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BEYOND THE ORDINARY
AROUND THE WORLD IN 79 DAYS THE CYCLIST SMASHING RECORDS – AND TEETH
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SNOWBOARDER KATIE ORMEROD HAS HER SIGHTS SET ON OLYMPIC GOLD
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITORIAL
Dan Cermak
The Swiss photographer likes to keep things simple, using as little equipment as possible – a good thing when you’re running up a mountain after snowboarder Katie Ormerod. “I was so impressed by her stamina,” he says. “We shot tons of material on the slopes, then more in the evening. And Katie was still raring to go at the end.” PAGE 26
Franck Seguin
“On the ocean tour with freediver Guillaume Néry, we had one goal: to encounter the extraordinary,” says Seguin, picture editor at French sports newspaper L’Équipe and a big name in underwater photography. Follow the duo on their voyage into the deep to meet sperm whales and explore the Japanese Atlantis. PAGE 38
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Before anything becomes an achievement, it’s a goal – a point of focus that keeps up your motivation throughout the hard work it takes to make a dream a reality. This month, The Red Bulletin is packed with the arresting ambitions – and accomplishments – of people on a personal mission. Cover star Katie Ormerod is a British snowboarder with one aim: Winter Olympic glory. She’s putting in seven-hour days on the slopes to become the first snow athlete to win gold for Team GB when the Games hit Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February. South London actor John Boyega has an altogether different objective: longevity in the world of film, which the Star Wars star is pushing towards by founding his own production company, enabling him to make the rules as well as play by them. Then there are the intrepid motorsport fans with the shared goal of spectating the world’s wildest and most remote event: the Dakar Rally. Many hurdles stand in their way – not least tracking down the action at all – but that doesn’t stop them packing a brolly and some suncream and heading for South America. Very different goals, but one aim: success. Enjoy the issue.
THE RED BULLETIN
DAN CERMAK (COVER)
#LifeGoals
CONTENTS January
BULLEVARD Life and Style Beyond the Ordinary
12 Mad about The Boss: The
Crown’s Claire Foy is on fire
14 Surf ace Jordy Smith on the
power of artificial waves
16 Guillermo del Toro’s tequila
is diabolical – in a good way
18 What the funk: we catch up
with bass god Bootsy Collins
20 The E-type Jaguar returns 22 Slide away: a Peruvian oasis
that’s heaven for sandboarders
24 Luxe for life: the only survival
kit you’ll ever need
GUIDE
Get it. Do it. See it 72 Enter the world of champions
with Destination Red Bull
76 Straight-faced: our pick of
the best square watches
78 Check out these festive pop-ups 80 Highlights on Red Bull TV 82 Dates for your calendar 84 Slope and glory: ski gear you
won’t want to take off
96 Global Team
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STAR MAN
Actor John Boyega is not one to be beaten easily – whether it’s in the film industry or the paintballing arena
56 KEEPING TRACK
Fifteen days, 14 stages, thousands of kilometres behind the wheel: spectating the Dakar is a challenge in itself
THE RED BULLETIN
SHAMIL TANNA, FRANCK SEGUIN / BUREAU233, GETTY IMAGES
98 Kurt Sorge rides Rampage
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HIDDEN DEPTHS
Photographer Franck Seguin and freediving champion Guillaume Néry open a window on a world that few will ever experience
FEATURES 26
Katie Ormerod
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One Breath Around The World
She’s the 20-year-old doyenne of the British snowboarding scene – and only gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will do
How two Frenchmen set off on an ocean odyssey and captured it all on film: from encounters with whales to a mysterious underwater ‘temple’
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John Boyega
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Dakar Rally
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Mark Beaumont
The South London-born actor talks Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the motivation of failure, and viewing the world through the eyes of others Want to follow the world’s most treacherous motor race through South America? You’ll need our guide The Scottish endurance cyclist on why he rode around the world in 80 days – and still had time to spare 09
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BULLEVARD LIFE
&
STYLE
BEYOND
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ORDINARY
If Claire Foy was in power – like her Queen in Netflix’s The Crown – she’d be quick to get politicians into line
JENNIFER S. ALTMAN/CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES
CLAIRE FOY “I WANT HONESTY. NO LIES, NO MORE TRICKS” PAGE 12 THE RED BULLETIN
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the red bulletin: You’ve portrayed characters who have had to overcome lifethreatening difficulties – such as in your recent movie Breathe, in which you play the wife of a man who is paralysed. How do you approach major obstacles in real life? claire foy: Life is a rich tapestry: illness, people around you being ill… That’s life and we all have to deal with it. You can’t run away from that reality – it’s coming for you one way or another. And, weirdly, I quite like crises
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Claire Foy She’s played the Queen, cared for a disabled husband in the film Breathe, and is now set to reveal a new Lisbeth Salander. And it’s all thanks to Bruce Springsteen
“THE BOSS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME” THE RED BULLETIN
RÜDIGER STURM
n award-winning portrayal of a young Elizabeth II in the first season of Netflix series The Crown earned Claire Foy a place in the big league before Season Two had even been released. Now, the Stockport-born actor is set to swap robes and jewels for piercings and tattoos to play the latest incarnation of author Stieg Larsson’s character Lisbeth Salander in The Girl In The Spider’s Web. But, says the 33-year-old, that doesn’t mean life is all plain sailing. Thank God for The Boss…
Are there any specific songs that help you through a rainy day? Firstly, Secret Garden. I’m also a big fan of If I Should Fall Behind, and an early song, Racing In The Street, has become a favourite lately. But then I can also relate to Bruce’s big songs, like Dancing In The Dark and Tunnel Of Love. In fact, it’s fair to say I like them all. But I don’t listen to him all day, every day. There’s a time and a place for Bruce in my life. The second season of The Crown is available now; netflix.com
JENNIFER S. ALTMAN/CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES
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because they make you appreciate everything. To be able to live in the moment is the dream. That’s my one goal in life: to be able to not think too much. When do you most need to remember that? When I’m absolutely knackered, thinking, “I can’t go on, I can’t go on.” But when my child wakes me up four hours after I went to bed, I won’t go, “Take care of yourself.” No, I’m right there. One of your most iconic roles so far has been playing the Queen. Have you learned anything from her? The second series is about the day-to-day and the bigger realisation of the world that she lives in. And the fact that it never stops. There is no holiday – that’s it, for ever. The real essence of duty is the fact that you can never stand up and go, “I want a break.” If you could run a country, what would be the first decision you’d make? Oh my God, I want honesty. I’d be like, “Politicians, be honest, please. No more lies, no more tricks. Just say what you mean and mean what you say.” I’d probably end up sending everybody to see a therapist. Therapists aside, who provides the most support in your life? My closest group of friends – they’re the greatest people you could ever meet. They’re such a brave bunch, and we’re lucky to know each other. My other source of support is the music of Bruce Springsteen – he’s been there through it all. The inherent thing about Bruce is that he never stops exploring. There’s such passion in his music, and it reflects a desire to understand yourself and the human condition. Bruce is never satisfied with what he’s learned; that’s why he will always be so interesting.
BULLEVARD
From the Queen to Lisbeth Salander: Claire Foy isn’t about to be typecast
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Jordy Smith What surfers spend their lives attempting, scientists have achieved: taming the waves. What will this do for the sport?
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
TOM GUISE
ordy Smith is riding the crest of a wave – literally, figuratively, and now technologically. In October, when this shot was taken, he’d just risen to the top of the World Surf League’s leaderboard, making him the number-one pro surfer on the planet. But that’s not even the most amazing thing about this moment. That would be the fact the wave he’s surfing is a 25-minute drive from the nearest sea. The Wavegarden at Surf Snowdonia Adventure Parc in north Wales is an artificial wave lagoon capable of churning out 2m-high waves that roll for more than 150m at a rate of 18 per hour. For the South African, it’s a childhood dream made real. “As kids, we’d talk about it: ‘Can you imagine if we had a wave pool all to ourselves and just surfed all day? It would be insane’,” he recalls. “That it’s actually happened in our lifetime is incredible.” For Durban-born Smith, surfing isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. His father, a board shaper, placed him onto his first deck at the age of three – too young to remember the moment. “I just thought it was a part of life,” says Smith. “You learn to walk, you go to school, and you have to surf.” Now 29, he believes that, thanks to the emergence of these wave pools, we could see a new generation of landlocked surfers, who only lack the symbiosis with the sea that natural-born surfers such as Smith have developed. “Half of surfing is learning about the ocean: the rips, currents, tides, where the wave will break, what the sand banks look like. In a wave pool, all those elements disappear – there are no sharks, you don’t have to do lots of paddling, and it becomes purely about riding
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the wave. That’s where these guys are going to benefit: learning how to stand up and go along the side of the wave a lot quicker.” But he also believes they’ll miss out on one of the sport’s most precious elements: its randomness. “What makes surfing so fun is that the wave is never the same, so you’re always getting something new and exciting. The imperfections are what make it perfect.” Smith theorises that these landlocked surfers may even look different: “Because you don’t have to paddle very far, we may have a surfer with huge legs and no upper body.” Before that, though, he reckons artificial waves will deliver surfing its defining moment in the mainstream. “The 2020 Olympics are in Japan, and at that time of year the ocean waves are almost non-existent. It’s surfing’s first time at the Olympics and I’d hate it if the world tuned in to see a guy waiting 20 minutes for a wave to break, and then, when it eventually arrived, it was really small. The wave pool really helps: it gives everyone an equal opportunity, and someone can tune in at 2pm and it just starts.” Naturally, Smith intends to be there, hopefully on top of the world once more: “I want to represent my country 100 per cent – absolutely.” surfsnowdonia.com
Smith on wave pools: “This is the beginning. We’re just scratching the surface” THE RED BULLETIN
“An artificial wave lets you work on your technique, because you’re getting the same opportunity over and over” THE RED BULLETIN
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intricate case depicting ghoulish figures harvesting agave for tequila production – a process that has taken place in the region (without ghostly assistance) for centuries. “Tequila is like the blood flowing through my country’s veins, and Jalisco represents the unity between the spirit and the Earth that has stood the test of time and tradition,” says del Toro. “It’s a source of pride. It both gives us roots and shapes us.” Continuing the Día de Muertos theme, the package comes with two candles that sit upon a small altar. They set the scene for a cosy drinking session rather nicely, but it’s all a bit more serious than that. In a film for the brand, del Toro, surrounded by candles, tells us that it’s through the cycle of life, death and rebirth – in this context, the agave plant’s – that we achieve perfection. For £363 a bottle, you’d hope so. The Shape Of Water is out on February 16; foxsearchlight. com/theshapeofwater
It’s dark, devilish and damn strong: this is what happens when Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro ventures into the world of hard liquor
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Top: As well as the tequila and two votive candles, you get a skullshaped bottle of citrus liqueur Above: The box opens up to form an altar. Guillermo del Toro wanted to lend his limited edition a touch of the mystic.
