entrepreneurs. The same goes for SpaceX (short for Space Exploration Technologies), founded in 2002 as Musk’s response to the high cost of launching objects into orbit, as well as NASA’s pullback from many aspects of space travel and transport with the end of the shuttle program. Many foresaw the problem of fewer launch options with NASA scaling

back, but Musk wasn’t cowed by the obvious challenges of the private space industry. Perhaps he should have been. After the first three launches of the company’s Falcon rocket, SpaceX had three failures to its name and only enough money remaining for one last attempt, scheduled for September 28, 2008. With any small flaw meaning catastrophic failure, and failure meaning the end of the company, the Falcon 1 rocket successfully flew off the launchpad, keeping the company’s prospects aloft with it. Despite the occasional setback, SpaceX has taken that success and steamed full-speed ahead. That early Falcon 1 rocket, improved upon with each subsequent iteration, is now the main engine for SpaceX’s vehicles; the Falcon 9 uses nine of the Merlin engines, and the massive Falcon Heavy, currently the most powerful rocket on the planet, uses 27 working in unison to carry massive payloads into orbit. It’s poignant that a once-maligned, and nearly disastrous, rocket is now entrusted to power the most successful private space launch platforms ever created. But Musk and SpaceX’s task was more than just technological in nature. It was also political. For years, United Launch Alliance, a joint partnership between aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, had a near monopoly not only on missions for NASA, but perhaps more crucially, the high-paying launches of the Pentagon. Washington Post journalist Christian Davenport, whose book The Space Barons details the private space race being waged by billionaires like Musk and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin), has been impressed by the inroads the

“TO SORT OF START OUT FROM SCRATCH AND SAY, Æ=ÇA ;CBB5 GH5FH 5 FC7?9H COMPANY,’ YOU COULD ARGUE IS FOOLHARDY.”

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company has made. “Before they came around, nobody really thought that a private company could do this on their own without the big legacy, not just relationships with the government, but with the talent pool that the traditional players like Lockheed Martin and Boeing UNcR A\ `\_a \S `aN_a \ba S_\Z `P_NaPU N[Q `Nf x6yZ T\[[N `aN_a N rocket company,’ you could argue is foolhardy.� But Musk, carrying with him a list of successful and ever more demanding launches, was able not only to get NASA to give his company contracts to resupply the International Space Station, but to get the Pentagon, with its deep pockets, to entrust the company with launch missions of national security projects. Perhaps this wasn’t as sexy as video of a rocket landing smoothly back on Earth, but it was likely the making of SpaceX’s financial success and long-term stability. Davenport puts this financial reality into perspective. z<[R \S aUR aUV[T` aURf `Nf V` xAUR ^bVPXR`a dNf a\ ORP\ZR N millionaire in space is to start out as a billionaire,’ ’’ he says. “Because it is very difficult, and you face long odds. And Elon and SpaceX should be given credit for that. That was incredibly difficult. They were able to break in and legitimately disrupt a market, not just from working with NASA but working with the Pentagon, which had been relying on one provider for national security launches, the United Launch Alliance, which had a monopoly on those launches for 10 years. And then along comes SpaceX, who literally sued their way in to do it. What they’ve achieved is frankly nothing short of remarkable.� Remarkable is a word satellite-launch customers might also use to describe SpaceX and its impact on the space industry. After all, SpaceX has pushed the boundaries of engineering with its multiuse rockets, capable of landing on land or a drone ship at sea, and able to be refurbished and reused at a fraction of the cost of a one-use rocket. The company currently offers a launch of its Falcon 9 rocket for US$62 million and a reusable Falcon Heavy launch for a mere US$90 million, both huge savings over alternative options like the estimated US$400 million price tag of ULA’s Delta IV Heavy. This is the actual core of SpaceX’s business achievement: cost savings. For while a reusable rocket landing back on Earth might look amazing to the general public, it looks even better to the accountants. SpaceX now claims to be able to launch payloads into space with reusable rockets at a fraction of the price traditionally charged for such services. These savings trickle down into all industries using orbital platforms, such as the GPS in your phone or car, or internet service in remote areas of the globe, that would either cost more or be unavailable without the savings possible due to Musk and SpaceX’s peerless innovations. But for all the financial and corporate success of the company, the show must go on. So there was Elon Musk, back in September,

introducing Japanese fashion entrepreneur and art collector Yusaku Maezawa as the first commercial tourist scheduled to orbit the moon, a mission SpaceX hopes will take place in 2023. Missions to another planet are under way as well, fulfilling one of the founding goals Musk had for his space startup — visiting and possibly settling humans on Mars. Throw in his taste for the theatrical (he used the launch of the beastly Falcon Heavy rocket in February 2018 to send one of his Tesla Roadsters into orbit), and one could be forgiven for assuming Musk keeps his head in the clouds, dreaming big and ignoring the mundane task of running an organisation with roughly 6,000 employees. But the truth is that while he’s grabbed the public’s attention with his ambitious, sometimes overreaching goals and outlandish plans for the future of private space travel and tourism, he’s been able to create a self-sustaining company that is likely already profitable, with billions of dollars in future launch contracts already signed by NASA, the Pentagon, and numerous private entities. SpaceX has lots of style, but also lots of substance — just like its founder. According to Davenport, “Elon’s DNA is infused in almost every aspect of SpaceX, from the design of the rockets [and] these big, outlandish, quick-thought goals that may or may not ever come true in terms of going to the moon or Mars, to just the hype and attention he’s been able to generate for the company. And then there’s this other part, where they’re so hard-charging and work so hard that there is a certain level of burnout there. They do go through some engineers and talent because Elon drives them so hard, and it’s just relentless.â€? As the huge next step of safely launching humans into space approaches, even more difficult challenges will face SpaceX and its team. So while “relentlessâ€? might be tough on engineers, it seems to be the way Elon Musk and SpaceX have successfully redefined the space industry for the 21st century. â–

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TECH

Breaking the

SURROUND SOUND Record

When you think of home theatre audio, international mega-brands like Yamaha, Sony and Bose may come to mind. But it’s actually in South Australia where you’ll find the best in audio innovation, and a little Aussie battler called KRIX setting new standards.... BY

I

CHRIS STEAD

n late 2018, at the Melbourne International Hi-Fi show, audio specialist Krix pulled-off an astonishing world first. A 24.10.10 Dolby Atmos surround sound home theatre experience. That’s 34 speakers and ten subwoofers. Via a series of film snippets and video game demos, attendees had their minds blown and ears enlightened in ways no other human has had the joy to experience. If you, like us, are still tinkering with the levels and shifting furniture in an attempt to get a 7.1 setup firing, then the logistics of making 44 speakers work in harmony is enough to make the knees quake. So how did they do it? And who the hell is Krix, anyway? “We actually started back in the late seventies,” Michael Cox, marketing manager at Krix reveals of his company’s humble beginnings. “Our founder, Scott Krix, had been tinkering with electronics from an

TOP: Scott Krix Founder; ABOVE: Michael Cox, marketing manager at Krix

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early age, building speakers for family and friends that could compete with and even outperform the international brands. He eventually opened a hi-fi shop, the Acoustic Foundry.” But it was in 1978 that the foundations from which Krix was driven to excel and innovate were truly laid. “The nearby Capri cinema asked Scott to build a speaker system for their theatre. However, there was a fundamental problem with the way the sound moved throughout the room. To fix this, Scott devised the world’s first infinite baffle wall; a wall which would fill the area between the speakers that sit behind the cinema screen.” “The innovation gained huge attention and by the nineties, Krix speakers were in 90% of the major cinemas throughout Australia. By the time surround sound made the big jump from cinemas to residential homes in the late 90’s, Krix was well-placed, releasing numerous models to fill the need.” Since then the company has continued to grow and evolve what is possible with home audio experiences. Look at Krix’s concealed architectural speakers, for example. Or the renowned Series X range, which has “made it possible to have effortless, clear and hugely powerful cinema sound at home!” Despite 40 years building from the ground-up a reputation for innovation, it’s still hard battling the big boys from way down there in the bite. “The Krix staff really do share a passion for great sound and bringing smiles to people’s faces when listening to music or watching a movie becomes an experience. But it’s a struggle battling the cost of overseas manufacturers. Being geographically isolated does present added costs in doing business.” Which is why a demonstration in raw power was in order.

Building a 24.10.10 System “Originally we were planning something small scale,â€? Cox explains of how the Krix world Ĺž_`a PNZR NO\ba zDUR[ \[R \S the ballrooms at the expo became available, we reached out to our friends at French company Trinnov Audio — who have developed the most advanced audio processors available to home environments — and began to think of something bigger. It came to light that if we did a _R`VQR[aVNY ! P\[ĹžTb_NaV\[ Va d\bYQ OR aUR Ĺž_`a aVZR N[f\[R had ever attempted it. It was all we needed to hear.â€? Of course, there is a reason why nobody had attempted it before. Six months of planning was required to get together all the moving parts. A projector, 250-inch screen, video and audio processors, source players, brackets, cables and, of course, it all had to be compatible — “everything in the chain needed a\ x]YNf [VPR y{ AUR[ aUR_R dN` seating, rigging, lighting, automation, curtains, keeping the crew housed and fed, marketing, ticketing, freight and storage. “There was around 18 pallets worth of equipment, not including the truss-work, racking,

]YNaS\_Z` N[Q Ĺż\\_V[T that all had to be packed down within four hours of our last QRZ\ DR Ĺž[V`URQ with one minute to spare!â€? Then of course there were the speakers; the Krix speciality. But nobody had ever had to calibrate a system like this before. “We spent a lot FAST FACT of time looking at the correct The showcase also speaker choice, arrangement included another Australian and positioning to ensure we first. It was the first local use d\bYQ ĹžYY aUR cR_f YN_TR _\\Z of the ground-breaking 4K evenly and consistently. Then Barco Wodan projector. It’s worth $150,000 and Trinnov’s advanced microphone provided the 250measures test chirps and tones, inch picture. and then adjusts and calibrates the audio to provide a Ĺž[NY R^bNYV`RQ _R`bYa This system can locate a speaker to within 10mm in a room — it’s worldleading technology.â€? With that, the stage was `Ra N[Q 8_Vey` d\_YQ Ĺž_`a dR[a \Ĺ˝ dVaU\ba N UVaPU AUR little Aussie battler showed every other player in the home theatre space how to get a world record done! Now all you need to do is d\_X \ba U\d f\by_R T\V[T a\ Ĺža 44 speakers in your man cave!

JUMP ONLINE We asked Krix to give us some tips on buying a home theatre setup in 2019. Jump onto maxim.com.au to check them out.

OUR PICK OF KRIX HOME THEATRE: The MX-30 is a fantastic and unique concept. The left, centre and right speakers, with two subwoofers, are joined together in the one unit. This is then embedded in the wall behind your projector screen. Mixing short throw sounds with a range of pinpoint frequencies, it then fills the entire room with sound.

IN-CEILING: If you’re looking for some subtle, but powerful, in-ceiling speakers, we like the Atmospherix A20. They’re a cinch to install and have a great magnetic cover that hugs the e gyprock. The speakke er is fully enclosed, stopping sound from escaping into the roof cavity or subfloor, plus by angling the speaker, sound doesn’t bounce offf floors and benchess.

Having experimented with the installation and sound setups of the Krix speakers, here are our tips for the best of its range... OUTDOOR: We‘re fans of the Tropix. It’s a beefy looking speaker that offers meaty sound, especially bass. The strong bracket makes it easy to fix off to walls or poles, and the ability to o rotate it allows you to point sound in the right direction (and away from neighbours). Purpose built to handle Aussie weather extremes, too.

MAXI M.COM.AU

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GAMING

GAME OF THE MONTH

Run

DMC

Game Name: Devil May Cry 5 Developer: Capcom Genre: Action Formats: PC, XBO, PS4 Release: March 8

DEVIL MAY CRY 5 is an explosive, mind-blowing, button-mashing serving of fun from start to finish... BY

CHRIS STEAD

F

amed Japanese developer Capcom is no stranger to over-the-top action, but even if you’ve already caught the demon-hunting DMC series before, you’ll still be surprised by just \ck bYlh!`YjY` h\Y ghm`]g\ \UW_ ÆbÇ g`Ug\]b[ has become. Set a considerable number of years after Devil May Cry 2 — as evidenced by hero Dante’s more mature visage — this fifth release in the series is built on the same enhanced game engine from Resident Evil VII. It’s fast, fluent and even gorgeous in its own, dark, devilish way. Especially the cutscenes! The story revolves around three characters: new hero V, who hires demon hunter extraordinaire and series regular Dante to solve (and defeat) a new uprising in devilish menaces. And DMC 4 hero Nero returns, having set up his own demon hunting agency. At its core, the gameplay stays true to what has made the series a guilty pleasure for most action fans since 2001. You acrobatically move through more-or-less linear levels, charged with eviscerating waves of demon hordes in the most stylish way possible. Style comes from elegantly combining the host of available moves into a ballet of butchery, feet barely touching the ground as you dash between foes and leap through the air. Where Devil Mary Cry 5 surges forward is in the arsenal available to these three main characters. Dante still has his iconic dual pistol and sword setup, but he also some brilliant new special weapons. The best is the motorbike. In one form, you can literally ride into combat. You can wheelie and spin your front tyre straight into a foe’s neck, or

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do a burnout and chop the legs out from a whole platoon of demons. Then, you can split that bike in two, holding a half in each hand and swing them as powerful melee weapons. Driving a spinning wheel into an enemy reminds us somewhat of Gears of War’s Lancer assault rifle. Meanwhile, Nero keeps his sword and revolver combo, but also gets replaceable, upgradeable, robotic arms he can equip. These each come with their own, powerful moves, which can do things like grapple opponents, freeze time, throw foes away, push out big electronic fists and more. Nero can carry four of these at a time, but they will break. Luckily they each have one final, explosive special move to unleash at their death. Finally, there is V, the newbie. Capcom is keeping his combat experience under-wraps right up until release, but we can tip you off by pointing towards his weapons — a staff and book! His style of play is very different indeed. The thrill of Devil May Cry 5 comes from exploring all these new abilities and inventing stylish ways of combining them in the face of unrelenting demon hordes. The resulting action-fest is super entertaining for those who love it over-the-top and unrelenting. ■

