The Red Bulletin June 2017 - UK by Red Bull Media House

UK EDITION

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

CHARLIE HUNNAM

The Arthurian legend on a journey of self-discovery

FANTASTIC VOYAGE THE E R ’ E W “ EAL R T S O M UT BAND O” THERE

! Z A L L I GOR

The America’s Cup powers up for the future

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VIDEO STABILIZATION

WATERPROOF

VOICE CONTROL

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL

Jean Pierrot

Josh Dean

The New York-based journalist interviewed Olympic swimmer Anthony Ervin for our December cover feature. This time, we sent him to Bermuda to preview the 2017 America’s Cup. “I had no idea just how incredible those machines are,” says Dean. “They absolutely rip across the water. It really does look more like flying than sailing.” PAGE 3 8

Changing the game Innovation is a word that’s most regularly associated with technology, but as this month’s features demonstrate, the transformative power of fresh thinking crosses all boundaries – from sport to pop music, movies to motoring. Cover stars Gorillaz began as a momentary conceit 20 years ago and developed into a virtual pop powerhouse – and as AI-inspired pop stars and music increasingly filter into the mainstream, the shape of things to come. In sport, new technology has turned America’s Cup yacht racing from the preserve of an elite of blazerwearing dilettantes into an ultra-high-tech sport for elite athletes – the Formula One of the seas. Meanwhile, on land, Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac, the creator of the world’s fastest electric hypercar, is developing the road technology of the future and staying firmly put in his homeland. Finally, innovation extends to the personal, too, as revealed by Hollywood star (and Newcastle’s finest) Charlie Hunnam, whose action-man persona masks a deep-seated desire to continue a journey of selfdiscovery begun in his childhood. We hope you enjoy this issue. THE RED BULLETIN

GORILLAZ (COVER)

There are days it would be easy to envy Solvenian fashion photographer Jean Pierrot. Take, for example, when he shot Australian big-wave surfer and model Imogen Caldwell at her home in Red Bluff. The legendary surf spot on Australia’s west coast is 12 hours from Perth and was the perfect backdrop for a shoot that involved memories, motorcycles and shark tales. PAGE 60

THERE IS NO SINGLE TRUTH Nico Lau - Cube Action Team - 2x11

SINGLE OR DOUBLE? SHIMANO IS HERE TO ADVISE. The right drivetrain is all about the right choice. So the only truth about a single or double drivetrain lies within you and the trail. That is why we created an interactive and easy-to-use Drivetrain Advisor.

SINGLE OR DOUBLE? CHECK WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU AT SHIMANO.COM/TRUTH

CONTENTS 60 June

BULLEVARD Life And Style Beyond The Ordinary 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 28

Unno: the ultimate bike frame is a labour of love I, robot: your sci-fi tech fantasy just became real Red Bull Hare Scramble: rock-hard enduro Bebe Rexha: not just another pop starlet The art of noise: Panzer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sound system or sculpture? How to make a damn fine cherry pie, Twin Peaks style Nu metal, old news: Linkin Park ring the changes Airbus: a flying car that laughs in the face of traffic The Mirrorcube: check into the treehouse of the future

GUIDE

Get it, Do it, See it 84 Highlights from Red Bull

TV this month

86 Mightier than the pen: the

Montblanc smartwatch

88 Unmissable events for

your calendar 90 Have kit, will travel: our essential pick of what to pack this summer 96 Global team 98 Frequent flyer: air-racing legend Kirby Chambliss

IMOGEN CALDWELL

Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child: on location with the surfing beauty who lives for the great Australian outdoors

CRACK CLIMBING

JEAN PIERROT, SAM GREENFIELD/ORACLE TEAM USA, MIKE HUTTON

From Sheffield to Utah: a tale of climb and punishment for Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker

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FEATURES

AMERICA'S CUP

How state-of-the-art tech, revolutionary materials and fitter crews have changed the face of yachting

Charlie Hunnam

America’s Cup

Mate Rimac

Imogen Caldwell

Gorillaz

Crack climbing

Don’t be fooled by all the hardman roles – the Newcastle-born star of Guy Ritchie’s new movie King Arthur is more philosopher than fighter

Tougher, more physical and faster than ever before – thanks to the AC50 superboat – yachting’s premier contest has gone next-level We talk to the motoring visionary who, at the age of just 21, built the world’s fast electric hypercar Who needs the city when you have your own Western Australian paradise? The 20-year-old surfer and model invites us into her world Flying pants, giants, cannibalism… Singer 2D and drummer Russel get animated about their new album and forthcoming Demon Dayz festival The two Brits who hung onto a dream of making rock-scaling history – and achieved it, thanks to meticulous planning and sheer endurance 11

BULLEVARD LIFE

STYLE

BEYOND

THE

ORDINARY

JARED THOMAS KOCKA/CHILLI MEDIA

The 27-year-old New Yorker is a superstar in the making

BEBE REXHA, SINGER: “I’M NOT JUST A POP TART” PAGE 20 13

BULLEVARD

Unno bikes

Fourteen square metres of carbon mats, cut into 400 puzzle pieces and baked at 400Â°C. Meet Unno, the superlative bike frame

A NEW DESIGN FRAMEWORK 14

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ROBERT SPERL UNNO.COM

he heart and soul of a bicycle rests in the frame – a structure that gives a bike its beauty and character – and it’s an element former Downhill World Cup mountain bike racer Cesar Rojo has been tinkering with for decades. Having worked with Spanish bike designers Mondraker,

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Rojo has now struck out on his own. As CEO of Cero Design in Barcelona, he has developed a unique series of bikes under the name Unno. As Cesar is still perfectly happy hurtling headlong downhill on a bike – he was World Champion in his age category in 2015 – Unno bikes reflect his nature as an uncompromising stickler

for detail. The star attraction is the carbon structure. Four hundred individual parts are placed in aluminium moulds, glued together, and transferred to an autoclave set to 400°C and 10 standard atmospheres (atm) of positive pressure. Cero will make 25 frames in 2017, retailing from €4,000. It’s not work; it’s a labour of love. unno.com 15

Big boys, big toys

Standing 4m tall and weighing in at 1.5 tonnes, Method-2 is the first robot with a cockpit, and it’s destined to be a lifesaver

HEAVY METAL MONSTER 16

ransformers: Age Of Extinction, Robocop, Ghost In The Shell… 3D designer Vitaly Bulgarov has dreamt up spectacular sci-fi robots for a long list of Hollywood hits, but now, with the help of South Korean company Hankook Mirae Technology, he’s making fantasy real. Since 2014, Bulgarov and 30 engineers have been working on the design of a 4m-tall aluminium and carbonfibre robot. The hulking Method-2 weighs a tonne and a half, with a single arm coming in at a hefty 130kg.

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VITALY BULGAROV/HANKOOK MIRAE TECHNOLOGY

Method-2’s first baby steps at the laboratory in South Korea. It will go on sale later this year

Quite aside from its futuristic design, this mechanical colossus also breaks new ground technologically. Method-2 is the first robot that can be operated both by remote control and also by a person sitting in the glasscovered trunk of the machine itself, with the movement of its limbs mirroring those of the operator. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was the first celebrity to try out Method-2, at a tech conference in March this year, and the billionaire cited the perfect pop-culture reference. “Why do I feel so much like Sigourney Weaver?” he shouted from the cockpit, recalling 1986 sci-fi classic Aliens, in which Weaver – in the role of Ellen Ripley – operates a massive exoskeletal robot known as the Caterpillar P-5000 Powered Work Loader. According to Hankook Mirae’s CEO, Yang Jin-Ho, Bulgarov’s real-world metal beast will go on sale at the end of the year, with a projected price tag of $8.3 million. Not bad considering development costs of some $200 million, as some have claimed. But, says Yang, the mech is more than just a plaything for multimillionaires: Method-2 is the first two-legged robot in which a human can negotiate dangerous environments. The giant is therefore destined to be deployed in the event of nuclear accidents, and at other scenes of devastation. vitalybulgarov.com

FLORIAN OBKIRCHER

BULLEVARD

Red Bull Hare Scramble It’s the toughest Enduro race on the planet. Don’t worry, it’s OK to be scared…

THE PEAK OF PAIN

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SEBASTIAN MARKO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

WERNER JESSNER

ince 1995, 500 of the world’s toughest, most tenacious, and most talented bikers have gone wheel-to-wheel against the Erzberg mine in the Austrian state of Styria. In most cases it’s the mine that comes out on top. Riders come a cropper on the impossible incline, blow their engines at the fearsome Hell’s Kitchen, go hungry at Carl’s

Diner or end up in hot water at the Badewanne [Bathtub]. The evolving nature of the ultra-extreme course feeds into the legend – after all, it needs to hang on to its reputation as the world’s most challenging Enduro race, with just a handful of riders making it across the line within the four-hour time limit. Whenever more than 20 do, meaning a success rate knocking on five per cent, the organisers dream up fiendish new ways to make the following year’s event even tougher. It’s a very rare occasion indeed that one gets to see some of the world’s best riders suffer like this… Red Bull Hare Scramble is live on redbull.tv from 11:30am on June 18. For more Hare Scramble, watch Parallel Universe, the cult documentary with multiple winner Taddy Błażusiak, at redbull.tv/paralleluniverse

It is utterly normal to fall, get back up, fight on and then end up failing

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Rexha released her debut album in two parts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; All Your Fault: Pt. 2 came out in April

BULLEVARD

ebe Rexha’s voice has been much in demand over the last couple of years: EDM icons David Guetta and Martin Garrix recruited her for their huge house hits; Me, Myself & I, her collaboration with rapper G-Eazy, was among the top 20 most streamed songs of 2016; and she topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart with I Got You. Another pop starlet forced on us by a major record label, you say? Well, it’s true that Rexha is on track to become the next mainstream music superstar. But it must also be mentioned that the 27-yearold New Yorker is one of the most honest and talented figures in the business right now. Here are five reasons why she deserves to be your new favourite artist…

1. She’s determined Rexha is sensitive to being viewed as an overnight

sensation. Last year, she tweeted, “I’m not just a pop tart. No one ever put me ‘on’. I write every single song I’m on. Been hustling from day 1.” That’s more than fair comment when you consider music is the big love of her life. As a child, she played the trumpet for nine years and taught herself to play the guitar and piano. Later, she independently studied music software in order to record her own demos, and, after many years of hard work, landed a record deal.

2. She’s a boss behind the scenes

Rexha probably co-wrote some of your favourite songs and you don’t even know it. The Monster by Eminem and Rihanna? That’s one of hers. Nick Jonas’ Under You? Yes, that, too. Before stepping into the limelight herself, Rexha also provided hits for pop stars such as Selena Gomez, Pitbull and Tinashe. Her talent was discovered early in life: she beat more than 700 others to the title of Best Teen Songwriter in a competition organised by Grammy.

Bebe Rexha

JARED THOMAS KOCKA/CHILLI MEDIA FLORIAN OBKIRCHER

If you haven’t already fallen in love with this US songstress, she needs to be filling your playlist right now. And here’s why…

NOBODY PUTS BEBE IN A CORNER

3. She’s at ease in her own skin

While growing up as a pop fan in the noughties, Rexha, who has Albanian roots, wasn’t always comfortable with her body. “As I started getting older, I had more curves, and I was looking at women like Britney Spears who were very thin with very boyish bodies,” she told the UK’s Evening Standard. “I thought, ‘Damn, I have really dark black hair and I don’t have that look.’” Today, she’s more confident in her appearance – something she partly credits to the Kardashians, who paved the way for those who don’t conform to the ‘American girl’ beauty standard.

4. She helps out superstars

People assume that Rexha was only invited to sing the chorus on David Guetta’s smash hit Hey Mama once it was at the recording stage. In fact, the French superstar DJ asked for her help when he was stuck while writing the song. Rexha listened to what he had and – legend has it – took less than 10 minutes to come up with the chorus. The song became a Top 10 hit in 21 countries.

