The Red Bulletin October 2017 - UK

UK EDITION

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

PEDAL POWER

AT HIGH SPEED

HOW FRASER CORSAN BECAME THE WORLD’S FASTEST WINGSUIT FLIER

35 BIKING MUST HAVES

TIMOTHY O’DONNELL

THE NEXT IRONMAN WORLD CHAMP?

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BLADE RUNNER STAR RYAN GOSLING ON THE REWARD OF RISK

OCTOBER 2017 £3.50

HOW BIG DATA IS REDEFINING THE MODERN TRIATHLETE

IRONMAN 2.0

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL

Will Cockrell

No stranger to triathlons himself, this Los Angeles-based writer knows how deciphering data can impact your training.

“I was astounded that by becoming a slave to numbers for a few months – mileage, heart beats, calories – I could go from being a total novice to finishing mid-pack in a race.”

This revealing feature tells you how to use data to conquer Ironman events. PAGE 46

Bastien Bonnarme

The French photographer immersed himself in the depths of freediving with big-wave surfer Justine Dupont and lived to tell the tale. “It was my first photoshoot in a pool and my first freediving at 20m – and I loved every second of it,” says Bonnarme.

“I worked closely with Dupont to capture her creativity, physical performance and mental concentration on film.” PAGE 5 4

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Legendary US racing driver Bobby Unser once said that “success is where preparation and opportunity meet”. It’s a maxim that many of the stars featured this month appear to live by.

Our cover story, for example, looks into the technology defining how modern Ironman competitors hone their training. From performance advantages hidden in detailed blood tests to measuring the time between heart beats to assess training readiness, today’s top triathletes are delving deep into big data to be better prepared.

Elsewhere, wingsuit pioneer Fraser Corsan’s pursuit of world records also required meticulous preparation, with the flier leaning on engineering expertise as well as intense physical and mental training before becoming the world’s fastest human without the assistance of machinery.

Finally, Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme is adamant that testing new – but often discarded – material far from the demands of social media is the only way of keeping his creative process fresh.

The lesson here is simple, and something every boy scout knows: be prepared. So, settle back and enjoy this month’s issue.

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PATRIK GIARDINO (COVER)

Prepare for action

ARIEL CARBON £4,999.99

saracen.co.uk – saracenbikes

BULLEVARD Life and Style Beyond the Ordinary

12 Surfer Laird Hamilton reveals

all in a candid documentary

14 Rage Against The Machine

16 18 20 22 24

founder Tom Morello on his new band and album Old-school videogame Pong makes an analogue comeback MTB rider Bernard Kerr returns for Red Bull Hardline 2017 How Elizabeth Olsen got snow blindness filming Wind River Sweat it out inside Swedish Lapland’s giant golden egg The innovative LA restaurant that's a feast for the senses

GUIDE

Get it. Do it. See it 82 The most unmissable shows 84 86 88

96 98

on Red Bull TV this month Pretty and precise: the latest watches worth coveting Important dates to add to your calendar Pimp your ride: everything you need to get way ahead of the biking pack Global Team Freerunning in Santorini

26 46

He's the world's most successful downhill mountain biker, a shop owner, and even has a jewellery line. What’s next for Greg Minnaar?

HARD FACTS

Triathlete Timothy O'Donnell is out to maximise his chances at the biggest Ironman event – by arming himself with data 08

THE RED BULLETIN

KELVIN TRAUTMAN, PATRIK GIARDINO, BASTIEN BONNARME

RIDING HIGH

CONTENTS October

FEATURES 26

Greg Minnaar

34

Fraser Corsan

We get up to speed with the nicest guy in mountain biking Breaking records and human boundaries in a wingsuit

40 Ryan Gosling

On taking risks and facing the critics for Blade Runner 2049

46 Ironman

Old skills, new methods: the innovations in training technology that are turning triathletes into data nerds

54 Justine Dupont

We explore the freediving depths with the big-wave surfer

62

Josh Homme

66

RenĂŠ Wildhaber

74

Sub Club

The American rock hero goes on the record in Palm Springs How the downhill rider discovered a world of possibilities The Glasgow legend marks 30 years of block-rocking beats