COVER GIRL

TYANA Stone cold beauty

The blonde bombshell from the controversial Ultra Tune ads returns to MAXIM to talk working with Charlie Sheen, social media haters and doing this swimwear shoot in a sub-zero ice bar… P H OTO G R A P H E D BY A R T H U R S T J O H N

I N T E R V I E W BY S A N T I P I N TA D O

HAIR & MAKE-UP GEORGIA NEWMAN

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Seeing as you’re in nothing but a bikini, how hard was it trying to stay warm in there? Extremely! It was minus 15 degrees in there and at one point my skin was stuck to the ice and felt like it was on fire. Luckily, I had a few faux fur items to keep me warm, but I guess it’s sort of like unintended cryotherapy which I hear is really good for you.

cover, Tyana. It’s also the first cover on your own — how does it feel? Thank you so much! It feels great. I love shooting for MAXIM Australia because it’s a local publication which means I can go down to the store and see it on the shelf, which is pretty surreal. What have you been up to since we last saw you? I’ve been working a lot, filming for Ultra Tune, obviously, as well as shooting for different publications around the world. I also bought a house and did a bit of travelling around Europe and Asia. Nice. Tell us something we wouldn’t know about you. Hmmm… not many people would know that up until I was about 19 I used to want to be a flight attendant. I even got a job with Emirates but I didn’t end up pursuing it as I had more opportunities here in Australia working other things. So, what do you do when you’re not posing for MAXIM? You’ll either find me on a beach or with my head in a book – I’m a huge fan of crime thrillers. This is a cool, pardon the pun, photo shoot – tell us the idea behind the ice bar theme? It was actually Sean Buckley’s, my boss, idea. He messaged me one day and was like, “Hey, I have a great idea – I want you to do a swimwear shoot in an ice bar. We happened to be in Melbourne at the time, and found an ice bar in Fitzroy, and so it went from there. 3 8

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Tell us about the latest Ultra Tune TV commercial you filmed in Melbourne with Charlie Sheen? Well, it is the second commercial I have filmed for Ultra Tune – the first was with Mike Tyson. This time, I’m sitting in the backseat behind Parnia [Porsche, last month’s MAXIM cover girl] and again my role was that of a damsel in distress – aka an Ultra Tune Rubber Girl. What was it like working with Mr Sheen compared to Mike Tyson? Both guys are extremely lovely but I feel it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Charlie is an actor so as far as his onset abilities he was amazing. A lot of the time he was improvising with his lines – he’s actually extremely funny and witty. Do you have any funny on-set stories you can share with us? Probably the most memorable was when we were driving towards the end of the pier and they told Parnia to floor it – I don’t think the director thought she would take it so literally. We almost went off the edge for real! What do you love most about ad? I love that it doesn’t remind me of anything else. The concept is so original and, along with the controversy, it’s why this ad is so popular. If there’s one actor you’d love to work with who would it be? Probably Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel or Tom Hardy – I really can’t choose. I love them all. What do you love most about being an Ultra tune Rubber Girl? I love all the opportunities it brings and the people I get to meet. I also love working for such a good company – the advances they’ve made in the automotive industry, as far as making car servicing affordable, is unprecedented.

“THE CONCEPT IS SO ORIGINAL AND, ALONG WITH THE CONTROVERSY, IT’S WHY THIS AD IS SO POPULAR.” Are there any cons of being an Ultra Tune Rubber Girl? Probably just the hate I receive on social media – but that’s a given with any sort of fame per se. It just goes to show how unhappy people are when you do well. Do you still have to deal with all the controversy surrounding the Ultra Tune commercials? Yes, I do, every day. But I’ve grown a thicker skin because of it. It’s sad to say but a lot of the hate comes from women which is quite disappointing – you’d hope we’d all be empowering one another. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? That worrying and stressing over something isn’t going to change the outcome. What’s the weirdest thing someone has sent you via social media? Where do I start? People send me weird videos all the time – from them singing in the shower to them patting a dog… Mind you, these are all random men so you can understand why I find the videos strange. What’s one thing men should always know about women? Women always find out the truth – I kid you not! We are basically FBI agents. What’s the best way for a man to win his way to your heart? Take me on a spontaneous trip overseas. Finally, got any big plans for 2019? I have a lot of travel planned this year, from Brazil to the U.S. and maybe a sneaky trip to Europe. I also want to try and get into television, so we will see how I go. But honestly, I just want to be happy this year. It’s so easy to get caught up in social media and the rat race, so I hope I can take time to enjoy the little things.

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Status Update FULL NAME: Tyana Maree Hansen BORN: April 1, 1995 HOMETOWN: Redlands Bayside, Qld LIVES: Gold Coast, Qld FIVE WORD SELFDESCRIPTION: “Talkative, stubborn, funny, persistent, friendly.” HOBBIES: “Roller blading and swimming in the ocean. Also, eating – does that count as a hobby?” HIDDEN TALENT: “I can put my foot behind head.” WORST HABIT: “Eating other people’s food after I have finished my own meal.” PHOBIAS: “I’m deathly afraid of fish. It’s so weird – I love swimming in the ocean but once I see a fish my day is ruined and I have to get out of immediately.” FAVOURITE DRINK: “I have a few – vodka water (not soda), anything sour or Baileys on ice.” HANGOVER CURE: “Garlic bread.” GIRL CRUSH: “Scarlett Johansson is an all-time favourite and also my wife Laura (@lauratully_) – she is just stunning inside and out.” BEDTIME ATTIRE: “Nothing… which is surprising considering how much Peter Alexander I buy.” LIFE MOTTO: “You can have anything you want, as long as you want it bad enough.” INSTAGRAM: @tyanamaree

“WOMEN ALWAYS FIND OUT THE TRUTH ʕ = ?=8 MCI NOT! WE ARE BASICALLY FBI AGENTS.” 4 0

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“WORRYING AND STRESSING OVER SOMETHING ISN’T GOING TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME.”

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“A LOT OF THE HATE COMES FROM WOMEN WHICH IS QUITE DISAPPOINTING ʗ MCIÇ8 <CD9 WE’D ALL BE EMPOWERING ONE ANOTHER.”

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ACTION

BUSH WHACKED The off-road competition the ELEPHANT CHARGE is a can’t-miss event for thrill seekers — even if you don’t encounter any pachyderms... BY D U N CAN Q U I N N

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rubbed my bleary eyes as the caffeine kicked in, and the fog lifted. Twenty-three hours of air travel, on a nearly 12,000-mile marvel of a modern journey from Gotham City to Lusaka, Zambia — what used to be Northern Rhodesia. Then, three hours’ sleep in a fantastic hotel after greeting friends old and new. I cracked a local Mosi beer for breakfast. It would have been almost rude not to. Some might well agree that it would even out the cockeyed view of the world-class sunrise peeking through my jet-lag-tinted glasses on the long drive out to camp. The last best 4WD I had climbed out of was a Lamborghini Aventador, at Pebble Beach. But this was a whole different kettle of fish, one that had me thinking of a more immediate and potentially selfimposed grisly demise, bleeding out hundreds of miles from the closest hospital in a squashed four-wheel-drive tin can. I girded my loins for an interval training course of plunges into, and out of, the abyss — placing life, team, and sanity in the cradle of Warn Industries winches, Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires, and notorious Land Rover mechanics. The guy who wrenched the car together being an entirely different story. Lunatics have been tinkering and convening to spike their adrenaline since combustion engines were invented, but this — orienteering through elephant terrain — was convening with a cause. We were there for the dust, sweat, and gears of the Elephant Charge, an annual extreme off-road event aiding Zambia’s conservation efforts, on which we’d grind along through the nowhere of wildlife tracks and animal shit. But mostly we were there for the camaraderie of teammates divining routes through impenetrable terrain, making use of mathematical calculations of risk and the skill required to pass obstacles most mere mortals would consider suicidal, all while the laissez-faire attitude of a time and place long since past became more apparent one gin and tonic at a time. The Charge was cofounded by the only man with a louder laugh and heartier smile than yours truly: Mr. Peter Castle. Think of it as a short-course Paris Dakar: a weekend jolly in the heart of the African bush, complete with about 400 characters who wouldn’t have looked out of place in the bar at Mos Eisley on the desert planet of Tatooine, and have about the same survival odds. Up to 35 teams are allowed to enter, in vehicles that must have started life with a registered weight of less than three metric tons. Each team has four to six members — a driver, a navigator, and two to four “runners.” Once you’ve been to the team briefing, the role of the runners becomes more apparent and more important; it is their job to fan out ahead of the car to gauge the most direct achievable route. The Charge

The Elephant Charge has been held since 2008 and takes place in late September. It donates all funds raised to conservation, education, and anti-poaching initiatives in Zambia, helping to preserve the environment for generations to come MAXI M.COM.AU

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starts at around 7 a.m. on race day, with teams splitting into different groups that begin at different checkpoints to avoid a complete shit show at the start. The winning team is the one that completes all of the checkpoints within the allotted time via the shortest distance. Speed is almost irrelevant, save for ensuring you complete the race on time; far more important is thrift of distance, which accounts for the preponderance of deathdefying stunts undertaken to save a few hundred yards. Most years, less than half the cars finish. Some years it’s as few as 20 percent, which has less to do with the quality of the cars than with the extremity of the terrain. It’s not a bad set of statistics to ponder in a world gone mad, where pachyderm tusks have become the catnip of the deranged, commanding such crazy rewards that poachers butcher the riches of the environment. Not for the meat, or out of hunger, but simply to dig for incisors to smuggle abroad. Blood tusks. Just like blood diamonds, except they are from something that was once alive and present. Elephants might be intelligent enough to know where they are protected and where they are not; disciplined enough to travel scores of miles across imaginary borders for food and water. Many are now in sanctuaries where they can find medicine, rest, and respite. Where once there were millions, now there are a few hundred thousand in Africa. Nominally they are protected, but they are not. One of the ironies is that the only elephants normally spotted in the course of the event

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IT’S NOT A BAD SET OF STATISTICS TO PONDER IN A WORLD GONE MAD, WHERE PACHYDERM TUSKS HAVE BECOME THE CATNIP OF THE DERANGED, COMMANDING SUCH CRAZY REWARDS THAT POACHERS BUTCHER THE RICHES OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

are on the race’s logo. If you can find your way out to the camp with the directions provided the day before, you are already halfway to winning. But the real fun begins around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, as you drag yourself out of the previous night’s festivities and bundle into your car in the morning mist, selecting low four-wheel drive, ready for the rehydration salts and blistering heat that is yet to come. You’ve already charted your strategy for the day over several beers the night before. Now you just need to execute within the allowed time, finishing before 3 p.m. or before you

break your car or your team’s spirit. Without knowing whether your course will lead to impassable ravines, flooded riverbeds, or almost vertical drops, you will battle through checkpoint after checkpoint, each a celebration in and of itself; a step toward survival and success. Ultimately, most who try fail. But despite cars breaking and dreams being smashed, all who survive celebrate together at the end of a long day. We sit down for dinner with toasts, speeches, and prizes…and one last huzzah before camp breaks for another year. We’ve finished once in five attempts. But we’ll be back again for more. ■

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F 1 2 0 19 S E A S O N P R E V I E W

THRILL RIDE

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Rookies, returns, Ricciardo’s Renault and racier rides. Yes, Formula 1’s 2019 season is set to become a blockbuster from the outset and here’s why… BY S T E WA R T B E L L

A

massive driver shuffle, and 20 revamped racier cars ensure plenty of promise as the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula One prepares for its milestone 70th World Championship season. It’s a reset that could topple Mercedes, despite Lewis Hamilton dominating in the second half of last year on the way to a fifth F1 World Championship, matching the great Juan Manuel Fangio. Hamilton’s pole position lap in Singapore last year, a 1:36.015 under lights

at the stunning Marina Bay was one his best-ever – a razor-sharp slice of perfection that wowed the crowds at the fan-favourite event. It would be a welcome change too. F1’s turbo-hybrid era has been monopolised by the Silver Arrows, having secured all titles since 2014, 84 per cent of the poles and 74 per cent of the races — far stronger than the golden eras of Ferrari (2000 and 2004) and Red Bull Racing (2010-2013).

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TECHNICAL SHIFT

T

he catalyst to what could trigger F1’s latest changing of the guard are new technical regulations aimed at creating cars more capable of closer racing. The 2018-spec F1 cars lost around 50 per cent of their total downforce (which pushes the cars onto the track for high cornering speeds) when within two to three lengths of the car in front, making it difficult for one car to chase another. This year’s changes, though, are a step towards F1’s ultimate goal to reduce that loss to around 20 per cent by 2021. To that end, the new cars have simplified front wings with a larger span, simplified front brake ducts, smaller bargeboards, and a wider, deeper and higher rear wing — a measure the sport hopes will at least ensure there’s no backwards step. “Formula 1 develops at an alarming rate, it’s relentless,” says F1’s chief technical officer of motorsports Pat Symonds. “If we had not done anything, the 2019 cars would have been even harder to follow than the 2018 cars were.” To further improve things, the rear wing’s DRS opening will also increase by 20 millimetres to boost its passing power by around 25 percent — while to stop the drivers from holding back to conserve fuel, the total limit will rise from 105 kilograms to 110. In the wet, the new rear wing has been designed to send plumes of water further skyward — with two LED lights on each of the rear wing endplates to assist with visibility in treacherous conditions. In other changes, the sport has finally seen the light on tyres. Sole supplier Pirelli is simplifying its range to make it easier for fans to understand, bringing just three colours — white (hard), yellow

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(medium) and red (soft) — to all races. The compounds behind these will change depending on each track, with the range going from C1 for the hardest, to C5 the softest. To ensure heavier drivers aren’t disadvantaged, their weight will finally be considered separate to the car. Teams are required to use additional ballast in the cockpit for drivers who weigh less than 80 kilograms. Drivers also have to wear biometric gloves with built-in senses that monitor their pulse rate and blood oxygen levels as well as a new, stronger helmet-spec for improved protection. All of which ensures F1 puts its best foot forward for 2019.