5. She doesn’t mince her words

Many young musicians are overly cautious about airing views, for fear of ruining their career, but Rexha is not afraid to speak her mind. Take a song like F.F.F – or ‘F--- Fake Friends’ – in which the expletives fly as she brushes off all the people who have mistreated her. The fact that such songs might be too hot for radio airplay is of little concern to Rexha. “I curse all day, non-stop: I’m not changing myself,” she told the Toronto Star. beberexha.com 21

BULLEVARD

Nik Nowak

His Panzer sound sculpture brings us closer to life’s subtleties... at 4,000 watts

A SIGHT FOR SORE EARS

he Red Bulletin: Explain just what it is that makes a pile-driving, twotonne, armoured sound system a work of art. nik nowak: ...performance art, to be precise. The Panzer is the last in a long line of mobile sound systems that are all the result of my fascination with the symbiosis of visuals and acoustics. The object is a sculpture and a synthesizer at the same time. It takes acoustic possession of a space. Three 18in subwoofers and two 4,000-watt amps plus video projector controllers... It sounds like a Panzer performance might be pretty overpowering, and best-suited to the simple pleasures of hard partying.

It’s about much more than just loud dance music, if that’s what you mean. The object opens us up to a multitude of sound experiences that affect the whole body and the mind, as well. Can you give us an example? Take this one… During a performance, I project loud TV noise onto a screen and then begin filtering away the unpleasant frequencies. I also change the colours and suddenly the noise becomes this calming sound that resembles rainfall... After the show you have a better understanding of the way sounds affect us. So, are you also saying we aren’t aware enough of most of the sounds around us? Yes, I am. Unfortunately most places are normally acoustically cluttered. The Panzer frees them up again. niknowak.de

THOMAS HANNICH/PLATNUM

AREK PIATEK

Massive attack: German artist Nik Nowak and his 4kW Panzer sound sculpture

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THE NEW JEKYLL. STAGE READY. cannondale.com/jekyll

< JEKYLL 1

BULLEVARD

METHOD For the pastry, place the flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat the egg with the vanilla extract and measured water. Stir the liquid into the flour with a fork, then your fingers, and bring the mixture together to form a firm dough. Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, place the jam and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then mix the cornflour and measured water or bourbon together and stir into the cherry mixture. Bring to the boil again, stirring all the time, until thickened. Remove from the heat, add the cherries, mix well and leave to cool completely. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Roll out one pastry disc on a lightly floured surface and use to line the base and sides of a greased 24cm (9½in) pie dish (metal is best). Fill with the cherry mixture and brush the top of the pie edge with a little of the egg glaze.

BON APPÉTIT, AGENT COOPER! O

n May 21, David Lynch’s cult mystery TV show, Twin Peaks, will return to our screens after a quarter of a century. The 18 new episodes, on Sky TV, will see the return of iconic characters such as Laura Palmer, The Log Lady, waitress Shelly Johnson and the show’s hero, Agent

Cooper, who is famously addicted to cherry pie. In order to get you hungry for the anticipated revival, Lindsey Bowden, founder of the Twin Peaks festival UK, has given us the recipe from her cookbook, Damn Fine Cherry Pie, a collection of dishes inspired by the show. lindseybowden.com twinpeaksukfest.com

Shelly Johnson’s Cherry Pie For the pastry 450g plain flour 50g ground almonds 100g icing sugar Pinch of sea salt 250g unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing 1 large egg ½tsp vanilla extract 5tbsp water For the filling 150g cherry jam 150g caster sugar 1½tbsp cornflour 3tbsp water or bourbon 1.25kg sweet cherries, pitted (750g pitted weight) 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1tbsp water for glazing 1tbsp granulated sugar

Thinly roll out the remaining pastry disc and cut into long zig-zag shapes. Arrange them on top of the pie, pressing to stick them to the pie base around the edges. Brush the pastry with more of the egg glaze and sprinkle over the sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes until the crust is golden, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 35-40 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is crisp, covering the pastry with foil, if necessary, to prevent it burning. Allow the pie to cool for about 1 hour before serving.

FLORIAN OBKIRCHER

Celebrate the return of David Lynch’s legendary TV series with the show’s iconic treat: cherry pie

ADDIE CHINN

Twin Peaks

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PUSH your LIMITS. THEN PUSH SOME MORE. I AM MORE THAN ONE www.dare2b.com

No more howling, no more wailing guitars… and newly chilled Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington has given up on lecturing, too

“THE WORLD IS A DOG ON A LEASH” 26

e’re at the legendary Sunset Marquis hotel, right in the heart of West Hollywood. Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington is lounging in an armchair on the Sunset Strip. He’s here to promote the band’s new album, One More Light, a work that confronts life’s hardships without a wall of guitars. Back at the start of the new millennium, Bennington – internally riven high priest of a lost generation – was performing anthems such as Numb and In The End. But now, more than a decade later, his one-time nu-metal band have morphed into something else, something more comfortable in its own skin.

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PHT/EXPA/PICTUREDESK.COM

Linkin Park

“It’s not my job to teach people anything,” says the 41-yearold when asked what it means to be a superstar. “We don’t want to change the world; we couldn’t even if we wanted to. But we do want to share our experiences and emotions with the world, and hopefully people can get something out of that themselves.” Bennington’s world-view certainly sounds very different these days. “The world just keeps on getting better,” he says. “It’s like a dog on a leash. It always wants to break free, but in the end it gets back home safely with its master.” A siren blares out on the Strip, but Bennington – formerly the embodiment of emotional turmoil – appears calmer than before. Perhaps that’s because he knows it’s not his job to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. onemorelight.linkinpark.com

BJÖRN SPRINGORUM

Front-row privilege: Bennington goes eye-to-eye with fans

BULLEVARD

Airbus

Stuck in life’s slow lane? Gridlock got you down? The aviation giants believe the solution could be flying your way inside the next decade

ADAM HAY-NICHOLLS

THE JAM BUSTERS

lying cars have been a sci-fi staple for over a century, but this might be the closest to reality we’ve seen so far. Not least because of the weight of the name behind it – Airbus. Crafted in collaboration with famed design house Italdesign, the Pop.Up concept features a carbon-fibre pod that sits on a four-wheel, electric-powered chassis, but which can also link up with a large drone-style quadcopter to fly you out of snarl-ups. It’s autonomous, meaning you simply tap in your chosen destination and the car will either drive you or fly you

where you need to be. Stuck in traffic and need a lift? Just request a drone, wait while it attaches itself to the pod and disconnects the wheelbase, and up you go. It’s set to have a flying range of 60 miles and a driving range of 80. Awesome. How quickly can we get airborne? There’s the catch. Airbus plans to have a working prototype ready in 12 months, but due to regulatory red tape they won’t start taking orders for at least seven years. Mathias Thomsen, general manager of Airbus’ Urban Air Mobility operations insists that it’s not merely pie in the sky, however. “It’s not just for show, it is feasible,” he says. “Urban air mobility is quickly becoming very real.” airbusgroup.com

AIRBUS/WWW.ITALDESIGN.IT

Airbus’ Pop.Up is set to take flight in prototype form next year

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BULLEVARD

The Mirrorcube

Want to really hang out on your holidays? In northern Sweden, you’ll find 64 cubic metres of style suspended among the branches

ossessed by that childhood dream of spending a night in the treetops, but craving a little more luxury than that provided by a hastily cobbled together assemblage of plywood boards and plastic sheeting? Then it’s off to northern Sweden with you. In the dense forests of Harads, 50km from the Arctic Circle, the Mirrorcube – part of the Treehotel, which has seven individually designed rooms – is a 4x4x4m glass cube floating in the treetops, and the only way in is via a 12m-long bridge. But you’ll have to rethink your idea of a treehouse. In actual fact, you can hardly see the Mirrorcube. “The totally

Ingeniously folksy: birch interior

mirrored facade reflects the surroundings so the structure itself is barely visible,” says Treehotel co-founder Kent Lindvall. “That way it’s at one with the forest.” Which is a statement in itself. “Being close to nature and sustainability are important to us. The hotel guest should switch off, leave civilisation behind and remember where we come from.” The Mirrorcube has plenty of space for two, with the living room, bedroom and bathroom (and heated floorboards) all being made of birch wood. The balcony and six windows offer breathtaking panoramic views – think stunning opportunities to marvel at the Northern Lights – and there’s a sauna just a few metres away, down on the ground. And for those who aren’t all that serious about leaving civilisation behind, the Mirrorcube also has WiFi. treehotel.se

PETER LUNDSTRÖM/WDO

AREK PIATEK

ROCK-A-BYE BABY

Escape room: the Mirrorcube treehouse in northern Sweden

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WINNING. WITH. TECHNOLOGY.

GREG CALLAGHAN WINS IRELAND EWS 2016 AND TWEEDLOVE INTERNATIONAL 2016

RIDING A CUBE STEREO 140 29â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ER

Charlie Hunnam 31

We know him as the testosterone-fuelled hero of shows such as Sons Of Anarchy, but as King Arthur in Guy Ritchie’s reboot of the medieval legend, Charlie Hunnam is more scholar than warrior, blending über-masculinity with introverted fragility. This is no coincidence: few other action heroes have dug so deeply into their soul WORDS: RÜDIGER STURM PHOTOGRAPHY: MARC HOM / TRUNK ARCHIVE

Hunnam as King Arthur, whose destiny is set in stone – literally – in the form of the legendary sword Excalibur

“BREAK DOWN YOUR FEARS INTO PORTIONS AND YOU CAN OVERCOME THEM”

environmental influences you were exposed to as a child. So, over the last four or five years I’ve been digging deep, trying to identify what’s helpful and good and healthy, and what are just hangovers from disappointments or traumas I experienced in my childhood. Are you doing this by yourself, or do you have your own personal Merlin to help you? I’ve been lucky enough to have had several mentors, one of them being Guy Ritchie. He turned me on to a book by Napoleon Hill, titled Outwitting The Devil: The Secret To Freedom And Success. It’s a 350-page interview between the writer and the devil. What you realise is that the devil represents our own struggle with ourselves. You have to break down your innermost fears into digestible portions, then you can understand and overcome them. I must admit it’s not a particularly fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but it’s incredibly valuable in the long run. What kind of traumas have you suffered from? As a kid, I got picked on. I got into a lot of fights, losing some and getting severely beaten a few times. When that happens to you, you just feel like, “I’m going to do everything in my power to never be in a situation like this again.” Hence you go out and learn how to fight. Sounds like a reasonable reaction... I still do martial arts training and I’m eager to never let that happen again. But then I developed this tendency to carry [that belligerence] into every room. I wanted people to know, “Look, if you’re going to f--k with me, it’s going to go badly for you.” But then you realise you’ve become a slave to the thing you’re afraid of. In a lot of ways, I started channelling my father. A father who, according to interviews with you, was something of a hard man in your home town of Newcastle. He was a formidable guy, and when I was younger I was actively playing the role of my father, especially in my film work. A lot of people who have come into contact with violence and felt victimised in their childhood will grow into a person who THE RED BULLETIN

WARNER BROS.

he red bulletin: What does it take to become king? charlie hunnam: In Arthur’s case, he comes from nothing and is suddenly presented with a destiny he never intended for himself. He’s terrified of this responsibility, because no external challenge can prepare you for that. What is the challenge? You have to conquer the demons within to be strong enough. While I was playing Arthur, I thought an enormous amount about Conor McGregor, the reigning Lightweight Champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He always says, “There is no opponent. I am fighting myself in the octagon. It’s only me and my own fears and the execution of my own ability that is going to win or lose a fight for me.” Even though you’re neither king nor champion, do you have inner demons to conquer? Yeah. When you get to your mid-30s, you realise that, for better or worse, you’re a product of the social and