54 IN DEEP WATER

French surfer Justine Dupont has taken to freediving in a bid to find her inner calm and improve her ranking

09

BULLEVARD

JENNIFER CAWLEY

LIFE

&

Big-wave surfer and fitness guru Laird Hamilton uses an ice bath as part of his recovery therapy between extreme workouts THE RED BULLETIN

STYLE

BEYOND

THE

ORDINARY

LAIRD HAMILTON ”THE REWARDS OF ENDURING SUFFERING ARE PROFOUND” PAGE 12

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aird Hamilton is more than a legendary big-wave surfer. The 53-year-old is an innovator who’s largely responsible for popularising tow-in surfing and hydrofoil boards. He’s also a polarising character: his ambition, ego and unique opinions are infamous, often attracting as much ire as they do acclaim. But unlike many flawed heroes, Hamilton is aware of his shortcomings.

He bluntly admits as much in Rory Kennedy’s new feature documentary about his life, Take Every Wave – a no-holdsbarred retrospective complete with rare archival footage and several brutally candid interviews. It’s a testament to Hamilton’s integrity that he encouraged a not entirely flattering – but wholly entertaining – look at his life so far. the red bulletin: How did you feel about your story being told warts-and-all? laird hamilton: I’m not going to do a documentary about my life without full disclosure – that would only limit its potential. I wanted to give the film every opportunity to have the most impact, which means putting it all out there. And this is not a surf film. This is a film about life and humans. I wanted to tell a story that would entertain anyone, and that people could connect with.

Your own wife labels you a flawed human being…

Some of it is embarrassing and confronting. But I wouldn’t change anything in my past if it meant jeopardising my life as it is today – who I am or where I am. I’m a big believer in no regrets. There might be things you could have dealt with better, but you don’t want to regret not having taken or made the most of an opportunity. That’s why Take Every Wave is the title of the film. Take every opportunity.

12

Laird Hamilton

The superhuman surfing icon reveals his flaws in a new documentary about his life

“I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN NO REGRETS” So your shortcomings led to your success?

It’s more about figuring out how to live with them, and ensuring they don’t hurt other people. Finding a way to harness them.

You’ve said you’re driven by a desire to conquer the unknown…

There’s that saying: never let your memories be bigger than your dreams. I’m fortunate to still have dreams that are bigger than my memories. I’m looking to the future, the new.

I’m OK with not doing what I’ve done before. The ego wants you to go and trace the steps you’ve walked and show everyone you can still walk them, but you already know where you’ve been. Knowing where you want to go next is a more interesting journey.

Do you enjoy something more the harder it is?

I enjoy the suffering in that physical endurance sense.

When you can endure suffering to a certain level, great things come from it. Mine is selfinflicted, and there’s a physical and emotional reward when you push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of.

That reward for perseverance is something you can only experience if you do it. takeeverywave.com

Riding the endless wave: Hamilton has been at the forefront of hydrofoil boarding THE RED BULLETIN

JENNIFER CAWLEY

JOSH RAKIC

BULLEVARD

THE RED BULLETIN

13

Tom Morello

is a guitar hero with a political agenda. Here, he explains how to start a revolution

TRAVIS SHINN PHOTOGRAPHY

FLORIAN OBKIRCHER

”WE ALL NEED A KICK IN THE ASS”

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THE RED BULLETIN

BULLEVARD

Tom Morello (front right) founded his new band Prophets Of Rage in 2016 as a reaction to a CNN headline that read: “Donald Trump rages against the machine”

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idely known as one of the most original guitarists in rock history, Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave founder Tom Morello is just as fiery and rebellious away from the stage. The 53-yearold is a dedicated political activist and runs a nonprofit organisation called Axis of Justice, which has campaigned on social rights issues since 2002. With his new project, supergroup Prophets Of Rage – which includes members of RATM, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill – he unites his two passions: sonic firepower and a political message. the red bulletin: There’s a theory that the most interesting music is made during times of upheaval.

Would you agree? tom morello: Well, bad presidents make for great music – that’s a given. Music has the ability to both reflect and change the times. It can put wind in the sails of those who are organising for a more decent planet. And it can provide communal joy and release. At our shows, we create mosh pits you should leave bruised and sweating, but, at the same time, with the energy to realise that you’re a participant in the future that unfolds.