&$%- 8F=J9F @=B9ʔIDG

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ast year was a nightmare for those trying to make predictions for 2019. Daniel Ricciardo’s news in early August shocked the entire F1 paddock and beyond, with the announcement he would be moving to Renault. And it had huge knock-on effects, as teams and drivers scrambled for the remaining seats — the result: eight of the 10 teams have new driver combinations and four sport completely new line-ups. Mercedes, like American team Haas, retains its two drivers with Lewis Hamilton now a five-time F1 World Champion, and on the hunt for Michael Schumacher’s benchmark records of seven crowns and 91 Grand Prix wins. Valtteri Bottas, however, returns under pressure after a disappointing 2018 when he became the first Silver Arrows driver to have a winless season in the turbo-hybrid era. Bottas’ pressure, though, is nothing compared to that on Ferrari. 2018 was a missed opportunity for the Scuderia — the fast car that could’ve won both world championships wasted through a combination of driver errors, bad strategy calls and blind development alleys. Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene took the fall for the failure, and has since been replaced by technical director Mattia Binotto who will cover both roles. Sebastian Vettel’s reputation needs to be rebuilt following a year of unnecessary crashes and spins, but the four-time F1 World Champion will be held to account all the way by a new teammate — young Monégasque Charles Leclerc, who was undoubtedly 2018’s rookie of the year. Should Leclerc get the upper hand, expect Ferrari to line up behind him. Over at Red Bull Racing, Ricciardo has been replaced by Red Bull protégé Pierre Gasly — the Frenchman getting the promotion after barely more than a season with B-team Toro Rosso, where he raced the Honda engine the squad has shifted to this year. The

Frenchman will have to bring his A-game against teammate Max Verstappen, a man on the rise and fearless competitor. McLaren, like fellow British squad Williams, has to hope 2019 will be better after a difficult season last year that was plagued with mysterious aerodynamic issues that hampered their campaigns. Both feature all-new driver line-ups for a total refresh with McLaren running Renault refugee Carlos Sainz and young gun Lando Norris. Williams is going for Formula 2 Champion George Russell and former Canadian Grand Prix winner Robert Kubica, with the Pole set to return to the grid after eight years away recovering from his 2011 rally crash. Force India fans rejoiced in August last year, when the minnow squad was rescued from administration by a Lawrence Stroll-led consortium. The team was temporarily rebranded Racing Point for the end of 2018, but is now widely tipped to retain that name into this season as well. Stroll has plucked his son from Williams to race alongside Mexican Sergio Pérez, in effect buying his son a more competitive drive after two largely disappointing years with Williams — his high points coming in 2017, including a Baku podium and Monza front row start. Sauber becomes Alfa Romeo Racing after a brilliant season last year, eighth in the constructors’ standings and Monégasque rookie Charles Leclerc was a standout — with 39 points scored, beating Marcus Ericsson 17-4 in qualifying and 6-3 in races when they could be compared. He also scored 30 more points. This year, the squad has upped the ante with 2007 F1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen joining former Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi. Completing the grid at Toro Rosso is two Red Bull recycled talents in Daniil Kvyat, who returns to the team for the third time since 2014 and Formula 2 race winner Alexander Albon.

C L O C K W I S E ( F R O M TO P L E F T ) : C h a r l e s L e c r e c , P i e r r e G a s l y, L e w i s H a m i l t o n a n d S e b a s t i a n Ve t t e l MAXI M.COM.AU

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KUBICA: Incredible Comeback Robert Kubica’s return to F1 this year, after eight years away, has to be one of the greatest comebacks in all of sport. “This period has been very long. It has been exhausting, not only because I have been working with Williams, but the [2018] season has been very long,” he says. “And [2019] will be even harder as I will be driving. And there were a lot of emotions, but for sure it has always been positive emotions.” The 34-year-old driver last raced an F1 car for Renault at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and had signed a contract to drive for Ferrari in 2012. Yes, he was that good. But a horrific crash at the 2011 Ronde di Andora rally left him critically injured and partially severed his right arm. “For a couple of years, it was more about fighting about health, trying to recover as much as you can,” Kubica says. “Nobody really knew how my body would react, and what would be my final, let’s say, limitations. I suffered a lot of injuries, a lot of fractures, some very complicated. I went through

nearly 20 months of continuing surgeries. It was a life changing period for me.” Incredibly, in 2013, the Pole returned to racing via the European and World Rally Championship, where his reduced dexterity was less of an issue. He won that year’s World Rally Championship 2, before stepping up to the main game. He moved into endurance racing in 2016, with the goal of F1 in mind,

and the following year, he had a handful of tests with Renault and Williams. Kubica missed out on a Williams race drive for 2018, instead settling for a reserve and development role, but took that final step for this year — and the world awaits the results.

DANIEL RICCIARDO: Onto Renault It’s a lateral move for the Perth-born racer, who will move from a race winning team to one unable to reach the podium in the short term. “I’m certainly aware of the current position of Renault, and where they’re at but I believe I’ve already come to terms with that. Obviously that was part of the process,” Ricciardo says. And it was a tough decision for the Australian, after a roller coaster ride with Red Bull — 2018 arguably his toughest year with eight race retirements, more than any other driver on the grid. “I think the thing with Red Bull, I came here after four world titles so naturally the expectation every year has been, at least in my mind, it’s like we’re going to win this year or we’re going to try and win. So you seem to be more disappointed because you’re always trying to achieve something which up until now we haven’t achieved.” Certainly a reported annual pay packet of AUD$35 million will help

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ease his worries, but Ricciardo sees this as an exciting new challenge and one where he can lead the team on-track and in development — though his new teammate Nico Hülkenberg is much underrated, and a dark horse in that match-up. But Renault’s top brass are convinced he will lift the squad to the next level. “We know that he is capable of driving not just a car, but a team for a while,” says Renault Sport Racing managing director Cyril Abiteboul. “He is fantastic for providing feedback to the engineers. But he has also got this ability which is very Australian, a little bit laid back, fun, not arrogant, but extremely talented, extremely motivated. And that’s exactly our style, that’s our philosophy. We don’t want to take us too seriously, but I can tell you that we are very serious about our ambitions, and we are very serious when it comes to the racing. And I think we share that

philosophy (with Daniel). Work hard, and play hard to a certain degree. I like that, I like that style, and I think it’s an image that works extremely well with the team.”

F1 CALENDAR HIGHLIGHT:

FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2019 F1 2019 kicks-off this year in Melbourne on March 17, but why not follow the action north in September for the sport’s original night race, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix? For the sports fan, racing under lights through the streets of Marina Bay is a thrilling prospect with the World Championship battle heating up and Mercedes, Ferrari and

Red Bull Racing likely locked in a furious three-way battle for glory. For the family, Singapore has it all with lots of accommodation, dining, relaxation and sightseeing options and all within reach of the Circuit Park. The event itself is rightly considered one of the world’s biggest sporting events, attended by an average of 250,000 people every year. Under the stunning night lights, the circuit transforms into an unrivalled carnival-like atmosphere, complete with an epic off-track programme. The first wave of their blockbuster line-up features rock trio Muse, renowned British DJ and producer Fatboy Slim, reggae icons Toots And The Maytals and American roots outfit Larkin Poe. More acts are expected to be announced soon, including the Sunday night act that will close out the weekend, after the chequered flag falls.

The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix will be held from September 20-22. For more information go to singaporegp.sg

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FINEST

MAXIM’s

WORLD TOUR

The good people at The WhiskyX events, held across America throughtout the year, showcase a unique mix of innovative, premium and world-class whiskies. Here, they give us the lowdown on 21 of the finest — including some which you may never have heard of, but once you’ve tried them are unlikely to forget...

EST. 2019

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The Singleton In Duff town, Scotland, they like to say that “Rome was built on seven hills, and Duff town stands on seven stills.” In the U.S., it’s no coincidence that seven has always been a lucky number: The seventh and last of the distilleries to be built there is Glendullan, constructed in 1897, whose onion-shaped stills produce The Singleton. With hints of citrus, raisins, honey, and vanilla, The Singleton 12 is perfectly balanced and easy to drink. Who said enjoying a fi ne whisky needs to be hard? The Singleton includes a range of three impressive single malts: Duff town, Glen Ord, and Glendullan. Whether it’s the nutty notes from Duff town, the dark berries of Glen Ord, or the fruits of Glendullan, all are nicely balanced and rich with an exceptionally smooth fi nish. Bet you didn’t know: Glendullan once maintained a private railway to transport its precious casks to market. Among its destinations was the court of King Edward VII, where the whisky was highly valued. Yes, as always, it was good to be king.

Ardbeg has been voted World Whisky of the Year — not once, but four times. Connoisseurs have called it “as close to perfection as makes no difference.” We’d just tell you it’s damn fine stuff . Ardbeg Ten Years Old is revered around the world as the peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all: a perfectly balanced whisky. Here’s how one pro describes the Ardbeg experience: “An explosion of crackling peat sets off flavour explosions: Peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling, cinnamonspiced toffee… brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas, and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate, bringing a mouthful of warm, creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows.” Our advice: If you can detect half these subtleties, or even just write like this, you should be in the spirits business.

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Aberlour “Let the deed show.” A very Scottish way of saying “actions speak louder than words,” this was the family motto of James Fleming, who founded Aberlour in 1879. Simply put, he believed in letting his whisky do the talking. And today, we think it continues to say a lot. Every bottle starts with the finest local barley and soft water from the nearby mountain called Ben Rinnes. Aberlour’s spirit is then matured in Spanish sherry and American oak casks to create an exceedingly well balanced range of single malts. Fun fact: Every February, the distillery pours a bottle of 12-yearold Aberlour into the River Spey to mark the beginning of the salmon fishing season and to encourage a good fishing season for the locals. But we’ll “let the deed show” and stop talking now so you can start trying it.

It’s safe to say that just about everyone on earth has heard of Dewar’s blended scotch whisky. We enjoy it quite a bit, thank you. Fewer know that it was started in 1846 in a small merchant shop in Perth, Scotland, by John Dewar, one of the first Scotsmen to blend whisky. Today its distillery in Aberfeldy is just three miles from Mr. Dewar’s birthplace, producing the beautifully balanced single malt at the heart of its whisky. Dewar’s pioneered the process of “marrying” the whisky, allowing the blend to age as one within oak casks. Then the blend is aged even further to create a smooth, robust finish. Dewar’s 12-year-old scotch is double-aged for extra smoothness — warm, buttery, and mellow, with notes of honey, homemade toffee, candy apples, melted caramel, and fudge. Yes, pretty much every flavour you craved as a kid, now expertly blended into an unforgettable scotch. That rich taste hasn’t gone unnoticed: Dewar’s is the world’s most-awarded blended scotch whisky, earning more than 500 medals in international competitions.

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Highland Park Glen Moray single malt has been distilled on the banks of the River Lossie since 1897, just outside Elgin, one of Scotland’s oldest towns. The locally malted barley and pure waters of the river combine to produce this delicate, well-balanced whisky. Situated in the Laich o’ Moray, the distillery benefits from the region’s milder climate, being aff orded protection from the Cairngorm and Monadhliath mountains. We confess to doing some homework on Google Maps while savoring a glass. Throughout its long history, award-winning Glen Moray has been distilled by hand in time-honoured fashion. Know-how and trade secrets have passed through the generations to ensure that every drop has the same light character as the one before it. In fact, the distillery has had just five managers since it began. We like that combination of job security and making great whisky.

In our humble opinion, perhaps no whisky has a richer history than this scotch, made in the land of Vikings. Ten miles north of the Scottish mainland you’ll find 70 or so islands that make up “Orkney,” home to Highland Park. For over two centuries, they’ve smoked their barley with 4,000-year-old peat cut just seven miles from the distillery. This dense, heathery peat burns slowly, with an intensity that delivers the beautifully balanced, smoky sweetness found only in Highland Park. Exactly how beautifully balanced? Industry expert Paul Pacult has called it “Best Spirit in the World” on three separate occasions. Fun fact: Built in 1798, Highland Park’s distillery lies almost in the Arctic Circle, on a latitude of 58.9847°N — roughly the same as Anchorage, Alaska (just a bit of bar trivia to impress your friends when you order this impressive scotch on the rocks).

Glenmorangie Founded in the Scottish Highlands in 1843, Glenmorangie is distilled in Scotland’s tallest stills. Their long, copper necks are said to be the same height as an adult male giraffe, allowing only the fi nest vapors to rise to the top. Why else would we be sticking our necks out to declare our fondness for this mellow, creamy single malt? But Glenmorangie truly stands above the others thanks to its expertise in wood. The spirit matures for 10 years in hand-selected “designer casks,” made of slow-growth American oak from Missouri, for a balance of sweetness and complexity. Fun bar trivia: Glenmorangie’s passion for wood and craftsmanship has led it to partner with Grain Surfboards to create surfboards made from the staves of the oak casks. Yes, thanks to the company’s oak, you could “hang ten” and enjoy a 10-year-old single malt in the same afternoon.

What happens when vintage equipment meets next-generation distillers? Bruichladdich was built in 1881 on the wild Scottish island of Islay, where the distillery still uses original Victorian equipment to create a range of single malt whiskies that are tripledistilled, matured, and bottled solely on the island. The barley farmers there partner with the distillery, keeping them informed about soil, wind, drainage, and the microclimate of every field — making Bruichladdich a truly artisanal single malt. But it’s the young, innovative distillers and their proudly nonconformist approach that set this brand apart. Each whisky is bottled naturally, non-chill-filtered, with no artificial coloring. As they put it, “We are curious and restless — we never leave well enough alone.” We suggest you indulge your own curiosity and try this exceptional whisky.

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Old Pulteney There was a time when Irish whiskey approached the brink of near extinction — but, being Irish, it refused to back down. We’ll drink to that! In fact, since 1990 it’s been the world’s fastestgrowing premium spirit. While Teeling g whiskey dates back to 1782, brothers Jack and Stephen set up their Teeling Whiskey Distillery in 2015 — the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years, and just a stone’s throw from the original site. Teeling is dedicated to bringing choice and breadth to the Irish whiskey category. We’re big fans of choice, especially when it comes to whiskey. Moreover, innovation is at the core of everything Teeling does: From the malting and blending of grains to the yeast it uses in fermentation and the distillation process itself, the company dares to be diff erent. We suggest you follow suit and try this distinctive, new-generation Irish whiskey.