Being picked on as a kid prompted Hunnam to learn how to fight

perpetuates that cycle and themselves becomes a bully. What I did was play a lot of really hard characters. I felt that I exorcised those fears by being a macho dude on screen. But that also bled into my perception of myself in real life – it’s not that I was a bully, but I identified with having the respect of the men in any circle I was a part of. Now, I realise that’s just a bunch of nonsense, because I know who I really am. What’s the best technique for getting to know oneself? First of all, you have to be aware of the social and economic responsibility that we all get weighed down with. It can often prevent us from allowing ourselves to come forth with our essence and intentions. Look back at your childhood and think, “What were my intentions in life? What were my hopes and dreams?” But aren’t those childhood aspirations, well, childish? F--k it. What you want from life is the right to pursue it as a living human being. Unfortunately, too often people get discouraged or caught up in what is expected of them and forget what they really want. I’m an enormous fan of Joseph Campbell, the legendary American mythologist. He spent his entire life ultimately trying to understand the meaning of our existence and the human journey. A short time before his death, he gave a couple of wonderful TV interviews in which he tried to get everything off his chest. His motto was: “Follow your bliss.” He said, “The one thing you can 36

do for yourself, as difficult as it is, is just carve out an hour a day where you don’t do anything you have to do. Forget your bills, forget your work, forget your kids. Spend an hour living inside your own mind and body, and bring forth that intention. You can write a poem, you can go for a walk or listen to some music, but do something for yourself every day. You might initially find that nothing happens in that hour. But if you stay dedicated to it, after enough time your true self will start coming forth.” Now that you’ve found your true self, what’s next? As a kid, I spent an enormous amount of time reading the American philosopher and poet Henry David Thoreau. He wrote: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” If you just throw yourself wholeheartedly into your pursuits and the desire to manifest your intention in life, the universe will conspire to help you. From your lips to God’s ears… My life is the best example. I completely f--ked up my education, because I was obsessed with becoming a member of the filmmaking community. Initially, my interest was in becoming a writer and director, and then that evolved into being more interested in acting. I left school with very poor grades and no prospects, and I enrolled on a film course. I began to apply myself in a way I never had in

my life before. I started writing letters to acting agents all over the country and really campaigning to get some momentum going in this field of acting. And at the end of a really, really focused year of trying to manifest this perception of what I wanted my future to be, things started to happen on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve? Yeah. I always left my Christmas shopping until two o’clock in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. I was in the pub at 11am, feeling pretty jolly by about 2pm, and then I thought, “Oh, time to go Christmas shopping.” So I went to a shoe store to buy some trainers for my brother. I was dancing and clowning around with a pal of mine when I saw a lady looking at me. I blew her a kiss and she came over and talked to me. It turned out she was the production manager for [UK children’s TV series] Byker Grove, which was the only show shot in the town where I lived [Newcastle]. She said, “You’re great. Have you ever thought about acting?” I did my whole spiel: “That’s all I’ve ever thought about.” She gave me three episodes on the show [in 1998]. Since I was a pretty savvy 17-year-old, I went to this one acting agency I wanted to be represented by. I said, “I’ve written you a bunch of letters. You’ve not responded. I’ve gone out and gotten myself a job. You have no real claim to the commission. But I’ll let you have a commission if you agree to represent me.” They agreed and sent me out to auditions. The first audition they sent me out for was [UK TV drama] Queer As Folk. I got the role and... You met with a success unexpected in common hours? Exactly. It was similar to King Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone. Which was followed by a period of prolonged failure. But now I’m on another wave of success, I hope. And the ultimate goal of the quest? To get closer to my truth. kingarthurmovie.com

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WARNER BROS.

“I WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW, ‘LOOK, IF YOU’RE GOING TO F--K WITH ME, IT’S GOING TO GO BADLY FOR YOU’”

QUANTUM LEAP words: JOSH DEAN photography: SAM GREENFIELD / ORACLE TEAM USA

After winning the last America’s Cup in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion, Oracle Team USA were allowed to select the location for this year’s races. In June, six teams will descend on Bermuda to contest the world’s oldest active sporting trophy on futuristic boats

Risky business: with increased speeds come increased dangers; preparation is paramount

Over the last decade, the speed of yacht racing has increased by a factor of five and the age of the competitors has dropped by 10 years. When the 35th edition of the Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup takes place in Bermuda in June, it will mark the beginning of AN ENTIRELY NEW SPORT

he first thing you see when walking through Bermuda’s only airport is a giant poster for the America’s Cup… and then another, and another. Signs emblazoned with slick overhead images of 50ft (15m) racing boats that look like stealth fighters are all over the tiny island, which in June will host the 35th edition of one of the world’s oldest international sporting events. The last cup, held in San Francisco in 2013, was just one of many attractions in the city, easily forgotten unless a spaceage catamaran happened to rocket past while you were en route to work. But this year’s competition will completely take over a windy island nation best known for rum drinks and knee-length shorts. You can think of the America’s Cup as basically two eras: everything up until 2010, and then the radical transformation that followed the arrival of multi-hull boats. It was in that year Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and BMW Oracle Racing beat the defending champion, Alinghi from Switzerland, in a trimaran with a rigid wing – the largest wing ever made – instead of a sail. The Oracle boat averaged more than 20 knots (37kph), doubling the speeds from previous cups, and things got even crazier in 2013 as both Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA sailed catamarans with foils that flew atop the water, with a top speed of more than 40 knots (74kph).

KNOTS

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 42

44 32

A SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC RISE IN SPEED

11 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

Since 1851, the speed of AC boats had increased only slightly over the years – but then, in 2007, it began to skyrocket

“Imagine standing in front of a firehouse, on the roof of your car, while driving down the freeway at 90kph. This is the situation these guys are in, and they have to make a split-second decision that could decide the race: do they tack, jibe or go straight?” Ian ‘Fresh’ Burns, performance director, Oracle Team USA

FASTER BOATS, SHORTER COURSE

In 1851, America raced against 15 other boats on a 98km course around the Isle of Wight, off the coast of England. America won the race by eight minutes – roughly one-third of the time it will take to complete the course in Bermuda. This course, on a sound between two islands, is 16-19km and will take 20-22 minutes.

BARELY THE SAME SPORT

Yacht America, the first winner of the America’s Cup, was a 31m wood-hulled schooner with 490sq-m of sail volume when moving upwind. The AC50 is 15m long with a carbon-fibre hull and a rigid 102sq-m wing

This heralded the beginning of what was essentially a new sport, one that favoured technology and athleticism as much as sailing experience. “Imagine taking the 300-horsepower motor out of your Camaro and putting a 3,000-horsepower motor in the same car,” Oracle’s director of performance, Ian ‘Fresh’ Burns, told a reporter that year. Turning yacht racing into Formula One on water was exactly what Ellison had in mind, and in preparation to defend this year’s title he asked organisers and engineers to keep pushing the limits while also slashing costs to attract more teams. The newest foiling catamarans – AC50s – are the fastest sailboats ever made, capable of topping 50 knots (92kph), despite being just over half the length and costing half as much to develop as the AC72s used four years ago. As a result, six teams will compete to take the cup from Ellison and his brash Aussie skipper, Jimmy Spithill. Spithill will helm the youngest team he’s ever had on a sailboat, all boasting the fitness levels of an Ironman triathlete. Add to this a team of engineers and boat builders partnering with companies like Airbus and BMW to fine-tune the new-look multihulls. Spithill almost can’t believe how far his sport has come. “The question I ask myself is: what’s going to happen next?” he says. 44

1851-2007: MONOHULLS

2013: THE AC72 CATAMARAN

20-27m on the water line; top speed of 7-11 knots (13-20kph)

26m long, 5,900kg; top speed of 44 knots (81kph)

THE SMALLEST (BUT FASTEST) BOATS IN THE AC’S HISTORY In 1903, the Reliance, at 61m long, was the largest boat ever to win the America’s Cup. In 2017, the AC50s are a quarter of that size

2010: THE USA-17 TRIMARAN

2017: THE AC50 CATAMARAN

27m long, 3,500kg; top speed of 32 knots (59kph)

15m long, 2,360kg; estimated top speed of 46-50 knots (85-92kph) THE RED BULLETIN

THAT’S NO SAIL The primary sail on the AC50 is actually a rigid wing, not a sail. But instead of providing upward lift, as it would on a plane, this wing pushes the boat forward in the water. Airbus helped design the wing, which has a carbon-fibre skeleton and is wrapped in a plastic film known as Clysar.

WIND OF CHANGE Foiling boats are so fast and efficient they generate their own wind, known as “apparent wind”. As a result, it’s not unusual to see the boats reaching speeds as high as 25 knots (46kph) in meagre six-knot (11kph) winds.

the boat AC50

FROM SINGLE-HULLED TANKS TO FLYING CATAMARANS Following the first America’s Cup in 1851 – and for the majority of the event’s history – gains in speed were incremental. But thanks to the arrival of hydrofoils in 2013, boats now literally fly above the surface. Foils are aerodynamic wings that lift the boat’s hull out of the water at a certain wind speed – as low as six knots (11kph) in the AC50. There’s much less drag because only small pieces of foil, as opposed to an entire hull, are in contact with the water, which is why the boats got exponentially faster overnight. In practice, the AC50s have topped 50 knots (92kph). “It’s like Formula One on the water,” says Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill. The comparison isn’t far off. Like F1 cars, the AC50s are purpose-built, state-of-the-art machines, designed using supercomputers to calculate fluid dynamics, and built from materials like carbon fibre and titanium.

BIG DATA The computer power available to Oracle Team USA is 100 times what it was just three years ago. About 100 tiny sensors on the boat capture more than 600 channels of data that’s transmitted in real time to an office, where engineers can study those results and make changes on a daily basis.

STEERING WHEEL Conditions on the boat are violent. The wind in a sailor’s face can exceed 113kph, so the controls must be as simple as possible. Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill has a steering wheel, developed in part with BMW, which has both push buttons – to raise and lower foils – and sections of grip that twist to adjust the angle of the foils.

HYDRAULICS

HYDROFOILS Each team is allowed to design two sets of ‘daggerboard’ hydrofoils, one of which will most likely be for light winds, the other for heavy. Think of them in the same way as race tyres, which can be switched out depending on track conditions.

THE RED BULLETIN

Oracle Team USA’s hydraulic systems were co-developed with Airbus and the aerospace company Parker Hannifin, both of which have assigned engineers to the team in Bermuda for the past two years. Airbus worked mostly on the control systems, while Parker built the hardware.

Every man wears a helmet, an impact vest, an oxygen canister, and a special harness that can clip to the high side of the boat if it capsizes

GRINDER

The powerhouses of the boat. There are three dedicated grinders in a crew. This is the most exhausting position in the team and requires your best, strongest athletes. Ideally they’re tall, because a taller person has longer ‘levers’ to generate power. That said, there’s no standard for how the power generation must be done: for example, Team New Zealand has decided to use pedals instead of hand cranks, and has recruited a professional track cyclist to join the crew.

SKIPPER/HELMSMAN

The boat’s captain. He picks the team and is the on- and off-course leader. His primary job during races is to steer, and to work with the wing trimmer to generate and maximise speed.

TACTICIAN

He’s the boat’s eyes, watching its position in relation to the race course – and to the opponent. Tacticians look and think ahead, advising the skipper on where to go next. This is a job that requires a lifetime of sailing knowledge, but there are some tools of the trade – in particular, a tablet pre-loaded with data, which tracks the boat’s position in relation to the course with great precision.

