XMspread The Big5 Sports Challenge #kof2014

THE BIG 5

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS JACQUES MARAIS

SPORTS CHALLENGE

As usual, the BIG5 Sports Challenge – a series of outdoor events where athletes compete across a range of sporting disciplines – delivered huge excitement at the annual Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival. Jacques Marais was there to capture the action.

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

XM MAGAZINE JULY 2014

2

THE BIG 5 SPORTS CHALLENGE

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

3

The annual Pick n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival is synonymous with getting out into the great outdoors, and every year thousands of runners, cyclists, swimmers, pad-dlers and mountain bikers from around South Africa (and the world) travel to this scenic coastal village to experience ‘the best ten days of their winter’.

Sport, cuisine, lifestyle and entertainment form part and parcel of what has by now become a seminal event here on the Garden Route. And at the sporting heart of the “Oyster Fest’, you will find a range of key events making up the adrenaline-charged BIG5 Sports Challenge, presented by Sport 24.

A number of disciplines are included to ensure a fair and level playing field, with everything from mountain biking, road cycling, open-water swimming and ocean paddling to trail- and road running drawing in the crowds. This year, a BIG 5 Lite Category allowed competitors to settle for a reduced distance challenge for the very first time. More info at www.pnpoysterfestival.co.za

xtremedia.co.za

4

The Emerald Kingdom THE ACTION The MOMENTUM Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour MTB events include options of either a 50km or 80km route to differentiate between Regular and Lite #BIG5ers. Whichever way, both routes made for testing riding on muddy forest tracks winding through the indigenous Knysna woods

THE SHOT The forest gloom necessitated the use of flash, but in order to utilise some natural light, I shot on a slow shutter speed and panned with the riders for effect.

THE SPECS 1/30th sec @ f2.8; SONY A99-SLT + 16mm Fish-eye; ISO 400; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (-1); Flash (2x Units on Remote); Levels setting in Adobe Lightroom

MORE INFO www.knysnacycles.co.za

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

5

xtremedia.co.za

6

Mud Masters THE ACTION

A few muddy sections along the MOMENTUM Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour 50km MTB route delivered some awesome action shots.

THE SHOT Even though there was some sunlight, it was rather weak, and I still had to shoot at ISO800 in order to freeze the action on my long telephoto lens.

THE SPECS 1/1 250th sec @ f4.5; SONY A99-SLT with 70-400mm zoom lens set to 100mm; ISO 800; WB Setting (Sun); AE Setting (0); No Flash.

MORE INFO www.sony.co.za

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

7

xtremedia.co.za

8

The Open THE ACTION The brand new MOMENTUM Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour route saw riders diverted off the regular N2 routing, with steep climbs up to Karatara and Barrington adding some hard core cranking.

THE SHOT Shooting into the sun with the wide angle lens added some nice drama to the shot, with stark contrast and lens flare as a bonus.

THE SPECS 1/400th sec @ 4.5; SONY A99-SLT + 11-18mm wide-angle lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Auto); No flash; AE Setting (0)

MORE INFO www.visitknysna.co.za

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

9

Road

xtremedia.co.za

10

Chain Reaction THE ACTION Sometimes things go wrong on race day; a snapped chain meant it was basically game over for this competitor in the 100km road race.

THE SHOT A low angle, focussed flash and a fish-eye lens add perspective to this image.

THE SPECS 1/250th sec @ f8; SONY A99-SLT with 16mm fish-eye lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (-1); Hand-held flash triggered remotely.

MORE INFO www.pnpoysterfestival.co.za

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

11

n

xtremedia.co.za

12

xtremedia.co.za

13

Queens of Crank

THE ACTION Hanlie Booyens and her little Jack Russell shadow are familiar faces at MTB and adventure sport events around South Africa. She opted for the open-water swim during the #BIG5challenge this year, but came to lend her support at the road cycle event.

THE SHOT I got in nice and close with the wide-angle lens, and used a hand-held flash unit with a Wi-Fi trigger for side lighting.

THE SPECS 1/60th sec @ f8; SONY A99-SLT with 16mm fish-eye lens; ISO 50; WB Setting: Shade; AE Setting (-1); Off-camera flash with remote Phottix trigger

MORE INFO www.jacquesmarais.co.za

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

Good

14

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

to GU! THE ACTION

Racers gather at the start of the SALOMON Featherbed Trail Run, presented by GU Energy. This is the only time every year that runners may access the amazing routes in the pristine Featherbed Nature Reserve.

THE SHOT A high angle from the ridge allowed me to snap this image of racers gathered around the GU tent as the sun rose over the lagoon.

THE SPECS 1/125th sec @ f4; SONY A99-SLT with 11-18mm lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Sun); AE Setting (-1); On-camera flash for fill-in

MORE INFO www.magneticsouth.net

xtremedia.co.za

15

16

Heads up!

THE ACTION The Western Heads of Knysna offers the perfect spot for a shot capturing this most scenic of settings along the Featherbed Trail Run route. Andrew Houston, the athlete in this image, claimed the 2nd position overall in the #BIG5challenge.

THE SHOT Quick-shooting is the name of the game as athletes stream past thick and fast. The fish-eye affords a grand view of the action unfolding against the breathtaking backdrop.

THE SPECS 1/250 sec @ f5.6; SONY A99-SLT with 16mm fish-eye lens; ISO 50; WB Setting (Auto); AE Setting (-1); 2x Remote Wi-Fi flash units

MORE INFO www.salomonsports.com

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

17

xtremedia.co.za

18

THE ACTION

Green

The final event dawned cool and with a slight drizzle, making for perfect conditions in which to take on the MOMENTUM Cape Times Knysna Forest Marathon.

THE SHOT Low light meant tough shooting, though, especially in the forest, and I had to seriously push the excellent low-light capability of the SONY EXMOR Sensors.

THE SPECS 1/400th sec @ f5.6; SONY A99-SLT with 70-400mm telephoto lens; ISO 6400; WB Setting (Shadow); AE Setting (0); No flash

MORE INFO www.worldsports.com

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge xtremedia.co.za

19

Mile

xtremedia.co.za

OT O:

JA

CQ

UE

SM

AR

AIS

“ The Ten Best Days of Your Winter”!

PH

#KOF2014 #BIG5Challenge

Find us on Facebook Find us on Twitter Find us online Find our XMspread digital archive Find our XMstock library

www.facebook.com/xtremedia @XtreMediaZA www.xtremedia.co.za www.issuu.com/xmspread www.xtremedia.photoshelter.com

xtxremedia.co.za xtremedia.co.za