Built in 1826, Pulteney Distillery is one of the northernmost distilleries on the Scottish mainland. The extreme location and unique stills have resulted in a single malt scotch whisky that’s bursting with the power and subtlety of the sea. In fact, they call Old Pulteney “the Maritime Malt.” We’ve always subscribed to the adage “Eat, drink, and be maritime.” Its 12 Year Single Malt is matured in airdried, hand-selected, ex-bourbon casks and traditionally crafted using techniques that other distillers have long since abandoned. Long live old-school! The result is a deep amber, red-golden liquid with a slightly pink hue; a mediumto- high-intensity aroma with a briny hint of sea air; and a dry, mediumbodied, smooth taste — faintly salty, yet reminiscent of honey and cream. Excuse us if we’re salivating while we write this.

The Glenlivet One of the most famous malts in the world, The Glenlivet was first crafted by one George Smith, an illegal distiller (a.k.a. moonshiner) operating in the glen of the river Livet, in the Scottish Highlands. Given his illicit activities, it helped that the distillery was, and continues to be, in a remote location. Even today, brand ambassador Ian Logan observes, “If you fi nd us by accident, you’re lost!” Smith’s dram may have been illegal, but it was popular: In fact, King George IV himself arrived in 1823 to try a glass — Kudos to the king. Fortunately, by the late 1830s everything was legal, and the Glenlivet distillery was producing 200 gallons of its signature creation a week. A century later, it accounted for half the Scottish malt whisky sold in the U.S., and it’s still going strong today for which we’re thankful. The Glenlivet collection — 14 whiskies in all — remains the benchmark against which all other Speyside single malts are measured. To quote Captain Bill Smith Grant, “If we can’t make good whisky, then we shouldn’t make any whisky.” We’ll certainly raise a glass to that!

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Johnnie Walker Built on a loyal following of those in the know, Redbreast is the largest-selling singlepot still Irish whiskey in the world. As far as we’re concerned, it’s never too late to be in the know. Treasured for its complex pot still character and Oloroso sherry maturation, Redbreast is the living definition of the Pot Still Irish Whiskey tradition. Redbreast was originally produced by Gilbey’s, a Dublin spirits merchant using distillate from Jameson’s Bow Street Distillery. Long after the demise of the whiskey bonder era, it has continued to live on as the archetypal whiskey of that time. In fact, in his 2018 Whisky Bible, Jim Murray observed that Redbreast 21 Year Old was “amongst the world’s truly great whiskies and near blueprint for the perfect pot still Irish whiskey.” Let’s all raise a glass to perfection.

Powers Powers Irish Whiskey was born just outside the walls of Dublin City in 1791 and became the standard for Irish whiskey throughout the world by never wavering in its commitment to the art of distilling. The single-pot still style of whiskey is unique to Ireland, and Powers protects the integrity of the distiller’s art by being among the first to bottle its whiskey at the distillery. The spirit is matured in mainly second-and third-fill American oak casks to protect and round out the carefully crafted, robust distillate. It’s then blended with the finest grain whiskey for unmistakable flavour. Powers has never blindly followed the trends of the day, so it is no wonder this has led to Powers whiskey being the most popular brand in Ireland. And we’re pretty sure nobody knows Irish whiskey like the Irish.

One of our classic favourites, Johnnie Walker is worldrenowned for its range of iconic scotch whisky blends: Red Label, Black Label, Green Label and Blue Label. Its “pioneer blend,” the one that introduced Johnnie Walker to the rest of the planet, is Red Label. In fact, it’s been the world’s best-selling scotch since 1945 — a.k.a. a very long time — with a blend that combines light whiskies from Scotland’s east coast with more peaty whiskies from the west to create an extraordinary depth of flavour. Red Label boasts hints of cinnamon, spicy pepper, and sweet vanilla, with a long and smoky finish, the signature of all Johnnie Walker blends that makes it great for mixing. We like it with ginger ale and a squeeze of lemon or lime for a refreshing yet spicy cocktail.) Fun fact: Red Label was Winston Churchill’s favorite whisky; he mixed it with water and drank it throughout the day. Perhaps he was referencing his daily passion for Johnnie Walker when he famously advised, “Never, never, never give up.”

Something we already knew: Glenfiddich, Gaelic for “Valley of the Deer,” was the first whisky to establish itself as a “single malt.” Something we learned: In 1886, founder William Grant set out to make the “best dram in the valley” by building his distillery stone by stone with his nine children and one stone mason. Yes, nine children. Clearlyy William stayed busy before perfecting his single malt. Still run by Grant’s descendants today, Glenfiddich is one of the few singlemalt distilleries to remain entirely family-owned, and its signature 12-yearold is the world’s most-awarded single malt. Matured in American oak and European oak sherry casks, it’s then mellowed in oak marrying tuns (tall oak barrels) to create its sweet and subtle oak flavours. One taste of this awardwinning single malt and we suspect you’ll want to marry into this family as well.

The Irishman Hearkening back to the 19th century (even their restored distillery is 200 years old), Bernard and Rosemary Walsh’s handson passion and dedication to the revival of crafting Irish whiskey has resulted in their highly awarded and superb range of triple-distilled whiskeys. We’d like to point out here that one does not have to be Irish, or a man, to enjoy Irishman whiskey. The Irishman, the company’s original signature whiskey, is a premium blend of two styles: single malt (70 percent) and single-pot still (30 percent). Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible lists it among its highestrated Irish whiskeys with 93 points. The Irishman was also named overall winner in the Irish Whiskey Category at the Whiskey Masters. Sipping any one of the seven Irishman whiskeys, you’d swear that Ireland’s golden era of whiskey distilling is happening now, thanks to the Walshes and their extraordinary attention to detail.

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Green Spot We’ve referenced him a few times already but according to Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible (yes, there really is one), Green Spot is “one of the world’s great whiskies” and we certainly concur. A multi-award-winning whiskey matured in a selection of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, Green Spot is a singlepot still whiskey that’s been in continuous production since 1900. The name “Green Spot” refers to the original family tradition of marking bottles of maturing whiskey with paint to indicate their age — blue, green, yellow, or red. Today’s Green Spot comprises pot still whiskeys aged seven to 10 years. This whiskey is known for its wonderfullyy robust aroma and flavour, as well as its sensuous, spicy body with fruity notes of green apples, pears, and apricot — all rounded with the presence of mellow grain. The Irish have always been known for their green, and Mitchell & Sons Merchants in Dublin is certainly spot-on with this one!

In 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews and his wife purchased a 15th-century castle in Ireland, restored it from ruins, and began (brilliantly) buying casks of fine pot still whiskeys from top distilleries. We love this guy.! He then further aged and bottled them under what is now the Knappogue Castle label. Difficult to pronounce, easy to drink, Knappogue Castle’s line of Irish whiskeys also features multi-awardwinning 12, 14, 16, and limited-edition 21-year-old single malts, with an impressive depth of complexity achieved by varying degrees of maturation in bourbon and sherry casks. Knappogue Castle 1951 (distilled in 1951 and aged for 36 years) is revered by connoisseurs as the oldest and rarest commercially available Irish whiskey on the market. Given the years it took to make these extraordinary whiskeys, we suggest you set aside plenty of time to enjoy them.

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The Sexton is a new and unconventional single malt Irish whiskey that is rich in hue and memorable in character. It is an approachable single malt that’s perfect for everyday sipping. Appealing to the design aficionado in all of us is the cool hexagon-shaped, black lacquer bottle that houses the whiskey. We’ve found that most whiskey bottles are clear glass, so it is intriguing to pour a glass of The Sexton and watch the deep coppercolored liquid emerge from the bottle. Blended by Alex Thomas, one of the few female master blenders in the world, this modern-day whiskey is crafted using 100 percent Irish malted barley, triple-distilled in copper-pot stills and deliberately aged for just four years (very rare for a single malt) in former Oloroso sherry casks. Though The Sexton may be young in age, it has a depth of flavour and character that’s unexpected in a young single malt — a perfect balance of rich, dried fruits and memorable, toasted oak notes — thanks to Thomas’s exact aging process. And it always provides a smooth finish that leaves you wanting more. In fact, we have to confess that just writing about it has left us wanting more — so please excuse us while we take a sipping break.

Bushmills In the small village of Bushmills, on the rugged and beautiful north coast of Northern Ireland, you’ll find the Old Bushmills Distillery, Ireland’s oldest licensed distillery. For over 400 years, Bushmills has held to the philosophy that handcrafting small batches is the way to produce beautifully smoothtasting Irish whiskey. We didn’t study philosophy in school, but this is certainly one we’re willing to do more homework on. The result has been a celebrated line of triple-distilled, blended, and single malt whiskeys, including Bushmills Red Bush, a favourite of ours. Red Bush personifies the gritty Irish character of the town of Bushmills and adds a sense of adventure and excitement to the Bushmills brand portfolio. A smooth blend of triple-distilled Irish single malt and fine Irish grain whiskey, the liquid is best served straight up or with your favourite mixer. It’s also got a special appeal for bourbon fans and first-time Irish whiskey drinkers, too, as it’s aged in American bourbon barrels that impart a bit of the new world to the old world Red Bush comes from.

In 2000, John Glaser believed there were too many companies making and selling scotch whisky the same way. We personally believe there can’t be too many companies making scotch. An American transplanted to the U.K. and working for a large distiller, he wanted to make scotch whisky accessible to more people, so he set up a different kind of company based on the long-lost model of the scotch whisky-blending house. In an industry that has steadfastly remained committed to “the way we’ve always done things,” Compass Box focuses instead on creativity, process innovations and exploring the many ways scotch can be enjoyed. Its Great King Street Artist’s Blend is rich, round, and fruity, in the full-flavoured style of the late-19th-century blending houses. We’d like to suggest you raise a glass to a fellow American, the pioneering whiskymaker Mr. Glaser. ■

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H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

HOW TO

GETA GRIP The stronger your hands are the more weight you can lift and the more muscle you can build. MAXIM fitness guru ALEXA TOWERSEY shares some essential tips on grip training…

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CRUSH:

Y

ou can tell a lot about a guy from his handshake. Does he give it to you or does he lay it in your hand like a dead fish? I know which one I’d do business with — both at home and in the office. Do me a favour — make a fist. And no, I don’t mean just gently curling your fingers in and wrapping your thumb around them — I mean, make a fist like you’re preparing to punch some smug bastard in the face. Now, keeping your fist tight, notice how your arm feels. Your wrist should be straight and rock solid, your forearm should be tense, veins could pop out and your biceps, triceps and deltoids are ON. As you can see, making a fist activates everything from your hands to your arms to your shoulders and even your back.

The hands are the weak link in nearly every athlete or lifter, and grip training is the missing piece in most strength programs, not to mention being a stronger predictor of death than even systolic blood pressure. Every time you pick up a weight, you have a choice — you can either pick up that sucker, squeeze the life out it and recruit motor units and muscles you weren’t even aware of OR you can just lift it up. The stronger your hands, the more weight you can lift and the more muscle you can build. The more muscle groups you can contract, the more stability you have, the more motor units you engage, the stronger you get. But grip strength doesn’t just mean working on your hands. Here are the five components to take you from zero to hero in no time‌

SUPPORT:

PINCH:

Any exercises where you’re `b]]\_aV[T aUR YVƆ dVaU f\b_ Ĺž[TR_` ~ aUV[X QRNQYVƆ N[Q carrying variations as part of your main training set. â—? Rack Pull to 10 second hold: 3-4 reps, 5 sets. â—? HfUd 6Uf 8YUX`]ĆŒ hc :UfaYfg Carry: try a 10-1 ladder with 30m carry between. â—? Farmers Carry: 60 secs \[ # `RP` \Ĺ˝ # _\b[Q` â—? Dead Hangs: try 30 secs Dead Hang/30 secs Kettlebell Swing x 6 rounds.

A static contraction that focuses on the strength and endurance of the digits. This is one way to R[`b_R f\b_ Ş[TR_` PN[ Q\ aUR walking — mind out of the gutter lads, I’m talking a strong text game here. � Plate Pinch: with thumb \[ \[R `VQR N[Q S\b_ Ş[TR_` on the other, hold and squeeze aUR ]YNaR` b`V[T f\b_ Ş[TR_aV]` 4 x ALAP (as long as possible) at the end of your session.

WRIST STRENGTH: I’m always yelling at people in the gym, especially when it comes to exercises using Kettlebells, to, “Stop letting aUR dRVTUa Wb`a UN[T \Ĺ˝ f\b_ wrist!â€? This is something you’re probably doing without even realising it. If you’ve ever swung a sledgehammer or gripped a hockey stick, then you’ve used wrist posture. This is great for solid forearm growth gains. â—? Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curls: 3 x 10 at the end of your workout.

No, not the latest MAXIM cover girl — instead your ability to squeeze the shit out of something. You can either train this by actively practicing your gripping skills (think grippers, squeeze balls) in isolation, or by integrating a more dynamic exercise into your session where you have to adapt. Try swapping out a regular bar for a towel when doing vertical and horizontal pulls. � DB Crushers: 3 x 10 at the end of your session: Grab a DB N[Q YRa Va _\YY a\ f\b_ Ş[TR_` D_N] f\b_ Ş[TR_` N_\b[Q Va and squeeze it to get it back to your palm. � Towel chin-ups: 3 x AMRAP (as many reps as possible) as your main set: As much rest as needed between sets.

HAND HEALTH: Just like the foot is your proprioceptive HQ from the ground up, your hand leads the way when it comes to what the rest of your upper limb is doing V[ `]NPR @\Ɔ aV``bR d\_X \[ aUR hands and forearms (if you’ve got a lacrosse ball, you’ve got a trigger point ball) and increasing f\b_ Ş[TR_ QReaR_Vaf V` XRf ~ a_f rolling golf balls around in your hand. You can do this anytime including in the comfort of your own living room while watching Animal Kingdom.