WING TRIMMER

He’s the smallest man on the boat, and his job is purely to control speed by pulling a rope that ‘twists’ the wing to increase or reduce drag. Pull too much and the boat will tip; don’t pull enough and the sail will lose wind, bringing the boat to a stop.

the CREW

THE AC72 YACHTS AT THE 2013 AMERICA’S CUP IN SAN FRANCISCO REQUIRED A CREW OF 11. IN BERMUDA THIS YEAR, JUST SIX MEN WILL SERVE ON EACH AC50 RACING YACHT. HERE’S WHAT THEY DO…

550

525 Maximum weight allowance in kg for the six-man crew

Calories burned, on average, by a grinder during a 22-minute race

9 Average body fat percentage of crew members

THE RED BULLETIN

“It’s the whole approach: diet, nutrition and training,” says Jimmy Spithill (pictured)

the FITNESS

NO MORE ROTUND GUYS WEARING BLAZERS – THESE SAILORS ARE SVELTE ATHLETES

1440 Number of organic eggs from Pennsylvania consumed by OTUSA in a single week

Average weight in kg an Oracle crew member can bench press

THE RED BULLETIN

PETER HURLEY

150

Before 2013, the America’s Cup was a very different sport. “It was not very physical,” says Oracle Team USA trainer Craig McFarlane. There were always grinders, but they worked hard for short periods and then rested. The grinders on the Oracle team this time will be at 91 to 93 per cent of their maximum heart rate for the entire 22-minute race. It’s hard for McFarlane to even find a comparison in other sports because of the combination of endurance and power required. “Their power output is pretty phenomenal,” he says. “What elite cyclists do with their legs, that’s what these guys do with their arms.” Sensors on the boat’s handles provide real-time data to McFarlane and the team, telling him how much power, in watts, each man is applying at a given moment, as well as tracking their cadence. He can see who is off his typical pace, which positions seem to be working harder, and who’s recovering most quickly after intense spells of effort. McFarlane is still working on that mix, trying to find the right balance. He thinks the “optimal cadence” is 85-90rpm. “But we’re tweaking it,” he says. The advantage of keeping a lower cadence is that the heart rate doesn’t spike as much – but doing fewer, more powerful reps has a downside, too: a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles. Training takes place five days a week with McFarlane, with an optional sixth day on Saturday that most take advantage of. Three days a week, the team focuses on strength, then there’s one day of unloaded cardio in a pool, and another of intense aquatic work, typically in the open water at Horseshoe Bay. McFarlane runs a series of drills in which they swim out and perform exercises such as underwater weights and underwater running, then transition directly into land work – stairs or hills, typically. “This transitional training is very taxing, but it makes you resilient as an athlete,” McFarlane says. Even the shore crew for OTUSA works out every day, at 6.30am. “If they’re unhealthy and fat, they’re not going to do their job,” team nutritionist Scott Tindal says. The shore crew’s fitness, he says, “is a big difference this campaign”. Over one six-week period, the eight guys lost a total of 43kg of fat. Everyone boxes with trainer Brent ‘Honey Badger’ Humphreys a few times a week, too. 49

the NEXT GENERATION EIGHT SAILORS FROM THE RED BULL YOUTH PROGRAMME HAVE ALREADY MADE IT TO THE AMERICA’S CUP

Four years ago, Austrians Roman Hagara and HansPeter Steinacher came together with the goal of finding the next generation of competitive sailors. Today, the two pros – two-time Olympic gold medallists in 2000 and 2004 – are sports directors of the largest talentscouting programme in the world of sailing. “We try to open young sailors’ minds by sharing our experience with them,” Steinacher says. “And hopefully it’ll take them in the right direction for the future.” The programme is divided into two parts: the Red Bull Foiling Generation and the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Foiling Generation, founded in 2015, is an international regatta series for all up-and-coming sailors aged 16 to 20. Teams of two sail a 5.5m-long Flying Phantom catamaran at speeds of up to 35 knots (65kph). The next rung up is the Youth America’s Cup, where up to 16 national youth teams aged 19-25 battle it out in Bermuda with the hope of qualifying for the finals on June 20-21. The teams sail on the original America’s Cup course in a 13m-long AC45 foiling catamaran. “With all these races, we hope to find the best sailors in the world in every age group,” says Steinacher. It’s an ambitious goal for him and Hagara, but it seems to be working: since the first Youth America’s Cup was held in 2013, eight sailors have already advanced to the America’s Cup. Keep an eye out for 26-year-old Peter Burling, who after winning the youth race in 2013 will be the skipper for Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup proper, and Cooper Dressler, also 26, who will be a grinder on the Oracle Team USA boat. foilinggeneration.redbull.com; red-bull-youth.americascup.com

the SKIPPER

OTUSA HELMSMAN JIMMY SPITHILL IS AIMING FOR HIS THIRD AC WIN

THE SMALLEST CREW IN THE AC’S HISTORY The Reliance, which won the America’s Cup in 1903, had a crew of 72 people. More than 100 years later, each has only six members

1992-2007

2013 2017 50

Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill, 37, literally grew up on the water. His hometown of Pittwater, Australia, wasn’t reachable by road, so any time he wanted to go into Sydney – or anywhere else, for that matter – he had to take a boat. Spithill made his America’s Cup debut at 20 – the youngest helmsman ever – and he’s been making history ever since. At the age of 30, he was the youngest skipper to win the cup when he and Team USA beat the Swiss team Alinghi in Valencia in 2010. Then, in 2013, he took his second title, leading the most dramatic comeback in the history of the sport by rallying Oracle from 8-1 down to beat Team New Zealand 9-8. This time THE RED BULLETIN

THE YOUNGEST CREWS EVER

31.4 = the average age of an OTUSA crew member. Sailing used to be a gentlemen’s sport, and crews were made up mostly of middle-aged men with years of experience. Now, aside from the skippers, America’s Cup teams increasingly comprise young, fit men. OTUSA’s youngest grinder, Louis Sinclair, is just 25.

AMORY ROSS/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Since his America’s Cup debut at 20, skipper Jimmy Spithill has been at the forefront of revolutionary changes in the world of sailing

out, Spithill will try to become the first skipper ever to win three consecutive America’s Cups. How will this year’s race be different compared with San Francisco in 2013? The biggest difference is that we’ve got six competitive teams. Last time, we really only had two competitive teams: ourselves and Team New Zealand. But now everyone’s got the talent, resources and technology, so there are no excuses, and we’re seeing that out there on the water. The British team won the World Series [the competition that leads up to the America’s Cup]. Not only that, but every team won races during that series, and it went down to the final event. You often talk about making this sport accessible to everyone… We need to simplify the sport, because it’s complicated. The way to do that is through education. With TV now, the online graphics and tools that the commentators have at their disposal make it easier to follow – my grandmother gets it, and she’s not a sailor. And now we’ve THE RED BULLETIN

got high-performance boats with worldclass athletes. We no longer have this elitist mentality of rich, chubby guys from the yacht club, wearing blazers. In the past, you couldn’t really mess it up; now, there’s real risk. Speaking of risk, one sailor – Andrew Simpson of the Artemis Racing team – died in 2015 while training for the cup. How has safety changed? It sometimes takes a real catastrophe or tragedy to really learn from it. But when you step on that boat, you understand the risks. You’re never going to take the risk

“We no longer have this elitist mentality of rich, chubby guys from the yacht club, wearing blazers. In the past, you couldn’t really mess it up; now, there’s real risk. When you step on that boat, you understand the risks”

away, but collectively – whether it’s the engineering, the safety gear we wear, the way we practice, or how we communicate on the water if someone has a problem – I think we’ve taken huge steps forward. The cool thing is that a lot of those lessons will filter down through the rest of the sport: for example, we wear helmets now. And now you see little kids on sailboats wearing helmets. You also carry canisters of air on your vests, right? We have spare air. The biggest fear is getting pinned under if we flip over. We’re all at our max heart rate, and if you try holding your breath in that situation it’s virtually impossible. We do a lot of safety drills, and we’ve done freediving courses with some of the world’s best. You want to be as prepared as you can so you make the right decisions if something happens. What’s the biggest difference for you, as skipper, on these boats? I think it’s the anticipation needed to sail a boat like this. If you overreact, it goes bad real quick. You’re never really perfect. You’re just trying to manage it and stay ahead of the curve. The crews are changing, too, right? They’re younger. The age of our sailors has come down because of the physical limits. Not only that, but there’s a high rate of injury now. I’ve also found that the younger guys just want it; they’re hungry. They’ve just got that fire, and you can’t help but get caught up in it. It motivates you, because they want to knock you off and you want to keep up with them. This is the youngest team we’ve ever had, and, to me, it’s been a real positive step forward. Is it better for you to have a top-notch athlete on the team than a guy with 18 years’ sailing experience? It’s best to have both. In my experience, it comes down to the person. We’ve got Ky Hurst, who’s won a lot of the Australian Ironman championships. He’s come in and really set the bar in terms of physical limits and what you can do with grinding. For us to see that whole approach – diet, nutrition and training regime – from someone outside of our sport has been really beneficial. How has the art of sailing changed? We weren’t even foiling in 2010. That was a massive step. These boats are foiling in 10kph winds, but not only that: the lighter ones can travel at almost three times the speed of the wind, which is just incredible to think about. How can you go faster than the wind, let alone three times? oracle-team-usa.americascup.com Watch the action live on redbull.tv 51

THE

INNO

BRIGHT SPARK OF

RIMAC

VATION

At the age of 19, Mate Rimac decided to take on the automotive superpowers and by 21, he’d built THE WORLD’S FASTEST ELECTRIC HYPERCAR. Now, at 29, he’s building his company into an engineering and technology powerhouse – and he’s done it all in a quiet corner of his native Croatia. Ask him why and the answer is simple: “Why the hell not?” Words: Justin Hynes

Electric dream: “I wanted to prove that electric cars could be fast and fun, and not just environmentally friendly… and a bit boring,” says Mate Rimac of his Concept One hypercar

RIMAC

Want visceral, old-school supercar handling? Simply drop the graphic faders on the infotainment screen and bias the power to the rear motors

WE HAD TO BUILD THE WORLD’S FASTEST ELECTRIC CAR BEFORE WE GOT ANY FUNDING Track wins evolved into something more special. In 2011, Rimac’s lime-green E30 set a slew of world records, including the Fédération Internationale de l‘Automobile (the world body for land speed records) recognising it as the quickest electric car in the world in its category. As a frame of reference, the vehicle beaten by Rimac was the EX1, a multi-million dollar concept car built by automotive giant Peugeot. For Rimac, though, beating the manufacturers in the rarefied environment of speed records was just the start – now he had to build his own car. The sizeable elephant in the room, however, was location. “It was horrible,” he says. “I went to the University of Mechanical Engineering in Zagreb – the closest thing to a development centre – and told them what I wanted to do and they said: ‘It’s impossible. The sooner you give up, the fewer people will go under with you.’ “There is not a single venture capital fund in Croatia. The government wouldn’t support us. International investors didn’t want to know. I think in Silicon Valley people raise money based on a PowerPoint presentation. We had to deliver products to 10 countries, break records and make the world’s fastest electric car before we got any funding. I borrowed money from everybody I could. The ‘3 Fs’ at the beginning – friends, family and fools.” THE RED BULLETIN

RIMAC

icture an electric car. Chances are the first image that icture springs to mind is of something small, something practical, something, to be unkind, a little bit worthy. A vehicle that’s going to save the planet one shopping trip at a time. It’s a template that, for a decade, almost all large-scale manufacturers of automobiles have vigorously applied to the building of electric vehicles: small, urban, driven as forcefully by demographics as the lithium-ion batteries under the floor. In a small corner of Croatia, however, the message didn’t get through. Nestling close to the border with Slovenia, the district of Sveta Nedelja is about as far from the traditional motor manufacturing hubs of Detroit, Stuttgart or even Silicon Valley as it’s possible to get. Yet it was here, eight years ago, that 21-year-old Mate Rimac, fuelled by twin passions for electronics and cars, began to formulate a different vision – one where alternative energy, speed and fun weren’t mutually exclusive concepts. “I just wanted to build a really fast electric car,” laughs the 29-year-old Croatian. “I wanted to prove that electric cars could be fast and fun, and not just environmentally friendly… and a bit boring.”