THE RED BULLETIN
COURTESY OF TEQUILA PATRÓN
The spirit of Mexico
he dark, fantastical on-screen worlds conjured up by Mexican film director Guillermo del Toro enchant and disturb in equal measure. The same might be said of tequila. In fact, the man behind cult classic Pan’s Labyrinth and new release The Shape Of Water hails from the western state of Jalisco, where you’ll find tequila’s namesake town. And he’s such a fan of the fearsome liquor, he’s teamed up with Jaliscan brand Patrón to create his own, limited edition version of his country’s national drink. Patrón x Guillermo del Toro tequila is, aptly, the brand’s darkest yet, having been aged in oak barrels for more than five years. And there’s branding to match, with an
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THE WAY WE RIDE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CUBE BIKES, AND TO LOCATE YOUR NEAREST CUBE DEALER, PLEASE VISIT WWW.CUBE.EU
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Bootsy Collins To celebrate his new album, the starspectacled bass legend reveals the secret of funk, and how James Brown transformed him into a master musician
“MY BASS TURNED INTO A SNAKE” 18
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nown for his propulsive bass slaps and his star-shaped shades, William Earl ‘Bootsy’ Collins is a true originator of funk. Bootsy was just 18 when he joined James Brown’s band, and he later became a vital part of George Clinton’s groups Parliament and Funkadelic. Here, the 66-year-old explains how to funk up your life.
the red bulletin: With your new record, you want to teach people how to funk... bootsy collins: Funk is a way of life. It means you take
THE RED BULLETIN
DAVID CARLO
Bootsy has influenced many major artists, including Dr Dre and Red Hot Chili Peppers
what you’ve got and make the best out of it. I started out on guitar, but circumstances called for me to play bass. So my brother gave me four bass strings and I restrung my guitar with them. How do I funk up my life? Make something out of nothing. Bring spontaneity into your life. You don’t say to a woman, “Let’s have sex at seven o’clock,” right? That takes away the tension. You joined James Brown’s band as a teenager. What did you learn from him? He was very strict. After every show, he’d tell us we weren’t on it – even when we knew we’d rocked the house! Sounds demotivating… Well, he made us wear suits and shiny shoes, but we just wanted to go crazy. Once, I got so annoyed with his lectures that I took drugs before the show. I was tripping so hard, the bass turned into a snake. How did Brown react? He thought his lectures were failing, but the opposite was true. I didn’t realise at the time, but when he told me I wasn’t on it, that made me practise more. That lesson was essential for my career. bootsycollins.com
FLORIAN OBKIRCHER
In October, Bootsy released World Wide Funk, his first album in six years
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Top: It may look the same, but unlike the roaring six-cylinder engine of the vintage E-type, the Zero’s is near silent Above: The dashboard has been modified with touchscreen controls, although these have been styled to honour the look of the original
E-type Zero Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car in the world”. Now Jaguar’s elegant racer has been reborn in a surge of electricity
THE FUTURE CLASSIC THE RED BULLETIN
TOM GUISE
says Tim Hannig, director of the Jaguar Land Rover Classic division. “This provides the optimum driving experience.” Before taking it for a spin across the Alps, though, bear in mind that the 40kWh battery has a range of around 270km before needing a charge, which takes six hours. Nonetheless, the Zero is just the start of a larger plan. “We could use this technology to transform any classic XKengine Jaguar,” says Hannig. “Our aim is to future-proof classic-car ownership.” This is especially significant when you consider that by 2020 Jaguar intends to phase out cars powered solely by internal combustion engines. But what else would you expect from a company forward-thinking enough to put an E in the name of its car as far back as 1961? jaguar.com
CHARLIEMAGEE.COM
ashion passes, but style remains, said Coco Chanel. What the legendary designer would make of the electric-car market with its toytown Smart EVs and tryhard Teslas is anyone’s guess. Fortunately, Jaguar has injected some timelessness into proceedings with an electric restoration of arguably its most famous automobile, the E-type. Outwardly, the E-type Zero looks identical to a 1968 Series 1.5 E-type Roadster – and that’s because it is. Jaguar Land Rover has used the exact same body shell, making it possible to return the car to a standard internal combustion engine if you were demented enough. But beneath that vintage exterior beats the heart of the future. Replacing the XK inline six-cylinder engine is a bespoke 220kW electric powertrain that pushes the Zero from 0 to 100kph in 5.5 seconds – about a second faster than its gas-guzzling grandaddy. Not surprising, really, when you consider that the new engine makes the car 46kg lighter, and its kilowattage translates to around 295 brake horsepower – 11 per cent more than the 265bhp output of the original. In fact, it has the potential to go even faster. “To combine the electric powertrain with the dynamic set-up of the original E-type spec, we’ve limited the power output,”
The ‘E’ in the original E-type stood for nothing at all. Now it does: ‘electric’
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Peruvian desert idyll
TANDEMSTOCK
REINER KAPELLER
Huacachina is a mysterious oasis located in one of the driest places on Earth. It has a population of just 96 inhabitants – but it’s heaven for sandboarders
BELIEVE YOUR EYES, THIS IS NOT A MIRAGE THE RED BULLETIN
t doesn’t matter where you look: all you see is sand, sand and more sand; billions of grains of the stuff, sculpted into ever-changing shapes by the desert winds. And then, suddenly, just when it’s becoming hard to remember a time you weren’t staring at sand, you find yourself in a lush oasis in the middle of nowhere. This is Huacachina in southwestern Peru – a location that will knock you off your tired feet with its palm trees and shimmering green lagoon, not to mention its hotels, bars and clubs. Huacachina is no piscoinduced mirage. There’s a scientific reason for the existence of this magical spot around 300km south of the capital, Lima. The oasis is fed with mineral-rich water from an underground Andean river. Because of this, bathing in the lagoon has long been thought to help cure ailments such as rheumatism. There’s a more enchanting origin story, however: legend has it the lagoon was created by Inca gods from the tears of a young maiden mourning the death of her beloved – hence the name Huacachina, or ‘weeping maiden’. The little village is best observed at sundown, when a trudge to the top of the towering sand dunes that surround it is rewarded with a view of a lantern-lit idyll. But if you’re after a bit more desert action, book yourself onto a sand-buggy excursion and enjoy the ride back down the dunes on a sandboard built by the locals. huacachina.com
Cheaper than a ski pass: $40 (£30) will get you to the top of the dunes in a buggy and down again on a sandboard
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Luxury survival bag Confidently stare any disaster in the face with the James Bond of emergency kits
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n these turbulent times, floods, fires, hurricanes, world war and maybe even the apocalypse could be just around the corner. But it’s not all doom and gloom: one company is determined that you’ll survive in style. The Prepster Black ultraluxe survival bag contains everything two people could possibly need for at least 72 hours, providing nutrition, power, hydration, shelter and communication. And it all comes in a monogrammed, handcrafted, coated canvas and leather bag. There’s even a caviar cooler (with tiny
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serving spoons; caviar not included); designer products including Mast Brothers chocolate, Kusmi tea and a Malin+Goetz votive candle; and a backgammon set. Who said enduring the end of the world couldn’t be civilised? At a cool $4,995 (£3,790), the ultimate emergency kit doesn’t come cheap. But once global disaster drags us back to a barter economy, you’ll be glad you invested your money wisely while you could. preppi.co
WHAT’S INSIDE
1. Solar panel. 2. Rain ponchos. 3. Charging kit with power bank and USB cables. 4. Gloves. 5. Sleeping bags. 6. Caviar cooler and serving set. 7. GPS satellite messenger/ locator beacon. 8. Tactical torch. 9. Paracord rope. 10. Leatherman multi-tool. 11. Fisher Space Pen. 12. Survival matches. 13. LED torch. 14. Solar and handturbine radio. 15. Poker set. 16. Notebook. 17. Water storage. 18. First-aid kit. 19. Votive candle. 20. Chocolate. 21. Hand sanitiser. 22. Tea. 23. Toothbrush. 24. Toothpaste. (Other items not pictured: go to preppi.co for more.) THE RED BULLETIN
ADVENTURE starts here
E X O L I G H T
RANGE high performance / waterproof and breathable / flexible for mobility / snow sports features
Outdoor performance with modern style.
jack-wolfskin.com
GOLDEN GIRL At just 20 years old, Bradford-born snowboarder KATIE ORMEROD is already a hardened international pro. Since her mid-teens she’s been beating the best and landing world firsts, all the while proving that coming from a British dry-slope background does nothing to slow you down on the world stage. As the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics approach, Ormerod is one of Team GB‘s top medal hopes in both the slopestyle and big-air events. The Red Bulletin travels to Saas-Fee, Switzerland, to meet the woman carrying our dreams on her shoulders WORDS: TOM WARD PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN CERMAK
Downtime in Saas-Fee for Olympic hopeful Ormerod
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At just 20, Ormerod is one of the snowboarding elite
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THE RED BULLETIN
“I was nine when I first realised that I was good”
T Styling: Alexandra Dietl Hair & make-up: Léa Stalder
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he morning sun glints off fresh snow and washes down the side of the 4,027m Allalinhorn mountain, which towers over the winter sport resort town of Saas-Fee. At the foot of the public slopes, overlooking what feels like the edge of the world, lies The Stomping Grounds – a series of fearsome snowboard jumps designed by renowned park shaper Charles Beckinsale for one purpose alone: to push elite athletes to their limits. Oversized and expensive to access, Beckinsale’s creations today form the training ground of Great Britain’s Park and Pipe team. Among the crowd gathered at the top of the slope is head snowboard coach Hamish McKnight and British Olympic hopefuls Rowan Coultas, Billy Morgan and Matt McCormick, along with a small throng of other elite athletes. A BBC camera crew have joined them, their lenses trained on a small, unassuming snowboarder in a red jacket. As the assembled group huddle at the top of the slope, doing their best to ignore a sudden back wind sweeping down off the mountain, the rider makes her way silently to the lip of the slope. This is Katie Ormerod, and all eyes are trained on her for good reason: at just 20 years old, she is British snowboarding’s greatest Olympic hope. Ormerod tips her board over the edge and gravity takes her. Gathering speed, she plunges towards the 3m-high, 5m-wide superramp rising up out of the mountainside. Just as she’s about to take off, Ormerod leans to her left, knees bent, then swings her arms across her body. Momentum pushes her skywards. With enough height for three long seconds of air time, she gracefully spins, her body low and close to the board, her left hand gripping it. She extends her legs as the snow rushes up to meet her and she lands a perfect cab 540. Far above her, the spectators cheer. 29
Cool runnings
Ormerod is in Switzerland preparing to represent Great Britain at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and her obvious talent has brought with it an intense spotlight. As a country, Britain isn’t exactly known for its ability in snow sports. In fact, it was only at the last Winter Olympics, in 2014, that Team GB took its first-ever medal on snow, courtesy of another snowboarder, Bristolian Jenny Jones, who picked up bronze in the debut of the slopestyle event. Now, with Ormerod competing in slopestyle and also big air – a new category for 2018 – coach Hamish McKnight is confident the young boarder can add a couple more to the tally. After their third seven-hour training day in a row, all the members of the British snowboarding team are holed up at their rented apartment, a modest block of rooms located on the edge of the SaasFee resort; below them are paths that climb to meet the alpine slopes, above them, groaning glaciers. Inside, there’s the communal atmosphere you’d expect to find in a group of athletes who share the same sport, Olympic hopes and close quarters. Tired but in good spirits after
the day’s work, Morgan, Coultas and assistant coach Jack Shackleton watch video edits of the day’s standout tricks on their laptops, discussing how they might be improved. Ormerod is reclining on a sofa, clearly tired, but at ease with her snowboarding family. In what could be a scene from any uni halls of residence or house share, Glaswegian McCormick is making spaghetti Bolognese for the group – a carb-heavy meal to replenish energy spent on the slopes. There’s a cooking rota in place, and Morgan is ribbing Ormerod about her yet-tomaterialise carbonara. With a laugh, she promises it’s coming soon. It’s easy to forget these are the same world-class athletes who have been performing formidable tricks on the mountain all day. Ormerod, the only woman in the group, is just over a metreand-a-half tall and slight in build. She’s understated in all aspects, quiet and softly spoken, describing her incredible sporting progress simply as “very cool”. But her soft demeanour belies a calm, iron focus. Ormerod – nicknamed Katie Oh! for her dedication to pulling off seemingly
“My life has always been snowboarding”
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Ormerod’s knack for nailing spectacular tricks has earned her the nickname Katie Oh!
