Adventure Mag #3 OE#58

OUTDOOR EDITION

CRAIG POTTON

Adventure Gallery p 66

EUROPEAN TRAVEL CLIMBING EDITION

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BE INSPIRED INSPIRE OTHERS EDITION 3 | OE EDITION 58

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PUBLISHER Adventure Entertainment

EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome to our third edition of ADVENTURE MAG, incorporating our 58th Edition of Outer Edge and the European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T).

CO-FOUNDER / CEO Toby Ryston-Pratt MANAGING EDITOR CREATIVE / DESIGNER Tara Tyrrell ADVERTISING / SPONSORSHIP Charles Werb 0418 984 019 charles@adventureentertainment.com

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Tara Tyrrell tara@adventureentertainment.com

CONTRIBUTORS Andrew McKinnon Well known in the Gold Coast surfing community, Andrew McKinnon (or Andy Mac as he is affectionately known) has worked as a surf reporter for 30 years. He is a former World Longboard Champion and helped lead the charge to have the southern Gold Coast declared the 8th World Surfing Reserve in 2016.

T

HE WORLD IS an amazing place and it’s always exciting when we have the opportunity to not only learn about different regions in the world that we might not have been to ourselves, but to also meet the people who live there. And even more exciting to meet those who have done extraordinary things. That’s what E.O.F.T is all about. The Tour curates an annual hand-picked programme of the best adventure and outdoor sport films and brings it to the big screen!

I

N ASSOCIATED WITH E.O.F.T., in this edition of Adventure Mag, we take you into the world of the Outdoors. Not only do we cover everything the tour has in store for you, but we also introduce you to two amazing adventure athletes - Ross Clarke and Hayley Talbot, and take you into their past, their amazing achievements and where they are headed in future.

W

E HOPE YOU enjoy the magazine, and we hope you are inspired by the amazing stories you are set to experience at the European Outdoor Film Tour.

~ Tara Tyrrell Craig Potton Craig Potton MNZM (born c. 1952) is a New Zealand photographer, environmentalist, political activist, businessman, publisher, and founder of the prominent New Zealand publishing company Potton & Burton.

Charles Werb Charles Werb is an innovator, publisher and adventurer. He is the mastermind behind The Swoosh, the world’s first commercial snowsailer.

Over the past few years he has travelled the world attempting to break records with the snowsailer.

From the USA to Antarctica to Iceland, Switzerland to Finland, and beyond - the adventures of Charles and The Swoosh continue.

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COVER IMAGE CREDIT Eliott Schonfeld FILM: L E M I N I M A L I S T E

You’re an Angler, and no matter how many times you go fishing you’ll want to go again and no matter how many fish you catch (or nearly catch) it will never be enough.

There will be days when the fishing is better than one’s most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse.

Either is a gain over just staying home.

You’re hooked, along with us.

WE ARE TONIC!

AVAILABLE AT SELECTED BOATING, FISHING & CAMPING STORES

CONTENTS

FEATURES T H E S N O W S A I L O R 10

The inspiring story of a man with a dream. Charles Werb created the world‘s first commercial snowsailer and has taken it around the world, and created a documentary about it.

E.O.F.T. 14

Welcome to the European Outdoor Film Tour, featuring inspirational protagonists with a heartfelt passion for adventure and the great outdoors.

Thanks for joining us.

B I G W A V E H E L L M A N 48

Andrew McKinnon talks to Big Wave Champion Ross Clarke Jones about why he has NO intentions on slowing down.

M O T H E R . L O V E R . D R E A M E R . 50

We sit down with adventurer and kayaking record holder Hayley Talbot to chat about her adventures, inspirations and what‘s next on her agenda!

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CONTENTS

REGULARS 56 A D V E N T U R E T R A V E L This edition, we venture to France and Germany to explore the outdoor adventure world! From the Bavarian Alps to the fields of France, you‘ll love exploring this amazing region of Europe.

62 G E A R R E V I E W S

Whether you‘re looking for the right clothes, boots, equipment or accessories - our gear reviews have you covered for all types of adventure.

64 A D V E N T U R E F I L M S C O M I N G S O O N Adventure Entertainment has an array of first class events in the outdoor and adventure community - and they are COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU!

68 P H O T O G R A P H Y We bring you our favourite photographers each edition, letting you know what makes them tick, and how they use photographs to share their passions with the world. This edition: Craig Potton

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THE SNOW SAILOR: SPECIAL FEATURE FILM

WISSA 2020 AND THE GUINESS WORLD RECORD FORTHE GREATEST DISTANE COVERED, WIND POWERED IN A SNOWSAILER

It all started with an email inviting me to the World Ice and Snow Sailing Champs in Estonia 2020 Yes I had said in my documentary “I have now come the full circle and it’s time to hand the reigns over………………………

A few days later that thought process had changed quite dramatically. Unfortunately, I can’t get into the why this change has happened but suffice to say the reason is compelling.

Not just this event, where we get to race other competitors and do speed sailing, not just the opportunity to chase the 24hour Snowsailing Speed distance record, which has eluded me for the past 5 years, but the bigger picture and the possibility of going back to Antarctica to finish what I started so many years ago.

Fortunately, I have not stopped training, in fact I have introduced exercise physiology and pilates into my training which has definitely improved my all over wellbeing and health. In

fact it’s really helped with my lower back issues.

champs are being held there at that time!

So the decision was made, I am in and so is Adrian Manikas. The two of us are going to share sailing and chase this record as a tag team.

The average wind speed at this time of year is 15-20 knots which makes the attempt doable especially given the fact for the first time I have given the attempt enough of a window from a time perspective.

The distance we want to beat is 600km in 24 hours - an average of 25km/h.

We have all the gear we need to do this and The SWOOSH, which is back in Australia for the tour with my documentary The Snow Sailer is in great condition.

In fact, having ten days to achieve this means that based on wind averages we are going to get a perfect window at some time.

The timing is perfect as well as it ties in with a trip to Europe and the USA that I have to make for Adventure Entertainment and will give us a window of 10 days to achieve.

Based on the weather conditions at that time of the year in the city of Parnu, which is situated in South Western Estonia, and normally freezes over from the first half of December, the event will be the optimum time for us to attempt the record.

Maybe that’s why the world ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 3 - OE EDITION 58

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THE SNOW SAILOR: SPECIAL FEATURE FILM

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SPECIAL INSERT

15-METER NO FALL ZONE HIGHBALL BOULDERING WITH NINA WILLIAMS

PLAYING THROUGH MONGOLIA A GOLFER, HIS CADDY, AND A DOG

FLY & RIDE: ZEPPELIN SKIING

ELIOTT SCHONFELD MINIMAL EQUIPMENT, MAXIMUM ADVENTURE A PRODUCTION BY

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EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

Welcome! Phoksundo Lake is located in the Dolpa District in Nepal and can be precisely pinpointed using 29°11'49"N, 82°57'9"E. However, these coordinates cannot accurately convey what the place truly means to Eliott Schonfeld. On his Himalayan expedition, he wanted to escape

The European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T.) is the largest film tour for Europe's outdoor community. The new two-hour program starts touring on 09 October 2019. Tickets and dates at www.eoft.eu/ tickets

our time-bound world, our 'life by numbers'. As with all other adventurers, women and men alike, Eliot is called to places where there are defined limits, few distractions, and tough consequences—out of the everyday routine

„I learned to respect the rules in the wilderness and adapt.

From then on, it became easier and easier.“ Eliott Schonfeld

and all its obligations into the heart of adventure and boundless freedom. But can you truly find this in the icy heights of the Himalayas or the infinite expanses of the Mongolian grasslands?

Not really. Many of our obligations will of course fall away when we leave civilization behind, but these are replaced by at least as many new and much more critical laws of nature. The difference is that there is no question who has all the power (nature) and

who has to adapt (you). In the wild, this relationship has clear boundaries; it demands that

Cover, Page 3: Eliott Schonfeld

you let go, and therein lies the freedom.