The result is the Concept One, a hypercar for the age, an all-electric 1,000+hp monster retailing for around $1.2 million or $1.6 million if you fancy the even more powerful S version Rimac’s fledgling company debuted at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. It’s a car bristling not only with power (the S tops out at 355kph and will hit 100kph in around 2.5 seconds) but also with cutting-edge technology. Power is derived from four electric motors and four gearboxes mounted at the centre of each axle. The motors are fed by 8,450 lithium-ion battery cells and controlling it all is a suite of software that puts every aspect of the motors’ behaviour at the control of the driver. To understand where the Concept One sprung from, though, it’s necessary to travel 20 or so kilometres east of Sveta Nedelja to Zagreb, where in 2004, 16-year-old Rimac translated an interest in the work of 19th-century electronics engineer Nikola Tesla into a high-school project that led to further local competition awards and enough prize money to indulge his other passion, speed. “I bought an old BMW, a 3 Series, and started racing,” he says. “Eventually the engine blew. That was the trigger. I converted it to electric power. At the start, people just laughed. And they were right; it wasn’t fast. But after every race I took it home and made it more powerful, lighter, more reliable and then it started winning.”

Mate Rimac: “My life is the company and I’m fine with that, but people who want to get into this kind of thing, they have to understand that it is hard”

THE RED BULLETIN

HIGH-CONCEPT TECHNOLOGY AS YOU’D EXPECT WITH A CAR COSTING UP TO $1.6M, RIMAC’S CONCEPT ONE IS PACKED WITH CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY, ALL OF IT BUILT BY THE COMPANY’S BOFFINS IN CROATIA

3 The motors are fed by 8,450 lithium-ion battery cells, which run along the centre channel of the car as well as the rear of the passenger compartment. The Concept One’s battery pack is designed to deliver 1MW of power during acceleration and to absorb 400kW during braking

4 Rimac developed the world’s highest power density motor system to power each of the Concept One’s wheels individually. The company says the motors provide instant response, more than 90 per cent efficiency and full torque at zero speed. The new S specification Concept One will accelerate to 100kph in just 2.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 355kph.

3 1 The Concept One’s powertrain consists of four electric motors and four gearboxes mounted at the centre of each axle. The front powerplants are each bolted to single-speed gearboxes, while the rears get their own twospeed dual-clutch transmissions. Total output of all the motors is around 1,224hp and 1,600Nm of torque, 2 The car features a system called Torque Vectoring that maintains balance and grip by controlling each wheel individually, 100 times per second. Drivers can choose between various modes and settings to perfectly match their preferences and skills, and the given situation.

5 Attention to detail is everything in a supercar and even the rear lights contribute to the car’s performance with integrated tunnels helping with cooling and aerodynamic performance.

6 Twenty-inch forged aluminium rims house carbon ceramic brake discs, 390mm at the front and 380mm at the rear, which are supported by a 400kW strong regenerative braking system – like the energy recovery systems F1 cars use to harvest energy created during braking phases.

THE RED BULLETIN

Despite this, Rimac insists he never considered pursuing his dream outside Croatia. “Enzo Ferrari was from Modena and Ferrari is there. Ferdinand Porsche was from Stuttgart and Porsche is in Stuttgart. I’m from here, so why wouldn’t I do it here?” Rimac was determined, too, to develop all of the technology in-house, a radical move, but one the Croatian believed would avoid the fatal missteps taken by contemporaries. “The car industry is dominated by huge companies. Volkswagen has six times the revenues of Croatia’s GDP. This industry is not really made for newcomers and start-ups, but my role models were [hypercar builders] Horacio Pagani and Christian von Koenigsegg, who proved it is possible. “Inspired by them, I wanted to make my own car and in the beginning I knocked on the doors of major suppliers. But in order to work with them, we would have taken on hundreds of millions in debt. “That’s what [American auto maker] Fisker did,” he adds. “They hired automotive executives that only knew how to work in that way. They spent $1.4 billion on the development of their car because it was all done by suppliers. They folded. I wasn’t going to let that happen. So we had no option but to develop the technology ourselves, not solely because of the money, but because the technology I wanted didn’t exist.” Starting with just seven employees, Rimac developed his car in one year. The tiny band brought a prototype to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, where it caused a sensation. “At that time, Tesla wasn’t where it is now,” he says. “When we I started it was different. People considered electric cars to be milk floats.” Under the glittering Palexpo lights, the Concept One shone like a futuristic jewel. Behind the scenes, though, the situation was darker. “We were in real trouble. We had potential clients upon whom the future of the company depended and I didn’t even have money to buy them lunch. It was incredibly hard.” The solution was to fall back on what Rimac did best – develop technology, this time for other companies. “Our car evolved over time, but steadily we became a technology provider. We are now growing into a serious supplier of technology for all kinds of companies in the automotive, naval and other sectors.”

RIMAC

THE NEXT STEP IS HIGH-VOLUME PRODUCTION. WE DON’T WANT TO DO JUST NICHE PROJECTS In the years since the Geneva show, Rimac has delivered a number of customer versions of the Concept One, and in March of this year the Croatian returned to the show with the lightened, more powerful S version or the car, emphatically proving wrong those who had, in 2011, dismissed Rimac as yet another purveyor of automotive ‘vapourware’. The Concept One, though, is now just one facet of a growing business. “Ultimately, the car is now more of a showcase of what we can do. It’s a very small part of our business. We are THE RED BULLETIN

The Concept One has two gears, most electric cars only have one. For face-melting acceleration, select first gear – the S variant can reach 100kph in around 2.5 seconds

now almost 300 people. That kind of growth would not be possible just making cars.” Many of Rimac’s technology partnerships are closely guarded secrets – “so many non-disclosure agreements” – while others are high-profile, such as the deal to provide battery technology for the collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing – the AMRB001, now rechristened Valkyrie. “It’s huge for us, especially as it’s with Red Bull Racing and Adrian Newey, the most successful Formula One engineer in history,” says Rimac. There’s also an association with the Croatian’s great hero Christian von Koenigsegg. “What connects us is that we are very technical people,” Rimac explains. “He is not a bean counter or someone who does what he does to get rich. He doesn’t care about that. And it’s the same with me. I want to push the limits, I want to raise the bar. I want to be the best at what I’m doing. I want us to be a small company that pushes the limits in this industry.”

ot that Rimac wants the company to remain small. “The next step is to go into high-volume production. So, we don’t want just to do oneoffs and niche projects. It’s a good business, but our vision is to go into high-volume production. We see ourselves as a leader in electrification and connectivity, electric vehicle technology.” And the future of the Concept One? Now that the company is becoming a technology developer, is it the last car that Rimac will build? “Not at all. There will be more,” he says. “Building cars is not the wisest business decision, but it is my passion and it’s also a good playground to show what electric cars can do. When you have to make a car and make it work and make it safe, then you really understand the challenges and that gives us an edge. It’s a very expensive edge, though! “If you want to do something like this, persistence is hugely important. It’s really hard and you have to be prepared for that. You sacrifice your whole life. It is demanding, it is isolating and it is an obsession… but a very rewarding one. There are so many things we’re working on, the next car, the next production facility, which will have a 14th-century castle as part of it. I want to build a race track there. “Ultimately,” he concludes, “what brought me here, all the way from a kid’s science exam to building this company is curiosity. I’m just always really interested to see what happens next.” rimac-automobili.com 59

Siren of the surf Imogen Caldwell â&#x20AC;&#x201C; model, big-wave surfer and pilot-in-the-making â&#x20AC;&#x201C; shows us the little piece of paradise she calls home

Words: Robert Tighe Photography: Jean Pierrot

“I’m much more at home in the great outdoors,” says Caldwell

There’s only one road into Red Bluff: a dusty, bumpy stretch of gravel that’s only recommended for 4x4s and those with a strong constitution. The Bluff, as it’s commonly known, is a 12-hour drive north of Perth, Western Australia, about 130km from the nearest city and a short stroll from the holiday camp managed by Imogen Caldwell’s parents. Just two families lived at The Bluff when Caldwell was growing up. Between the two families there were 13 children who made the most of their natural playground. “Mum would send us outside in the morning and tell us to be home by sunset,” says Caldwell. “We’d spend our days fishing, diving and surfing. There were eight girls and we all surfed. People would rock up to surf The Bluff and see this line-up of young girls. It must have looked pretty odd, but we more than held our own.” Three years ago, Nathan Webster, a former Aussie pro surfer and the head honcho for apparel brand RVCA in Australia, rolled into The Bluff on a road trip. “We drove into the desert and I saw this little mirage sitting, perched on a rock,” says Webster of his first impressions of Caldwell. “Then I saw her surf and some pictures and I knew it was a big story, such an incredible girl.” Since then, Caldwell has travelled the world as a brand ambassador/ model for RVCA, but this year she’s determined to prove her surfing credentials by chasing some of the heaviest slabs of water in the world.

Caldwell isn‘t a fan of gyms. “Motocross keeps me fit,” she says the red bulletin: Would you describe yourself as a surfer first and a model second or the other way around? imogen caldwell: Definitely a surfer first. If you met me you would not think I was a model. I am as far from a model as you can imagine. People who know me and know how active I am can’t believe that I’m able to sit still long enough to get my make-up done. The modelling business must be a stark contrast to the world you grew up in. How have you managed to cope with life in the fast lane? I struggle sometimes. I don’t like to be surrounded by lots of people. I’m much more at home in the great outdoors than in a big city. If I’m outside, I’m happy. When did you first realise that your childhood was very different

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Caldwell grew up in remote Red Bluff, spending her days fishing, diving and surfing

“People who know me can’t believe I can sit still long enough to get my make-up done”

to the kind of upbringing most people experience? I always knew it was unique. We hung out with kids who came to The Bluff on school holidays and they would tell us how odd our life was. We were home-schooled, but if the waves were pumping or the fishing was good, then school wasn’t a priority.

“I’ve lost a lot of skin to the reef, broken boards and nearly drowned countless times”

The Bluff isn’t the easiest place in the world to learn to surf… The waves can get very big during the winter when the swells come in, so I got comfortable in big waves from a young age. My dad got me on a board when I was 10 or 11. There was nothing else to do so I learned quickly. It was the only option. I either got good or I would have been ridiculously bored. I pretty much spent all day, every day, on the water. Sharks and whales regularly keep surfers company at The Bluff. Have you had any close encounters? I saw a shark yesterday when I was surfing, but that’s not uncommon in Western Australia. I’ve lost a lot of skin to the reef, broken a lot of boards and nearly drowned countless times, but I’ve gotten away pretty lightly really, considering all the crazy things I get up to. What training do you do for big-wave surfing? I try to surf every day and I also do a lot of diving, which is great for breath training. I’ve been getting into motocross lately and that keeps me fit. I’ve never been a gym junkie or done any pilates or yoga. Salute to the Sun, that’s something people who practise yoga do, right? That’s the only move I know. What projects are you working on at the moment? I have a bit on. I’m studying for my recreational pilot’s licence. I’m also designing a small clothing collection

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This year, Caldwell is planning to surf some of the heaviest slab waves in Western Australia that will hopefully be launched later this year. That’s something I’ve been into since I was little, so it’s good to finally get it done. Finally? You’re only 20… I know, but I enjoy being busy. My big project this year is with my fiancé, Cortney Brown, and his brother, Kerby. We’re surfing some of the heaviest slab waves in Western Australia and I’m looking forward to heaps of adventures along the way. Hopefully I don’t die doing that. I’m excited, but terrified at the same time. instagram.com/imogencaldwell 67

“MOST POP STARS ARE ANIMATED” GORILLAZ

The most successful cartoon band in pop history are back. To celebrate the release of Gorillaz’ new album Humanz, their first in six years, The Red Bulletin sat down with lead singer 2D and drummer Russel to discuss combustible singers, the perils of inter-band relationships, and to look forward to their amusement-park-based festival, Demon Dayz Words: Florian Obkircher 68

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Gorillaz (from left): Russel, 2D, Murdoc and Noodle

Blur frontman Damon Albarn and comic-book artist Jamie Hewlett, flatmates at the time, were watching MTV and, hugely underwhelmed by the videos they saw – yep, music television actually once played music – decided to form a cartoon band. Three years later, their group, Gorillaz, had sold seven million copies of their eponymous debut album and been named the Most Successful Virtual Band by Guinness World Records. How was it possible? Well, for starters, there was Albarn’s knack for infectious melodies and the canny melding of elements from alternative hip-hop and electro-pop, which spawned bona fide pop anthems such as Clint Eastwood. There was also his unerring choice of star collaborators, from rapper Snoop Dogg to Clash guitarist Mick Jones and even 77-year-old R&B legend Mavis Staples, who features on Gorillaz’ fifth album, Humanz. It wasn’t just about the music, though. Hewlett – the artist behind iconic late ’80s comic character Tank Girl – crafted the perfect pop avatars to engage fans: cute but confused singer/ keyboardist 2D; Murdoc, the band’s evil mastermind bassist; formerly demonically possessed drummer Russel, and Japanese guitar virtuosa Noodle. Each has his/her own superpower and also a rich back-story that is expanded – often with surreal plot twists – with each Gorillaz release.