“The whole time you’re in the air, you can chill a little bit”
Ormerod lands a perfect cab 540
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superhuman feats on a snowboard – appears unfazed by the weight of expectation being heaped upon her. Despite her young age, she’s had plenty of experience in such things during her stratospheric rise to the top of her sport. Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 1997, Ormerod began snowboarding at the age of five at a dry ski slope in nearby Halifax. Her parents were keen amateurs and a family trip to Austria got her hooked on the sport. A Christmas gift of her own snowboard cemented the deal. “I remember being in the mountains for the first time and thinking it was amazing. I’d never seen proper snow,” says Ormerod, her Yorkshire accent subtle but unmistakeable. “When I got back to England, I went to the dry slopes as often as I could. I fell in love with it.” To hear Ormerod tell it, her rise to the world stage was, if not inevitable, then straightforward. She makes what thousands have tried and failed to achieve sound simple; after competing in every national competition going, she gained her first sponsors and signed with the Team GB youth squad aged just 13. “I’ve been competing since I was six,” she says. “The first time I realised I was good was when I was nine. I went to the British Championship in Switzerland and won every category in my age group. That gave me the confidence to keep going. When I was 14, I won the British Championship with a backside 7. I realised that if I did the same trick in a World Cup, I would probably get on the podium with it. That’s when I thought, ‘Oh, I’m actually kind of good at this.’” Despite starting out on the inauspicious confines of a dry ski slope in Yorkshire, Ormerod confounded traditional expectations of British snowboarders to become a world-class athlete. The most visible test of her talents so far was due to happen at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but in the end it wasn’t to be. Taxing qualifying conditions alongside a heavy GCSE workload meant Ormerod found herself on the back foot. “It was probably the worst season I’ve ever known,” she says of the Sochi trials. “There was so much wind, snow, rain, and even fog. Obviously if you can’t see the course, THE RED BULLETIN
Snow queen: Ormerod has her eye on gold in both slopestyle and big air at the 2018 Winter Olympics
“I remember being in the mountains for the first time and thinking it was amazing“
that’s a problem. In bad weather, you need all the speed you can get to clear the jumps, and I really couldn’t clear anything. It was frustrating because I knew I had the tricks to get me there, but I just couldn’t do it.” Missing out on Sochi was crushing, but Ormerod had long since grown used to picking herself back up. Riding at an elite level means learning to take hard knocks of all kinds. When she was five, she cut the top of her eyelid on her board – a pink, hair-width scar is still visible today. Since then, she has broken both wrists and her shoulder, and had surgery on her ACL ligament, which required six months of recovery. And, in March this year, she overshot a jump at the freestyle World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain, and chipped off a section of her vertebrae. Recovery was supposed to take six weeks; she was training again in four. For Ormerod, the desire to keep moving and progressing towards a new goal is essential. Following the disappointing Sochi trials, she distracted herself by 34
KATIE‘S TIPS FOR SUCCESS Standing out from the crowd – whether that’s snowboarding competitors or your office rival – is never easy. Here, Ormerod breaks down how you can rise to the top of the class:
1. PERFECT THE SMALL THINGS
“Whatever your task, never push yourself further than you’re capable. Start small and work your way up. Practise smaller things so you absolutely know you can do them, rather than being over-eager and moving on to a bigger task too soon. Work within your safety zone; when you feel comfortable, that’s the time to push on.”
2. MAKE FITNESS A PRIORITY
“Keep your body healthy. Feeling fit helps you stay positive and achieve in all areas of life. I do one heavy leg session a week in the gym, then go once or twice and do lighter exercises. But you don’t need to go to the gym; you can do light exercise like squats or hamstring curls at home.”
3. KEEP MOVING FORWARD
“Not getting into the Olympics was really hard for me, so I gave myself a new goal. I needed something short-term to keep me focused, so I decided I was going to do the backside doublecork 1080, and that kept me going. Always remain focused on moving forward. And always stay positive and have fun.”
training all-out to become the first female rider to land the notoriously arduous backside double-cork 1080 – a trick comprising two backflips while spinning through 1080°. She describes nailing this dangerous, intricate trick with customary understatement: “I just needed to focus on how I was going to take off and how much speed to take. Once I’d thought about it, that was the hard bit done. The whole time you’re in the air, you can chill a little bit.” Ormerod is one of the only people on earth who can be strapped to a board, upside down, 10m in the air and still feel relaxed, thanks to a work ethic that is anything but. While many athletes might overanalyse their disappointments and so compromise their efforts to overcome them, it’s clear that Ormerod isn’t a believer in looking back or standing still – her eyes are on the future. A trick she landed yesterday might serve her well tomorrow, but there’s always more to learn. Instead of resting after achieving something most snowboarders find impossible, Ormerod isn’t satisfied until she’s proven she can pull off the same feat with the world watching. “Katie is really focused on the task at hand,” says 22-year-old McCormick. “A lot of us sometimes just cruise around, but she’s always got a goal in mind. She’s always looking to improve her riding.” Even among her more established teammates – themselves among the world’s best – Ormerod’s enthusiasm is infectious. “She puts so much effort in,” says Morgan, 28. “Sometimes I’ll have to stop because I’m tired, but she’ll just carry on riding. It gives you the motivation to keep going, too.” Coach McKnight is certain that, alongside her innate work ethic, Ormerod’s background in gymnastics has a lot to do with her success. “Katie’s been one of the best in Britain from the start,” says McKnight, himself a former professional snowboarder who has worked as a coach for 10 years and who guided Brit Jenny Jones to that bronze medal in slopestyle at Sochi. “Anyone who comes up through a gymnastics background has learned fundamentally that hard work equals results. That’s THE RED BULLETIN
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“This has never felt like work to me”
SO, WHO’S SHE UP AGAINST?
land the cab double-cork 900. She’s quite possibly Ormerod’s biggest rival.
Snowboarding is an elite community, which means Ormerod rides alongside her Olympic rivals on a regular basis. “It’s really nice. Everyone gets along and helps each other with the training,” she says. But once the competition starts, expect a fierce battle. Here’s who else to watch out for on the Olympic slopes:
2. JAMIE ANDERSON
1. ANNA GASSER
The 26-year-old Austrian is adept at slopestyle and big air. She reached the final at Sochi and took gold in big air at the 2017 Snowboarding World Championships. Like Ormerod, Gasser has a signature trick – she was the first female rider to
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The 27-year-old from the US has a few years’ experience on Ormerod, not to mention the gold medal in slopestyle at Sochi. Anderson also has 11 X Games medals, four of them gold. Whether she can add to the haul at Pyeongchang remains to be seen.
3. ENNI RUKAJÄRVI
Carving up slopes is second nature to the 27year-old Finn, who first made a name for herself with gold at the 2011 FIS Snowboarding World Championships before taking silver in slopestyle at Sochi. But with Ormerod gunning for pole position, Rukajärvi and co may have to push that little bit harder in 2018.
what’s most advantageous to gymnasts in becoming snowboarders. When you work with one, you get results really fast.” Team GB fits in gymnastic training sessions whenever the schedule allows, though the practice of performing tricks into a foam pit – the way that gymnasts perfect their flips without fear of injury – has now progressed to encompass giant airbag landings on snow; this allows otherwise treacherous tricks to be practised in a safe environment. “The tricks that you learn in gymnastics can be transferred really easily to a snowboard,” says Ormerod. “The strength and spacial awareness skills you pick up are great. You build leg and core strength, too, which helps me get lots of pop and power on the board.”
Podium position
So what exactly does Ormerod have to do to fulfil a nation’s Olympic hopes? The slopestyle discipline involves traversing a run with three jumps and four rails, with tricks scored on difficulty and execution.
Big air involves a single large jump – like that at The Stomping Grounds – and is scored using the DEAL system, which assesses Difficulty, Execution, Amplitude and Landing. In qualifications, a rider has two runs, with the best score being counted. Finalists will have three runs with the best two scores added together. “I won my first-ever World Cup in big air, then I got bronze in the X Games in slopestyle, so I’m not sure if I’m better at one or the other. I want to go to the Olympics and get a medal in both,” says Ormerod, matter-of-factly, without the slightest hint of bravado. McKnight is aware of the many hurdles Ormerod has leapt to get here; and of the many that remain ahead. “When it comes to the Winter Olympics, there are a thousand challenges if you’re British,” he says. “We have a huge job trying to get British kids to be as good as Canadian, American and Norwegian athletes, but Katie is ready. The tricks she’s managed to acquire are big, dangerous and risky. On her day, she has the potential to beat anyone in the world.” Ormerod’s teammates share their coach’s enthusiasm – and it goes beyond token back-patting. “[Katie’s] one of the leading women in snowboarding, for sure,” says McCormick. “Every now and then, someone comes along to really advance the sport, and Katie has given it a massive push.” This training session in Saas-Fee is just one stop on Ormerod’s road to the Olympics. Next comes more training in Austria on another run that caters to big air athletes, then the Big Air World Cup in Milan and a tournament in Germany. Christmas will be spent training in Italy. As it has been since she was a child, Ormerod’s training is solely focused on the next event, the next move. The Winter Olympics just happens to be one of those imminent hurdles. Ormerod will enjoy tackling it as she has so many others. “My life has always been snowboarding,” she says. “Some people get into a sport and if it’s just pure training they don’t enjoy it as much, but it never felt like work to me. I’m really excited about the Olympics. I’m feeling in a good place. I’m eager to get there and show the world what I can do.” Twitter: @OrmerodKatie THE RED BULLETIN
UNDERWATER WONDERS A breathless journey through submerged worlds with freediver extraordinaire Guillaume Néry Words: PH Camy Photography: Franck Seguin/Bureau233
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Otherworldly: Guillaume Néry floats through a cloud of hydrogen sulphide in a sacred Mayan cenote in Mexico
From the gates of Japan’s Atlantis to the depths of Mayan wells in Mexico to getting up-close and personal with the animal kingdom’s most ferocious natural freedivers in the waters off Mauritius: when multiple freediving champion Guillaume Néry and award-winning photographer Franck Seguin set out to explore as-yet-undiscovered parts of the underwater world, they expected an adventure. But the Frenchmen were blown away as the expedition took them to forgotten places and into the paths of formidable deep-sea dwellers. Join Néry and Seguin on three legs of One Breath Around The World, an eerie ocean odyssey… 40
In the seas off Mauritius: moving silently alongside a sperm whale before it disappears off into the deep
Discovering the Mayan underworld in a sacred cenote steeped in history
Néry climbs an underwater tree in Mexico
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Predator party: NĂŠry spends an hour with a group of female sperm whales. Right: a dive off Japanese island Yonaguni
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Rock bottom: this stone formation near Yonaguni was first discovered by a Japanese diver in 1985. Its geological origins are a mystery
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Deep faith: the Maya used these caves for sacrificial rites
A silent journey through the oceans
“The sperm whale looks quite roughly hewn compared with a shark,” says photographer Franck Seguin. “Having said that, it’s a perfectly designed predator when it comes to hunting in the deep sea”
“Go to extraordinary places and you’re going to find extraordinary things,” says photographer Franck Seguin, describing his project One Breath Around The World. “We wanted to meet the inhabitants of the seas, but on its own that struck us as too banal.” So Seguin and freediver Guillaume Néry focused on three things for their photographic odyssey, which began in April 2017: the location, the people and the animals living there. The biggest animal they came across was the sperm whale. Seguin used a hydrophone – an acoustic probe – to track the giants in the open seas off Mauritius. “No one knows all there is to know about them,” he says. “Like Guillaume, the sperm whale is a recordbreaking freediver. It can
dive to depths of 3,000m for up to 90 minutes. That’s where it finds its food, such as giant squid.” In Mexico, the Frenchmen found themselves diving into another world. After a fivehour drive in an SUV through the jungles of Yucatán, this time they weren’t in an ocean but submerged in the cenotes – freshwater reservoirs that served as sacred springs to the Maya civilisation many centuries ago. “They were probably formed by asteroid strikes,” says Seguin. “Bone finds offer proof of Mayan sacrificial rites.” The divers’ subaquatic experience in Japan was no less mysterious, as Néry and Seguin explored formations near the island of Yonaguni in southern Okinawa Prefecture. “This potential underwater temple, presumed to be 5,000 years old, was only discovered in 1985,” Seguin explains. “It’s a rock formation 200 metres long and 150 metres tall.” Later, in 1997, French freediver Jacques Mayol wrote a book on his explorations of the site. But the rocks have yet to surrender their secrets. Multiple freediving world champion Guillaume Néry relished the challenge of exploring underwater worlds at every location they photographed. “He did some of his dives with empty lungs, as if he’d been sealed up on the inside,” says Seguin, who dives both with and without oxygen, accompanied by a second diver for safety. Capturing these astonishing scenes on camera is no mean feat. It’s vital for the subaquatic choreography that a picture first be ‘staged’ above the surface, which Néry’s partner, Julie Gautier, helps with. And there’s always more to explore. She, Néry and Seguin are soon off to the cooler climes of Lake Baikal in Siberia, the world's deepest freshwater lake. @franckseguinphoto; @guillaumenery 49
I have a master plan London-born actor JOHN BOYEGA has been changing the world via the big screen, with high-profile roles in hits such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Detroit. But the 25-year-old has even loftier ambitions Words: RĂźdiger Sturm Photography: Shamil Tanna
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J ohn Boyega has come a long way from youth group Theatre Peckham, where he started his acting career at the age of eight. After enjoying Boyega’s film debut playing an alien-bashing teen in the 2011 British sci-fi comedy Attack The Block, Hollywood director and producer JJ Abrams cast him in the lead role of Finn – a stormtrooper with a conscience – in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, guaranteeing instant global fame. Since getting that foot in the door, the Camberwellborn actor has pushed it wide open, taking on challenging, high-profile roles in theatre productions and films, including Kathryn Bigelow’s crime drama Detroit, and setting up his own production company to allow him more creative control. Such clever, calculated decision-making shows wisdom beyond his 25 years. Or perhaps tactical nous honed while paintballing, a sport in which he’s a self-professed expert. Whatever the case, Boyega has arrived. Now, says the actor, he can face failure, find creative freedom and feel the force… the red bulletin: You’ve hit the big time thanks to the Star Wars films. What have you done with all the money that has come your way? john boyega: I’ve invested it in my production company, UpperRoom Productions. So no yachts, no fancy villas... No. I like to plan. I like to have a master plan. I like to have a career that speaks loud by the choices that I make. The only way I can have that creative freedom is to set up my own camp. Disney and all the legendary movie studios, they all started somewhere. Now, my stuff is starting. I’m putting my own foot in the door. Like a mix of Luke Skywalker and Walt Disney? I want to be an actor and a mogul. I’m already doing it. We’re talking a lot about diversity and the opportunities that people of all ethnicities should have, and I understood early in my career what I needed to do if I was truly going to be part of the conversation.