EOFT MAGAZINE INSERT DETAILS I M P R I N T The European Outdoor Film Tour is a production of Moving Adventures Medien GmbH in cooperation with the MAMMUT Sports Group and W.L. Gore & Associates | Editors: Marie Borchardt, Paula Flach, Mardee Saxton, Daniela Schmitt | Art Director: Birthe Steinbeck | Layout: Dirk Brechmann | V.i.S.d.P. Daniela Schmitt | © 2019 | Moving Adventures Medien GmbH, 80337 Munich, Germany

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SPECIAL INSERT

THE FILMS AT A GLANCE

ADVENTURE

PORTRAIT RUNNING

(8 Min) FREEDOM TO ROAM Pioneer of the North: A portrait of Sarah McNair-Landry, winner of the inaugural 21st Century Adventurer Award.

The E.O.F.T. 19/20 proudly presents the best outdoor sports and adventure films of the year. Inside these pages you'll find more information about each film as well as interviews, articles, and images capturing our newest program.

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HIGHBALL BOULDERING

(8 Min) NINA WILLIAMS: HIGHLY ILLOGICAL Nina Williams makes the first female ascent of Too Big to Flail - which was established by Alex Honnold.

(7 Min) THE MOVEMENT Runners are a global community united by their love for the sport. This short film celebrates one of the earliest forms of movement.

Page 4 f.l.t.r.: Eliott Schonfeld, Erik Boomer, Reel Rock 14/Brett Lowell, Camp4Collective/Jaybird

(28 Min) LE MINIMALISTE Limited to the essentials: 25-year-old Frenchman Eliott Schonfeld crosses the Himalayas from west to east with his horse, Robert.

THE FILMS

SNOWBOARDING

MOUNTAIN BIKING

ADVENTURE

Page 5 f.l.t.r. Carlos Blanchard Photo, The Longest Hole Media Co., STEP BY STEP Productions, Sterling Lorence, Mirja Geh / Red Bull Content Pool

FREERIDING

(15 Min) CONTRADDICTION After 10 years in the industry, snowboarder Elias Elhardt takes a critical look at the profession and his personal impact.

ROLLER SKATING

(22 Min) THE LONGEST HOLE 2,011 kilometres & 14,000 strokes: Adam Rolston and Ron Rutland golf across Mongolia.

(5 Min) AFRICA RIDING: KARIM Abdul Karim Habyarimana has conquered the capital of Rwanda on eight wheels and now teaches kids in Kigali how to skate.

(13 Min) RETURN TO EARTH The best mountain bike film of the year with a handpicked lineup. Locations: Utah, Whistler, Hawaii.

(3 Min) ZEPPELIN SKIING Three freeriders and a Zeppelin. Stefan Anger, Andreas Gumpenberger, and Fabian Lentsch take an airship into the mountains.

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LE MINIMALISTE

LE MINIMALISTE

SPECIAL INSERT

Eliott ventures out to cross the glacier, along with his horse, Robert, as early in the day as possible when the snow is still solid, but this doesn't always work out.

THE DROPOUT 18

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LE MINIMALIS

At the age of 21, Eliott Schonfeld decided to become an adventurer; just four years later, he felt he was ready to cross the world's highest mountain range from west to east. In our interview, he reveals how he came up with this idea and describes his perception of freedom and being one with nature.

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LE MINIMALISTE

SPECIAL INSERT

LE MINIMALISTE

ELIOTT SCHONFELD On his Himalayan adventure, he took a radically minimalist approach. His objective was to limit his equipment on the journey to the essentials and replace all manufactured products with natural alternatives. It took him a very long time to live up to his own expectations.

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Was the Himalayan expedition your first adventure?

It was the first adventure that I had ever planned, at the age of 21, but it was realized a few years later. The remoteness of the Himalayas simply fascinated me. I had seen the film, 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty', which partly takes place in this area, and I read a book about a Himalayan crossing

by Sylvain Tesson and Alexandre Poussin ('La

marche dans le ciel'). I knew I wanted to do it as soon as I could get ready for it.

What expeditions did you undertake in preparation?

I travelled to Mongolia and Alaska. In Alaska, I spent a month and a half in a canoe. After that, I walked along the coast for another month and a half. In the beginning, it was incredibly hard. I cried while I was walking because the physical demands and psychological challenges were so overwhelming. Then, I slowly figured out how things worked and what the rules were. I learned to respect the rules and adapt.

From then on, it became easier and easier.

How did you figure out that you prefer the adventurous life to a 'normal job'?

It took some time and some work. Right after I finished school, I started a very technical and demanding course of study but dropped out after six months. My grades were so bad that I would have been expelled from

All Images: Eliott Schonfeld

After more than two months in the mountains, Eliott finally reaches the border river between India and Nepal, the Mahakali. He uses two inner tubes to float downstream.

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR LE MINIMALISTE

university at the end of the semester anyway. My sister had done some travelling before she started studying, so I decided that's what I was going to do, just to find out what I wanted to do with my life. When I was 19, I went to Australia and ended up staying in tropical forest for a couple of days. There I discovered what it felt like to be in the wild. I felt loneliness, and I felt part of nature. After that, I went to Canada and worked as a dog-sled guide for a year. When I came back to France after almost two years, I thought I should be done with exploring. I started to study philosophy, and after a week, I quit school again. That's when I knew that I wanted to become an adventurer. I was 21.

Is it kind of an escape for you from civilization and society and all its demands?

In the beginning certainly, but I don't see it that way anymore. During my travels, I realized that you can't really escape civilization. Even the hunters and gatherers I met in the Himalayas feel its effects. Rather, when I am in the wild, I enter another world, one I feel much more connected to. In Paris, there are so many buildings and so many people, and the food comes from a supermarket. There is no reference to reality.

My encounters with nomads and their way of life have really changed my view of the world. Through my

Leh

Tso Morari CHINA Kaza

Sumdo

HI

INDIEN

Pithoragarh Banbasa

M

AL

AY

A

Phoksundo Lake Dunai NEPAL

FROM INDIA TO NEPAL Eliott Schonfeld travelled four-and-a-half months and covered a total of 2,000 kilometers. Although he'd studied lots of maps before he set off for the remote Leh (Ladakh) mountains, when he got there, he found that he was still dependent on directions from locals.

expeditions, I feel really at home on this planet for the first time. Maybe you can't understand if you've only spent a couple of days in the wilderness. I think the longer you stay in nature, the more you feel that you are a part of it.

That 'civilized' people ROBERT: have forgotten this is a THE STEADY very big problem.

COMPANION Can you describe Eliott originally wanted to cross what this closeness the Himalayas with a yak, but he to nature feels like? found out that these animals are Once you have spent protected and cannot be purchased. two or three weeks in So, he decided to undertake the journey with a horse—Robert. Most seclusion, you come to of the luggage Robert carried on his this point where you no back was oats, his own rations. Like longer see yourself as all four-legged creatures in Ladakh, Robert had crossed a few glaciers an individual. You feel in his time, so he was used to steep insignificantly small but and icy paths. However, when it still part of the big picbecame too dangerous for Robert, Eliott thought it would be better to ture at the same time. find a good home for his companion.

You are weak and yet Robert's new owner, the shepherd you draw great strength Narran, lives in a remote area of the from the fact that you mountains. Narran rarely has access to the Internet, but he is still in belong to this world. It's contact with Eliott and provides a pretty strange feeling. regular updates about Robert.

Is it also a feeling of freedom?

I wouldn't call it that.

If you are in the wilderness, you learn very quickly that you can't do anything and everything you feel like doing. If you want to survive, you have to follow certain rules. As long as you accept those limitations and boundaries and really enjoy being in that place, something like a feeling of freedom can develop.

Do you find it contradictory to document your expeditions?

I don't see it as a contradiction. If I didn't make a film, it would be synonymous with silence. I see it as an opportunity to bring awareness to this world that is so important to me and to point out the problems that civilization causes. There are other ways of life than those we are familiar with in the western world; there are places where people still live in harmony with nature. This must be documented.