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WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW

A RUBBER BAND A DAY KEEPS THE PHYSIO AWAY: The muscles in your hands and forearms need balance just like the rest of your body. For every flexion exercise, you need one for extension. Grab a handful of rubber bands, loop them around your hand and splay your fingers resisting the tension. Hold for two seconds and relax. A couple hundred reps a day should do the trick, so pop some in your pocket next time you get the chance.

UNDER OR OVER:

In my opinion, too many people switch to a mixed grip when deadlifting, either through bad habit or when the volume kicks in and the going gets tough. The more you pull double overhand, the more gains you’ll make in the long run, and not just in your deadlifts. Strength in the double overhand grip translates more effectively over into your other main lifts like pull-ups and rows.

YOUR MAIN SQUEEZE:

Every time you lift a weight, hang from a bar or carry an item is an opportunity to crush it — as opposed to just holding it. A strong grip translates to more tension, more strength and more muscle — but only if you actually use it. So, grab the weight like you mean it. It’s literally all in your hands now.

FAT GRIPS:

Do your usual exercises, but wherever possible — fatten the grip. The fatter the grip the more motor units recruited. You can buy specialised fat grips or you can simply wrap a towel around the bar/weight.

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ABOUT ALEXA “Action Alexa” is an internationally published celebrity trainer, sports model and nutrition and lifestyle coach with over 15 years’ experience in the health and fitness industry, and has worked with NZ’s world champion rugby team, the All Blacks. She has qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs and was named as one of the Five Toughest Trainers in Asia during her seven-year stint in an MMA gym in Hong Kong.

GROOMING

HAIR FLAIR

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\Y X]ƃYfYbWY VYhkYYb [ccX \U]f and bad hair is all about how it’s styled. And if you’re a man ghfi[[`]b[ hc ƄbX h\Y f][\h \U]f styling products to maintain your mane, our good mates at Jack The Barber have the perfect goods to keep your hair on point. Their four brand new and very cool [fcca]b[ cƃYf]b[g Wcbg]gh cZ >UW_ h\Y 6UfVYf Paste, Fibre, Strong Pomade and Clay — all cZ k\]W\ UW\]YjY Ybh]fY gdYWhfiag" :cf U Ƅfa \c`X aUhhY Ƅb]g\ DUghY U ghfcb[ \c`X bUhifU` aUhhY Ƅb]g\ :]VfY ghfcb[ \c`X \][\ g\]bY Ghfcb[ DcaUXY cf Ub YlhfYaY \c`X aUhhY Ƅb]g\ h\YgY Vf]``]Ubh ]hYag UfY ]XYU` ]b achieving your style when working your hair to the look you want. Born, formulated and developed by barber shop industry experts, these Jack The Barber creations use high quality, hand-selected ingredients, are paraben free, have a clean and crisp manly-fresh fragrance smell and are compounded using premium elements designed to get the job done every time. Whether it’s the classic look, modern style or this year’s trends you’re going for, this rangee k]`` \UjY mci WcbƄXYbh`m `cc_]b[ UbX ZYY`]b[ like you’ve just stepped out of a barber shop an nd is sure to keep your appearance razor sharp. b GiƆWY hc gUm h\Uh h\]g UkYgcaY 5ighfU`]Ub brand’s products are just as good as your premium barber products. What’s more, Jack The Barber is tough, edgy and each of these 95g tins has a distinctive embossed design which gives you that true, hip, barber look and feel in your own bathroom. Well, what are you waiting for? Get yours now!

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L I T E R AT U R E

#MENTOO The Other Side of the Story

BETTINA ARNDT is a rare public voice speaking on behalf of men — and the women who love them — and her new book #MenToo breaks the silence about what it means to be a man in Australia today… BY B ET TI NA AR N DT

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ast year I found myself at the cricket a society which frowns on any discussion of men missing out. Just surrounded by men in pink. It’s a yearly look at what happened to Cassie Jaye’s documentary, The Red Pill. event for our Australian team which In November 2016, this controversial movie was due to have its first every year devotes the five days of a screening in Melbourne when feminist protestors persuaded the cinema cricket test to raising funds for breast to pull out. The protestors hadn’t even seen the film, they simply believed cancer, in honour of the late spouse social media stories alleging it promoted violence against women. of one of our famous cricketers, In fact, Cassie Jaye was a young feminist who originally planned to Glenn McGrath whose young wife make a movie attacking the Men’s Rights movement but after listening Jane died of the disease. Everywhere to what these men had to say, she ended up focussing on how feminists you looked there was a sea of pink, silence debate on men’s issues. And what happened? For months with the largely male audience decked feminists in Australia strenuously tried to ban the movie. It was the out in pink shirts, jackets and silly hats. ultimate irony. But it didn’t surprise me. I’ve been writing about the Yet this great display of men’s natural issues raised in The Red Pill for over 30 years — battles in the family court, false abuse accusations, paternity fraud, education pitched to chivalry and kindness left me frustrated. I spent the whole day recording favour girls, unequal health funding, the distorted debate over domestic interviews for YouTube asking men in pink why men’s lives don’t matter. violence. I’ve long been speaking out about the tilting of laws, practises Fifty-seven per cent of cancer deaths are male. The risk of dying and regulations to unfairly advantage women at the expense of men. from cancer before the age of 85 is one in four for males and one in six for I’d started my career as a proud feminist, determined to help females, according to the 2017 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Cancer in Australia Report. Why then don’t we see men dressed in blue, women achieve equality. My background was clinical psychology, but my passion was teaching people to be comfortable talking about sex. raising money to prolong the lives of their fathers, brothers, friends? As one of Australia’s first sex therapists it was thrilling to help women Yes, it’s probably true we should be wearing blue today, I was told overcome their embarrassment and gain more pleasure from their love by two brightly-dressed men in blushing hues. lives. I rejoiced in those heady times for the feminist movement as more “It’s mother nature to look after the women,” explained the opportunities opened up for women and girls. But even as I celebrated younger man who admitted it was proof that women’s lives matter these achievements, I was starting to listen more than men. And was that fair? “That’s the to men. Everywhere I went men reached out way it is,” he said. He and his mate boasted they to me, keen to talk about sex. But inevitably were allowed by their wives to go away once a sharing such intimate revelations lead to them year to spend a week at the cricket — so there’s opening up about other aspects of their lives. no way these two were complaining. I heard devastating stories of divorced fathers’ My concern wasn’t just losing more men to hopeless fights to see their children as they cancer than women — I realise it’s usually older battled a family law system which enabled men who are dying compared to some very mothers to just shut these men out of their much younger women. My real beef was that children’s lives. I started to write about all I’ve spent decades lobbying for more help for this only to receive a surprising letter from men dealing with the devastating consequences a retiring family law judge. on their sex lives of prostate cancer treatments. “You’re quite right” he said. “We’ve made It is just appalling how few men receive proper a huge mistake. We’ve given too much power advice on the penile rehabilitation needed to the custodial parent… [then always almost to have any hope of enjoying normal sexual women] and that power is often abused,” he functioning. It just didn’t make sense for all said describing common patterns of mothers these men in pink to raise money for more breaching orders to deny fathers contact breast cancer nurses when at that time there ABOUT BETTINA with children, moving wherever they liked, were hundreds working across the country Trained as a clinical psychologist before and making false accusations of abuse to compared to 28 prostate cancer nurses. becoming well known as one of Australia’ s weaken the man’s case. At the time we were Given the squeamishness of most urologists first sex therapists, Bettina Arndt worked in lucky enough to have a Prime Minister, John to educate their clients on this issue, the need Howard, who was concerned about the role of for prostate nurses is dire. Cancer Council the media educating the public about this fathers. I ended up being appointed to various research reveals many prostate cancer patients fascinating subject before moving onto government committees to reform family law, have life-long problems with erections due to writing about broader social and gender a most instructive experience particularly this poor treatment. That’s why, some years issues. As a respected social commentator, as I was there representing men because ago, a rather embarrassed group of journalists she was invited onto government advisory the femocrats running the show insisted on at our National Press Club found themselves committees covering issues from family law to appointing men to the committees who didn’t listening to me talking about why a breast childcare and ageing. While still making regular do their side many favours. Howard’s people shouldn’t be worth more than a penis, as media appearances, Bettina is now working included me to even things up a little. I explained the inequities of funding for cancer full-time writing and making YouTube videos I quickly learnt that while the women’s recovery. I’ve written articles about this for about men’s issues and speaking on university lobby groups attract large numbers of newspapers, given talks across the country. The campuses about the fake rape crisis. outstanding professional women, most wellfunniest was a ball in Queensland raising money for prostate cancer support services. I assumed this would attract an older audience but since it is pretty young things and their partners who most enjoy dressing up in fancy gear, it was a very surprised group of twenty-somethings who found themselves learning all about rejuvenating wilting erections. I’ve learnt that it is not just talk of men’s nether regions that makes these audiences squirm. It’s talk about men’s issues, men’s rights. We live in a society where women’s wants and needs receive constant attention,

educated professional men shun involvement in men’s groups, choosing instead to fight individual battles using highly paid lawyers. It became clear that one reason feminists are winning all the battles is that the powerful men in our society are reluctant to associate themselves with a group of men they see as losers. A classic example was a very senior male bureaucrat who took me aside between committee meetings. He admitted he’d always dismissed men’s complaints about bias in family law until the day

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L I T E R AT U R E he came home to find the locks on his home had been changed — his wife had decided to throw him out. His attempt to break-in to pick up a few clothes led to him being arrested, issued with a protection order and facing hundreds of thousands in legal bills and years of struggle to even see his children. How tragic that men like him are only willing to see what’s going on when they are victims of the process. Howard was able to introduce reforms which included some real breakthroughs such as the presumption of shared parental responsibility and a new child support formula which at least made some attempt, however flawed, to account for the costs of the non-custodial parent. Yet many of these changes were wound back by the next Labor government when feminists played the violence card to frighten politicians into pulling back on the legislative changes. Claiming shared care put children at risk from being exposed to violent men proved a very effective means of undermining the Howard reforms and that opened the floodgates to the current situation where across the country false allegations of violence are being used to have men removed from their homes and denied contact with their children. It’s been alarming watching our legal system gradually shifting to favour women as feminists gain control over key institutions. “We prefer to err on the side of the victim,” pronounced one of our state Police Ministers, unashamedly acknowledging new domestic laws are designed to make it easier for women to obtain protection orders with no evidence of violence. Now simply a fear of violence is enough to obtain such an order. As I started to write about these issues many people weren’t happy. Two friends, both prominent journalists, took me out to lunch, suggesting that it wasn’t a good idea to be seen as an apologist for men. I needed more balance in my articles, they argued. It was an absurd suggestion. The notion that my articles should include the female perspective was foolish given that the cultural dialogue had been entirely captured by the feminist narrative. It was mainly female journalists who were writing about social issues, almost always from their own perspective, with female editors acting as gatekeepers. And when men’s experiences clashed with the female view of the world, male opinions were silenced. A man once told me he’d sat with tears rolling down to his cheeks as he heard me on the radio talking about husbands being constantly sexually rejected. My research on sexual desire, published in my book The Sex Diaries, was based on 98 couples keeping diaries about how they negotiated their sex supply and the howl of anguish that emerged from men was truly moving. But in a world where women’s right to say “no” to sex is now sacrosanct, men’s sexual frustrations have become a taboo topic. I’ve been lucky. For most of my long career in journalism I worked full-time for some of our major newspapers. Being wellknown gave me extra clout which meant I could write features and opinion pieces — many included in this book — which challenged the feminist narrative dominating mainstream media. One example was research regularly released on housework, who does what around the home. Inevitably this would lead to a rash of headlines talking about the huge load on women and how little men do to help around the house. But what was always missing from the news stories was the total hours worked — combining paid plus unpaid work — which show men work just as hard overall as women do. Australian men average twice as many hours of paid work as women. So, I was able to write about the Australian research which showed that most women are happy with the deal over housework because they are aware that their partners’ long working hours buy them choice about spending more time with their children — a point of view many of my female editors weren’t keen to promote. I once ran into Bruce Baird, father of Julia Baird, then the opinion editor of my paper, the Sydney Morning Herald. At the time I was writing opinion pieces which were to be published in both The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. The Age was giving me a great run, often running my articles as the main opinion piece whilst the SMH never

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gave the same pieces any prominence. Baird told me he loved my work but confessed his daughter, my editor, “hated it”. He admitted to heated discussion with his feminist daughter who confessed she did everything she could to bury my work. It must have been galling that my writing was popular with the readers, and not just with males. It’s hardly surprising to me that most ordinary woman are fed up with the male bashing that has come to dominate the public agenda. Survey after survey has shown less than thirty per cent of Australians are willing to call themselves “feminist” — the only way that number reaches a majority is when feminism is defined as “achieving equality.” Ordinary women write to me — mothers of sons, women worried about the men in their lives, or simply fed up with fainting-couch feminists treating women as victims always in need of special protection. A successful young musician wrote to complain about discrimination policies taking over Australia’s music organisation aiming at more women winning prizes. She’d made it mainly through talent and hard work, although she admits affirmative action probably worked in her favour. She strongly believes everyone should be judged on their merits rather than gender. Most women are appalled by the #MeToo attacks where unproven allegations are being used to destroy men’s careers. They are fed up with trivial issues being blown up as sexism and once proud, independent women endlessly demanding special treatment such as lower entry standards into the police force or armed forces. Mothers write about schools where boys are filling the remedial reading classes, disengaged and dropping out whilst the girls win all the prizes. We had a parliamentary commission about boys’ education some years ago which attracted record numbers of submissions from the community. The government introduced all manner of programmes to try to engage boys and for a while Australia led the world in tackling the boys’ education problem. But here too a change in government meant the conservatives were out and the boys’ education initiatives lost their funding. Naturally, that had the activists celebrating. One of the scariest letters I have ever received starts by slagging off at my fat poodle face, goes on to commiserate with my daughter for the shame of having such a mother and concludes that “girls today are far beyond needing equality. They need compensation for two thousand years of being repressed, mutilated, enslaved, raped and treated as inferiors.” That compensation is what’s driving our domestic violence industry — a blatant disregard for equity but blind adherence to a feminist script which is all about seeking funding for women and denying any possibility of men as victims. We see a totally one-sided debate on domestic violence in this country which refuses to acknowledge the 40 years of international research showing most family violence is two-way, involving both male and female perpetrators.