“I don’t just want to be the celebrity who gives one or two comments and then disappears” 52
I don’t just want to be the celebrity who gives one or two comments and then disappears; I want a person who offers opportunities. I’m proud that our first project at UpperRoom Productions, Pacific Rim 2 [a sequel to the 2013 sci-fi thriller], has a significantly diverse cast. Walt Disney’s dream was to make kids happy; mine is to include everyone and to tell stories from different perspectives. Is it easy to carve out your own destiny? We’ve been blessed with this company, being in such a great position where our
“Failure motivates me. It means there is another tactic, another way to handle something” work is getting out and we get to meet important individuals in the industry. It’s fun when you can work with people like writers and directors who are willing to give their ideas. We can collaborate creatively on projects we want to do. Is it a good time to be starting out? There’s an interest in town because of a drought in original ideas. We have an initiative that’s angled toward upcoming artists, and you get great ideas from the most random people. For example, I’ve sat down with ex-journalists who had great stories to share. Do you ever consider the possibility of failure? Failure is part of the ingredients of success. If you’re cooking something, you add salt, but you don’t add too much. It’s all about balance. Such is the experience of life. How do you cope with failure when faced with it? Failure is something that motivates me. It means there’s another tactic, another way to handle something. If people didn’t go out and fail every day, there wouldn’t be the achievements we have as a society today. And I’m a part of that in my own way. How much do you aim for commercial success? You can’t expect to pull off one Star Wars after another... Marketing a movie isn’t easy. But there are other factors that come into play. For example, I believe that Detroit will be the biggest movie of my career, because it’s about longevity. It’s a massive cultural movie that people will show their children in school. I know the police force THE RED BULLETIN
in America are showing it to recruits, and that has a big impact. Do films like that have an impact on you? Do you do things differently now? I do extensive research into things that happen on a day-to-day basis. I don’t rely on the media for my news, because that’s a bit sloppy. How do you get your information if you don’t rely on the media? Among other things, it’s about the people you have around you; how aware they are and how educated. I’ve been fortunate enough on my travels to have met some well-informed individuals. Making those contacts and talking to them about specific issues has been a huge learning curve for me. Why do you place such importance on learning from others? If you want to understand an issue fully and be a part of any form of change, you have to devote your time to it. To even talk about it, you have to understand different points of view. It’s not good to have a conversation about anything until you’ve grasped what the other person is saying, so that you can respond. For example, despite the fact that I’m black, and even though racism is wrong, I still make a point of understanding the other person’s perspective. Because we still have to live with each other in the same country every day. What can we learn from Star Wars? I feel that Star Wars does have a message. I’m not trying to toot my own horn – even though I am – but Finn, my character, was the most significant part of the teaser trailer when it came out. Not because of
“My dream is to include everyone and to tell stories from different perspectives” me personally, but because of my skin colour. Placing an actor like me in the Star Wars universe, one who’s so pivotal to the story, was a new thing. And making this stormtrooper the first to take off his helmet and go on to make a difference was also very significant. Star Wars also has the spiritual element known as ‘the Force’. Your father is a Pentecostal preacher. Do you need a belief system? I’m a Christian, but not the best Christian. I’m a contradiction. No spiritual walk
guarantees you perfection. It’s not about that. My upbringing is the foundation of my morality and the way I see the world. But that’s just one side, just one perspective. I’m a young man growing up in London. But I do refer to my spirituality a lot, especially living this kind of lifestyle. Did you always see eye-to-eye with your father? I was very bad in school, so when I was aged about eight or nine my dad sent me away to live with his relatives on the outskirts of London for a while, because they had a different parenting style. They had dinner at 3.30 and went to bed at five; my dad thought I needed that kind of discipline. Did his plan work? Yeah. It was very supportive. I came back all nice and stuff. And even though I was depressed when I was there, one day we went to see the animated film A Bug’s Life. That was the first movie I had ever seen at the cinema, and it inspired me to act.
“I am a killer at paintballing… I’ve never lost a single game in my life” Aside from acting, you’re apparently into paintballing… I am a killer at paintballing. Let’s define that properly, man. What makes you a killer? Strategy. I’m big on strategy. When we have games, I’m always willing to lay my life down for the next man. Which just means that I cheat. Do you map out a specific strategy for each game? It depends. The last game of paintball I had in the UK, I told the boys to come out a day before and map out what we were going to do. Some of the games you can set up specifically. We knew what team we were up against, so I was like, “Here’s what he would do. Here’s how we take him down…” And did you win? [Glowers.] Of course! I’ve never lost a single game of paintball in my life. And I’ve got the scars to prove it. If you got stuck, you could always use Jedi mind control... I wish I had that power. I’d just bring on Daisy Ridley. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out on December 14; starwars.com 55
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FREDERIC LE FLOC‘H/DPPI
More Indiana Jones than Indy 500, the Dakar Rally is the true race of legends. To follow the most treacherous event in motorsport poses a unique challenge for spectators. But those willing to take on the test will get a highoctane adventure it’s impossible to experience anywhere else. Here’s your guide to following the 2018 Dakar – 15 action-packed days comprising 14 stages in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Pack your fedora and fire up the engine for the ultimate South American tour
ADAM HAY-NICHOLLS
CHASING THE
DAK AR
Dakar / PERU START: LIMA
What: Peru’s capital city Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 24°C Population: 10 million Eat: Guinea pig. No, really – it’s called cuy. Try it at Dakar favourite Malabar, where chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino serves it seared with Amazonian river snails
in a spicy chorizo sauce. Drink: Pisco sour – pisco (see right) mixed with egg white, lime juice and syrup. Try it at the Gran Hotel Bolivar – Orson Welles is said to have downed 42 of them here in a single sitting. LIMA TO PISCO: A three-hour drive 240km south along Highway 1S.
PISCO
to Peru what tequila is to Mexico. Or, if you would rather keep a clear head, try the enormous smoothies at juice bar Los Tres Duendes (The Three Elves). PISCO TO SAN JUAN DE MARCONA: A further 300km south down Highway 1S – it’ll take four-and-a-half hours.
What: Fishing port Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 24°°C Population: 134,000 Eat: Spicy mashed potato with octopus at restaurant As de Oro’s. Drink: Pisco, of course. This yellowish grape brandy was created here and is
“SOME DAYS IT’S AS MUCH A TEST OF THE SPECTATORS AS IT IS THE DRIVERS. WE HONESTLY BECOME PART OF THE DAKAR RALLY”
PERU
GREG PAUL, RALLY TOURS NZ
BRAZIL
Lima Pisco San Juan de Marcona
BOLIVIA
Arequipa
La Paz
PERU Hot days, cold nights, the Pacific Ocean on your right, desert waves to your left. The coast of Peru south of Lima offers terrain familiar to those who have witnessed the Dakar Rally in its Saharan birthplace, with steep sand dunes and ‘fallen faces’: sudden drops that threaten the suspension – and the spine – of all those on the raid. In your lunchbox you’ll find llama brochettes, and a Thermos of steaming coca leaf tea. Pull off Highway 1S at Ica and steer deep into the desert, listening out for the telltale roar of engines. You spot a Kamaz truck cresting a dune and then slaloming through a valley like an obese skier struggling for control. Get up on the cab of your pick-up; you’ve found your grandstand seat.
Uyuni Tupiza PARAGUAY
CHILE Salta
Belén Chilecito Córdoba San Juan
URUGUAY
ARGENTINA
START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON
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JEAN MICHEL LE MEUR/DPPI, GETTY IMAGES
The 40th edition of the Dakar Rally heads to Peru for the first time in five years. Australian petrolhead Guy Basile was there in 2013, and says witnessing the start is a must. “Standing among the two-million spectators on the start line in Lima is something else,” says Basile. “You’re right next to the beach. There were people lining the course 10-deep for at least 20km. The noise was amazing – the South Americans are so passionate. Watching all my motorsport heroes set off will stay with me for ever.” Peru is a country of tough tests and rich rewards. “The best South American rallies are when we cross Peru,” says 13-time Dakar winner and reigning champion Stéphane Peterhansel. “It’s really interesting for crosscountry: big dunes and big desert, a little like Africa. It’s a real challenge to navigate there.” Spectators braving the desert will get to witness some classic Dakar action. “The Dakar should always be about playing in the sand dunes,” says Greg Paul, owner of Rally Tours NZ, who follows the race every year. “Peru is a great place to watch the action.” THE RED BULLETIN
Dakar / PERU SAN JUAN DE MARCONA
What: Known as the iron capital thanks to its mining trade. Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 29°C Population: 20,000 Eat: Ceviche – it is said the Peruvians have been eating this dish of raw fish
marinated in lemon and lime juice for 2,000 years. Drink: Chicha Morada – a non-alcoholic drink made from purple corn. It’s very sweet, and good for the heart and blood pressure. SAN JUAN DE MARCONA TO AREQUIPA: A nine-hour, 570km drive down the Peruvian coast.
AREQUIPA
What: Peru’s second most populous city Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 15°C Population: 870,000 Eat: The acclaimed ceviche mixto con erizo (sea urchin) at Cevichería Fory Fay; or oven-roasted pork at La Nueva
Palomino, accompanied by the sound of the pan pipes. Drink: Craft beer at local favourite Chelawasi Public House. AREQUIPA TO LA PAZ: Ten hours by car, 550km west along the routes 34A and 3S into Bolivia. You can also fly with Latam Airlines via Lima.
“THE FIRST FOUR DAYS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF SAND, BUT IT’LL BE FUN. IT’LL BE CHALLENGING. THE THING ABOUT THE DAKAR IS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO BE THROWN AT YOU” TOBY PRICE, DAKAR MOTORCYCLE WINNER 2016
South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers roars over a sand dune in Nasca, Peru, during stage 12 of the 2012 Dakar
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Dakar / BOLIVIA What: The world’s highest capital city Terrain: Mountainous, vegetated, icy and rocky Average temperature: 9°C Population: 800,000 Eat: Palm marrow with crispy alpaca jerky and poached egg yolk at modern Bolivian
sensation Gustu (it’s the Quechua word for flavour). Drink: Anything at the quirky, industrial-furnished Diesel Nacional, one of the coolest bars in La Paz. LA PAZ TO UYUNI: A 540km drive along Routes 1 and 30 – this journey will take you seven hours, 20 minutes.
BOLIVIA At an altitude in excess of 4,000m, navigation is difficult. You feel light-headed and out of breath. The vast expanse of the Altiplano, the widest plateau in the Andes, touches the horizon in every direction. It’s wet, cold and icy, and you’re down to your last spicy calf-tongue sandwich. Tiredness is setting in, but you’re kept awake by the spiky rocks beneath your heavy-duty tyres. Your head is thrown from side-to-side and the steering wheel threatens to rip itself from your hands. A KTM bike screams past, en route to La Paz. Rest day can’t come soon enough. Beyond La Paz, you have windswept Uyuni to look forward to, with its hotel built entirely of salt, and the badlands of Tupiza, where Butch and Sundance made their last stand. They lost their endurance battle, but you will win yours. EXPECT THE EXTREME
The Dakar Rally combines the toughest terrains with an eclectic variation in climate to test drivers, riders and spectators alike. “It’ll be a heavy first week given the climate and terrain,” says Jean Marc Aublanc-Piolot, who helped map out this year’s route with Dakar organisers ASO. “After the first stages in the Peruvian desert, we climb from Arequipa to La Paz along the Altiplano, at 4,000m. This begins the mountain section, which lasts till Salta. With less oxygen, greater effort is needed. When we emerge from Bolivia and race into Argentina, the altitude is no longer a problem – but the heat will be.” The altitude of the Bolivian stages combined with colder, unpredictable weather make this section uniquely testing. “It’s super-high altitude and 60
the weather can be bad,” says aircraft engineer Lyndon Poskitt, a Brit who started competing in the Dakar in 2013, solo and unassisted (a category called Malle Moto). “The lack of oxygen can make you exhausted, and then you make mistakes. Navigation becomes challenging. This is the only place I’ve ever got
UYUNI
What: Gateway to the world’s largest salt flat Terrain: Salt flats and ice Average temperature: 10°C Population: 10,300 Eat: Spicy calf tongue is a gastronomic staple here; quinoa pizza is another local favourite. Drink: Bolivian coffee.