The first Rage Against The Machine album came out 25 years ago. How has protest culture changed since then?

With the arrival of the internet came a democratisation of information, where every flavour of informed and uninformed political opinion is available to everyone. And that’s where culture plays an important role, as it’s a way to

THE RED BULLETIN

cut through this white noise of opinions. Like, you make a compelling track, something that is undeniably rocking, that speaks to something in the reptilian brain of people.

The right combination of rhythm and rhyme can really feel like the truth, even in a sea of discordant voices.

We’re all supposedly living in echo chambers these days. How do you avoid preaching to the converted?

First of all, we all need a kick in the ass: “Hey, converted people, get going!” [Laughs.]

The most important thing we engage in is attempting to make great music. There is an underlying mission that fuels the urgency of the music, but, first and foremost, you make a slamming track or put on a roof-rattling show.

In a recent interview, you said, “Our message is a simple one. The world is not going to change without standing up for what you want.” Can you elaborate?

There’s sometimes the belief that history is something that just happens: you’re on social media, you’re playing video games, while the planet spins.

But every revolutionary change has been ordinary people standing up in their place and time. That’s the reason we started this band!

We felt we could not stand on the sidelines of history.

How do I start a revolution or, in the words of Prophets Of Rage, “unf--k the world”?

There’s the old cliché that is still very true: think globally, act locally. The idea is that if you’re interested in environmental issues, you’re only two clicks away from somewhere in your town where you can get engaged.

If economic inequality is something that pisses you off, you can volunteer at a food bank. If you’re a highschool student, launch an underground newspaper.

Or you could do what I did – start a fricking band!

The album Prophets Of Rage is out now; prophetsofrage.com 15

BULLEVARD

Table Pong

In 1972, a simple tennis computer game introduced the masses to a future of pure digital entertainment.

Almost half a century later, it returns, built entirely from analogue parts

VIDEOGAMES REBORN AS PHYSICAL MACHINES

A

tari – the games company that made the biggest-selling toy of 1979, but which was on the skids by 1984 – is making a comeback. Early this year, it announced a new console, and this month’s Blade Runner movie sequel features the company’s logo in its dystopian vision of tomorrow. But this bizarro mechanical homage to Atari’s first game trumps both.

“The game logic is 100 per cent digital, but instead of a screen, the table uses rails, motors and magnets,” says its co-creator, Daniel Perdomo.

The product designer started the Table Pong Project as a hobby, and quit his job as an ad exec when it surpassed $330,000 on Kickstarter, drawing praise from Atari’s co-founder Nolan Bushnell and Pong’s original designer, Allan Alcorn. “Remarkable effort and a fitting homage to the

Table Pong uses the same ‘paddle’ controls as the original arcade and home versions of the videogame

videogame,” Alcorn posted on Facebook. “You put a lot more effort into this than I did the original Pong.”

Perdomo plans to ship the first tables this December, at just $1,290 (around £1,000) a pop. That’s almost 1979 prices. tablepongproject.com

ATARI

TOM GUISE

Need proof the project is endorsed by Atari? A deluxe edition, autographed by company co-founder Nolan Bushnell, is available for $5,000 (£3,900)

16

THE RED BULLETIN

South Tyrol seeks dolce vita skiers.

South Tyrol seeks you.

Discover South Tyrol – the Alps’ best-kept secret. You’ll find 1,000 km of perfect pistes in this stunning winter wonderland, where the sun shines 300 days a year. And when you’re finished skiing for the day, bask in the midst of the Dolomites while you sample some of the area’s sensational food and drink. www.suedtirol.info

JUSTIN HYNES

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THE RED BULLETIN

BORIS BEYER/OLAF PIGNATARO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Air time: Bernard Kerr on his titlewinning ride at last year’s Red Bull Hardline

BULLEVARD

Red Bull Hardline

Last year’s champion Bernard Kerr is intent on defending his title

RACING BACK TO PEAK FITNESS I

n June, pro MTB rider Bernard Kerr’s season was gaining momentum, but in Les Gets, at the French stop of the Crankworx tour, his progress came to a juddering halt when a crash left him with broken ribs, damaged shoulder ligaments and, it seemed, little prospect of riding again before the end of the season. Kerr, though, had another idea – retaining the Red Bull Hardline title he won last year… the red bulletin: Red Bull Hardline is reckoned to be the toughest and one of the riskiest courses for riders.