ÄCF8=B5FM KCA9B KF=H9 HC A9 ʗ ACH<9FG C: GCBG WOMEN WORRIED ABOUT THE MEN IN THEIR LIVES, CF G=AD@M :98 ID K=H< :5=BH=B;ʔ7CI7< FEMINISTS TREATING WOMEN AS VICTIMS ALWAYS IN NEED OF SPECIAL PROTECTION.” Governments pay for television campaigns featuring violent men and boys, they pour money into propaganda organisations which tell porkies about this important social issue. Early last year a young male Perth counsellor was forced out of his job at Relationship Australia for posting on his private Facebook page my ground-breaking article summarising key domestic violence research and statistics. I find it just extraordinary that this government-funded organisation proudly promotes a one-sided feminist policy on domestic violence and pushes out their only male counsellor when he doesn’t toe the line. Domestic violence is all about respect for women, intones our former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull when he knows full well that underpinning the problem is a range of complexities, from poverty and mental illness, to drug and alcohol abuse. I used to hand out how to vote pamphlets for this man, who once spent months trying to persuade me to run the Liberal’s Menzies Research Institute. He knows all about the complexities of social research yet this most powerful of

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“THIS COLLECTION OF WRITING IS MEANT A CELEBRATION OF ALL THE GOOD MEN WHO DO SO MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY.” men prefers to kowtow to the feminists, assuming that would win him votes. But he’s wrong. There are signs that people have had enough. A woman at the pink cricket test told me that her father, who died of prostate cancer, would have been outraged to see the men in pink selling out other men. Anti-male grandstanding by men in power is increasingly being called out. Earlier this year I made a video about the push to allow women to join Men’s Sheds. The Men’s Sheds Movement is all about providing men with a place to get away, enjoy male company and provide support for one another. My video revealed that the chairman of the Men’s Sheds Association, who had a background in promoting equity in the workplace, didn’t believe there was anything special about male culture and was all for having women in sheds. Boy, did he feel the heat when my video was published. Here in Australia, as elsewhere, people are turning away from mainstream media seeking more balanced views elsewhere. Since I pulled out of journalism to make videos about men’s issues a year ago, I’ve discovered a thriving new world on what people are calling the “intellectual dark web”, with people like Canadians Jordan Peterson and Karen Straughan raising all manner of challenging issues, including demanding fairer treatment for men and boys. Huge numbers are involved in serious conversations about gender, relationships, family life — tackling questions which really matter. That includes properly addressing what’s happening to men. I’ve been blessed by the men in my life, a brilliant, inspiring father, two loving, extraordinary sons and wonderful partners who have brought so much to my life: love, laughter and great sex. This collection of writing is meant a celebration of all the good men who do so much to contribute to our society. I am struck by how often I was a voice in the wilderness, expressing views that I knew most people believed but were hardly ever heard. ■

This is an edited extract from the book #MenToo by Bettina Arndt, published by Wilkinson Publishing, $29.99rrp, and is available at all good book stores and online at www.wilkinson publishing.com.au

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B E R E T TA

A CALLTOARMS

BERETTA — inside the 500-year-old Italian dynasty of the world’s finest firearms... 7 4

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/R_RaaN d\bYQ UNcR aUR P\[ĹžQR[PR VZNTV[NaV\[ N[Q VaU ĹžcR PR[ab_VR` \S Re]R_VR[PR P_NƆV[T THIS PAGE: fabricating expertise to engage Marc Newson, the The Beretta family’s guns for everyone from Napoleon hunting dogs roam the celebrated and radical designer of the Lockheed Lounge and Winston Churchill to Ernest gardens of Villa Beretta and the Apple Watch, to turn his creative mind to the Hemingway and James Bond, the in Gardone Val Trompia, update of that most classic of sporting weapons: the sideBeretta family knows more than Italy; OPPOSITE N[f\[R NO\ba aUR Ĺž[R N_a \S ZNXV[T Ĺž_RN_Z` 3_\Z `YRRX by-side shotgun. PAGE: Spent shell OYNPX UN[QTb[` a\ T\YQ V[YNVQ `Ve ĹžTb_R `U\aTb[` UVTUYf zAUR /R_RaaN Re]R_VR[PR dN` O\_[ S_\Z ĹžcR PR[ab_VR` casings from an overand-under shotgun prized by hunters and collectors around the globe, the \S ZNXV[T aUR d\_YQy` OR`a Ĺž_RN_Z` N `f[aUR`V` \S PbaaV[T Beretta name carries instant prestige that speaks of skill, RQTR aRPU[\Y\Tf N[Q aUR P_NƆ`ZN[`UV] \S TR[R_NaV\[` P_NƆ`ZN[`UV] RYRTN[a QR`VT[ N[Q QRNQYf NPPb_NPf of highly skilled workers,â€? says Ugo, the patriarch who remains one of Beretta is, in fact, the oldest industrial dynasty in the world, the company’s directors, “all under one roof in the Beretta factory.â€? with 15 generations of family ownership dating back to the year 1500 6ay` NY`\ N _R`bYa \S aUR SNZVYfy` QRR] NĆ€[Vaf S\_ aUR \baQ\\_` N[Q Va` — and very likely beyond. For the family to be able to trace its lineage ^bR`a a\ SbYĹžYY aUR [RRQ` \S aUR d\_YQy` Ub[aR_` N[Q `]\_a`ZR[ /R_RaaNy` so far back is a testament to its immutable values, and those of the legacy shines not only in the factory in Gardone Val Trompia, in the company bearing its name. Beretta’s iconic logo of encircled arrows ]_\cV[PR \S /_R`PVN Oba V[ aUR Ĺž[R \YQ /R_RaaN SNZVYf ZN[`V\[ _R]_R`R[aV[T aUR aU_RR `U\a` N ONaaYR`UV] Ĺž_R` a\ R[TNTR N ]\aR[aVNY [Rea Q\\_ ~ Va` N_PUVcR` N[Q Zb`RbZ ]NPXRQ dVaU Ĺž_RN_Z` QNaV[T R[RZf dVaU aUR Ĺž[NY \[R UVaaV[T aUR ZN_X V` _RP\T[V`RQ N[Q _RcR_RQ back half a millennium — and in the engraving studios, where the air is the world over, and with just cause. ĹžYYRQ dVaU aUR Zb`VP \S UNZZR_` XV``V[T ZRaNY N` P_NƆ`ZR[ ĹžYY aUR The best family-run companies take on the characteristics of their side plates of shotgun actions with intricately imagined and delicately owners, and Beretta in the 21st century is the mirror of its namesakes. realised game scenes. Pietro Gussalli Beretta, the company’s president and CEO, is a keen But while the company respects its heritage, it wears it lightly. hunter and astute businessman who’s happiest on the trail with his 6[ " # :N`aR_ /N_a\Y\ZR\ /R_RaaN N P_NƆ`ZN[ S_\Z 4N_Q\[R guns and his dogs, tracking big game in Africa or duck hunting in the received 296 ducats for supplying the Venetian Arsenal with 185 gun CR[RaVN[ 9NT\\[ =N_a _RĹž[RQ NR`aURaR dVaU N[ RN_ S\_ \]R_N N[ RfR ON__RY` 6ay` aUR Ĺž_`a X[\d[ a_N[`NPaV\[ _RP\_QV[T aUR /R_RaaN SNZVYf N` for art and a taste for antique furniture, part man of action who has makers of arms, a trade they’ve practiced in the same place ever since. hunted almost everywhere in the world a man can go with a gun, he By the 1540s, tens of thousands of arquebuses were being exported took the reins of the company in 2015, passed down to him from his from Brescia, whether to freelance warlords or to anointed kings, father, Ugo Gussalli Beretta. including England’s Henry VIII, who was a regular customer, ordering Executive vice president Franco Gussalli Beretta, Pietro’s brother, thousands of weapons at a time. is a true industrialist and the heir to a family tradition of technical AUR V[a_\QbPaV\[ \S aUR ĹżV[aY\PX V[ aUR $aU PR[ab_f dN` N ZNW\_ innovation. He’s never been quite as ardent as his brother when it technological step toward codifying the modern sport of hunting with comes to shooting; instead he likes to spend time in the factories, long-barrelled guns. It was, to use modern business jargon, a growth experimenting with new methods and technologies. He’s also dared to market — and one the Beretta family was quick to exploit. Military O_V[T V[ VQRN` S_\Z \ba`VQR aUR d\_YQ \S Ĺž_RN_Z` ZN[bSNPab_V[T( \[Yf weapons were still their primary product, however; during Napoleon

W

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B E R E T TA Bonaparte’s reign, Brescia produced over 30,000 muskets a year for aUR RZ]R_\_y` dRYY R^bV]]RQ N_ZVR` N[ \_QR_ aUNa Q_VRQ b] NƆR_ aUR Battle of Waterloo in 1815. During the 1850s, the Fabbrica d’A rmi Pietro Beretta, as it was then known, produced between 250 and 350 sporting guns annually. Three decades later, at the beginning of the 1880s, production had increased to between 7,000 and 8,000. But military ordnance would once again come to the fore at the outbreak of aUR Ş_`a D\_YQ DN_ .[Q \[ 7b[R & & " /R_RaaN dN` NdN_QRQ N history-making patent called Innovations for Automatic Pistols that d\bYQ UNcR SN_ _RNPUV[T P\[`R^bR[PR` S\_ aUR Ş_Z By the time World War II ended, Beretta was no longer just an 6aNYVN[ Re]\_aR_ \S Ş_RN_Z` 6a dN` N ZbYaV[NaV\[NY ZN[bSNPab_R_ establishing itself as an actor on the industry’s international stage a generation or two before many other Italian manufacturers opened \cR_`RN` `bO`VQVN_VR` 6a` V[ſbR[PR Na aUR aVZR PN[ OR `RR[ V[ 6N[ 3YRZV[Ty` Ş_`a [\cRY Casino Royale, when a character called James Bond announces the Beretta as his weapon of choice. The discreet, dependable pistol would remain 007’s key accessory for many years.

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During the 1950s, Beretta also began its involvement with competition shooting on the Olympic and international level, the success of which helped fuel its sporting business, and in 1980 Beretta USA was established to meet the growing needs of the American market. Today Beretta is the product of its past rather than a prisoner of it. It is no cottage industry making a few dozen high-priced shotguns, but rather a proper industrial concern that has kept pace with modern manufacturing developments: a state-of-the-art factory that employs the latest machinery, CAD (Computer Aided Design) systems and multiaxis milling machines, all working according to “lean� manufacturing concepts.

An engraved wheel-lock pistol, circa 1590, and an intricately fabricated flintlock, circa 1670, both bearing the early stamp of the Beretta family

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This is Beretta in the new millennium, its fully equipped facility TRN_RQ a\dN_Q ZN`aR_V[T RcR_f N`]RPa \S Ş_RN_Z` ]_\QbPaV\[ 6[`VQR f\byYY Ş[Q N ZN__VNTR \S aRPU[\Y\Tf N[Q UN[Qd\_X dUR_R `RcR[ massive cold-forging machines, each with its own quartet of tireless hammers, smash steel tubes with a force of 100 tons, 1,600 times a minute — tubes fashioned from the company’s own proprietary steel. Yet the vast landscape of gleaming machinery is broken up by green

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oases of trees and plants, a reminder that even now, this is a family business with deep roots in the Italian countryside. At heart, Beretta’s purpose has always been to enhance one’s experience of the outdoors. Whether providing precisely manufactured, UVTU ^bNYVaf Ş_RN_Z` a\ <YfZ]VP a_N] N[Q `XRRa P\Z]RaVa\_` _RYVNOYR accurate and safe sidearms to military customers throughout the world \_ Ş[RYf R[T_NcRQ `U\aTb[` aUNa Q\bOYR N` d\_X` \S N_a /R_RaaN

THIS PAGE: Legends in the hunting community, these Benelli 680 shotguns are manufactured by one of Beretta’s subsidiaries OPPOSITE PAGE: A shooter at Glenbuchat hunting lodge in Scotland puts a Beretta 687 EELL Diamond Pigeon over-and-under shotgun through its paces

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THIS PAGE: Ernest Hemingway’s well-travelled Beretta S3 shotgun, which he purchased in Venice, Italy, for duck hunting, now resides in the Beretta Gallery in New York City; OPPOSITE PAGE (FROM LEFT): Ugo Gussalli Beretta’s private collection of hunting guns can be viewed in the Museum at Villa Beretta in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy; art meets utility on a Beretta SO10’s demibloc and chisel-engraved sideplate

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NPUVRcR` YRcRY` \S P_NƆ`ZN[`UV] N[Q QR`VT[ aUNa SN_ RePRRQ ZR_R Pb`a\ZR_ `NaV`SNPaV\[ z3\_ ZN[f N ž_RN_Z V` N ]\dR_SbY YV[X a\ aUR \baQ\\_` { `Nf` BT\ z. /R_RaaN ž_RN_Z dVaU Va` QRR] P\[[RPaV\[ a\ the rural life of Italy, perfectly captures the hunter’s enjoyment of the žRYQ { AUR`R QNf` /R_RaaN NY`\ QR`VT[` N[Q ]_\QbPR` `\ZR \S aUR highest quality outdoor gear in the world, as well as practical and RYRTN[a NPPR``\_VR` S_\Z PY\aUV[T N[Q YbTTNTR a\ X[VcR` N[Q Å¿N`X` 6[ &&" Va \]R[RQ Va` Å¿NT`UV] /R_RaaN 4NYYR_f \[ ;Rd F\_X 0Vafy` Madison Avenue, solidifying its reputation as a true outdoor luxury lifestyle brand with a complete array of products for the sportsman and enthusiast. More recently, it launched the Beretta Trident Program, a world-class collection of hunting, shooting and outdoor experiences aUNa R[P\Z]N`` `\ZR \S aUR ž[R`a Ub[aV[T Y\QTR` N[Q `NSN_V PNZ]` \[ earth, from Argentina and Oregon to Scotland and Tanzania, where

/R_RaaNy` žRYQ ]VRPR` PN[ OR ]ba a\ \]aVZNY b`R While there are many deservedly respected Italian fashion and QR`VT[ ž_Z` aUR_R V` \[Yf \[R P\Z]N[f aUNa O_V[T` aUR VZNTV[NaV\[ N[Q ^bNYVaf \S 6aNYVN[ P_NƆ`ZN[`UV] a\ \baQ\\_ YVcV[T U\[\_V[T aUR hunting tradition with exquisite shotguns, clothing and accessories matched to the needs of sportsmen — all while embodying inimitable Italian style. As Ugo Gussalli Beretta puts it, “If hunting equipment, be it a gun or leather cartridge bag, bears the Beretta name, it must, Of QRž[VaV\[ OR aUR cR_f OR`a {â–

All images © Andy Anderson. Adapted and reprinted with permission from from Beretta: 500 Years of the World’s Finest Sporting Life by Nicholas Foulkes with a foreword by Ugo Gussalli Beretta, published by Rizzoli

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WOMAN OF THE WORLD

Kalyssa more about this former NFL cheerleader and pocket-rocket beauty… P H OTO G R A P H E D BY R O C K Y B AC H E L O R

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I N T E R V I E W BY S A N T I P I N TA D O

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WOMAN OF THE WORLD

“BEING A CHEERLEADER :CF H<9 KCF@8@=9GHʔ KNOWN NFL TEAM WAS MORE THAN JUST PRETTY LOOKS.”