You’ll find the best brews – as well as a selection of ice-cold beers – at a shack right next to Uyuni’s landmark clock tower. UYUNI TO TUPIZA: A four-hour, 206km drive along Route 21. Or catch a train, the Expreso del Sur, which takes five hours, 20 minutes via Atocha.
lost, and when there’s no sign of civilization or dust from other riders, you panic. The Dakar is built to test you, and Bolivia has all these different terrains like mud, dried river beds, dense vegetation and damaged tracks.” For spectators hoping to witness some Andean action, careful packing is essential. “January is rainy season in Bolivia, and if it’s anything like last year that means a lot of rain,” says Mathias Grill of Horizonte Tours. “It’s wet, it’s cold and it’s very muddy. Don’t forget to pack an umbrella. Come rain or shine, you’ll be grateful for it.” But with a challenge as unpredictable as the Dakar, even the most prepared can get caught out. “I was so cold during one stage that a kind Bolivian policeman gave me a thick wool scarf,” says British Malle Moto rider Max Hunt. “I swear he saved my life. I remember leaving the bivvy in Bolivia one morning and it was -5°C. By the end of the day, I was in Argentina in 45°C heat. You have to prepare for anything. Last year, a rider was struck by lightning!”
GETTY IMAGES
LA PAZ
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Dakar / BOLIVIA TUPIZA
What: Bolivia’s Wild West – the location of the last stand of outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 19°C Population: 26,000 Eat: No-frills parillades (barbecued meat and fish) at the
local railway workers’ club, the Sede Social Ferroviaria. Drink: Chufflay, a combination of Singani – the national distilled spirit of Bolivia – and lemonade. TUPIZA TO SALTA: A 500km drive down Routes 14 and 9 – this journey takes around six hours, 45 minutes.
“BOLIVIA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO SPECTATE. IT’S WET, MUDDY AND COLD, AND IT’S DIFFICULT TO GET AROUND WITHOUT A 4WD, BUT I LOVE IT” GREG PAUL, RALLY TOURS NZ
Spain’s Sergio Anguiano Reig tackles stage eight of the 2017 Dakar on his KTM 450 Rally Replica bike
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NO POINT IN PLANNING
With precise route info often only released the day before a stage, and last-minute changes common due to bad weather, one of the trickiest parts of spectating the Dakar is, well, finding it. “We plan as best we can,” says Greg Paul. “The organisers don’t release a lot of route information, so you have to be flexible and change plans last-minute. Part of the Dakar is accepting you don’t know. We don’t know, the drivers don’t know. My job is to make sure you see the rally wherever it ends up being.” As a general rule, the harder you work, the greater the rewards. “It’s not a simple thing to watch a race stage,” says Julie Tuck, who viewed the 2017 Dakar from the comfort of her converted Iveco Daily 4x4 motorhome named Cuthbert. “We chased around the Altiplano for days, looking for the routes, only to find they’d been changed at the last minute. Speaking Spanish helps; little English is spoken, and in 2017 the Spanish-language Dakar website was more up-to-date than the English one. Get the best paper maps you can find of the areas. Do your research on the routes and expect short-notice changes. Get out and familiarise yourself with the area well in advance to find the best spectating spots. It’s worth it when you find the right place and all the vehicles come blasting past. It really is a thrill.” Or you could just talk to the locals, says Guy Basile: “They know the best spots. The banter was brilliant too. We made many friends. They kept us in beer and food – and moonshine made of god-knows-what.” 61
Dakar / ARGENTINA SALTA
What: Spanish-looking valley city Terrain: Desert Average temperature: 22°C Population: 619,000 Eat: Traditional rabbit dishes at the Restaurant Jovi Dos, a Salta favourite that overlooks the palm trees of Plaza Güemes.
Drink: The locally produced Torrontés at watering hole Peña Gauchos de Güemes, the historic bar where the heroes of the Argentine war of independence once met. SALTA TO BELÉN: A six-and-a-halfhour, 450km drive south on Routes 68 and 40.
BELÉN
What: The most isolated town visited by the Dakar Rally Terrain: Rocky Average temperature: 26°C Population: 12,000 Eat: Feast like a local by tucking into big, juicy meat brochettes at typical Argentinian diner 1900. Drink: After
a sightseeing excursion to see the Inca ruins and spectacular views at nearby El Shincal, kick back and relax with a glass or two of Mendoza at the cosy Bar Oasis. BELÉN TO CHILECITO: A 215km drive south along Route 40 – this will take you two hours, 45 minutes.
ARGENTINA The tarmacked roads, glistening vineyards and scorching sun of Argentina, and the warm embrace of the finishing festival in Córdoba, are within sight. You rumble past Purmamarca and the Hill of Seven Colours, a mountain in contrasting shades of pink, green, grey, purple, orange, brown and white stone. Onwards to the Valley of the Moon, home to strange clay formations that look out of this world. But civilisation is on the horizon, along with the chequered flag of the greatest rally of them all. You’ll toast your heroes with the pisco you’ve had stashed away since Peru.
There’s nothing passive about spectating the Dakar. You should not only be prepared to work hard for your perfect viewing spot, but once there you may need to get your hands dirty, too. Greg Paul has been taking rally tourists on the Dakar since 2013. “We get to know some of the racers personally; you really feel part of it,” he says. “We’ve towed vehicles that have broken down in the middle of a stage, and rescued motorcyclists. We get to do some serious 62
off-roading, and our winches work overtime. You have to be prepared to get stuck in.” This hands-on role makes spectators a vital part of the adventure for the competitors. “There are always fellow Brits watching the Dakar, which is great,” says reigning champion Sam Sunderland, a Red Bull KTM rider. “I love having their support. Last time, I stopped on this huge salt flat, 4,000m up, during a liaison stage, and some fans offered me a mug of Yorkshire tea. It was so nice to have a chat and get warm.”
Spectators can prove crucial to a competitor finishing the race. “On the second-to-last day, there was a big river crossing and I hit it as hard as I could,” says Max Hunt. “I flooded the engine, and the bike stopped. It’s hydraulic, so the water was physically in the engine. The spectators instantly came to help. They grabbed the bike and helped me turn it upside down, remove the plugs and air filters, and shake it until all the water came out. I eventually got it started – to a huge cheer from the crowd.”
ERIC VARGIOLU/DPPI, REUTERS/FRANCK FIFE/POOL
GET STUCK IN
THE RED BULLETIN
Dakar / ARGENTINA CHILECITO
What: A valley city surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks Terrain: Rocks and gravel Average temperature: 24°C Population: 38,000 Eat: Cazuela de gallina (hearty chicken stew) and other regional specialities at the popular
El Rancho de Ferrito. Drink: Steaming coffee or a chilled beer at Yops, a bohemian haunt where the clientele go head-to-head in epic chess games. CHILECITO TO SAN JUAN: A 400km drive south along Route 40, which will take you around five hours.
SAN JUAN
What: Centre of Argentina’s second biggest wine-producing province Terrain: Dirt and gravel Average temperature: 24°C Population: 113,000 Eat: Remolacha is the biggest parrilla in town, with views into the kitchen. Drink: The local
wine, which includes Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Chardonnay and Torrontés. SAN JUAN TO CÓRDOBA: A sevenand-a-half-hour, 580km drive east along Route 20. Alternatively, there are two flights a day with Aerolineas Argentinas that take just over an hour.
France’s Sébastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena navigate a precarious course during stage eight – Uyuni in Bolivia to Salta in Argentina – of the 2017 Dakar
“SALTA HAS SOME EXTREME LANDSCAPES, AND NAVIGATION IS TOUGH, BUT IT’S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING STAGES TO HEAD TO. PEOPLE GET LOST OUT HERE, SO BE CAREFUL” MATHIAS GRILL, HORIZONTE TOURS THE RED BULLETIN
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Dakar / ARGENTINA What: Argentina’s second most populous city, and the host of the Dakar Rally’s glorious finish Terrain: Gravel and tarmac Average temperature: 25°C Population: 1.4 million Eat: Check out the dinnertango show at El Arrabal, one of the
few restaurants in Nueva Córdoba with a traditional vibe. Drink: If whisky is your tipple, there are more than 200 on the shelves of hipster haunt X-Bar in the La Cañada district.
“I’VE BEEN ON HUNDREDS OF RALLIES, BUT NOTHING ELSE IS LIKE THE DAKAR. IT’S A REAL PRIVILEGE TO SEE IT” DAN PROSSER, JOURNALIST end up travelling just as far as the racers. “My wife drove our camper along the route with me and did more than 7,500km,” says Max Hunt. The distances are mad. You have to be really invested in the sport.” For a slightly less extreme experience, you can join midway through. “Argentina is the easiest place to spectate, because hiring vehicles and getting to spectator points is straightforward,” says Greg Paul. “I recommend heading for Salta; from there, you can spend four days following the rally north, then make your way back to Córdoba for the closing ceremony.”
France’s Cyril Despres tackles stage 12 in Argentina’s Córdoba province in 2016 as a Dakar fan watches on
STICK IT OUT
BE PREPARED
Crews stay in the Bivouac, or ‘Bivvy’, a makeshift camp that travels from stage to stage, and they sleep in their trucks or on stretchers and bunks set up around their vehicles. Spectators mostly find hotels along the route, but the best-laid plans can easily fall apart. “Hotels along the route get overbooked, or you might find the road to your hotel is suddenly closed for the rally,” says Mathias Grill of Horizonte Tours. “So take a tent and a sleeping bag and make sure you have plenty of water and food, in case you get stuck.” Camping out gives you the best chance of sampling some live action, agrees Julie Tuck: “Accommodation is very hard to find in the rally areas. Ideally you need either a camper or a tent to be in the right place at the right time.”
PUT IN THE HOURS
To follow the world’s most treacherous rally, you need a 64
suitable vehicle to strap into. This is not as simple as you’d think. “The scale of the Dakar is huge,” says Greg Paul, “and there’s a huge amount of travelling, sometimes 800km in a day. In addition to the competitors, you have all the support trucks, so it’s anything up to a 3,000-vehicle caravan. You need a car to follow it, but you can’t hire one in Bolivia and cross the border into Argentina, for example. We solve this is by
shipping foreign-registered Toyota Land Cruisers to South America so we can follow the entire rally.” Then the true test of stamina begins. “To actually chase the Dakar takes hard work and long days, with little sleep,” says Guy Basile. “We tried to watch as many special stages as possible, which means leapfrogging the competitors and spectating alternate days.” Hardcore spectators often
To the victor go the spoils, though the finish-line parties at the Dakar make everyone feel like a winner. “Just to finish the rally is a big deal,” says Paul. “It all gets rather emotional. The Dakar really suits South America as the locals love to party.” “We kept being mistaken for competitors and asked for pictures and autographs,” says Basile. “In the end, it got too hard to explain we were just spectators too, so we went with it. We felt like rock stars.” Hunt first experienced the Dakar finish line as a spectator, then competed in the race the following year: “It was a real old adventure spectating, but driving through Argentina, with thousands of people lining the streets, beats that. “When you’ve experienced the atmosphere, seen the travelling circus, you want to be part of it yourself. It draws you in. If you go to watch the Dakar, don’t be surprised if you find yourself signing up to compete in the next edition.” redbull.com/dakar THE RED BULLETIN
REUTERS/MARCOS BRINDICCI, GETTY IMAGES (3), ALAMY(4)
FINISH: CÓRDOBA
Dakar / WHERE TO GO of llamas, alpacas and sheep handwoven into wares such as ponchos and blankets. In addition to the teleras (weavers), you can visit the interesting Inca ruins of El Shincal nearby. A two-hour drive west of Belén is the spectacular Laguna Blanca National Park [1] with its Salamanca cave paintings and fascinating lagoon life.