The new album is no exception: before the quartet met up in London to record Humanz, they were scattered across the globe. 2D was stranded on a supposedly deserted island where, due to his poor survival skills, he had to exist on rotten meat from the whale that had transported him there. Russel, who grew 60 times in size after eating radioactively contaminated fish, was captured in North Korea and exhibited in a cage as a Godzillalike attraction. It was only when he reverted to normal, thanks to a limited diet, that the regime’s leader let him go. To cut a long story short, there was a lot to talk about when The Red Bulletin got the chance to interview the singer and drummer…

the red bulletin: Gorillaz have been a band for almost 20 years now, and in that time you’ve had to deal with some pretty hairy situations. What’s the secret of maintaining a successful working relationship amid the drama? russel: Restraining orders. Gotta love your British legal system. Nah, only kidding. But, you know, getting out of each other’s faces does help. Because we’re different people, [we’ve] all got our own thing going on. Noodle reads a lot of existentialist philosophy; I’m highly politicised; 2D likes finding shapes in the clouds, and Murdoc is just a terrible person. 70

Which of your fellow bandmates’ special skills have proven most useful over the years? 2d: Noodle grew up in a super-soldier programme where she learned handto-hand combat and how to use heavy weapons. Those skills have helped us fight off pirates and zombies – and Murdoc when he’s drunk. russel: She used to choke him with a jujitsu move – but since he got into S&M, choking him only makes the situation worse. Now she just clips him with a tranq gun. Russel, imagine you’re in a recording session and 2D spontaneously combusts. Which singer would you replace him with? russel: First off, spontaneously combusts? If that happens, I’m asking some serious questions. Area would need to be locked down: nobody goes in or out, get forensics in. ’Cos people don’t just combust, y’know? Not in my lifetime. 2d: What about that inflatable lady Murdoc kept in his cupboard? russel: Oh yeah. She lit up like the Fourth of July during a post-coital cigarette. But let’s suppose forensics found no foul play at the scene… If we had to replace 2D, maybe we’d bring in Shirley Bassey – a national treasure and she sings like an angel, just like 2D. Of course, that’d make Shirley the number one suspect in 2D’s vaporisation. She had the most to gain. THE RED BULLETIN

GORILLAZ

IT STARTED AS SOMETHING OF A PRANK ALMOST TWO DECADES AGO.

2D: ”I had knickers thrown at me once. I put them on a 60°C wash and gave them back”

What’s the most ‘rock star’ thing you’ve ever done? 2d: That’s more Murdoc’s department. I get a bit tired of the rock star stuff. Someone once threw their knickers at me on stage. They were dirty, so I took them home and put them on a 60°C wash. I gave them back to her at the next gig. Then she started bringing her laundry to me at every gig. It got quite timeconsuming. Especially the woollens. What advice do you have for young, aspiring pop stars? 2d: Being a pop star is cool sometimes, but not other times, like when people take photos of you going to the toilet. So I’d say, “Don’t get into it for fame; do it ’cos you enjoy it.” My favourite job was running the dodgems at Eastbourne funfair. I’d go back in a second, but Murdoc threatened to take me down, Gladiator-style, if I ever left Gorillaz. He has a whip and a trident, and a leather loincloth, so I know he’s serious. 2D, which of the survival skills you learned on the desert island are proving most useful back in regular life? 2d: Learning that you need very little to get by in life: just a fire and some food. It was an enlightening experience. I’m actually hoping to go back to the island some day – partly to learn more survival skills, and also ’cos I left one of my flipflops. The flip, I think. Or maybe the flop. Never know which is which. The point is, they belong together – the distance must be really painful. If there had been no whale to live off on that island and you’d been forced to cannibalise yourself, which of your own body parts would you eat first? russel: What is wrong with you, man? That’s messed up! What, you want me to say I’d chew on my big, sweet ass? That what you want? That I’d chew my own ass? No way I’m saying those words. You’d only quote me out of context. I know how you people work. 2d: I’m a humanitarian, which means I don’t eat human meat. But you’d be surprised how much nourishment you can get from eating your clothes. I made quite a nice shredded T-shirt salad to accompany the whale blubber. Russel, on your latest adventure you 72

Russel: “If I was on a desert island, I’d chew on my big, sweet ass” grew 60 times your normal size. How does your perception of the world change when you’re a giant? russel: You learn that people can be very uncivilised when it comes to a person’s weight. They’re always judging. Sure, I was big, but I’ve got an underactive thyroid. People see a towering giant and assume you’re awake all night, sobbing into an empty tub of Cherry Garcia while listening to All By Myself by Celine Dion. It was MY THYROID! If your new album, Humanz, were an iconic film, which would it be?

2d: That’s not easy. Maybe Brazil [Terry Gilliam’s 1985 dystopian fantasy]. On the surface it’s quite fast-paced and seems light-hearted, but it’s actually a really dark fantasy about a scary new future. russel: Got to go deeper, man. Think about it… Maybe we’re all in a movie RIGHT NOW and we don’t even know it. A billion smartphone cameras pointed our way, and some psycho director calling the shots. Unplug, people. ’Cos when the credits roll, there won’t be no sequel. In recent years, we’ve witnessed the rise of Japanese virtual pop star THE RED BULLETIN

GORILLAZ

Hatsune Miku. What do you make of her and other animated musicians? russel: I’m no conspiracy nut, but I got some hard truths for you: most pop stars are animated. Every move they make is controlled, every word they breathe is scripted. But Gorillaz, we’ve got substance. We’re probably the most real thing out there. Your track Hallelujah Money is a cry for greater humanity. If we got rid of money, what could we use as currency? russel: What would be the point in getting rid of money just to swap it for THE RED BULLETIN

“WE’RE PROBABLY THE MOST REAL THING OUT THERE”

a new currency? It’s still power in some other form, and power is what’s distributed unfairly. Forget currency, what we need is a global revolution, meaning complete constitutional demolition, then a new start with a rigorously egalitarian system. 2d: Twiglets? On June 10, you’ll be hosting your own one-day music festival, Demon Dayz, at Dreamland, an amusement park in Margate on the UK’s south-east coast. What can revellers expect? 2d: Candyfloss, dodgems, and the smell of soggy chips: the three greatest things in the world. Unfortunately, the manager says I have to work that day. russel: What 2D’s getting at is all you folks with Demon Dayz tickets get to use the theme park, as well as catch Gorillaz at our first festival since the Escape To Plastic Beach World Tour. That was seven years ago. Whoa, a lot’s changed since then – Murdoc even became a feminist. Anyway, we got a crew of artists and friends joining us, but I can’t say much more about that now. You never know who’s reading. What would be your dream themepark attraction? 2d: A happy version of a ghost train, with tangerine trees and rocking-horse people, where you ride through the clouds on dodgems and get free candyfloss. No ghosts, though – that’s key. We see enough of them in our line of work. russel: Tell me about it. Ghosts really get under my skin. Literally. It’s kind of an affliction, harbouring the souls of dead rappers. Like having indigestion that rhymes. Personally, I don’t have time for theme-park rides. I’m too busy just clinging on to this out-of-control roller coaster we all ride, operated by The Man. 2d: Do you mean Paul? russel: Who? 2d: He runs the roller coaster at Dreamland. russel: No. The Man. 2d: Oh. I don’t know him. Gorillaz’ new album, Humanz, is out now. Watch the live stream of Demon Dayz, a music festival curated by Gorillaz, exclusively on redbull.tv on June 10; gorillaz.com 73

Pete Whittaker on the initial section of the Millennium Arch in Utah. At this point he still has another 60m of climbing left on this upside down adventure

ALL ABOUT THE CRACK

WORDS: MATTHEW RAY PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE HUTTON AND LUKASZ WARZECHA

WHEN CLIMBERS PETE WHITTAKER AND TOM RANDALL CONQUERED UTAH’S CENTURY CRACK, THEY SET A NEW WORLD RECORD. BUT ONLY AFTER ENDURING A BRUTAL TWO-YEAR TRAINING REGIME THAT ULTIMATELY REVOLUTIONISED THEIR SPORT, AND THEMSELVES…

During a rest day, Tom Randall still cranks it out on the super-endurance cave boulder problem in Canyonlands National Park

and stamina to make the attempt. And the sweat poured into that HeathRobinson-like training ground set them on a quest to discover a climb even more ridiculously hard, painful and out of reach than the crack that made their name. In late 2016 they found it. “It’s a splitter crack that goes straight through the middle of the cave’s roof in the shape of a Crucifix,” explains Randall. “It’s fully beyond the limit of what can be done right now by anyone – it doesn’t get much better than that.” How hard is beyond the limit? Well, the toughest section of The Crucifix, in the White Rim of the Canyonlands, is a brutal sequence of seven moves dubbed ‘The Seven Disciples’. “You are hanging off a single finger joint, with no feet or barely any feet on the rock,” says Randall. “Every single one of those moves is harder than any moves either of us has done in our whole lives, and we have to stack all seven of them… it’s problematic.” It’s the nature of being a pioneer that you have to imagine going where no one else has before – and you also have to have faith. The belief that led to Century Crack and shaped their new path towards the Crucifix was determined by those two gruelling years of effort in Randall’s ‘sweaty cellar’. “Did we have confidence that the training we were doing for Century Crack was right? That was dubious,” admits Whittaker. But to do what hadn’t been done before required a totally different approach and new risks. “There are quite a few people who are happy to repeat and operate within the margin, but it’s a lonely place being out on the edge – you don’t have many people to talk to about it,” says Randall. Without their partnership both climbers admit that they never would have been able to conquer Century Crack – it was what got them through a punishing training regime of 10,000 repetitions of core exercises every week, combined with endless, upside-down laps of the cellar. Evidence of their shared sense of humour, as well as obsession, is there on a whiteboard marked ‘Board Of Truth’, in the laps recorded by crossed out lines and in motivational catchphrases such as ‘Suck It In Fatty’ and ‘F--K The Pain, One More Lap’, scratched onto wooden beams. Whittaker even whispered a mantra to himself on his successful attempt of Century Crack: ‘Just Another Lap THE RED BULLETIN