So, what’s the attraction? bernard kerr: All of that!

It’s an awesome race. It’s harder than anything else, and the prospect of winning a race that’s better than any other is hard to resist.

Everyone who competes in the World Cup wants to race

THE RED BULLETIN

there, so it’s cool to try to beat the best in the world on one of the hardest tracks.

What’s the biggest challenge of the course?

For me, it has to be the Renegade Step-Up [a massive 12m jump]. Last year, I had a big crash there. I’d done it twice in practice, but on the third attempt I got a small headwind and it just stopped me, and I missed the landing by about two metres. But I did walk away from it.

And you went on to win the event. But your title defence was put in danger by the injury in France. Is it a risk trying to come back for Red Bull Hardline 2017?

Honestly, I never think about getting hurt, and Hardline is no different. You can’t start thinking about risk. Anyway, the task is to minimise it, to make it calculated risk.

How does that work? How can you calculate for a course that has jumps as huge as 12m?

It’s actually more possible, because at Hardline you don’t have to push 100 per cent. At a normal World Cup race, some tracks aren’t that hard but you have to risk everything, racing as fast as you can. Hardline is different; it’s so difficult that the challenge is just making it to the finish line. If you can do that, you can start to find time. But you don’t rush Red Bull Hardline!

Red Bull Hardline 2017 takes place in Dyfi Valley, Wales on September 24. Watch it live on Red Bull TV; redbull.tv

On course: British-born, NZ-based rider Kerr, 26

19

BULLEVARD

Elizabeth Olsen

The star of crime thriller Wind River talks sunglasses, life jackets and respecting your weapon

MADE OF TOUGHER STUFF 20

he red bulletin: You kept us waiting... elizabeth olsen: I know. How embarrassing. I’m so sorry.

We hear you were out on a yacht…

I’ll be taking a life jacket with me on any future boat trips.

Then I can jump into the water and swim ashore.

You’re obviously at one with the elements: you shot your latest film, Wind River, in sub-zero temperatures in the snowy mountains of Utah. Was that fun?

It’s not what I’m normally into, but I was working with people like Jeremy Renner, who’s tough, so I didn’t want to complain. Whenever there

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CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES

T

was a snowstorm, we just waited it out in the trailer.

What tip do you have for people wanting to spend time there?

Wear sunglasses.

Will that help with the cold?

No. Against snow blindness.

I didn’t wear any, and I had sunburnt eyeballs for five days.

Your character has to hold her own in a maledominated environment, just as you did during shooting. What’s that like?

She’s not thinking, “I’m a woman in a man’s world.”

She’s on an equal footing and thinks she’s just as up to it as they are, because she’s good at her job. I practised to give myself greater self-assurance.

What did you practise?

I wanted to make it look as if I knew what I was doing with firearms. I practised for as long as it took me to not have to rethink what I had learned.

So it became a reflex action?

You get into this meditative state when all you’re thinking is, “How do I handle this extremely powerful weapon safely?” Now I know. But the idea that so many people with guns have no respect for them scares me.

What do you respect in everyday life?

The job. Once you have your first taste of success after a lot of work, you sometimes slacken the reins. And then you think to yourself, “Why the hell am I being so sloppy?”

And then you pull yourself together again.

Wind River is in cinemas now; Facebook: @WindRiverMov

RÜDIGER STURM

Elizabeth Olsen, 28, makes a very convincing FBI agent in her latest film

#OwnTheNight exposurelights.com

BULLEVARD

Golden wonder

Lapland is home to a huge, gilded egg: the perfect place to work up a sweat and talk hard-boiled business

THE POWER OF POACHING

Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost town, has its fair share of problems, sure, but it also now has a new landmark: Solar Egg

22

iruna’s wealth lies underground – in the once-vast reserves of the world’s largest iron ore mine.

But with the mining having taken an environmental toll, and the ore slowly dwindling, the Swedish town itself stands in the way of further excavation, and plans for new construction work will mean

complicated negotiations.