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CHILECITO La Riojana Cooperative, the area’s wine producer, is a sizeable business, producing 30 million litres each year. SAN JUAN Ischigualasto Provincial Park [5] is home to strange clay formations in a variety of hues.
LIMA Huaca Pucllana is a great pyramid in central Lima, comprising seven staggered platforms of adobe and clay. Built around 500AD, it was once an important ceremonial and administrative centre for culture in the Peruvian capital. PISCO The Ballestas Islands [2] – known as the ‘poor man’s Galapagos’, but rich in fauna nonetheless – are a two-hour boat trip away. SAN JUAN DE MARCONA Punta San Juan coastal reserve is home to many species of marine life, including fur seals, sea lions, and Peru’s largest colony of the endangered Humboldt penguin. AREQUIPA The Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve includes Sumbay Caves, where more than 500 cave paintings [3] dating back 6,000 to 8,000 years can still be seen. LA PAZ At the Witches’ Market, dried llama foetuses can be bought for good luck (expect to find superstitious Dakar riders here). About 10km 5
CÓRDOBA Don’t miss the official Dakar postpodium celebration and the Red Bull-hosted after-party.
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outside town is the Valley of the Moon, a maze of lunar-like canyons eroded by the elements over thousands of years. UYUNI The stunning salt flat [4] here is known as the Salar de Uyuni. Also check out the nearby antique train cemetery, the remnants of an abandoned network built by British engineers in the 19th century. TUPIZA San Vicente [6], a remote village 100km north-west of Tupiza, is where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled with the loot they’d stolen from a mining company payroll. The Bolivian army turned up and the outlaws were killed in an epic shootout.
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SALTA A 90-minute drive from Salta is Purmamarca and its Hill of Seven Colours – a mountain in contrasting shades of pink, green, grey, purple, orange, brown and white stone. Also, climb aboard the Train to the Clouds; an iron workhorse on narrow-gauge tracks that takes you on a 16-hour round trip high up into the Andes. BELÉN There are many textile workshops in town where you can see the wool THE RED BULLETIN
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WHEELS ON FIRE FINISH
START
Words: Ruth Morgan
From top: Day 34: Watching out for wildlife on a road close to the Great Australian Bight Day 78: Arriving in Paris at the end of his 29,000km ride Day 41: Enjoying a downhill stretch on an Australian highway
MARK BEAUMONT
BIKE PRO MARK BEAUMONT HAD A DREAM: TO CYCLE AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. AND, THANKS TO THE RIDER’S ABILITY TO ENDURE MORE TORMENT THAN MOST OF US CAN IMAGINE, HE DID IT THE RED BULLETIN
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S cottish ultra-endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont shocked the world this year when he circumnavigated the globe in 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes, smashing not only the previous record – set by Kiwi Andrew Nicholson in 2015 – by almost 45 days, but also his own target of 80. It’s a feat he had always dreamed of, despite the punishing schedule required: to meet his goal, he had to average 390km per day, whatever the weather, meaning 17 out of every 24 hours in the saddle, and no more than five hours’ sleep each night. Though he’s an extremely experienced rider over long distances – he’s even been around the world on a bike before – the 34-year-old wasn’t prepared for the mental and physical pain it would take to succeed this time. Or the fact his mechanic would end up doubling as his dental nurse… 68
the red bulletin: What made you decide to do this? mark beaumont: Circumnavigating the world is the biggest prize in endurance cycling. Anything else is small talk. It’s held a fascination for me ever since I was a 12-yearold kid pedalling across Scotland, so I’ve been building up to it for 22 years now. You cycled around the world in 194 days back in 2008, setting a new record at the time. Why do it again? The big difference between then and now, is back then it was a touring record, whereas now it’s very much a racing record. In 2008 I was unsupported, doing it wild-man style, whereas this was completely about performance. This time, I had an amazing team around me and I was just doing the maximum mileage I possibly could. It’s the same record, but a very different event. Were you confident that your 80-day target was realistic? You’re very much racing yourself when you do these ultra-endurance things. Two years ago, I sat down with my team and did a whole range of testing to decide what our target should be. It’s so tough, so brutal when you’re riding 17 hours a day with only five hours’ sleep, so you need real clarity about what you’re aiming to achieve. I wasn’t surprised it was possible, but I am bloody relieved. Why relieved? I’d never actually proven to my team or myself that I could sustain 240 miles [390km] per day for weeks and weeks. So I quite felt alone on the start line. It’s a pretty intimidating journey to start out on; all eyes were on me. As soon as you start to lose time, even in the first week, you’ve lost it. You’ll never make up those miles. Did that challenge spur you on, or instil doubts? I was in the shape of my life and utterly committed, so it’s hard to remember if I ever doubted myself. You’ve got a world of pressure and it’s as scary as hell, but you’re so utterly focused on what you need to do. I don’t think I allowed myself time to step back and contemplate not doing it. The mantra was just: unless it’s unsafe to carry on, we’re never going to stop.
Below: Day 23: Passing through the Russian district of Kabanskiy Day 61: A short recovery break in Weyburn, Canada, before the next set Day 55: Cycling along a highway in Alaska with the support van – and bison
THE RED BULLETIN
MARK BEAUMONT
What was the toughest part? I knew it would be the hardest thing I’d ever done, and it was. It was absolutely brutal. By two months in, going through the Prairies and back up the east coast of Canada, I felt like I’d thought all my thoughts, played all the tricks I had up my sleeve as an endurance rider, and I still had weeks to go. Physically, I felt very weak on the bike; mentally, I felt battered. Strangely, the toughest days were the uneventful ones when nothing in particular was happening. It was just 4am to 10pm, banging out the miles. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It’s a lot of suffering. How do you train your mind to deal with that? I think big-picture stuff. I’m very good at remembering where we’re going and why we’re doing it. And then getting fixated on short-term things – the next milestone. The trick is to truncate the middle ground. What you have to do a week from now has to disappear. Did you end up in any sticky situations along the way? I crashed on day nine in Moscow. It was at about 5am, it had been raining and it was still dark. I rode over what I thought was sitting water on the road, but it was a big hole in the tarmac. I broke some teeth and sustained a radial head fracture of my left elbow. From then on, riding was incredibly painful. Russia has terrible roads, so 17 hours of vibrations through the handlebars hurt. I ended up riding totally lopsided, which gave me other issues in my back and neck. Not to mention the broken teeth… Actually, we fixed that. The British Embassy in Moscow managed to source some tooth resin or whatever the stuff is called, and some young diplomat drove out 500m east of the city to deliver it. I was in the middle of nowhere when a black car pulled up and this suited diplomat stepped out and handed us a bag of medical supplies. With my mechanic as a dental nurse, my performance manager proceeded to fill my tooth. I was so tired I fell asleep while they were doing it. What’s the secret to being able to carry on? Your ability to ride ultra-endurance is your ability to suffer. But that makes it sound utterly miserable. THE RED BULLETIN
“I’ve always thought of this project as my Everest. And to do it first is a one-time prize”
Above: Day 56: Total focus while cycling up a steep elevation on an Alaskan highway Day 24: Getting physio during a recovery break between cycling sets in Mongolia
CONQUER THE WORLD ON TWO WHEELS
Mark Beaumont’s endurance essentials
1 THE ABILITY TO POWER NAP “Every morning at 8am, I would sleep for eight minutes and I‘d feel amazing. Anything more than that is not a power nap!”
KICK-ASS PERFORMANCE 2 AMANAGER “Laura Penhaul did everything for me while I was on the bike. She’s hardcore. She was a physio for Team GB at the last three Olympics, but she’s also rowed the Pacific Ocean with an all-female crew.”
3 DISTRACTION
“Every morning I’d listen to music, and every evening I’d listen to podcasts. I must have listened to 300 episodes of Desert Island Discs. It gives a snapshot of people’s motivation, which is important when you’re doing such an obsessive, personal thing.”
4 COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE
“A friend who owns a chocolate company, Coco Loco, made me a motivational chocolate flapjack for each day, with a different ‘good luck’ tweet written on each one.”
5 MAGIC POTIONS
“The one thing I absolutely swear by as a cyclist is Papaw Ointment, which contains fermented papaya. It sounds a bit hippy, but it’s awesome for saddle sores, or pressure sores on your feet.”
It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I got to ride for almost 79 whole days through every sunrise, every sunset. I got to pedal across the Gobi Desert, and through the Yukon with herds of wood bison and bears around me. It was amazing. So there were enjoyable moments as well as suffering… Oh yes. I loved Mongolia. It’s just empty. You’ve got the Mongolian steppe and the Gobi desert, which are just beautiful; vast, fenceless, treeless horizons. It was winter when I got to the Southern Hemisphere, so cycling up through the snow-capped mountains around Queenstown and Wanaka in New Zealand was pretty cold – ice on my jacket, below freezing – but it was beautiful. Some of those early morning rides I’ll never forget. Will your record be broken? To ride 240 miles a day for twoand-a-half months, you have to be pretty resilient as a rider. Which is totally different to being fast or a good sprinter or climber. I’m not sure how many riders would want to push themselves to that extreme. I’m not the most obvious bike rider: I’m 6ft 3in and 87kg, so if I’d led a different life I could have been a rugby player. I’m not your average whippet of a road racer. I’m interested to see what happens next. Would you do it again? I’m 100 per cent massively relieved it’s over. There’s no way I would go through that again. I’ve always thought of this project as my Everest. And to do it first is a onetime prize – I bet you can’t name the second person to climb Everest. I’ve shown that what seemed impossible is possible. Going around the world in 80 days draws a big line in the sand. markbeaumontonline.com 69
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guide Get it. Do it. See it.
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reasons to take note
JOHN CARTER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
CATCH THE WIND
They say you should learn from the best, and they don’t come much better than a 42-time world champion. Björn Dunkerbeck (right) is a windsurfing icon, which makes him more than qualified to help you up your game. Yes, that could be you riding in his wake. Turn the page to find out how…
THE RED BULLETIN
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GUIDE
Do it
Journey off the beaten track
THE RED BULLETIN: What can I learn from Björn Dunkerbeck that no other surfing instructor can teach me? BJÖRN DUNKERBECK: One thing is of particular importance to me when I’m in charge of a group of surfers, and that’s being close to the action. As I’m surfing alongside the people on the course, I can see pretty quickly if someone’s doing something wrong. And, thanks to Björn Dunkerbeck, my experience, I can spot where 48, became world there’s room for improvement. champion for the 42nd time in 2016 You’ll make me a better surfer? It’s the same as with anything else: if you do what you’re told, you’ll learn a lot. And it’s important to remember: the more skills you need, the more there is to learn. What if I’ve never surfed before? Then it’s time to give it a try! Believe me, anyone who’s been out there and felt that sense of freedom will never get enough of it. Being out on the water completely clears your head. It’s like you’ve been born again. What about the time spent off the board? It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a diving or mountain-biking trip, exploring the food scene or the island itself, you’ll never get bored on Gran Canaria – we’ll make sure of that. The only thing we won’t let you do is lie on the beach at Playa del Inglés!
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“BEING OUT ON THE WATER COMPLETELY CLEARS YOUR HEAD” Sports stars and other superior talents transport you into their world. This time it’s the Canaries, the Hawaii of Europe
RAY DEMSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, MANUEL FERRIGATO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
D
estination Red Bull is redefining the relationship between fans and their idols, bringing them closer than ever before. Now, you can sail with twotime Olympic champions, take flight in the cockpit of a Red Bull Air Race plane, or rev your engine in an ice rally in Sweden. For windsurfing wannabes, there’s no better trip than seven days in Gran Canaria with 48-year-old board legend Björn Dunkerbeck as your personal instructor.
THE RED BULLETIN
Destination Red Bull
Björn Dunkerbeck has the perfect playground: 20°C water, perfect weather and a constant trade wind
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Do it
JOURNEY OFF
Discover the fascinating world
Jukkasjärvi: a wintry playground for drivers
Experience the unforgettable as you rub shoulders with your sporting idols. Celebrate events from a vantage point normally reserved for the pros. These are journeys that take you well off the beaten track. Welcome to Destination Red Bull.