H

ey Kalyssa, congrats on your first MAXIM feature. How do you feel? I’m completely honoured to have a feature in MAXIM Australia! It’s unreal to see myself in a publication that I’ve wanted to be in for a while now. The photos are stunning, and I couldn’t be any more ecstatic!

Where’s the best place you’ve travelled to and why? Thailand was my first international trip taken, then Bali was the second. Although I love Cabo in Mexico, I think Bali trumped it! I love learning about and seeing new cultures, even if it’s not the best quality in some parts, because it makes me appreciative more so of what has been given to me growing up, but also keeps one humble.

You’ve been to two Destination MAXIM trips — Thailand and Bali. What did you love most about these experiences? I learned different lessons in each destination. In Thailand, I learned the essence of what a great team can do in and out of a printed issue. I realised how essential it is to have others around you that support and have the same mindset to push you forward. I had an idea of what direction I wanted to go in with my modelling path, but from watching primary examples I learned the steps of getting there. In Bali, I was able to put these steps into action and really make use of my place and time and it’s paid off!

So you have never been to Australia? I haven’t been to Australia – yet! I reckon 2019 will be the year I make that trip and I couldn’t be any more excited to travel again. I’ve always believed Australia was the place I was actually supposed to be from.

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Besides “G’day, mate”, koalas and kangaroos, what else do you know about Australia? If we’re talking terms and phrases, I’ve never known of any other people that truly just don’t like to talk. Words are shortened and one phrase can mean a multiple of things — it’s quite confusing but hilarious at the same time. The two words I’ve

heard most have been “minx” and “feral” – both of which can be used in the same sentence. I also know the beach isn’t a luxurious thing in Australia, rather a normality, which makes me envious. I’ve always wanted that dark-bronzed skin glow living my day-to-day life. Tell us a bit more about yourself. I’m an American girl from a very small country town in the state of Oklahoma. I was raised around fast cars, dirt bikes, guns and fishing. I never thought I could be a model growing up, because I stopped growing when I hit a whole whopping 157cm, but look where I am! You’re also a former Dallas Cowboys NFL cheerleader – how did you land this job? I definitely wouldn’t describe becoming a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader as landing something – it was more than that for which I’m proud. Although it was always a dream, it physically took up most of my days for almost two years trying to prepare for a spot on the team. Being a cheerleader for the worldliest-known NFL team was more than just pretty looks. It

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WOMAN OF THE WORLD required an education background on all level of which I was tested prior to, the ability to quickly pick-up and adapt to any given situation, have proper grammar and social skills, and of course have the flexibility and stamina to do the famous “jump split” on the field. Is the audition process as tough as we hear it is? It most certainly is! The mental and physical stress and exhaustion can really harm you badly if you let it. In some cases, this specific process can even change you and the way you think about certain things. Although I put myself through a lot, I knew what I wanted and I didn’t give up. What did you like and dislike about being a Cowboys cheerleader? Considering the first Dallas Cowboys game I cheered at was also my first NFL game I’ve ever been to… yeah, that was an

unforgettable experience. The exposure, photo shoots, TV time and attention was great, but cheerleaders don’t get paid what you think they do. Other than little pay, the only other not-so-great thing is that you’re basically on call 24/7 for any event relating to being on the squad. In return, it doesn’t cause much wiggle room to plan trips, etc. NFL fans elected you the hottest cheerleader of the 2017 season — how’d that make you feel? Nothing gives a woman more of a selfesteem boost than when someone reflects on her appearance in a positive way. Why did you decide to stop cheerleading? I decided to put up my boots because I wanted to see and experience the great things in life while I can. I know I’m on the younger side, but I’m only getting

older and each day is another day I can’t get back. Some of the things I love most include modelling and travelling, both of which I’m finally able to focus on now all while enjoying spare time on my schedule to do things that make me happy. We hear you also like to paint. What kind of stuff do you like to put on a canvas? Landscapes. Nothing is more relaxing than getting in my own head space and using natural earth tones to describe the beautiful parts of the world! What is your best asset? My eyes and hair. Eyes can always tell a story – they tell thoughts and emotions through a photo without even saying a word – I love that. And I love the saying, “Letting your hair down” because I love to let loose during a photo shoot and just have fun.

“I WAS RAISED AROUND FAST CARS, DIRT BIKES, GUNS AND FISHING.”

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When do you feel sexy? In front of a camera wearing nothing but heels. A woman’s body is a piece of natural art and comes in various shapes and forms — being able to be confident in your own skin is sexy. What’s one thing men should always remember about women? Women are unpredictable. We have emotions that range from day to day because our hormones are crazy and sometimes our bodies tell us differently. We also like to change our minds a lot – if you didn’t already know! And we love sex just as much as men – we all may not say it but it’s true. What do you look for in a man? Someone who is just as spontaneous and light-hearted as me and who I can connect with on a level where he knows what I’m thinking without even speaking. Even though I’m very independent I look for someone who can support me, not only in my career but also with a little stability at home. Ultimately, I look for someone who is willing to explore life with the mindset that life is short. If you had to take MAXIM on a date, what would it entail? It would be something super chill. Although, I love to get dressed up and go on fancy dates, I think the best thing is making each other feel comfortable and for me that would include getting takeout and going to a beach or relaxing at home and watching a movie. Nice one. What’s the freakiest thing someone has sent you via social media? I’ve gotten invites to join threesomes via pictures in bed of the couple inviting me! Whoa. So... what’s next for you? Short term, I would love to be signed on as an official model of a well-known brand. This year will be about building my social media and establishing a place with a fashion brand while travelling internationally in between. Long term, I’m working towards an acting career where I would love to be casted for movies, events and possibly a host. ■

HAIR & MAKE-UP BY YUNI WILSON STYLING BY BELINDA ROELOFS LINGERIE & SWIMWEAR BY MARY HOLLAND VIDEOGRAPHY BY CAMERON BRUNT SHOT ON LOCATION AT LIME SAMUI VILLAS, BALI

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WOMAN OF THE WORLD

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“NOTHING GIVES A WOMAN MORE C: 5 G9@:ʔ9GH99A BOOST THAN WHEN SOMEONE REFLECTS ON HER APPEARANCE IN A POSITIVE WAY.”

Status Update NAME: Kalyssa Alynn BORN: January 26, 1997 HOMETOWN: Dallas, Texas, USA FIVE-WORD SELFDESCRIPTION: “Dedicated, careerfocused, spontaneous, adventurous, passionate.” HOBBIES: “love anything ranging from outdoor activities like hiking and biking to being in the kitchen cooking up a healthy meal to laying on the beach to shopping to staying in and watching a movie.” LIFE MOTTO: “Do whatever makes you happy, don’t care what other people think and don’t be judgmental. Live life to the fullest because life is too short to have regrets.” INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: @kalyssaalynn SNAPCHAT: @kalyssa_alynn FACEBOOK: @kalyssa.singleton

SPORT

FOREVER YOUNG

How one of the NBA’s most exciting rookies is turning heads... BY KE ITH G O R D O N

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tlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young has long been the centre of attention. From his time in high school as a top-25 recruit to taking the college basketball world by storm during his one season at Oklahoma and arriving in Atlanta as the hoped-for saviour of the Hawks, Young has carried a lot of responsibility on his shoulders in the brightest of spotlights. Now partway through his rookie season, Young has given the city of Atlanta something it hasn’t had in its NBA [National Basketball Association] franchise in some time — hope. We spoke to the unstoppable rookie about his ascension to the top of the basketball world and how he views his role as the centerpiece of the Hawks’ rebuilding project. You were highly ranked coming out of high school, but quickly became the absolute mustwatch player in college last year. What was that process like, and how did you get used to that level of fame and exposure so quickly? The process in college was crazier than I ever expected. The NBA was always a lifelong dream, but everything just happened so fast it felt like it was overnight. When players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry started mentioning my name in their interviews, my whole life changed. I’ll never forget how my Instagram went from 300K to over one million in a matter of weeks. I don’t think I ever got used to it. It’s still moving very fast. How helpful or difficult was the second half of last year, when defenses started focusing so much on stopping you? Has that helped you succeed this season, as NBA teams are doing the same thing? My one year in college was definitely a roller coaster. I started out the season on fire and did things no-one had seen for years. Although I knew what I was capable of, it definitely took the country by surprise. After teams started doing different things to try and slow me down, at first it was a difficult adjustment. But I truly believe that I did all I could to stay positive and help the team win games. Those experiences have definitely helped me in the NBA. Because now it is nothing new, and I’ve learnt to lean on and trust my teammates more. That experience in college really helped my growth.

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Can you describe the NBA draft night? What were your emotions? Draft night took me through a ton of emotions. Gratitude, relief, and sadness were all felt on that night. Just grateful for the opportunity to get my name called after all the hard years of work and long nights in the gym with my dad. Relief, just knowing that at least one team believed in me enough to draft me and give me the chance to play in the NBA. And sadness, knowing that I couldn’t share this with all my loved ones that have passed away over the years. I know they would’ve been proud of me. What was your initial reaction to going to Atlanta and the Hawks? And how have the realities of the team and the city matched up with those expectations? My initial reaction was the “state of the unknown.” I was surprised that they traded for me, because they already had a point guard and I had heard that they weren’t going to draft one. But when I finally visited after draft night and met everyone in the organisation, I was elated. I knew this was the right place for me. And I knew they would give me plenty of opportunities to succeed. Plus, knowing how young the team was and how we could grow together. This is easily the best city for me. I love the music and entertainment culture, and I believe that culture will help this organisation get to the top. Your father was a professional basketball player. How has his experience and guidance helped you during the last few years? I’ve said it many times before: There is no way I would be here today without my parents, and especially my dad. He has always been that shoulder I could lean on, and he’s always given me enough space to figure things out on my own as well. His knowledge of playing, and his relationships with former NBA players, helped mold me as a kid, and it still does today. He still tells me today to never get too high or too low because this process will have its ups and downs. Unlike some rookies, such as Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell who went to playoff teams last year, you are the centerpiece of a rebuilding Hawks roster. How is the process of building a contender from the beginning? I just look at the process as a new challenge for

“I REALISE IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE TIME. BUT I’VE DEFINITELY SEEN THE BLUEPRINT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.” me. I’ve always been a winner, and I want to keep it that way. I know we are rebuilding, but I want everyone to keep the mindset of being positive and being a winner. We are young, so it’s tough to win games, but we have to take it one game at a time. Speaking of your talents, we seem to be at a moment when your game — three-point shooting, floor spacing, high scoring, ball movement — is perfectly suited for a league where teams like the Warriors and the Rockets have shown how valuable those traits are. Do you feel fortunate to be arriving in the league when your game is so well suited to where the style of play has gone in recent years? I am definitely blessed to be able to come to the league at this point in time. I owe so much to players like Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Allen Iverson, Steph Curry, and even Chris Jackson, among others. Those guys have given me the chance to play at this level at my size and height. Just knowing that I can be a scorer and a distributor without being 6'8", and having a chance to really make my mark in the NBA, is something I’ll always be appreciative of. I don’t know how I could ever repay them. How do you see the future for you and the Hawks? How quickly can you and the franchise turn things around for a team that struggled for a while before you were drafted? My goal is to ultimately be to the Hawks what Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were to the Thunder. Or what Stephen Curry is to the Warriors. I was able to see Russ and KD from

P H OTO S C O U R T E S Y O F N B A

day one when they got drafted to OKC, so I know what’s possible and I realize it may take a little time. But I’ve definitely seen the blueprint up close and personal. When you signed your pro deal, was there anything you bought yourself? Anything you’d like to splurge on now that you can afford it? Everyone probably knows about my Audi R8. That was my first big purchase. I’m big on watches and designer shoes, but other than that I haven’t spent too much. Other than that, travelling would be my next favourite hobby. I want to travel the world and experience different cultures when I’m done playing. As a pro baller, what off-court hobbies or passions do you have? I’m a big music guy. That’s why I love Atlanta so much, other than basketball, of course. The music culture here is the best. I’m a big R&B fan, but I’ll never forget to throw in some hip-hop. Any concert that I have time to attend, I’m not gonna miss. Is there anything else you wish the public knew about you or better understood? There are a lot of layers to me. I think over time people will learn to better understand me. The most important thing people should know at this moment is that I’m hoping to be in Atlanta my whole career, and I want to help build a championship team, while at the same time immersing myself in the culture and history of this great city and state. ■

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R E L AT I O N S H I P S

FINANCIAL

CHEATING BY

ZEYNEP YENISEY

A new study has revealed the behaviours that indicate you’re a victim of “financial infidelity”. Here’s how to discover if your partner is doing so…

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hen you’re in a relationship, one of the last things you want is to get cheated on. Right? Right. But did you know there are tons of super sneaky ways to commit infidelity? There’s something called “micro-cheating” where your partner (or you) does things like save a contact in their phone under a fake name, message a former lover even if it doesn’t include meeting up with them, send flirty text messages to other people and regularly check an ex’s social media profiles. Now, as much as that sucks, there’s a form of cheating that arguably sucks just as much because it could ruin your entire life and not just your relationship — “financial infidelity.” The term was examined in a study published in The Journal of Financial Therapy, and is defined by psychologists as “any purposeful financial deceit between two or more individuals” who have “a stated or unstated belief in mutual honest communication around financial matters.” Apparently, financial infidelity is very common, and couples who aren’t honest with each other about money matters tend to have a lower marital and life satisfaction. This isn’t surprising, though. It’s difficult to be happy in your relationship when there’s any kind of betrayal going on. According to the study, there are 14 behaviours that count as financial infidelity, ranging from little lies to seriously costly frauds. These are: ● Pretending a new purchase is an old one. ● Saying you bought something on sale but paid full price. ● Hiding purchases and receipts. ● Taking money out of savings without telling your partner.