Where best to sort out these differences? The steam room.

Artists Mats Bigert and Lars Bergström have designed a 5m-high sauna egg made of wood, stone and steel, wrapped in a golden titanium alloy. And Solar Egg isn’t only for those with tough talks to sweat over – tourists can go, too. It holds up to eight people per session, but you have to book ahead. ripan.se THE RED BULLETIN

RIKSBYGGEN

K

DANIEL KUDERNATSCH

Inside the egg: a mix of pine and aspen, with a stone and steel sauna

BULLEVARD

Eating in this extraordinary Los Angeles restaurant feels like dining on another planet. But serious foodies willing to splash out £190 for the experience are in for a thrilling ride

A NEW DIMENSION IN DINING 24

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hef Jordan Kahn’s latest restaurant sits in the middle of Los Angeles, on a quasi-industrial block where the streets are dark. Everything about this establishment – from the 20plus course tasting menu to the building with its heaving façade of glass and steel – feels out of place in breezy LA, and that’s precisely the point: Vespertine is designed to stand out.

Part restaurant, part performance piece, it has all the trappings of a Hollywood production. Your visit is accompanied by a soundtrack – composed by Austin-based band This Will Destroy You – and the staff wear black, Jedi-style uniforms crafted by fashion designer Jona Sees.

The building, along with much of the furniture inside, is the

THE RED BULLETIN

COURTESY OF VESPERTINE

Vespertine

work of local architect Eric Owen Moss, whose avantgarde constructions look like Transformers ready to spring into action. And then there’s Kahn, the 33-year-old culinary wunderkind who worked at top US restaurants such as The French Laundry, Per Se and Alinea before landing in LA. Kahn’s new venture is, he says, the most important thing he will do in his lifetime. The result of four years of intense, secretive planning, Vespertine is a thrilling, three-hour escapade where courses arrive not on plates, but in sculptures. There’s no printed menu; instead, servers lean in to whisper ingredients, then walk away, leaving you to excavate an amuse-bouche that looks like a miniature Richard Serra installation.

Vespertine is a strangely compelling performance that offers new sensory experiences at every turn. vespertine.la

GILLIAN FERGUSON

Yes, you can eat this dish made from shaved white asparagus and caramelised asparagus tips

NICE GUYS

A HUMBLE, RESTLESS SEARCH FOR PERFECTION, AND A KNACK FOR HARNESSING FEAR AND RISK, HAS TURNED GREG MINNAAR INTO A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKER EVER WORDS: ANGUS POWERS PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN TRAUTMANN

26

GO FAST

Minnaar is the most prolific winner in downhill mountain biking, with 21 World Cup victories

“THERE IS FEAR. BUT IT JUST SHARPENS YOU UP, MAKES YOU FOCUS“ 29

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reg Minnaar is cruising down to Durban in his 4x4 Toyota pickup, gliding past the massive road freighters that swarm the N3 freeway 24/7. On the back seat is visa paperwork required by the US consulate, which is where he’s headed.

It’s still early, not yet 8am, but the traffic is heavy. En route, the most decorated downhiller in history scrolls back through the years to when he first exploded onto the scene. It’s even the right day for a #TBT. So, it’s 2001…

“That was a mad year,” Minnaar recalls. “I was turning 20, it was my first professional year, and going into the final round of the World Cup I found myself second overall, 28 points behind one of my heroes – and arguably the best downhiller ever – Nicolas Vouilloz. I managed to beat him in the semi-final to move within 18 points. From there, it didn’t matter where we finished, but whoever beat the other guy on the day would win the series.

“The pressure was on. There was this rock drop, and I was the only guy in the field able to do it. I knew I could make some time there, and with that drop I managed to beat Nico and win the World Cup.”

a take-out joint. Tall, lean and dressed in a loose white T and black jeans, he munches on a samosa and swipes through an app that monitors wherever he’s been tagged on social media. Privacy’s an issue these days, but right now, having not eaten since a 6km run at 5am, he’s adding a beef bunny chow [a South African dish of beef curry served in a hollowed-out bread loaf] to his order.

Minnaar is a big tipper, and both the fast-food lady and the car guard experience his generosity. He believes that whatever you’re happy to blow on a night at the bar, you should be prepared to dish out in tips during the day.