MIKE HUTTON/LUKASZ WARZECHA

Whittaker takes advantage of perhaps the only rest point in the Crucifix Cave

“THE CRUCIFIX IS FULLY BEYOND THE LIMIT OF WHAT CAN BE DONE RIGHT NOW BY ANYONE” TOM RANDALL

DEEP

within Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, Century Crack is a 43m long fissure in the roof of a cave, a thin white line of sky between two vast slabs of rock. It was here, almost six years ago, that climbers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker did what many believed to be impossible. Hanging upside down and repeatedly jamming both feet and fists into the sandpaper-rough rock, until their bones were bruised, their skin shredded and their entire bodies were burning with lactic acid, the pair completed the first free ascent of a climb believed to be one of the world’s hardest of its kind, writing themselves into the record books. The foundations of that epic climb were laid fully two years before in a dungeon-like basement in Sheffield where the pair built a wooden offwidth roof ‘crack’ to build the skills

Tom Randall (far left and above) and Pete Whittaker (left and below) spent many sweaty months training indoors Randall uses the Lattice Board system to measure climbing performance in a scientific way

Tom Randall climbing Millennium Arch, the longest roof crack in the world

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MIKE HUTTON/LUKASZ WARZECHA

– you put your hands back in the crack and you can feel your bones are sore and bruised,” says Whittaker. Off-width cracks like Century Crack, in particular, are even more uncomfortable because you literally have to use every muscle in your body to maintain the necessary tension. “Regular climbing is like playing Thumb Wars – climbing off-width cracks is like wrestling,” says Randall. It makes you wonder what the appeal of crack climbing is in the first place. “Cracks are really good lines – if you look at world-class crack climbs they just visually look really good straight away,” says Randall. The fact that crack climbs are safer, when trad climbing, than blank walls with tiny holds means that they can also push the physical limits without ‘no fall’ zones where to slip is to die. That said, climbing at the limit is still a risky business. “Pretty much on every hard crack we’ve done we’ve managed to put some element of risk in it. We’ve found a way to slim it down until someone’s about to deck out.” Despite the daunting challenges they set themselves, Randall and Whittaker don’t take themselves too seriously. “Climbing with Tom is just generally a good laugh, that’s why the partnership works,” explains Whittaker. It was key to the discovery of the ‘God Line’ of The Crucifix on the very last day of a month-long exploration of The White Rim in Canyonlands, during which they walked canyons previously untrodden by human feet. “It’s absolutely huge,” insists

Pete Whittaker: “The God Line of the Crucifix is absolutely huge – 50m long”

“YOU ARE HANGING OFF A SINGLE FINGER JOINT, WITH NO FEET ON THE ROCK” TOM RANDALL

Of The Cellar.’ Randall’s was: ‘Focus On The Process Not The Goal.’ The fact that Century Crack fell to the pair within two days, despite being so hard, is less surprising when you consider their preparation. “It hadn’t been climbed before and I’m now more certain of that answer because no one has done it since,” says Randall. Their training was designed to bulletproof the climbers’ strength endurance. “If you have a weak link in the chain, it is going to be exposed on that kind of climb,” says Randall. This philosophy also informs Randall’s desire to innovate. He coaches climbers from amateurs to world-class and has developed a Lattice Board system of measuring climbing performance in a scientific way, while recording seven years’ worth of data to back it up. This has given him a unique and instructive insight into performance. He has discovered that while everyone perceives their performance limit to be ‘X’, the numbers say different. “Everything is relative. My limit right now is ‘X’ grade and everyone has their limit ‘right now’, but they also have a limit that is actually slightly under their real limit and they have one that is slightly over that.” He says that everyone has access to those levels, but most of us operate somewhere below our real limit because it feels comfortable to do so. “If you can explore those levels in your own sport, then you can walk away with a tool that is exactly the same as Usain Bolt’s or any of these people right at the top.” This belief that we can access levels beyond our perceived limits is backed up by Randall’s experience of his Lattice Board training system. “Everyone has periods in their sport where they stagnate and plateau. If you look at the performance profile, then 99 per cent of the time it identifies one or two key things that are way out of balance. Sort them out and bang; you can go straight through your plateau. I have seen that happen time and time again.” Breaking out of your comfort zone is a familiar feeling for Randall and Whittaker – in fact, their speciality of crack climbing is pretty much always uncomfortable, as fingers, hands and feet are pushed into fault lines and twisted to lock them into place. ‘‘You’re using the friction of your own skin and squishing your bones into a crack

Tom Randall: “Everyone has a limit that is slightly over their real limit”

Whittaker. “Fifty metres long and it also takes in loads of crack climbing techniques that we’ve learned over the years – finger crack climbing, thin hands, and a small amount of face climbing at the end.” This means it will only be climbed by an all-round trad climber with specialist, next-level crack climbing skills. “It’s just us and we are just doing it – I want to move standards along and do things,” says Randall. Surprisingly, it isn’t the satisfaction of completing projects that drives him. “I don’t really look back at what I have achieved – the reward is very short term. It’s in the process – I feel satisfied by learning new stuff about how things work, how I work, what’s possible and how we broke it down and got it to work.” For Whittaker the answer is one that any novice would recognise. “If you’d been working the blue route on a climbing wall for three weeks and you eventually did it, then you’d be really pleased. It’s the same sort of thing, but on a bigger scale.” Of course, abseiling into unclimbed canyons from ropes tied to thorn bushes isn’t the approach most climbers take, but it’s one that’s rewarded with firsts. “I just love first ascents – any first ascent is better than a repeat,” he says. In the end, you can crunch all the numbers you like, but to have a chance of success you need to fully commit – and bring your friends with you, says Randall. “Jump in hard when you know it’s right – don’t half commit. The chances of success on Crucifix? 50/50 – I think one of us will do it.” Visit wideboyz.blogspot.co.uk, petewhittaker.co.uk and latticetraining.com for more info 81

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May 2017

PEOPLE, PACE AND PASSION

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There are few places the World Rally Championship generates more excitement than in Portugal, where huge crowds cheer on their heroes. See the event live on Red Bull TV (page 84).

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See it Olympic medallist Carlos Coloma takes on Nové Mesto

TRACKS TRICKS & TOP TUNES

Whether you’re after hardcore mountain biking, skate stunts or full-on festival mayhem, Red Bull TV is the place to be

WATCH RED BULL TV ANYWHERE 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

Swiss Nino Schurter will be hoping to retain his title as men’s No 1

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May/June

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May

LIVE

UCI MTB WORLD CUP, CZECH REPUBLIC It’s the second round, and the season’s first cross-country showdown. Reigning world champions Annika Langvad and Nino Schurter will be among those tackling steep up-and-downs, treacherous tree roots and vicious rock gardens in the stunning setting of Nové Mesto na Morave.

BARTEK WOLINSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL/ ANTHONY ACOSTA/ GORILLAZ/ JAANUS REE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

27 10 18

May

LIVE

VANS PARK SERIES, MALMÖ

Malmö is revered in skateboarding after Vans built a new park here for the final of last year‘s Park Series. See the elite of concrete skating – including Red Bull athletes Pedro Barros and defending champion Alex Sorgente – return to the Swedish city to do battle.

June

LIVE

DEMON DAYZ FESTIVAL

With three stages and an eclectic line-up, this one-day extravaganza at Dreamland amusement park in Margate, Kent, will be Gorillaz’ first UK show since 2010. The sold-out festival will be broadcast live exclusively on Red Bull TV, bringing viewers all the action.

to 21 May

LIVE

WRC 2017, PORTUGAL

Last year saw the 50th outing of the Rally de Portugal, one of the founding rounds of the WRC. The event has faced many setbacks down the years – crowd control issues, heavy rain, being dropped from the tour – but now it's roaring round again. Don't miss it.

GUIDE Edited by Gisbert L Brunner

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CASIO EDIFICE RACE LAP CHRONOGRAPH EQB-800

On the pace

Inspired by motor racing, this analogue timepiece has a retrograde indicator at the nine o’clock position to relay lap times to a smartphone app. casio-watches.com

Montblanc Summit strap options range from calf leather to alligator skin

PENNING A BRIEF HISTORY 0F TIME History, it’s said, is written by the victor. Doubly so if they’re Montblanc, the maker of pens that, in 1924, scribbled its success into eternity with the Meisterstück (masterpiece). Making history without being consigned to it, though, requires something more permanent than ink and in 1997, Montblanc began to dabble in time. Its first watch, also named Meisterstück, debuted to mocking comments of “Where do you fill it with ink?” But 20 years on, nobody disputes Montblanc’s reputation as an haute horologist. To the victor the spoils.

MONTBLANC SUMMIT

New heights In 2015, Montblanc devised a unique solution to the emerging smartwatch scene without compromising its own mechanical timepieces – the E Strap, a wristband that fits to a normal watch, tracking sleep and activity, and sending alerts. Now, they’ve fully embraced the smartwatch ethos, but in that way only a luxury watchmaker can. Inside the Summit is enough silicon to power Google’s Android Wear 2.0 operating system, displayed on a vivid AMOLED screen. Wrapped around it, though, is pure Swiss material design – a domed sapphire-glass lens and a case cut from either stainless steel, black steel, a bit of both, or titanium. The price – at least twice as much as regular Android Wear devices – is governed by your choice of case and strap. If you really want to break the bank, Montblanc will make a custom dial just for you. montblanc.com

SKAGEN SKT 1110

Powerful ally This hybrid watch does all the usual tracking and links to your smartphone so you can operate the camera and music player via its buttons. Plus the battery runs for up to six months. skagen.com

FRÉDÉRIQUE CONSTANT E-STRAP

Doubling up

Fit this strap to any analogue watch with standard 20mm or 22mm lugs and transform it into a smartwatch with the same tech and features as their Horological Smartwatch. frederiqueconstant.com

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May/June

June to 2 July

GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED

To be clear, this isn’t the event where you dress up in vintage clothes (that’s September’s Revival); this one is about celebrating fast vehicles, specifically by racing them up the legendary hillclimb. Expect to see everyone from the latest supercar superstars to the past masters of motorsport to the craziest wildcards, such as Red Bull’s own ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett, who will be drifting an off-road trophy truck to the summit.

May to 4 June National Go Canoeing Week It’s five years since London hosted the Olympics, but the sun hasn’t set on its sporting grounds… or waters. Lee Valley White Water Centre is one of the country’s best spots for everything from rafting to paddleboarding. Stick your oar in this week and raise money for charity while honing your rowing skills. Or just cool off with a paddle on the lake. Waltham Cross, Herts; visitleevalley.org.uk

to 4 June Sundance Film Festival Looking for films with more substance than the usual blockbusters? So was Robert Redford in the early ’80s when he took over the Utah/United States Film Festival and renamed it after one of his most famous movie roles. Today, Sundance is a blockbuster event in itself, and there are great films and talks to be found at its UK showcase, too. Picture House Central, London; picturehouses.com/sundance

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June Field Day At this stage in the festival season, you could wander in any direction and find a great music event – but this onedayer has all bases covered. This year, there’s a new indoor main stage, The Barn, a high-tech hangar perfectly equipped for electronic music icon Aphex Twin, who’s playing his first UK show in five years. Victoria Park, London; fielddayfestivals.com

June Red Bull Steeplechase Don’t think horse-racing or the Olympics – this endurance event harks back to the 19th-century practice of racing cross-country using church steeples as markers. Now in its fifth year, Red Bull’s own take on the challenge sees 500 runners tackling 37km of hilly Exmoor National Park. A portion of the field will be eliminated at three knockout points along the route, leaving only 20 men and 20 women to contest the final leg. Lynmouth, Devon; steeplechase.redbull.co.uk

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Near Chichester, West Sussex; goodwood.com

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Contact us for the ultimate adrenalin rush of rafting the Olympic course, the thrill of kayaking or hydrospeeding the unstoppable white water.

gowhitewater.co.uk | 03000 030 616

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Aquaman

Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 4K HD shark shoot, five-star poolside lounging, or surfing a 30ft monster, true ocean dwellers know that making the right waves means packing the right kit