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NINA WILLIAMS: HIGHLY ILLOGICAL

NINA WILLIAMS: HIGHLY ILLOGICAL

SPECIAL INSERT

FALLING IS FORBIDDEN

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Nothing compares to the 'Buttermilks' when it comes to exceptional boulder problems. Some of the highball climbing there could be considered free soloing.

Nina Williams set her sights on one line in particular.

The line bears the name Too Big to Flail. It's a good 15 meters high and is well known because it was first established by Alex Honnold in 2012. Anywhere else, this route would have been secured with bolts, but the Buttermilks have their own category. This is highball bouldering!

Nina Williams is a passionate boulderer. She has been climbing for more than 15 years, and, so far, only twice during climbing competitions was she faced with a boulder problem that she couldn't conquer from the first hold. One of those times, she was searching NINA WILLIAMS for a solution and spectaWhen Nina Williams saw the movie tors in the climbing hall 'Honnold 3.0' in the Reel Rock Film began cheering her on, Tour in 2012, she was fascinated by the route Too Big to Flail. At the causing a full four-minute time, she didn't believe she would distraction. Nina prefers ever be able to climb the route the quiet stillness that herself. Times have changed... one typically experiences when highball bouldering in outdoor environments, a sport she discovered four years ago. 'There is something about that mental control, that peace that one finds, when you feel one-hundred percent on a climb way off the ground. Obviously, there’s

No highball bouldering a lot of risk—rocks could break, without training: Only after a bird could shit on your head, Nina has memorized a route and you could fall off. Generally, (repeating it with safety when you’re sure you’re not equipment) will she attempt to climb it without a rope. going to fall, you achieve this tranquility.'

Apparently, this tranquility is addictive. In March 2017, Nina caused a sensation by making the first female ascent of Ambrosia (a famous highball in the Buttermilks). Two years later, in March 2019, she successfully completed the first female ascent of Too Big to Flail, the biggest highball of all. In our E.O.F.T. film you can trace her route on Too Big to Flail down to the minutest detail, which will probably find you holding your breath like the many people who witnessed it in person. On her Instagram account, Nina thanks everyone for their support and specifically those who lent the crash pads. 'It was nice that they were there, but fortunately I didn't need them!'

Nina Williams doesn't ignore the risks she is taking; she is well aware that her preference for highball bouldering comes with inherent dangers. 'If I keep on pursuing highball boulders all the time, I am going to get hurt at some point. I dove a little bit more into traditional climbing because I felt that same mental control. When you’re up way off the deck, and you have a piece by your feet that you don’t trust—it’s really scary. But you still need that mental control to get through it.' Nina is currently trying to find a balance between highball bouldering and traditional climbing. We look forward to seeing more of her breathtaking climbs!

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

All Images: Reel Rock 14/Brett Lowell

NINA WILLIAMS: HIGHLY ILLOGICAL

"I love that feeling of absolute control and confidence in a situation that seems totally dangerous."

Nina Williams

THE MOVEMENT

THE MOVEMENT

SPECIAL INSERT

JOIN THE

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Just like the famous Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, running connects people around the world.

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR THE MOVEMENT

Running has become the world's most inclusive community sport. The E.O.F.T. film, THE MOVEMENT takes a closer look at this global phenomenon.

CREW

Running is not technically a team sport, but that doesn't mean its participants have to be lone wolves.

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THE MOVEMENT

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Stratford, 2 a.m. London's East End is sleeping and a lone runner is heading toward Victoria Park. He is a music producer and has been sitting in the recording studio all day. He needs to move. He has no time for a workout during the day, and he feels more comfortable running when no one is watching. This late-night run started over 12 years ago, and Charlie Dark has been running alone—in the dark—ever since.

At first, a few interested friends joined Charlie on his nightly run through the city. Then he founded the Run Dem Crew in 2006, and everything changed. The small running club 'for runners who don't see themselves as runners' now has more than 500 members. There is a group for every pace, so runners of all levels can take part. If you're not up to running with the "Our impact on rabbits, greyhounds, or communities is huge. cheetahs, you can start We're a global at a 'party pace'; that's network." the group with the turtle Charlie Dark mascot.

The Run Dem Crew in London is just one of thousands of running groups around the world; it's a small part of a large movement. Nobody knows exactly where and when this running movement started. There is evidence suggesting that many people in different locations had the same idea at the same time, and that this idea spread rapidly via social media. Also, there are fewer barriers to start running than with other sports—you Running is versatile. don't need a team, there are no Some runners live for high rules, and the equipment is minimountain trails; others find happiness in their evening mal—so running is almost always route through the park. possible, everywhere.

When Charlie Dark started running, he had reached a low point in his life. He was in his mid-30s and successful in his job, but he was exhausted and overworked. Running gave him the balance he desperately needed. While his own fitness was important to him, he also wanted to get his friends off the couch. His objective was to become more active—together. He could have never dreamt of where this journey would lead. Running became more

All Images: Camp4Collective/Jaybird

SPECIAL INSERT

THE MOVEMENT

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR THE MOVEMENT

popular; it became more multifaceted—and we're not just talking about the shoes.

Years ago, the sport was primarily a middle-class, male-dominated pastime. Today, the demographic looks quite different; runners are a diverse group without labels and limits. The sport became so popular, with so many people participating in it, that of course it also attracted the attention of sporting goods manufacturers. Money followed the brands, and what had once started as an underground movement became more and more commercial. Charlie questioned whether this development had progressed in the right direction, so he began working with brands that best fit with the culture he wants to create.

Running itself continues to be what is has "It's like one-hundred always been—a sport that percent I would argue brings people together. that running makes The more, the better. It you a better person.' provides role models and Faith E. Briggs excludes no one. It's not

about maximizing performance or winning races. It's about community, connection, and freedom. That's why we celebrate running groups, where everyone finds their place and sets their sights on achieving a common goal.

This makes it easier to overcome the low points—in running and in life.

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AFRICA RIDING: KARIM

SPECIAL INSERT

AFRICA RIDING: KARIM

A KIND

All Images: STEP BY STEP Productions

OF MAGIC 28

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

AFRICA RIDING: KARIM

Is it magic? Onlookers are curious yet dubious when they see Abdul Karim Habyarimana rolling through the streets of Kigali. With eight wheels under his feet, the city's most famous rollerblader can only smile and shake his head.

As Karim has explained many times over—no, you do not have to be possessed by supernatural powers to get a little airtime on rollerblades. Still, the lack of understanding persists. It might be partly due to the fact that a belief in spirits and demons in Africa continues to be more widespread than it is in the Western world, but it's also because, until a few years ago, people in Rwanda's capital of Kigali had simply never seen a rollerblader before.

Skating in Rwanda has come a long way in a relatively short time. In 1994, the country was ruled by a bloody civil war and a million people were massacred over a period of just 100 days. At the time, the streets were dominated by hatred and violence. Today, despite its Whether they simply watch oppressive regime, Rwanda him or skate along him, the is clean, organized, and well people of Kigali are fascinated connected. Corruption has

by Karim's versatile skillset. decreased, and the economy Not all streets in the city are asphalt. In his own district is growing. It has become a of Gakinjiro, steep, narrow, country full of possibilities, and unpaved streets dominate, and Karim is one who took the but that doesn't stop Karim. opportunity to pursue something innovative and new.

Karim brings amazement, joy, and laughter to people of all ages—without the need for a shared knowledge of his sport's terminology. While we have many descriptive terms for the sport and its equipment—roller skates, inline skates, rollerblades, skating, and blading—in Karim's mother tongue, Kirundi, there's not a single word for it. He primarily refers to his equipment as 'skates'.

His first pair of skates was not a much-anticipated birthday present; he had to build them himself. In 1999, he saw a roller skater on TV for the first time, and the then nine-year-old knew immediately—he had to try it!

The fact that he didn't have skates did not deter him.

As they say, necessity is the mother of all invention. His self-made skates served him well—for six years—until a friend visiting from the U.S. eventually brought him a store-bought pair.