For further info and booking details, visit: destinationredbull.com
Rallying on ice with Mattias Ekström
CLIMB INTO THE HOT SEAT
THE RED BULLETIN: What should participants expect when they get to Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, 200km north of the Arctic Circle? MATTIAS EKSTRÖM: Fun in a wintry paradise. Anywhere else, you could only dream of so much snow, ice and space. What exactly do you have planned for those coming along for the ride? We’ll do a lot of driving and snowmobiling, and go on a run with huskies. And we’ll sleep at the Icehotel. All the stuff we Swedes do in winter when we’re not sitting in the sauna. What should they bring with them? A good state of mind, long johns, thick socks, quality gloves and maybe a torch, too – there’s not all that much daylight up here in winter. Is there anything that participants can get wrong? Motorsport genius Absolutely! Snowmobiling is like amateur Mattias Ekström, rallying: if you go too fast, the trees can come 39, will be your at you a bit faster than you’d like. driving instructor What makes driving in the cold enjoyable? What’s most enjoyable is the driving itself, when can you really put your foot to the floor in a car. On a snowmobile, you’re more exposed. You feel the cold, the wind and the speed until the adrenalin is pumping through you – and that’ll warm you up in no time.
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RED BULL AIR RACE ABU DHABI Make your flying dreams come true inside a Red Bull Air Race cockpit.
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RED BULL STUDIOS Unleash your musical talents and produce your own album at our studios (location tbc).
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THE RED BULLETIN
GUIDE Destination Red Bull
THE BEATEN TRACK of Red Bull up close
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3 WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN Run for those who can’t at this unique global event and rub shoulders with your idol.
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RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES POLIGNANO A MARE Hang out with, learn from and be amazed by the world’s best cliff divers.
MATTIAS EKSTRÖM ICE RALLY The Swedish motorsport champion puts you behind the wheel in an icy paradise.
ADVENTURE WEEK WITH SOFÍA MULÁNOVICH IN PERU Learn to surf the world’s longest left-hander with the Peruvian pro.
WINDSURFING WITH BJÖRN DUNKERBECK Explore the wind and the waves with the 42-time world champion.
SPEND TIME WITH SKI CHAMPION AKSEL LUND SVINDAL Discover Norway’s mountains by bike and Oslo by night, courtesy of the slope star.
RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES AZORES Spend time with the cliff-diving elite and brave a leap into the Atlantic with expert tuition.
OSKAR BAKKE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, RED BULL CONTENT POOL
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GUIDE Edited by Gisbert L Brunner
Get it ‘Cintrée’ refers to the Cartier watch’s curved design. The ‘Skeleton’ part is self-explanatory
H MOSER & CIE SWISS ALP WATCH S
Biting the Apple
SQUARING THE CIRCLE
Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont cannot lay claim to having piloted the world’s first powered aeroplane – he was three years behind America’s Wright Brothers in that respect – but he can take credit for another pioneering achievement in the history of flying. In 1904, while dining with his good friend Louis Cartier, grandson of the founder of the famed Parisian jewellery house, Santos-Dumont complained about the impracticalities of reaching for a pocket watch when steering his plane. In response, Cartier created the company’s first wristwatch – the squarefaced Cartier Santos – and on November 12, 1906, when Santos-Dumont achieved a maiden flight of 220m in his biplane, the world’s first pilot’s watch was also born.
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A design homage, shall we say, to a certain best-selling smartwatch from Cupertino in California. But in every other regard, this manualwind mechanical watch – a limited run of 50 pieces in white gold – is its own luxury beast. h-moser.com
CARTIER TANK CINTRÉE SKELETON
Irresistible force Louis Cartier’s love of square watches spawned perhaps his most famous creation when, in 1917, he produced an angular timepiece as a gift for General Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces. The Cartier Tank, inspired by the armoured vehicles heading for the Western Front, proved a hit far beyond the battle lines, and subsequent spins on the design found favour with celebrities and royalty. Photos of key moments in history show a Tank watch on the wrists of Princess Diana and Michelle Obama. Yves Saint Laurent, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol and Elton John each owned one – the singer even wrote a song about Cartier – and this year Kim Kardashian bought Jackie Kennedy’s Tank at auction for $379,500. To celebrate the watch’s centenary, Cartier has issued the Tank Cintrée Skeleton with a rose gold or platinum case, limited to 100 of each. cartier.com
JAEGER-LECOULTRE REVERSO TRIBUTE MOON
About face
The dual faces of the original 1931 Reverso were developed to protect the crystals and dial during rowdy games of polo. This edition features moon phases on the front, and a second time zone on the back. jaeger-lecoultre.com
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE TETRA GOLDELSE
Golden ratio Watches don’t come any squarer. Measuring 29.5mm by 29.5mm, and named after the lady on top of Berlin’s Victory Column, this rose-gold piece is a monumental creation. nomos-glashuette.com
THE RED BULLETIN
THE RED BULLETIN PROMOTION
The Superstar is CInelli’s flagship model, offered in disc and non-disc options
CINELLI SUPERSTAR
©JACINTOVIDARTE
T h e r e s u l t o f a r i c h h is to r y o f d e s i g n a n d i n n ova t i o n Cinelli’s story started in 1947. An outstanding pro cyclist with 15 years of experience, Cino Cinnelli had covered thousands of kilometres, distances that had allowed him to develop some truly innovative ideas. History remembers Cinelli less for his racing career than for his design innovations. He gave modern cycling the first aluminium handlebars, the first saddle with a plastic core, the first pedal straps and the first quick
release pedals. Thirty years later, in 1978, Cino handed the company over to a young industrialist, a leader in the field of steel tubing with a love of cycling – Antonio Colombo. With this change of leadership, the Cinelli brand was transformed. Colombo instigated a series of collaborations with designers, making Cinelli the first brand to take a passion for art and integrate this into the world of bicycles. Every product is taken through a rigorous
creative and development process, with focus continually on the two ideologies on which Cinelli is built – innovation and design. And their latest venture, the Superstar, is no different. This is Cinelli’s first disc-equipped bike and it offers the finest performance a road bike can possess. It’s a blisteringly fast machine featuring handling that inspires confidence. Cinelli is now known throughout the world for its bicycles which combine not only an emotional, cultural and artistic elegance, but are designed for optimum technical performance.
www.cinellibicycles.co.uk
GUIDE
See it The Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is in its 11th year
THRILLS NOT CHILLS It may be winter outside, but London’s pop-up event scene is turning up the heat. Check out our pick of the capital’s most exciting cold-season hotspots…
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THE RED BULLETIN
December/January
BREAK THE ICE Five more winter pop-up experiences worth seeking out
Winterville (until January 1) Invading Clapham Common for the first time, Winterville has events such as Backyard Cinema, Plonk Crazy Golf, and the Spiegeltent, heated up by DJs including Norman Jay. Windmill Drive, London SW4 9DE; winterville.co.uk
South Pole Saloon
Pergola Paddington Central (until December 23)
JACK PASCO, STEVE DUNLOP
H
aving become a fan of dining under pergolas on trips to Italy and France, entrepreneur Charles Gardiner decided to save on air fares and bring the experience to London. After successfully launching Pergola on the Roof in 2016 and then Pergola Paddington last summer, his team has now turned the latter into a winter pop-up. The dark wood furnishing, paired with ivy décor and other winter greenery, makes for a festive atmosphere. But, thanks to a giant new roof, through which patrons can see the stars, this fully covered and heated 850-seater venue has none of the season’s chill. Drink specials include the Good Tidings cocktail (Eristoff vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, cranberry juice, all-spice) and, food-wise, Pergola Paddington Central relies on burger kings
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Patty & Bun, comfort-food chain DF/Mexico, 2015 London Pizza Festival winners Made of Dough, and ramen restaurant Tonkotsu to provide tasty meals at the two-floor ‘winter urban paradise’.
(every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until January 1 ) Claiming to “celebrate the dark side of Christmas”, this fully heated 500-capacity pop-up is perfect for after-work drinks during the winter season, with festive cocktails, DJs and immersive elf performances (!). Brixton Rooftop, Pope’s End, London SW9 8JH; southpolesaloon.com
5 Kingdom St, London W2 6PY; paddingtoncentral.com/pergola
Social Fun and Games Club (until January 31) Dine inside a glass igloo, play neon-lit curling, and drink mulled wine in the ski-lodge bar at Roof East in Stratford. And don’t miss the Jimmy’s Lodge Raclette Burger. Level 8 Car Park, Great Eastern Way, London E15 1XE; roofeast.com
Winter winner: party in comfort at Pergola
Skylight (until January 7) This Wapping summer staple, on top of a former car park, is hosting its first winter event. Instead of croquet lawns, you’ll find a rooftop ice-rink and an ice-hockey slap-shot challenge. Tobacco Dock , Pennington St entrance, London E1W 2SF; skylightlondon.com
Winter Wonderland (until January 1) This popular family Christmas funfair features two circuses, the UK’s biggest outdoor rink, a giant wheel, and the stunning Magical Ice Kingdom. Hyde Park, London W2 2UH; hyde parkwinterwonderland.com
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See it As The Crow Flies is from the team behind 2015’s epic Follow Your Nose
READY FOR A BOARD MEETING?
Catch air with the stars of the slopes, and eat dirt with the elite of motocross and rallying – Red Bull TV has it all this month
WATCH RED BULL TV ANYWHERE
Austrian pro Gigi Rüf has been snowboarding since the age of nine
Red Bull TV is a global digital entertainment destination featuring programming that is beyond the ordinary and is available any time, anywhere. Go online at redbull.tv, download the app, or connect via your Smart TV. To find out more, visit redbull.tv
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December/January
THE ASSIGNMENT MOVING PICTURE CO, FLAVIEN DUHAMEL/ RED BULL CONTENT POOL
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18 THE RED BULLETIN
December
PREMIERE
1
December
PREMIERE
MOTO 8
The world’s favourite dirt-bike film series returns. Presenting elite riders in epic locations – from the biggest tracks on the planet to rides through the Australian outback at 100mph+ – MOTO 8 is the most badass motocross movie experience ever.
to 31 December
MOVIE
28 WINTERS – A STORY ABOUT NITRO SNOWBOARDS
This world premiere examines the struggles, achievements, values and opinions of some of the most influential snowboarders around, including riders such as Eero Ettala and Marcus Kleveland.
AS THE CROW FLIES
This adventurous film from Pirate Movie Production follows Austrian snowboard legend Gigi Rüf and his friends, including Americans Pat Moore and Travis Rice, on their hunt for the best snow and terrain. In Austria, Italy, Japan, Alaska and Canada, they reinvent snowboarding and prove their versatility. On their mission, they conquer urban playgrounds, as well as impressive backcountry jumps and natural features.
6
to 20 January
LIVE
DAKAR RALLY 2018
Peru is back on the map of this iconic event for 2018, hosting three stages of the ultimate test of man and machine. The 10,000km route from Lima to Córdoba, via La Paz, will see competitors tackle some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth.