OGIO BIG MOUTH WHEELED TEALIO BAG ogio.com; FRESCOBOL CARIOCA TRANSCOCO BEACH BATS frescobolcarioca.com; PROTEST MUTANT BOARDSHORTS protest.eu; ANIMAL LAVA WETSUIT and RIPPLE FLIP FLOPS animal.co.uk; VANS DAVIS 5 PANEL CAMPER HAT vans.com; BAREDIVE DUO C DIVING MASK baresports.com; NIXON ULTRATIDE WATCH and MINI BLASTER BLUETOOTH SPEAKER nixon.com; SONY FDR-X1000VR 4K ACTION CAM WITH WATERPROOF CASE sony.com; POLO TWO-TONE SUNGLASSES ralphlauren.com; PROTEST BOWTIE STRIPED T-SHIRT protest.eu

THE RED BULLETIN GUIDE TO

SUMMER TRAVEL Photography LUKE KIRWAN Styling SARAH ANN MURRAY

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The Global Geek

For this perma-connected world citizen, the old adage that it’s better to travel is only true if you’re packing the right tech, and the clean, machined look to go with it

TUMI SHORT TRIP ALUMINIUM CASE tumi.com; NINTENDO SWITCH CONSOLE nintendo.com; SONY SRS X11 PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER sony.com; TROUBADOUR LEATHER BUSINESS CARD HOLDER troubadourgoods.com; OAKLEY HOLBROOK METAL SUNGLASSES oakley.com; BEATS SOLO3 WIRELESS HEADPHONES beatsbydre.com; ALICE MADE THIS MORRIS KEY RING alicemadethis.com; APPLE WATCH SERIES 2 apple.com; THE THORPLEY SHORT-SLEEVE SHIRT farah.co.uk

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The Power Ranger A firm belief that if you’re not killing, cleaning and cooking your dinner IBIZA a hundred clicks away from the nearest deep-fried cronut, doesn’t mean you can’t hit the trail in style A reliable wristwatch was a vital instrument for early pilots – and it’s a requirement that PATAGONIA JACKET thenorthface. LIGHTWEIGHT com; LEATHERMAN continued BLACK when man HOLE DUFFEL 30L free ofOHT MULTITOOL finally broke patagonia.com; leatherman.com; gravity andCAMO launched ANIMAL PILAR STANCE FUSION PRINT SHORTS SOCKS stance.com; into space.

animal.co.uk; NIXON PATRIOT LEATHER WATCH nixon.com; KINDLE PAPERWHITE amazon.com; SILVA EXPEDITION COMPASS silvacompass.com; CORNERSTONE LEATHER WASHBAG cornerstone.co.uk; NORTH FACE TANKEN

TEVA ARROWOOD LUX MID WP WATERPROOF WALKING TRAINER teva.co.uk

GUI D E

The Cultured Clubber

Searching for the biggest beats shouldn’t spell faded cycling shorts, body paint and glow sticks. The cultured clubber knows there’s a better, more stylish way

RADEN A22 GOLD CARRY CASE raden.com; SONY MDR-100ABN WIRELESS HEADPHONES sony. com; FRESCOBOL COPACABANA SWIM SHORTS frescobolcarioca.com; PROTEST NEWBEAT STRIPED COTTON T-SHIRT protest.eu; MONTBLANC SARTORIAL ELECTRIC BLUE LEATHER PASSPORT HOLDER montblanc.com; RAYBAN CARAVAN SUNGLASSES rayban. com; ALPINESTARS AGELESS CURVE HAT alpinestars.com; ALICE MADE THIS EDWIN BLUE LEATHER BRACELET alicemadethis.com; CORNERSTONE FACE SCRUB, SHAVE CREAM AND RAZOR cornerstone.co.uk; SONY XPERIA XZ PREMIUM SMARTPHONE sony.com

The Sharp Shooter knows that the only point of 21st-century travel is the perfect Instagrammed sunset or swordfish ceviche. And crafting the perfect image means sporting the perfect image

DOUCHEBAGS AVIATOR CARRY-ON BAG douchebags.com; SONY A6500 APS-C CAMERA and VARIO-TESSAR T*E 16-70MM F4 ZA OSS LENS sony.com; BEATS PILL+ WIRELESS SPEAKER beatsbydre.com; APPLE IPHONE 7 apple.com; CARAN Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ACHE NO 6 SCENTED PENCILS carandache.com; MONTBLANC TIMEWALKER CHRONOGRAPH UTC WATCH montblanc.com THE RED BULLETIN

THE RED BULLETIN WORLDWIDE ÖSTERREICH

ABSEITS DES ALLTÄGLICHEN

HIGHLIGHTS

IM JUNI

Javier Bardem Twin Peaks Fliegende Autos America’s Cup Gorillaz Fit wie ein Stuntman Unsichtbare Hotels

SPASS

MUSS SEIN Die DominicThiem-Methode

KING

ARTHUR CHARLIE HUNNAM:

„Ich hab den Teufel überlistet.“ JUNI 2017 € 3,50

The Red Bulletin is available in eight countries. Above is the cover of this month’s Austrian edition, featuring British actor Charlie Hunnam. See all the editions at: redbulletin.com/ howtoget

GLOBAL TEAM Editorial Director Robert Sperl Editor-in-Chief Alexander Macheck Creative Director Erik Turek

THE RED BULLETIN United Kingdom, ISSN 2308-5894 Editor Justin Hynes

Music Editor Florian Obkircher Chief Sub-Editor Nancy James

Photo Director Fritz Schuster

Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong

Managing Editor Daniel Kudernatsch Editors Stefan Wagner (Chief Copy Editor), Ulrich Corazza, Arek Piatek, Andreas Rottenschlager Web Christian Eberle, Vanda Gyuris, Inmaculada Sánchez Trejo, Andrew Swann, Christine Vitel Design Marco Arcangeli, Marion Bernert-Thomann, Martina de Carvalho-Hutter, Kevin Goll, Carita Najewitz Photo Editors Rudi Übelhör (Deputy Photo Director), Marion Batty, Susie Forman, Ellen Haas, Eva Kerschbaum, Tahira Mirza

Country Channel Management Tom Reding Publishing Manager Ollie Stretton Advertisement Sales Mark Bishop mark.bishop@uk.redbull.com Printed by Prinovis Ltd & Co KG, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany UK Office 155-171 Tooley Street, London SE1 2JP Tel: +44 (0) 20 3117 2000

Creative Solutions Eva Locker (manager), Martina Maier, Verena Schörkhuber, Edith Zöchling-Marchart Country Management and Marketing Stefan Ebner (manager), Magdalena Bonecker, Thomas Dorer, Manuel Otto, Kristina Trefil, Sara Varming Marketing Design Peter Knehtl (manager), Simone Fischer, Alexandra Hundsdorfer Head of Production Michael Bergmeister

THE RED BULLETIN Austria, ISSN 1995-8838 Editor Ulrich Corazza Proof Reading Hans Fleißner Country Project Management Thomas Dorer Advertisement Sales Alfred Vrej Minassian (manager), Thomas Hutterer, Bernhard Schmied, anzeigen@at.redbulletin.com

Production Wolfgang Stecher (manager), Walter O Sádaba, Friedrich Indich, Michael Menitz (digital)

Country Channel Management Isabel Schütt Country Project Management Natascha Djodat Advertisement Sales Martin Olesch, martin.olesch@de.redbulletin.com

THE RED BULLETIN Mexico, ISSN 2308-5924 Editor Luis Alejandro Serrano Associate Editors Marco Payán, Inmaculada Sánchez Trejo Proof Reading Alma Rosa Guerrero Country Project Management Helena Campos, Giovana Mollona Advertisement Sales Humberto Amaya Bernard, humberto.amayabernard@mx.redbull.com

THE RED BULLETIN South Africa, ISSN 2079-4282 Editor Louis Raubenheimer

Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong Country Project Andrew Gillett Advertisement Sales Andrew Gillett, andrew.gillett@za.redbull.com Dustin Martin, dustin.martin@za.redbull.com

THE RED BULLETIN Switzerland, ISSN 2308-5886 Editor Arek Piatek

Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Maximilian Kment, Karsten Lehmann

THE RED BULLETIN France, ISSN 2225-4722

Office Management Kristina Krizmanic, Petra Wassermann

Proof Reading Hans Fleißner

Editor Pierre-Henri Camy

Country Channel Management Melissa Stutz

IT Systems Engineer Michael Thaler

Country Co-ordinator Christine Vitel

Advertisement Sales Marcel Bannwart, marcel.bannwart@ch.redbull.com

Subscriptions and Distribution Peter Schiffer (manager), Klaus Pleninger (distribution), Nicole Glaser (distribution), Yoldas Yarar (subscriptions) General Manager and Publisher Wolfgang Winter Global Editorial Office Heinrich-Collin-Strasse 1, A-1140 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-28800 Fax +43 1 90221-28809 Web redbulletin.com Red Bull Media House GmbH Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700 Directors Christopher Reindl, Andreas Gall

Proof Reading Hans Fleißner

Chief Sub-Editor Nancy James

Publisher Franz Renkin Advertising Placement Andrea Tamás-Loprais

Editor Andreas Rottenschlager

Associate Editor Tom Guise

Art Directors Kasimir Reimann, Miles English

Production Editor Marion Wildmann

THE RED BULLETIN Germany, ISSN 2079-4258

Proof Reading Audrey Plaza Country Project Management Leila Domas Partnership Management Yoann Aubry, yoann.aubry@fr.redbull.com

THE RED BULLETIN USA, ISSN 2308-586X Editor Andreas Tzortzis Deputy Editor Nora O’Donnell Copy Chief David Caplan Director of Publishing Cheryl Angelheart Country Project Management Melissa Thompson Advertisement Sales Los Angeles: Dave Szych, dave.szych@us.redbull.com New York: Regina Dvorin, reggie.dvorin@us.redbullmediahouse.com THE RED BULLETIN

THE RED BULLETIN PROMOTION

ADVERTISING Canyon Factory Downhill Team leader Fabien Barel draws the line

F ST TRAC FA A K AC To p r i d e r s, exc e p t i o n a l b i ke: m ee t t h e C a n yo n Fa c to r y Dow n h i l l Te a m

After years of hard work and development, the Canyon Factory Downhill Team has arrived. The goal: to equip the world’s best riders with the best set-up, and provide them with a team and support system unlike any other on the scene. Troy Brosnan, Ruaridh Cunningham and Mark Wallace will be the first to ride Canyon’s flagship downhill bike – the Sender CF – at World Cup level, and the whole project is led by multiple World Champion Fabien Barel, who plans to sneak in a few races himself. Alongside the World Cup and the World Championships, the team will also line up at all four Crankworx events. Stay tuned…

Above: (left to right) Ruaridh Cunningham, Fabien Barel, Troy Brosnan and Mark Wallace. Below: the Canyon Sender CF

GUIDE

Action highlight

Kirby Chambliss only has to step outside his house and he’s at the airfield – conveniently, the American Red Bull Air Race pilot lives on a ranch with its own runway. And just by glancing up at the sky, his neighbours can tell when he’s got the day off to a good start. For more on Chambliss, visit redbullairrace.com

“When I pull on the stick, it feels like a house is sitting on my chest” Red Bull Air Race pilot Kirby Chambliss describes the thrill of acceleration in his Edge 540 V3 raceplane

MICHAEL CLARK/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Eloy, Arizona, USA

Makes you fly

The next issue of The Red Bulletin is out on June 15 98

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Â® E! IX-BIK D D A ! N rld Cup WIN A a m Wo ort Willi

at the F r stand Visit ou

SPEED

SPEEDGRIP

SOFT

ULTRA SOFT

Y T I N D U S T R I E S

a a r o n g w i n