While other children were playing football or basketball, Karim was skating. The lightness and elegance with which he moves through the busy streets today are the result of years of training. Talent alone will only get

you so far, so a strong and single-minded dedication is required, especially if there's no one around to show you how the tricks from YouTube videos actually work. For Karim, this meant watching, imitating, falling down, getting up, and immediately trying again.

ABDUL KARIM Karim likes to pass HABYARIMANA on the knowledge he has was born in Burundi in 1990 and acquired over the years. has been living in Rwanda for His skating classes are many years. He is the founder of quite popular with both the 'Speed Skate Kigali' club where he teaches children and adults to children and adults. skate. Karim dreams of his own In fact, it's sometimes skate park and does everything difficult to reserve a spot. he can to bring awareness to his sport in Rwanda.

Because Karim is such a good skater—fast, agile, and above all quite innovative when it comes to getting from A to B—one determined mother who wanted her son to participate in a course followed Karim with her car for quite a while before she could catch up with him and make her request.

Karim's presence on the roads has not gone unnoticed by the police, but law enforcement officers have had a soft spot for him ever since Karim's wedding day.

He asked for official permission to take a tour of the city with his bride and all their wedding guests—on skates, of course! He received the go-ahead and the tour was a total success. The announcement even made it into the local news and "Some people think was by far the best advertising for Karim's courses I'm possessed. That and his cause to further I must somehow do popularize the sport in his magic to make those home country.

jumps."

Abdul Karim Habyarimana

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CONTRADDICTION

CONTRADICTION CONTRADDICTION

SPECIAL INSERT

ADDICTION

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CONTRADDICTION

Epic images, without the soundtrack—CONTRADDICTION is not like most snowboard films. The creative mind behind the project is Elias Elhardt.

After more than 10 years in the industry, he began to critically question the scene and his own impact as a professional.

His film, directed by A Common Future, shows snowboarding in all its beauty while also considering the downsides associated with participating in the sport.

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CONTRADDICTION CONTRADDICTION

Life as a professional opens up many opportunities, but as one gets older, it's important to find balance. The art is to reconcile old and new aspirations.

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EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

Images Pages 22—24: Carlos Blanchard Photo, portrait Elias Elhardt: Theo Acworth

How do you grow into adulthood as a snowboarder? Is eternal youth and the pursuit of fun an inherent part of the sport, or do you eventually become too old to travel around the ELIAS ELHARDT world in search of the best lines? While it The Allgäu snowboarder loves might not be fun to his sport, but he doesn't want to just scratch the surface. He's also think about how you very passionate about Tiramisu. should offset the CO2 emissions of your travel to these destinations, does taking responsibility mean that you have to deny yourself of everything that is fun? There is no simple answer to this ideological dilemma, which for some, might be a good reason to just ignore it.

Not for Elias Elhardt.

I've been in this scene for several years now, and I eventually came to the point where I didn't know if I could be part of it any longer. It's an issue close to my heart, so with CONTRADDICTION, I wanted to make a film as honest as possible. Essentially, it's about responsibility. As you get older, you want to maintain a carefree, playful approach to life while also being accountable for your actions. If you're honest with yourself, you soon notice that contradictions arise. Examples are the environmental pollution associated with participating in outdoor sports like snowboarding or the consumerism that a sponsored professional athlete contributes to.

I always knew that when I talked about this lifestyle, I had to bring awareness to the inherent contradictions. Then I knew I needed to make a film about it—about how to live within these contradictions.

I know for certain that an attempt to completely eliminate all contradiction runs the risk of drawing a distorted picture; there will always be inconsistencies between one's ideals and one's actions. The point is to lead a good life within these inconsistencies and to stand up for the things you value.

My sense is that our society isn't good at dealing with contradictions; we merely tolerate them instead of using them as a catalyst for change.'

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THE LONGEST HOLE

SPECIAL INSERT

THE LONGEST HOLE

No roads, no fences: With its approx. 1,564 km², Mongolia is ideal for golfing in the wild.

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European Outdoor Film Tour 19/20

All tour info WWW.EOFT.EU

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

THE LONGEST HOLE

PLAY THROUGH GOLF ODYSSEY ACROSS MONGOLIA

As a professional rugby player, Adam Rolston (right) involuntarily belonged to the 'old guard' at the young age of 28.

What could be more effective in overcoming the void caused by the end of a career in one sport than starting another?

Adam traded his rugby ball for a golf ball and embarked on an adventure—because you're never too old for golf or for adventure! Find out where he decided to place his tee and about the motivation behind his extraordinary endeavor.

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THE LONGEST HOLE

THE LONGEST HOLE

2011 km

MONGOLIA Basecamp at KhĂźiten Peak, near the four borders of China Russia - Kazakhstan - Mongolia

DISTANCE TRAVELLED

82 SPECIAL INSERT

DAYS

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90 -DAY VISA

1950 km WITH THE DOG

'There are no fences in Mongolia,' says Adam, 'so it's the perfect place to hit a golf ball across the country.

The whole experience was quite surreal. I don't think I'll ever do anything so unique again.' He's probably right about that.

In the summer of 2017, Adam Rolston and Ron Rutland golfed their way across Mongolia. Why? Because they wanted to and because they could. Their target destination for this unusual undertaking was the 18th hole on the well-kept green of the Mt. Bogd Golf Course in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbataar. It is the only golf course in the country. There, Adam wanted to complete the record-breaking venture (hello Guinness Book of World Records!) with his last ball cleanly pocketed. With this objective in mind, he quickly searched for a starting point, which "A few years ago, I he found 2,011 kilometers took the opportunity away in the southern Altai to get out of my Mountains.

One more question comfort zone and live remained: Why golf? a simpler life. For me, Well, quite simply, Adam it was the richest and is a man of many talents. most rewarding time During his childhood in of my life."

Northern Ireland and throughout his rugby Ron Rutland

THE GOLFER, THE CADDY, AND THE DOG Anyone who has to run, golf, and pull a cart an average of 25 kilometers a day has earned a well-deserved lunch break.

Adam and Ron made sure they wouldn't miss a meal.

Although they were regularly invited to eat with nomadic families (or sometimes just for a quick schnapps on the side of the road), they had stockpiled provisions at regular intervals along the route. Occasionally their menu was supplemented by self-caught fish, and at times the golfer, the caddy, and the dog were sought after as lunch by blood-thirsty mosquitoes.

career, he spent a lot of time on the golf course.

Enough time to claim, 'I'm a pretty decent player'. But that's a gross understatement; Adam is a really good golfer. His friend (and caddy on this trip), Ron Rutland, on the other hand, is rather new to the game. Ron has had more adventurous experiences, so their roles in the partnership were clearly defined from the start. Adam would hit the balls, and Ron would (literally) drag the makeshift golf cart over sticks and stones behind him.

An Unlikely Pair The two adventurers got to know each other several

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

THE LONGEST HOLE

14,000

400

GOLF STROKES

GOLF BALLS

250

135+

ON AVERAGE PER DAY

1

GOLFER CADDY DOG

LOST BALLS

MONGOLIA Ulaanbaatar Mt. Bogd Golf Course

100 kg EQUIPMENT

All Images: The Longest Hole Media Co.

years ago on the rugby field. 'I played for Hong Kong and was one of the youngest on the team,' Adam recalls. 'Ron was one of the older guys." Ron occasionally took the time to go on adventures; one was a twoyear bike tour across Africa. The goal he had in mind on this trip was the Rugby World Cup in London where he wanted to support his national team, South Africa.

He attended the game only to witness a devastating defeat there. Japan, of all countries, swept South Africa off the pitch—despite the fact that the Japanese hadn't won a World Cup match in 24 years.

However, it's not always about winning; it's about the experience. That's why Ron was super stoked when he met Adam at a rugby match in Kenya, and Adam told him about his golf idea. It sounded so crazy and exciting that Ron simply ignored his doctor who advised him that it would put too much strain on his bad hip. Who wants to listen to that when adventure calls?