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December/January January to 3 February London International Mime Festival Banish images of white-faced clowns rollerskating against an imaginary wind or feeling their way around an invisible wall – there’s far more to mime than that. Scattered across the capital, this celebration of physical performance features mechanical theatre, 19th-century magic, silent cinema, and workshops where you can learn the skills of this amazing artform, including puppetry. Various locations, London; mimelondon.com
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January
NBA LONDON GAME 2018
The greatest league in world basketball makes its annual pilgrimage to Blighty for an eighth time, giving UK fans the chance to attend an NBA regularseason game – this time between the Philadelphia 76ers (pictured) and the Boston Celtics. Expect all the entertainment you’d get across the pond, including comedy slam-dunking performances from the team mascots: the 76ers’ Franklin the Dog and the Celtics’ Lucky the Leprechaun. The O2, London; theo2.co.uk
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If you like to cut the cheese, Christmas has come early. This one-day event is the ultimate celebration of the stinky foodstuff, with Europe’s finest fromage-mongers offering their wares. Also expect mulled wine, a ginormous Camembert, and DJs slicing up cheesy tunes until 3am. Shoreditch, London; studio338.co.uk
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December Ants NYE The incredible Ibiza supershow is spreading its colony to our shores for its first-ever end-of-year spectacular. swapping the swanky outdoor poolparty backdrop of megaclub Ushuaïa Ibiza for grittier South London venue Electric Brixton. Expect it to be no less awesome, though, with UK music maestros Richy Ahmed, CamelPhat and Eli & Fur spinning deep-house sets for the crowd to get their mandibles into. Electric Brixton, London; ticketweb.co.uk
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January Crime Scene Live There’s been a theft at the Natural History Museum and a murderer is on the rampage. Not a great day to head over there, you’d think, but you’d be wrong. These special evening events – there are two more on February 2 and March 9 – put you in the role of Crime Scene Investigator, using forensics to solve the mystery. Natural History Museum, London; nhm.ac.uk
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ALEXIS DORC, GETTY IMAGES
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December The Giant Cheese Board
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PEAK STYLE For millennia, mountains were icy, impassable barriers of death. Then humankind put boards on its feet and suddenly they became fun Photography: HAMISH BROWN Styling: SARAH ANN MURRAY
Clockwise from left: DOUCHEBAGS The Douchebag ski and snowboard bag, douchebags.com; BURTON Talent Scout snowboard and Step On bindings, burton.com; STANCE Stoney Ridge socks, stance.com; K2 Sapera snowboard boots, de.k2snowboarding.com Her, opposite from top: DC Joyfull cuff beanie, dcshoesuk.co.uk; GLORYFY Gi12 Bon Voyage Stylediver sunglasses, gloryfy.com; SUPERDRY Hooded Fur Sherpa SD-Wind Attacker jacket, superdry.com; MONTANE Primino 220 Zip Neck Merino baselayer, montane.co.uk; DC Franchise SE snowboard/ski mittens, dcshoes-uk.co.uk; K2 Wildheart snowboard, de.k2snowboarding. com; O’NEILL Jones Sync ski/ snowboard pants, oneill.com; BURTON Limelight Step On snowboard boots, burton.com
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GU I D E Him, from top: SMITH Code helmet, smithoptics.com; SCOTT LCG Compact goggles, scott-sports.com; DARE2B Coalesce T-shirt in Admiral Blue, dare2b.com; JACK WOLFSKIN Exolight Range jacket, jack-wolfskin.co.uk; DC Shelter Mitt snowboard gloves, planet-sports.com; SALOMON Assassin snowboard, salomon.com; BURTON Southside pants, burton. com; DC Mutiny lace-up snowboard boots, dcshoes-uk.co.uk
GUIDE Right, from top: BURTON Linden beanie, burton.com; SMITH Squad XL goggles, absolute-snow. co.uk; BUFF Midweight Light Military Melange, buffwear. co.uk; ABSOLUT PARK Crew Neck, absolutpark.com; DC Network technical riding shacket, dcshoes-uk.co.uk; BURTON Heritage collared down jacket, burton.com Below, from top: JACK WOLFSKIN Exolight Slope pants, jackwolfskin. co.uk; STANCE Pangea socks, stance.com; DC Search BOA boots, dcshoes-uk.co.uk
Right, from top: POC Auric Cut helmet, pocsports.com; ANON WM1 goggles in Empress White, burton. com; DARE2B Motif Luxe Ski midlayer, dare2b.com; O’NEILL Jones Contour ski/ snowboard jacket, oneill.com; SPOT Gen3 GPS personal tracking device, findmespot.eu; EVOC FR Day 16L Team daypack, evocsports. com; DC Franchise snowboard/ski gloves in Burnt Henna Tie Dye, dcshoes-uk.co.uk
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GG UU I I DD EE
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GU I D E Left, from top: K2 Diversion helmet, de.k2snowboarding.com; ADIDAS Progressor Splite goggles, rxsport.co.uk; BLACKYAK Vivid Jacket and hooded Silhouette fleece, global.blackyak. com; MAMMUT Pulse Barryvox avalanche safety device, mammut.com; ARVA Airbag Reactor 25 Ultralight backpack, arva-equipment.com Right, from top: MONTANE Windjammer Halo beanie, montane.co. uk; ADIDAS Progressor Splite goggles, rxsport. co.uk; BUFF Cordes, buffwear.com; COLUMBIA OutDry Ex ECO Down jacket, columbiasportswear.co.uk; LÖFFLER Transtex warm seamless shirt and ThermoGloves, loeffler-shop.at; SALOMON MTN ALU S3 poles, salomon.com; O’NEILL 88’ Shred Bib ski/snowboard pants, oneill.com; LA SPORTIVA Crossover 2.0 GTX mountain running shoes, lasportiva.com
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GU I D E Left: FISCHER Streif skis, fischersports.com; SALOMON MTN ALU S3 poles, salomon.com Right, from top: BURTON Nana beanie, burton.com; GLORYFY G9 XTR shades, gloryfy.com; SHACKLETON Submariner jumper, shackletoncompany.com; MONTANE Icarus jacket, montane.co.uk; CANADA GOOSE Arctic down mitts, canadagoose.com; BLACKYAK Active Flex pants, global.blackyak. com; REEF Rover Mid WT shoes, reef.com; HEAD Kore 105 skis, head.com; TYROLIA AAAttack² 16 GW bindings, tyrolia.com Below, from left: ATOMIC Redster World Cup 110 boot, shop.atomic.com; K2 Spyne 130 HV ski boot, global.k2skis.com
Set and props stylist: Sarah Gobourne Fashion assistant: Emily Bulford Hair and make-up: Bella Costanzo Models: Erika Pattison and James Crabtree @ Select THE RED BULLETIN
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XICO AND MIRADORES DEL MAR VERACRUZ
Founded in 1863, the State of Veracruz is home to 8 million people. Spanning 71,820 km2, it is extremely diverse, with a tropical climate along the coast (Gulf of Mexico) and cooler temperatures in mountain areas.
WHY HERE? Xico is a beautiful town located in the foothills of Cofre de Perote, a massive extinct volcano. Miradores del Mar is a small town off the beaten tourist track in practically untouched surroundings.
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CHOLULA AND PERICOS PUEBLA
In the east of Mexico, the State of Puebla was officially established in 1823. Nowadays, it has a population of more than 6 million people. The oldest corn ever found was discovered here.
WHY HERE? The pre-Hispanic city of Cholula – which means “Place of those who fled” in Nahuatl – is in the heart of Puebla. The peaceful setting and pure air in Pericos make it ideal for climbing and exploring its trails with different degrees of difficulty.
TEPOZTLÁN AND YECAPIXTLA MORELOS
Taking its name from José María Morelos y Pabón, one of the key figures in the struggle for Mexican independence, Morelos is one of the smallest and most densely populated states in Mexico and covers an area of some 4,893 km2. The mountainous region that includes the Popocatépetl volcano rises in this region.
WHY HERE? These are charming, picturesque, traditional towns with a pleasant climate located in beautiful natural surroundings.
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CREEL AND PEÑOLES CHIHUAHUA
Chihuahua is Mexico’s largest state with a population in excess of 3 million. It borders on the United States to the north. One of its claims to fame is as the birthplace of the burrito.
WHY HERE? Creel is smack in the centre of the magnificent Sierra Tarahumara and is one of northern Mexico’s few magical towns. Among climbers, Peñoles is considered to be one of the most famous and intriguing climbs in Mexico. The rocky landscape is a dream and is also ideal for camping in early spring or during the autumn.
GUIDE
Check it
THE RED BULLETIN WORLDWIDE Backcountry skiing in Alaska, triathlon tips from Mexico, and Brooklyn’s retro gaming temple – just some of our global highlights for January
UNITED STATES WINTER ADVENTURE Colorado, Alaska, Vermont and… California? Our pick of America’s most exciting backcountry skiing spots
El triatleta natural de Xalapa (en Veracruz), Crisanto Grajales Valencia, 30 años, es el actual campeón del mundo de triatlón tras ganar en Salinas, Ecuador.
ACCIONES Texto: Marco Payán
MARCOS FERRO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
POCAS PALABRAS,
MUCHAS 70
MEXICO CRISANTO GRAJALES The Mexican triathlon star lets us in on his fitness tricks
DRINKING GA M E S A decade before arcade bars started popping up across the country, a group of friends in Brooklyn had a dream that pairing classic video games with quality booze was a match made in 8-bit heaven. Barcade CEO Paul Kermizian explains how a simple bar concept exploded into a mini empire. Words: Lizbeth Scordo Photography: Joao Canziani 60
UNITED STATES JOYSTICK PARADISE At Barcade in Brooklyn, New York nightlife meets the arcade-machine culture of the ‘80s. The Red Bulletin takes along a pocketful of change 96
UNITED KINGDOM KATIE ORMEROD We talk to the Yorkshireborn snowboarder who’s predicted for big things at Pyeongchang 2018. See page 26
“I HAVE A BIT OF A PROBLEM: I LISTEN TOO MUCH” FRANCE KEV ADAMS The Paris-born actor, screenwriter and comedian du jour reveals his strategy for working creatively THE RED BULLETIN
January
GLOBAL TEAM UNITED ANFÄNGER ANFÄ NGER50
TRI CKS
DAVID HABLÜTZEL will der beste Snowboarder der Welt werden. Seine ungewöhnliche Erfolgsformel: Jeden Tag bei null beginnen.
Text: Alex Lisetz Fotos: Gian Paul Lozza
SWITZERLAND DAVID HABLÜTZEL The Swiss freestyler aims to become the best snowboarder in the world – by failing every day. We meet him for a catch-up in the half-pipe
AUSTRIA GREGOR SCHLIERENZAUER The hugely successful Austrian ski jumper talks about the most difficult comeback of his career
KINGDOM
The Red Bulletin United Kingdom, ISSN 2308-5894 Editor Ruth Morgan Associate Editor Tom Guise Music Editor Florian Obkircher Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong Publishing Manager Ollie Stretton Advertisement Sales Mark Bishop, mark.bishop@uk.redbull.com Printed by Prinovis GmbH & Co KG, Printing Company Nuremberg, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany UK Office 155-171 Tooley Street, London SE1 2JP Tel: +44 (0) 20 3117 2000 Subscribe getredbulletin.com
Editorial Director Robert Sperl
Editor-in-Chief Alexander Macheck Creative Director Erik Turek Art Directors Kasimir Reimann (Stv. CD), Miles English Head of Photo Fritz Schuster Photo Director Rudi Übelhör
Production Editor Marion Lukas-Wildmann Managing Editor Ulrich Corazza Editors Stefan Wagner (Chief Copy Editor), Christian Eberle-Abasolo, Arek Piatek, Andreas Rottenschlager Design Marco Arcangeli, Marion Bernert-Thomann, Martina de Carvalho-Hutter, Kevin Goll, Carita Najewitz Photo Editors Marion Batty, Susie Forman, Ellen Haas, Eva Kerschbaum, Tahira Mirza Commercial Director Franz Renkin Advertising Placement Andrea Tamás-Loprais Creative Solutions Eva Locker (manager), Martina Maier, Verena Schörkhuber, Edith Zöchling-Marchart Country Management and Marketing Sara Varming (manager), Magdalena Bonecker, Kristina Trefil, Stephanie Winkler Marketing Design Peter Knehtl (manager), Simone Fischer, Alexandra Hundsdorfer Head of Production Michael Bergmeister Production Wolfgang Stecher (manager), Walter O. Sádaba, Friedrich Indich, Michael Menitz (digital)
Ihr neuer Thriller spielt im Frankfurter Gangster-Milieu. Aber wie viel GangsterMilieu steckt in Moritz Bleibtreu, Edin Hasanovic und Kida Ramadan? Ein Gespräch mit den drei Kino-Stars über Karriere, Ladendiebstahl und die Ratschläge ihrer Mütter. I N T E RV I E W: RÜ D I G E R S T U R M F O T OS : DAV I D F IS C H E R
Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Nenad Isailovi c,̀ Maximilian Kment, Josef Mühlbacher Office Management Kristina Krizmanic IT Systems Engineer Michael Thaler
ZWISCHEN
VERBRECHEN UND
MORAL
27
GERMANY CINEMA GANGSTERS Moritz Bleibtreu, Kida Ramadan and Edin Hasanovic on crime on the big screen and in real life
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Subscriptions and Distribution Peter Schiffer (manager), Klaus Pleninger (distribution), Nicole Glaser (distribution), Yoldaş Yarar (subscriptions) Global Editorial Office Heinrich-Collin-Straße 1, A-1140 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-28800, Fax +43 1 90221-28809 Web www.redbulletin.com Red Bull Media House GmbH Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700 General Manager and Publisher Andreas Kornhofer Directors Christopher Reindl, Andreas Gall
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Action highlight
With its steep downhill runs, radical lines, and backflips over 20m-deep canyons, Red Bull Rampage is the world’s most demanding freeride mountain biking competition. In October, Canada’s Kurt Sorge entered the history books when he became the first rider to win it for a third time. To see the video, go to redbullrampage.com
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“This is crazy. I’m speechless. Bring on the winner’s party!” Red Bull Rampage 2017 champion Kurt Sorge, 28, when he learnt of his victory after crossing the finishing line
PARIS GORE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Virgin, Utah, USA
Makes you fly
The next issue of The Red Bulletin is out on January 9, 2018
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