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● Hiding credit card statements. ● Having a secret credit card. ● Having a secret stash of money. ● Concealing debt. ● Keeping a raise or bonus a secret. ● Spending money on the kids in secret. ● Gambling money away in secret. ● Lying about the price of a purchase. ● Spending money on pornographic materials or strip clubs in secret. ● Filing for bankruptcy without telling your partner.

With that said, according to a separate study from the National Endowment of Financial Education (NEFE), 50 percent of people have done at least one of these things, and furthermore, yet another study discovered that most of us find these financial f–kups an “extreme breach of trust, on par with infidelity.” While it’s a little extreme to call hiding purchases “infidelity,” the researchers “found that only 27 percent of people reported committing financial infidelity, but 53 percent of the same population reported engaging in one of the behaviours that qualified as such,” explains researcher Michelle Jeanfreau, a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. “So there’s a sizable chunk of the population that’s committing financial infidelity, but doesn’t recognise it or see a problem with it.” Despite the fact that some of those committing financial infidelity don’t see anything wrong with it, the NEFE study found that 76 percent of respondents say financial infidelity has harmed their relationship, and for 10 percent, it even led to divorce. It doesn’t help that 35 percent stated they think some finances should always

be off limits to their spouse. According to Jeanfreau, financial infidelity happens because many couples don’t communicate effectively and don’t share their expectations about spending. Many people don’t feel like they need to share expenses or purchases with their partner, and sometimes fail to understand when full transparency is necessary. Luckily, psychologist and co-author Michael Mong says there’s a simple fix for this problem: Understand your own spending habits and ensure you and your partner are on the same page. “A lot of us aren’t raised to talk about money and spending and budgeting, and so we’re ill-equipped to discuss it with a partner. Most people just don’t keep close track of their spending, and you can’t be honest about finances until you have a clear picture of your own. It’s impossible for any couple to be 100 percent transparent with finances, but as long as you have shared goals, both for the long and short term, that are manageable for both of you, then that’s a good jumpingoff point for determining what merits discussion and what doesn’t.” ■

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vs BY

VA N E S S A D E L A R G I E

T

he Internet has become such a playground for fantasy, role play and self-gratification that it’s often said to be largely about porn over anything else. Covenant Eyes, a software company that creates security software for parents to protect their children whilst surfing online, claims porn is inescapable. According to their report, there were more than two billion Internet searches for porn in 2015. They claim that 20 percent of mobile-device searches are for porn alone and that 90 per cent of boys and 60 percent of girls are exposed to Internet porn by age 18. The report goes on to say that 56 percent of divorces involve one spouse having an obsessive interest in online porn. So, yes, there is porn online but no it’s not a simple case of good, bad or indifferent. Using the Internet to aid sex in a positive and healthy way isn’t an easy affair. Sex is big business. Almost any niche, fantasy or scenario can be lived out, viewed, even participated in — online. Some of this is legal and consensual, healthy visual aids to be used when and wherever required both in and out of relationships. Some of it is not! There is a dark side to the Internet, as we all know — sites and businesses that operate outside of Google and on the Dark web which we won’t explore here. Instead what this column will focus on are areas that could spice up your sex life; something that will add to your life rather than take over it and something that will promote a healthy sense of self, if used correctly. 9 4

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Vanessa de Largie is an Australian actress, sex columnist and freelance journalist based in London

Virtual Online Sex Games

The swift progression of new technologies is expected to catapult our sex lives to dizzying new heights. As our digital lives and personal lives become inextricably woven, the future of dating and sex will be changed indefinitely. Virtual sex games are on the rise throughout the world, with a multitudinous array of options to choose from — multi-player adult sex games are by far the most popular. Whether you’re looking to act out a taboo sexual act or have a racy sex-chat with a likeminded individual, the virtual sex game world has you covered. The Red Light Center online sex game has the biggest virtual community, boasting xZVYYV\[` \S NQbYa ]YNfR_`y TY\ONYYf .cNaN_` can act out hot sexual acts such as BDSM, threesomes, erotic massage and masturbation, to name a few. A free membership allows you to explore the site but you have to become a paid member if you want to have some banging virtual sex. Other online sex games include Sociolotron, a game which PYRN_Yf `aNaR` V[ Va` QV`PYNVZR_ aUNa Va UN` x[\ rules’. This is a game that is designed for the politically incorrect among us and a safe space S\_ aU\`R dN[aV[T a\ Re]Y\_R aURV_ xQN_XR_y desires without judgment or censorship. Then there’s the absolutely mind-blowing (not to mention filthy) 3DXChat. The avatars in 3DXChat are incredibly lifelike compared a\ \aUR_ TNZR` N[Q VS f\by_R V[a\ xY\PNaV\[ `Rey there is a large menu of venues to choose from. Virtual online sex games are definitely worth exploring. They’re our future but more than that, they feel strangely intimate and bizarrely similar to the real thing.

The Weird & The Wonderful

What is sex without it’s quirks? For those \S f\b dU\ N_R Y\\XV[T S\_ N YVaaYR xS_RNXy beneath those virtual online sheets, I have some suggestions. It’s immensely common — and completely normal — to crave sexual experiences both online (and off) that are outside the norm. Numerous studies, including a 2016 study published in The Journal of Sex Research reveals that sexual fetishism is actually not unusual. Objectification, hentai porn, being attracted to inanimate objects and teddy-bear fetishes are all coming to mind. But what weird and wonderful VR options are available? � Are you a fan of the hardcore video game Grand Theft Auto? If so, you will absolutely LOVE the cartoon parody interactive sex game imaginitively titled Grand F–k Auto. A word of warning, it’s explicit and more hardcore than the video game it’s based on. But so much fun! � Teledildonics is a popular buzz word in the sex-tech world, it’s the umbrella term for technology for distant sex. This group of sex toys and gadgets NYY\d `RebNY ]N_a[R_` a\ xSRRYy \[R N[\aUR_ via a data link. Kiroo, a sex technology company based in The Netherlands, have created an array of products for both men and women that can keep you sexually connected wherever you are. Some devices on their website can even be synchronised with adult sex videos.

Live Cams

The Live cam industry caters to every taste possible. There’s couples, teens, MILFs, costumed and kink. Many performers turn their live cam sex shows into an art form. Men and women choose to watch live cams instead of porn for a myriad of reasons. For many, live cams feel more real. The option of being able to interact with a performer tends to create a sense of intimacy and closeness. Viewers can also book private `U\d` AURf PN[ ORP\ZR xN _RTbYN_y dUVPU builds feelings of camaraderie. The most reputable web cam site in the world is the Hungarian site Live Jasmin because of its high-quality tech and its abundance of performers and models online at any given time.

Porn In a Relationship

A recent study published in The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy reveals that partners who are honest with one another about their porn consumption have happier relationships. But pornography doesn’t have to be viewed alone. It can be incorporated as a positive addition to a healthy sex life. Watching porn with your partner can lead to explorative sex acts and inspire body positive attitudes. Educational porn is also a great resource for those eager to learn new things about sex by reputable sexperts. Betty Dodson and Carlin Ross create an abundance of informative content about men’s sexual health and issues. There has never been so many online options to spice up your sex life and it can all be achieved in a secure digital environment. â–

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SEX

Whether you are new to silicone or water-based lubricants, or even an experienced user, you’ll be more than stimulated with the sensational Sensuous Smooth range of products. Intimacy has never been so much fun... Smooth Personal Lubricants (Water Based) $14.99rrp There are four products in the Sensuous Smooth range — one silicone and three water-based. The latter triple cƃYf]b[g ]bW`iXY GYbgicig Gacch\ BUhifU` Gacch\ 5g =WY Wcc`]b[ UbX Gacch\ KUfa]b[ kUfa]b[ " 9UW\ of these brilliant gels has been uniquely formulated with natural ingredients including soothing aloe vera with comforting and healing characteristics to stimulate and replenish the body’s own natural lubrication. An excellent alternative to chemical based lubricants these three Smooth products are colourless, odourless and feel just like the real thing. Moreover, they have all been dermatologically tested and contain no glycerin or parabens which makes them some of the safest on the market giving you the WcbƄXYbWY hc Yb^cm `cjY \ck ]h kUg aYUbh to be. What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Smooth Silicone $29.99rrp As it does not contain water, Sensuous Gacch\ G]`]WcbY cƃYfg U X]ƃYfYbh ZYY` from water-based personal lubricants because it is not absorbed by skin or mucous membranes, and consequently lasts longer than water-based lubricants. And because it doesn’t contain water it never dries up, therefore staying slick for a very long time. You see, the silicone molecules are larger and don't absorb into the skin, which is thought to result in fewer topical body reactions, irritations, allergic reactions. For this reason, it’s a good choice for people with sensitive skin. Smooth Silicone will make your intimate experience not only safer but a lot more enjoyable. This light, high-quality, premium lubricant has a unique, long-lasting formula that ensures hours of unbridled love and passion and pleasure — even in the shower or pool. It’s also great for an enjoyable, silky massage or fun glide and you can even use it for shaving, or as a skin moisturiser, leaving your g_]b ZYY`]b[ jY`jYhm gcƌ" If that’s not enough, Smooth Silicone is also a much better choice for the adventurous types when it comes to anal sex plus the silky-smooth, non-greasy and natural-feeling gel is U`gc gYl!hcm Zf]YbX`m" GiƆWY to say, whether it’s in the bedroom, pool, shower or, in fact, anywhere, Sensuous Smooth Silicone will never let you down. Do yourself a favour now. ALL PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN AUSTRALIA AND ARE 100ML. FOR MORE INFO AND HELP GO TO WWW.SENSUOUS.COM.AU

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NOT JUST A MAGAZINE WAITING AN ENTIRE MONTH FOR OUR MAGICAL PUBLICATION TO ARRIVE IN SHOPS CAN BE EXHAUSTING. THAT’S WHY WE OFFER YOU A LOT MORE THAN JUST THE INK AND PAPER IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW...

MAXIM.COM.AU Visit MAXIM Australia online for your fix of girls, entertainment, sport, tech, lifestyle, competitions, and the web’s hottest video content. Well, the hottest content that doesn’t involve the words “feeder fetish webcam”. We know you’ll totally search for that after you read this.

MAXIM AUSTRALIA DIGITAL EDITION

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Get with the times, you Boomer loser. Our digital edition on Zinio is exactly the same as the print edition, and available for Apple, Android, and PC devices. Go to zinio.com.au to either buy a single edition or subscribe for 12 months. MAXIM.COM.AU/ZINIO

Our app isn’t just a digital version of the mag, but features interactive content and links. Take a peek behind-the-scenes of our exclusive photo shoots and buy products featured inside at the push of a button or swipe of your screen. MAXIM.COM.AU/APPLE

24 HOU RS TO LI V E

Ross Noble

The Pommy stand-up comedian and actor takes us through his final day on Earth… Have you ever felt like you’ve died onstage during a stand-up gig? When you first start stand-up it happens all the time. It’s because you are terrible but also because you have to play some rough gigs. I once did a party in a farmer’s barn and the stage was a hay loft. As it got dark bats flew past my head — it was like being heckled by vampires!

What’s the greatest Ross Noble body of work that never saw the light of day? My sand sculpture of Ray Martin fighting a pig. It never saw the light of day because the sea came in.

How do you want to leave this world? During lovemaking or a funfair-related misadventure.

What’s the dumbest thing you ever did on Earth? Eating dodgy seafood in Thailand.

Do you have any deathbed confessions? I used to sell death beds relabelled as sun beds.

To whom on Earth do you owe an apology? Anyone who swam in that pool in Thailand – they know why!

What’s your last meal? Bananas served by an aggressive monkey who flies into a jealous rage and kills me.

What quality advice will you take to the grave with you? Standing on the edges of graves can be hazardous.

Are you going to Heaven or Hell? I think those concepts were dreamt up by religions to make people do as they are told. The whole thing is a scam.

What’s your greatest achievement during your time on Earth? I once got a massive bean bag chair into a loft room up a ladder through a very small hatch.

So, what do you say to God or the Devil wherever you end up? Oh, bollocks, I was sure this was a scam. Which legendary people will you hang out with in the afterlife? Jesus. I’d say to him, “I love what you have done with the place”.

Name one thing you’re glad you’ll never have to do again. Building that bunker in preparation for the Y2K bug.

What are your friends saying over your casket? “Let’s have a game of casketball! First one to get a ping pong ball to land in his mouth can have his watch.” What’s written on your tombstone? An arrow and the words: “You must be this tall to grieve”. Got any last words? Relax, it’s only a rhinoceros. Watch this… Finally, what can audiences expect from your upcoming stand up shows in Sydney? Non-stop laughs with excellent transport links located within easy distance of The Harbour Bridge and Opera House. ■

“STANDING ON THE EDGES OF GRAVES CAN BE HAZARDOUS.”

Ross Noble is performing at the 15th annual Sydney Comedy Festival on May 9, 10 and 11. For tickets go to www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au 9 8

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