The Third 'Man' Not only did adventure call, but it also barked. Or whimpered. The expedition had a bit of a rough start in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park where it poured rain. About 60 kilometers into the journey, Adam and Ron noticed a black dog quietly whimpering about 30 or 40 meters away. Two days later, the dog was still there. 'I don't

know where he came from "If you say no, then or if anyone knew him,' you won't have any Adam said. 'You see lots experiences, and 9 out of dogs roaming Mongoof 10 things you say lia. I tried to place him in yes to will be a good a home somewhere in the area, but nobody wanted experience." to take him in. So, we just Adam Rolston kept him. He knew that we had something for him to eat and that he didn't have to beg for it. Maybe that's why he developed these protective instincts and started defending our golf cart. That was a unique experience.' Adam gave the new expedition member the name 'U.B.' after the Mongolian capital Ulaanbataar.

U.B. had never met a golfer before, but he quickly picked up on the basic rules of this odd game—balls are hit but should not be retrieved, and golf clubs must be avoided or it hurts. All things considered, the three enjoyed an amiable camaraderie. Even Ron, who had initially been skeptical about the new travel companion, found it difficult to say goodbye at the end of their time together. You can see the details of their journey in the film, THE LONGEST HOLE and read a thorough description in an interview with Adam Rolston on our E.O.F.T. blog.

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RETURN TO EARTH

RETURN TO EARTH The best biking film of the year comes from Canadian filmmakers, Anthill Films, which captured an international all-star lineup performing at their peak in Utah, Whistler, and Hawaii.

Images Utah: Sterling Lorence

SPECIAL INSERT

RETURN TO EARTH

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EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

RETURN TO EARTH Anthill Films knew they would be working with Brett Rheeder from the beginning; the only question was which location would be best for him to express his personal style. Brett had never done a segment in Utah before and was enthusiastic about the idea. There is simply no better place than Utah for classic big-mountain freeriding terrain.

U TA H In the Utah segment, we journey back to 1968 via the sounds of the rock classic 'Born to be Wild'. Brett Rheeder shows us what perfection in freeriding looks like.

Conclusion—anything but old school!

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RETURN TO EARTH

SPECIAL INSERT

RETURN TO EARTH

The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is a paradise for downhill bikers. It offers countless lines of all difficulty levels, and the kids in the film were definitely not on the beginner trails!

WHISTLER In the Whistler segment, the kids of the riders and filmmakers show off their solid biking skills. They were so pumped to be part of the film that it was easy to capture their excitement and how much fun they had, and there wasn't a single accident, which was a big relief for the entire crew.

All tour info WWW.EOFT.EU

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EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

RETURN TO EARTH

HAWAI I How do you convince a group of world-class mountain bikers to spend three weeks together, sleeping in a tent and shoveling dirt for days on end? Choose an enticing destination like Hawaii. The shoot was during the winter on Oahu, and luckily for the riders and the crew, they had untypically long stretches of dry, sunny weather.

Images Whistler: Markus Riga, Images Hawaii: Sterling Lorence

Sports enthusiasts traveling to Hawaii are usually looking for the best waves. The fact that the islands also offer some great mountain biking terrain isn't so well known—not yet anyway.

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ZEPPELIN SKIING

ZEPPELIN SKIING

SPECIAL INSERT

UP IN THE AIR During a Zeppelin sightseeing tour, very few passengers want to disembark in the middle. Not so for Stefan Ager, Andreas Gumpenberger, and Fabian Lentsch.

The three freeriders deliberately booked a one-way trip. We talk to them about their Zeppelin adventure.

Stefan Ager and Andreas Gumpenberger abseiled from a hot-air balloon four years ago for their film project 'Heimschnee'.

The fact that you can't steer a hot-air balloon was disconcerting to them at the time, so they decided that their next mode of transportation would be a Zeppelin, which turned out to be even more complicated.

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EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

All Images: Mirja Geh / Red Bull Content Pool

ZEPPELIN SKIING

You were dropped off by the Zeppelin on the Kleiner Valkastiel in the Brandnertal region (Austria).

Why there of all places?

Andreas Gumpenberger (AG) It was difficult to find the perfect mountain. We wanted it to be as high and as spectacular as possible, but the Zeppelin crew narrowed down the options because of the distance and height they could fly. So, we looked at the possibilities available near Friedrichshafen—a place that wasn't too high, where the Zeppelin could easily ascend unobstructed and where there were no people and no lifts. The first mountain we looked at was in a nature reserve, so we would have needed a lot of permits. We ultimately decided the Kleiner Valkastiel, at 2,179 meters, was the best fit.

How long did it take to prepare?

AG Two years. Many people didn't believe that it would take that long, but there was all this coordinating with the aviation authority that needed to happen in advance.

Aviation authority? That sounds official.

Stefan Ager (SA) The airship company retrofitted the Zeppelin to our specifications and installed the abseiling device. Opening the hatch above the mountain and throwing ropes out is like opening the door on a Boeing 747 in mid-flight. It's just not standard procedure, and all of that had to be approved by the aviation authorities.

AG The airship company presented the authorities with a 30-page document in which the entire operation was planned down to the last detail. On the final day, an official from the aviation authority—in a suit and with a clipboard—came to the airport, and we had to do a trial abseil descent. After we had shown that we had what it takes, he said, 'Okay, you're good to go!'

How does it feel to take off in a Zeppelin?

AG When it pulls away from the ground, it's faster than you think! It reached speeds of up to 100 to 120 kilometers per hour, so we arrived quite quickly.

Is it loud in the cabin?

SA Not at all. You can hear the whirring of the engines, but it's not like in a helicopter where you can only talk via headset.

With Oliver Jäger and Fritz Günther you had two pilots at the helm. What did they say about your project?

SA They said it will be the best flight they've ever taken!

STEFAN AGER & ANDREAS GUMPENBERGER prefer to travel in the mountains. The idea for the Zeppelin project came to the two freeskiers and filmmakers six years ago at an outdoor trade show in Friedrichshafen. The Zeppelin airship company based there initially reacted to the idea with skepticism, but in the end, they saw it as an adventure and were all in.

Did they have any doubts?

SA They were afraid that the ropes would get stuck somewhere, on the rocks or something. That's why there was a third guy with a knife at the ready to cut the ropes if something happened. We saved weight where we could to get the Zeppelin to its maximum elevation, but the two pilots wanted to have one more person come along just in case. In the end, all he did was hand us our backpacks.

Then the hatch opened and you got out?

AG At that moment we already knew—we made it. The rest was pure enjoyment. We just had to abseil down the 60 meters.

Sounds like it wasn't that easy for the pilots?

SA Yes, for them what was most difficult was to keep the Zeppelin still for 15 minutes. The winds would come from behind, so they would have to turn the Zeppelin like a flag with its nose into the wind so that it was not so vulnerable.

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SPECIAL INSERT

ZEPPELIN SKIING ZEPPELIN SKIING

Sticking the landing: Because the weight of the three freeriders was absent on the return flight, the pilots had to release a large amount of helium in order to be able to land.

The ground crew caught the airship with ropes and anchored it safely to the ground.

Worst case scenario—what could have happened?

SA If the Zeppelin lurched 10 or 15 meters forward when we were just about to release, we could have easily been on the wrong side of the mountain or dropped onto a cornice.

AG The two of us were the first to release, which already caused a bit of excitement because when we disconnected, the Zeppelin immediately became

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lighter. It made a quick and sudden ascent, and Fabi was still attached! But then it came back down again, and he was able to release, too.

How high did you end up flying?

SA A little over 2,000 meters. It would have been possible to go higher, but then the Zeppelin wouldn't have been able to land in Friedrichshafen!

EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FILM TOUR

H AI ERRT IBNLGI NSDHEORTT E X T B L I N D P

Every adventure must come to an end. Whether it was an epic, once-in-a-lifetime expedition or one of many outdoor activities, whether we pursued our own idea or that of another, we adventurers do not seek the familiar. We are always searching for the ultimate experience; the attraction is the unknown and the desire is to surpass our last experience.

Our expectation is that with more experience, we can do things better, faster, and more efficiently. The truth is, it's not in our control, so the desire for a 'better' experience can be downright fatal. What should we hope for instead? That we stay open to the possibility that our next experience will be different. 'Better' is proble-matic. 'Different' is possible.

Image: The Longest Hole Media Co.

THINK DIFFERENT

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TOUR DATES NEW SOUTH WALES

QUEENSLAND

ROYAL NATIONAL PARK AUDLEY DANCE HALL 2 Lady Carrington Dr 11 DECEMBER 2019 | 7 PM

BRISBANE CINEPLEX HAWTHORNE 261 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne 16 DECEMBER 2019 | 7 PM

SYDNEY EAST RITZ CINEMAS 45 St Pauls St, Randwick 11 DECEMBER 2019 | 7 PM

BRISBANE (COORPAROO) DENDY CINEMAS COORPAROO Cnr of Old Cleveland &, Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo COMING IN FEB-2020

LISMORE STAR COURT THEATRE 126 Molesworth St, Lismore 17 DECEMBER 2019 | 7 PM

A.C.T. DENDY CINEMAS CANBERRA Canberra Centre, 148 Bunda St COMING IN FEB-2020

BLUE MOUNTAINS FAIRMONT RESORT & SPA 1 Sublime Point Rd, Leura 2 FEBRUARY 2020 | 5 PM

VICTORIA MELBOURNE THE ASTOR THEATRE 1 Chapel St, St Kilda 10 DECEMBER 2019 | 7 PM

SYDNEY (NEWTOWN) DENDY CINEMAS 261-263 King St, Newtown COMING IN FEB-2020

SOUTH AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE PICCADILLY CINEMAS 181 O’Connell St, North Adelaide 2 FEB- 2020 | 6:30 PM

GEELONG THE PIVOTONIAN CINEMA Moorabool St & Verner St 5,9,12 FEB- 2020 | 8 PM MELBOURNE THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE 802 High St, Thornbury 6 FEBRUARY 2020 | TBA

NEW ZEALAND NTH ISLAND AUCKLAND (NEWMARKET) RIALTO CINEMAS Rialto Centre 167 - 169 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland 1642, New Zealand 12,14,16 DECEMBER 2019

SOUTH ISLAND WANAKA CINEMA PARADISO 72 Brownston St, Wanaka 9434 10 DECEMBER 2019 | 5:30 PM CHRISTCHURCH HOLLYWOOD THEATRE 28 Marriner St, Sumner, Christchurch 8081 12 DECEMBER 2019 | 6:00 PM DUNEDIN RIALTO CINEMAS DUNEDIN 11 Moray Pl, Dunedin, 9016 12&15 DECEMBER 2019 NELSON SUTER THEATRE 208 Bridge Street, Nelson 7010 COMING IN FEBRUARY 2020

NEW SHOWS ANNOUNCED REGULARLY. STAY UP TO DATE! https://eoftausnz.com/

TOUR PARTNERS

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Big Wave Champion Ross Clarke Jones takes on a massive wave at Nazare, Portugal that he refers to as, ‘a majestic beast that demands respect.’

Ross Clarke-Jones a Big Wave Hellman Extraordinaire

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Words: Andrew McKinnon Photo: Jean Marc-Favre

Endearing Big Wave Legend Ross Clarke Jones is showing no signs of slowing down.

He has been charging big waves since growing up at Terrigal Haven, Central Coast with his oldest brother Stephen.

The former World Tour surfer has taken on the challenge of riding the biggest waves since retiring from the tour in the 90’s.

If anything, RCJ is going harder than ever and despite many beatings and life-threatening wipe-outs, he is aiming for the ultimate big wave challenge at Nazare, Portugal.

“I have NO intentions on slowing down, being in my 50s I feel like I have more passion and energy than kids half my age. I’m enjoying my surfing and my life more than ever, “said the 53-year-old who was born on 6th of the 6th, 1966.

However, his latest recovery from injury is not surf related but after a stunt that went badly wrong on the Australian Survivor TV show.

“I was swinging on a rope tarzan style and it snapped halfway between platforms and I took all my weight crashing down on my ankle.”

He’s been out of the water since May and undergoing intense rehabilitation therapy at Keiser Training.

“I need a good strong ankle, foot and leg on the board as my right

foot is my steering wheel.,” says the former Eddie Aikau Big wave champion who became the first non-Hawaiian to win Hawaii’s most prestigious big wave event at Waimea Bay in 2001 and was runner-up in 2004 As a young and wild 16-year-old Ross gained notoriety on the Gold Coast with Quiksilver teammates Rabbit Bartholomew, Gary “Kong” Elkerton and James “Chappy the General” Jennings during early 80s.

He featured prominently in a movie known as Mad Wax, a play on words of Mad Max and regarded as a cult surf flick of its genre.

Clarke-Jones enrolled at PBC (Palm Beach Currumbin) High to keep his Father happy in order to live on the Gold Coast. Arriving at school on a motorbike, he only lasted the day before turning into a full-time professional surfer.

He has won numerous big wave awards and been nominated as one of the best but last year’s brush with the elements almost proved fatal at Nazare the world biggest wave.

Ross was caught badly on the inside and was tossed around like a ragged doll as the waves continued to pound him headfirst into the rocks.

fitted and wound up over his head but helped protect him from a fateful tragedy.

“It funny, during the ordeal I actually flashed back to my childhood with my brother in Terrigal Haven. We used to hide behind the rocks getting smashed as the waves broke over us, “he reminisced.

Like a madman he scaled and scratched his way back up the 100ft cliff face to avoid certain tragedy.

“Being thrown around against the rocks was minor compared to scaling the sheer and slippery cliff face to safety.”

According to the locals, he is the first to scale the Nazare cliff line in such a life-threatening manner.

“No two waves are ever the same, and when you’re talking about 80-130ft waves like those in Nazare, you can’t ever afford to drop your guard.

“I learnt that the hard way. I’ll be the first to admit that that day I was complacent, and I very nearly paid the ultimate price. It taught me a big lesson,” he said.

Ross is now preparing for the World Teams event at Nazare with his tow partner Mick Corbett (Big Wave Surfer from WA.) “My main motivation is getting back out there and getting the froth on!”

Fortunately, his airlift vest was incorrectly ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 3 - OE EDITION 58

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HAYLEY TALBOT:

Mother. Lover. Dreamer.

Hayley Talbot was the first person to solo kayak the 400km from the source of the Clarence River to the Coral Sea... She’s a mum of two boys. Spent her youth playing in bands, and her professional background is corporate law. When motherhood took her away from her career, she went into marketing for fashion mags! In 2014, however, everything changed.

A trip to South Africa changed her mindset and she quit her job, pursued adventure and finally discovered who she was - under all the things she was conditioned to be...

“Taking the gamble to follow my truth has opened more doors than I ever thought possible.”

You were the first person to solo kayak the great Clarence River (Biirrinba) from source to sea, a 400 kilometre voyage.

What was the motivation behind that, how was the journey and how did you feel when you hit the sea?

All my life I was a saltwater girl, I lived where the river met the sea. After becoming a mother I realised I needed to take myself a bit more seriously if I was going to raise humans well in the world. I pondered who I really was beneath the influences that have shaped me and decided I wanted to know that woman better. I went to the wild to find her. Where the noise of all the other voices that try to speak over us can’t be heard, 50

and the only discernible voice is our own. I wanted to step into motherhood as a leader, and I believed I had important things to say. I wanted to create a way to be heard.

The journey itself was everything I’d dreamed of and more. I learned Bush survival from indigenous elders and knowledgeable outdoorsmen so I could survive off the river and the land. It was hard, excruciatingly difficult and excruciatingly beautiful in equal measure. I sunk my boat, fractured my arm and tore ligaments on the morning of the second day. My cockpit was crushed after that and I had to strap my arm and adjust my stroke, using my stronger arm

for the remaining 12 days of paddling. I was coat-hangered and nearly garrotted on head height barbed wire running across a rapid. I went mad one night and paddled off in the dark for 5 hours. Another night I was stuck on the river in the fog til 1am. I had an impassable gorge of more than 10 waterfalls to navigate through. A public lands section to clear that I was warned about by police due to the potential human threat as a solo woman, and so on.

For all of that there were transcendental moments of beauty. On my last night on the river I was camped on the bank, and dolphins were herding fish in below me, it felt like they were my tent, or I was in the

water with them. Their misty exhalations bare metres from my head.

I had dingoes call over me in the night, and laid beneath sapphire skies too overwhelmingly beautiful to take in. There were countless moments new to my senses, old to my DNA. Ancestral kaleidoscopes. That deep feeling of knowing you’re exactly where you were always meant to be.

Hitting the rhythm of the ocean waves was euphoric. Back to the salt of my home. Seeing my loved ones and community waiting for me on the sand was a moment I’ll treasure forever.

What would you say has been your biggest personal achievement? (and why) My biggest personal achievement has been realising that I am the master of this short time I have on this earth and choosing to live that short time accordingly. I had to do something radical for the penny to drop. But once I saw the barbed wire erected around my sense of personal power and potential and developed the awareness that I could cut that away, everything changed.

Realising that “anything is

possible” wasn’t just a throwaway cliche, but a THRESHOLD I could step over, changed my entire lensing of life. Everything I have embarked upon since that realisation, big, small and in between, has flowed from that knowing. It empowers me to bring whatever I set my sights on to fruition.

What’s been your toughest challenge? And how did you push through it?

The river in general was incredibly tough. To survive alone in the wild with no food or water requires commitment and decisiveness. You have to trust your preparation and back yourself. Calmness lays great errors to rest.

A quote that helped me at several challenging points was the parting advice of a great friend

“Just remember when everything is going to hell, that it might be hard, but it’s more beautiful than it is hard”.

I dropped my shoulders and breathed into the beauty of the landscape at countless

moments of struggle, and that reconnection with appreciation always superceded the suffering and propelled me onward.

What’s one thing you’re most passionate about when it comes to adventure?

Its intensely spiritual for me.

Mother nature is my church, it’s where I go to listen, to be reborn, forgiven, to listen to the silent whispers.

I love the way my questions dissolve, answers become irrelevant, and I can just be.

Adventure, nature, spirituality and the wild, are inextricably one and the same for me.

What would you say to someone else who is still too scared to take that first step into a seemingly “un-achievable goal”?

From time to time you’ll hear the line “Dream Big”. Here’s what I’ve learned about that.

You can have a crazy dream, and you can be terrified by it (in fact, if you’re not a bit scared, it means the proximity between who you are right now and who ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 3 - OE EDITION 58

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you’ll need to be to achieve it, is quite close. I recommend extending that distance!).

When I dreamed of being the first person to solo kayak the Clarence River from source to sea, surviving off the river and the land, I had never kayaked a stroke.

I knew when I made the decision to do that trip that ON THAT DAY, there was no way in hell I could’ve done it. But what I had absolute certainty about, was that when the day came I would be, because I would methodically apply myself to the task of becoming it. For two years I grew into who I needed to be, and the woman I had become when the day arrived to leave, was capable of achieving the objective. My advice is, be systematic about big goals. Set

them with faith.

When a big goal is certain in your heart and done in your mind, all you need to do is begin.

See it working in the movie theatre of your mind every day.

Cut the successful final scene up like a surgeon, create steps, breadcrumb back to where you are, and take the first step.

There’ll probably be nay-sayers.

Have a strong enough resolve to listen to them. For every reason you’re told you’ll fail, you can strategise around them and cover them off.

Prepare so well the expedition is a holiday.

Who inspires you?

80 year old me. I think of her. The woman I’ll be. The rivers I will have paddled, both internally and externally. I think of her and she has a smile on her face, because I lived and loved her life well.

Her contented smile, beaming with love and memories inspires me to do my best each day. The older I get the more I understand that my best will be better on different days. And that’s ok.

What do you love most about the outdoors?

FREEDOM. If you could give yourself some advice about life, 15 years ago, what would it be?

You don’t have to know, but you do have to try. Try many things.

The path will appear beneath your feet if you have the courage to step onto it. Soon all those tributaries, all those trickles you’ve paddled up that made no sense at the time, will flow into one raging river. And one day, you won’t be a little girl feeling taken out by the tide, you’ll be a woman riding and channeling the flow.

What’s next on the cards?

My sons are 8 and 6 and they are so much fun. They’re my solar plexus. They were the fulcrum out of the old, un-resourceful headspace I was occupying before I dared to step where the wildflowers grow.

For the two years I prepared for the river, I learned new skills that I could teach them.

They learned to paddle as I learned. They learned their way around multitools as I learned.

Learned about bush tucker and medicinal uses of plants as I learned. Learned about weather and about pushing themselves beyond comfort.

The next river I’m paddling is a river in Tasmania and this time, they’re coming with me.

I sense it may be another rites of passage experience for me as a woman and mother. Little boys break away from their mothers first. I’m soaking up this closeness with them for as long as I can.

I’ve got 3 other rivers planned for after that. In between these trips I’m working with Patagonia and one of my best friends, big wave surfer Dan Ross on a documentary film project highlighting some of the threats to our river.

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mise Better.

Better doesn’t come easy. It’s a challenge to the status quo, a willingness to move in a world that often resists change.

Better is a lifestyle.

It demands the right gear to fit your needs, honest advice to keep you on track and a community to share the experience. Better is about your skill and what you do with it.

It’s the creative desire to make a difference.

Better is not a destination; it’s a journey, and this is your basecamp.

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TRAVEL: FRANCE

PARIS: SHAKE IT OFF! PARIS OFFERS BRILLIANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIG AND SMALL TICKET SPORTY PURSUITS. GET ACTIVE AHEAD OF THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS AT THESE SCENIC SPOTS.

BY MICHELLE LOLLO

Being active is an integral part of Paris life. From horse racing in Chantilly to the Tour de France finale along the Champs Elysées, football at the Paris Saint-Germain stadium or worldclass tennis at the Roland-Garros French Open, visitors to the City of Light can flex their sportsloving muscles any time of the year.

RUN FOR FUN Sandwiched between two green ‘lungs’, the Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes, Paris offers vast swaths of safe, leafy spaces for runners to enjoy.

These two woods (easily accessible by underground metro) are cherished playgrounds for locals, with Boulogne alone offering 57 kilometres of trails (and the famous Frank Gehry-designed $135 million Foundation Louis Vuitton museum).

But you can really lace up from almost anywhere and, within 30 to 60 minutes, tick off half the major tourist sites. For those staying on the Left Bank, the stunning 7th arrondissement Luxembourg Gardens is where the well-heeled 56

run. If you’re staying in the Louvre, Opera or Concorde quarters of the 1st and 2nd arrondissements, then the Tuileries Gardens is perfect.

Extend your route by crossing the river at the Musée D’Orsay and along the car-free quay, 6.6 kilometres to the Eiffel Tower.

For experienced runners, join the Paris International Marathon each April (www.parismarathon.com), or Versailles fun run each October (www.parisversailles.com).

SKATER CENTRAL Did you know you can join hundreds – sometimes thousands – of rollerbladers in Paris, every Sunday afternoon, for free? Take the stress out of sightseeing and join them in whizzing past cathedrals, museums and monuments, with a police escort stopping traffic during the threehour route. The tour sees skaters of all ages and levels clocking up an impressive 20-odd kilometres.

For more advanced skaters, Friday Night Fever is like a night out clubbing, minus the beer, with the action often continuing until 1am.

The route changes weekly but the meeting spots are the same – Sunday at Boulevard Bourdon. www.rollers-coquillages.org/ CYCLE HEAVEN Not only does Paris boast around 400 kilometres of dedicated bike lanes and canal paths, dedicated to cycling safely, it also offers 1,800 rental docking stations. For a small fee, you can pick up a bike and see the city just like a local.

With an extended car-free zone along the Seine to be finished by autumn this year, why not pack a picnic lunch, and cycle all the way from the Eiffel Tower to the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Cyclists can also channel their inner Cadel Evans and push on up the hill toward Montmartre or Belleville, where views of Paris will make the puffing and panting worth it. (en.parisinfo.com) MAKE A SPLASH No matter where you stay in Paris, you don’t need to go far to enjoy some laps in attractive surrounds.

TRAVEL: FRANCE

Piscine Molitor, in the well-heeled 16th arron - dissement, is a 46-metre Art Deco masterpiece.

A day pass here will set you back €180, although most Paris pools cost just a few euros to enjoy.

Swimmers at Piscine Killer on the Left Bank will benefit from Olympic proportions, luxurious change rooms and ozone-filtered water instead of chlorine. A sliding roof allows the rays to pour in when the sun’s out. The Piscine Georges Vallerey has great Seine River views and is a sporting favourite, having been built for the 1924 Paris Olympics.

One of the most recognisable is the floating Josephine Baker, a dramatic steel structure in the 13th, that makes you feel as though you’re swimming in an azure-coloured Seine.

WALK IT OFF It’s no wonder the French invented theword flaneur, which means ‘strolling without a purpose’. From the cobblestone streets to the stunning arcades and enticing bakeries luring you in different directions, walking in Paris never gets boring. So when all else fails, lose yourself in the beauty of Paris it’s the best chance you’ll ever have of hearing her authentic heartbeat.

Further Information: Paris 2024 www.paris2024.org

http://au.france.fr/ ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 3 - OE EDITION 58

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TRAVEL - GERMANY

Plan your next adventure in...

Germany!

Sleeping in a tent suspended from trees overlooking the mountains?

Attending the world’s largest windsurfing competition? Embarking on one of the stunning cycle routes in a network stretching over 70,000 kilometres? Or getting an adrenaline kick on the famous Nürburgring driving the Grand Prix Circuit with a professional race car pilot? Germany offers so much in the way of great outdoor adventures. The hardest thing will be to choose your favourite ones from the activities on offer!

Go skiing in the Bavarian Alps in the south-eastern part of the country or settle in for water sports on the rugged islands of the Baltic and North Sea. Every September, the world’s largest windsurfing competition -- the PWA Windsurf World Cup -- takes place in Westerland on the German island of Sylt.

Welcome to hiking paradise! 50 routes of varying categories, a 200,000 kilometre network of trails with excellent way-markers, quality ratings, mountains, towns and cities, seas, lakes, open expanses and 58

forests: getting your hiking boots on in Germany is sure to put a smile on your face.

If cycling is more your thing, you will be spoilt for choice with over 200 long-distance cycle routes offering opportunities for sightseeing in cities, for romantic rides through unspoilt nature or for testing your endurance on tough terrain in the Alps.

Up for some speed? A very special kind of adventure is to accompany an experienced racing driver through the 20.8 kilometres of

the “Green Hell” on the famous Nürburgring and experience “speed” in a completely different perspective. This breathtaking journey will give you that authentic racing-driver feeling. But beware, this adrenaline kick can be addictive!

We are looking forward to seeing you in Germany!

For more information, check out our website: www.germany.travel or contact your local travel agent.

www.germany.travel

Credit - Daniel Geiger

GEAR REVIEWS

Iridium GO! Ultimate Adventure Bundle SatPhone Shop’s Iridium GO! Ultimate Adventure Bundle is built for any outdoor enthusiast who requires the promise of communication abilities whilst journeying to the remote and rugged corners of the world. It includes the Iridium GO!, an innovative Satellite communications Wi-Fi hotspot device powered by the trusted Iridium Satellite Network, along with a hardcase designed to securely store the GO! and all its included accessories. The bundle also comes with the all new Beam Outback 6W Solar Panel, which is not only water resistant but can also charge the Iridium GO! or your smart phone in approximately 4 hours when in optimal sunlight and temperature conditions.

IN SEARCH OF AL HOWIE This book is one of those “can’t put down” reads. If you love running, or just love to read about inspiring athletes, this book has it all. The story of Al Howie takes you into one of the longest races of the world, with one of the world’s most eccentric ultra-marathon runners. The book is based on interviews with Howie himself before he died in 2016, and takes readers into the crazy world of this legend runner. It’s a crazy ride, and one well worth reading.

KNOG PLUS FREE LIGHT If you like to run, walk, ride or camp – anything outdoors at night, really, this product is ideal. The Knog brand hails from Melbourne and the Plus Free light ensures you’re visible at all times. It is small, lightweight (12g) and easy to attach to your shirt, shorts, backpack – even your socks; not to mention you can charge it via a USB! It’s waterproof and can run for up to 20 hours. If you spend a lot of time outdoors at night, we highly recommend the small investment!

ATMOTUBE PORTABLE AIR QUALITY & POLLUTION MONITOR The Atmotube is a portable device that measures the quality of the air around you, including the atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity levels. It connects easily to your phone via an App and Bluetooth, that provides real-time udpates, so you can also see what the temperature is, and whether or not the air is polluted (which is great for an asthmatic during fire season!). It has 7 days battery life and is USB chargeable. If air quality matters, buy it.

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GEAR REVIEWS

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Address: 5/8 Anzed Court Mulgrave, Victoria ADVENTURE MAG EDITION 3 - OE EDITION 58

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Adventure Entertainment TOURING NOW!

Director: Sender Films (the team behind THE DAWN WALL)

Director: Dylan River

Director: Various

www.adventureentertainment.com

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- FILM LINE UP 2019-2020 COMING IN 2020

Director: Various Release: February 2020

Director: Mimi DeGruy Release: February 2020

Director: Morgan Le Faucheur Release: TBC

Director(s): Various Release: March 2020

Director: Teton Gravity Research Release: April 2020

Director: Dylan River Release: May 2020

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15 Sender Films (the team behind THE DAWN WALL) Release: November 2020

Kate Leeming Live on Stage: Breaking the Cycle Skeleton Coast Touring: June 2020

Director(s): Various Release: August 2020

Director(s): Various Release: March and September

Director(s): Various Release: From September 2020

Director(s): Joe Berlinger Release: TBC

MORE FILMS ANNOUNCED REGULARLY! Stay up to date on our website www.adventureentertainment.com

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ADVENTURE. ACTION. OCEAN LIFE.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Visiting unknown creeks in Karst Country, Paparoa National Park.

Exploring on high tide up a forested estuary, West Haven Inlet, nelson. / Peace beside a glacial lake at the head of the exhausting Cook River, Westland National Park.

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Craig Potton

TOP FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER

ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHER

Craig Potton MNZM is a New Zealand photographer, environmentalist, political activist, businessman, publisher, and founder of the prominent New Zealand publishing company Potton & Burton.

Spending the night in a crevasse near the summit of Mt Cook/ Aoraki.

“As a very lucky man, who makes his living from taking images in the natural world, the line between adventure for its own sake and me working is so fine I don’t see it at times. In these

images I’ve tried to show a range of places, rather than activities, where I’m excited to be.

I favour slow walks in beautiful places over thrill seeking speed orientated trips. One of the effects

of almost all outdoor adventure equipment that speeds you across the landscape is that it saves time but destroys space and makes it less likely you’ll ‘see’ things along the way.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Craig Potton is New Zealand’s best known landscape photographer and an ardent conservationist. In pursuit of his photography he has tramped and climbed extensively in New Zealand, its sub-Antartic Islands, Antarctica, the Nepal Himalaya, and more recently Poland, India, Sabah, Indonesia and Iceland. For more than four decades he has documented the New Zealand wilderness, exploring relationships between the concept of artistic beauty and wilderness in the natural world. Consistent also with his landscape work has been a lifetime of intimate portraiture work which is less seen but equally important to him.

Watching the water ow from a huge schist boulder, Aspiring National Park.

Investigating ice caves in the Tasman Glacier.

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