Such humility isn’t what you’d expect from a downhill daredevil, but Minnaar ventures an explanation. “When you come from a place like Pietermaritzburg, people try to pretend that you never achieved anything. It’s quite humbling, which is cool. It’s one of the things I like about Maritzburg: people don’t really care, and even if they do care, they’ve got to show you that they don’t care.”

By contrast, there’s nothing small-town or small-time about Minnaar’s mentality. “Fame is not something I ever set out to be a part of,” he says. “I just wanted to race my bike and be the best I could be.” In terms of downhill World Cup victories (21), that turned out to be the best ever. His record at the World Championships is also unmatched: three gold medals, four silver and three bronze, and he has finished outside of the top four just four times out of 16.

That’s a staggering level of success, both on a one-off basis and over a very long period of time. It’s classic

PICTURE IT. Out of the entire pro downhill

field, this rookie from Pietermaritzburg is the only rider able to make the jump, stealing the series by half a second from the six-time world champion. How does that work?

Three weeks later, it’s the World Championships in Vail, Colorado. Minnaar is running hot, but in the sprint for the finish he snaps his chain, crashes hard and ends up sliding across the line to stop the clock three-tenths of a second behind another DH legend, Steve Peat. “Then Nico comes down to pip Steve and take the win, and there I was all bandaged up and on the podium with two of my heroes,” says Minnaar. “That year was just insane.”

Even if it weren’t for his inherent modesty, Minnaar struggles to explain how he acquired such preternatural skills and big-match temperament by the age of 19. “I’ve always been comfortable doing those jumps and gaps,” he shrugs. “Maybe because the jumps I built in my childhood weren’t so great and that developed my skills a little better? Or maybe it was just confidence at the time.”

But look to Minnaar’s first love – motocross – and there’s a hint of what’s to come. When he was at junior school, each pupil was asked to come up with a fundraising idea for a fête. Some baked cakes, others sold raffle tickets; Minnaar got his dad to build a ramp so he could jump his bike over some cars. “It took off,” he says. “I ended up doing mini-tours; then they brought me to the Royal Show, which was the biggest thing in town. I got paid R1,000 [£200 at the time] a show. I even bought myself a brand new BMX – that was so cool. I jumped 10 or 11 cars at the Royal Show, but I got up to 16.” And this is at what age? “I was 12 years old.”

DEEP IN downtown Durban, it’s been easier to

find a late breakfast than the US consulate. With his visa application filed, Minnaar leans against the counter of 30

Top: at work in his bike shop, Greg Minnaar Cycles Above: time to chill at home in Pietermaritzburg THE RED BULLETIN

GREG MINNAAR: KEY DATES 1981: Born on November 13 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 2001: Wins the World Cup in his debut season 2003: Takes his first gold in the Mountain Bike World Championships 2007: Suffers a dislocated and fractured shoulder during a World Championship race in Fort William, Scotland – but still finishes in fourth place 2017: Claims his 21st World Cup title

Minnaar in the saddle, outside the garage that houses his collection of Santa Cruz bikes

Top and bottom: the rider often trains during the offseason at Cascades bike park, just five minutes from his home. He also won the 2013 Downhill World Championships here

“YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO WIN A RACE RIDING AT 100 PER CENT” Minnaar, and is underlined by three World Cup series wins: this ability to be eerily consistent as well bringing that big game performance by the bucket-load. “When there’s no pressure or nothing up for grabs, I battle to elevate my game,” Minnaar admits. “But on a race weekend, I’m hard on myself. I get pretty zoned out, pretty focused on the event. During practice, I see these guys coming past me and I just think, ‘Wow, these guys are really flying.’”

Focus is good, but way more powerful is how Minnaar converts nagging self-doubt into a relentless drive to succeed. What kind of champion says, “I’ve never seen myself as a fast rider,” or, “I don’t feel I’m on another level”? By feeding off his humility, Minnaar creates the ultimate in-built motivation machine – a high-performance feedback loop that works precisely because he is humble.

“I think the excitement of downhill comes when you know you have to make time on a section,” Minnaar continues. “My whole thing in life is that if someone’s able to do it, you can possibly do it as well. Anything you put your mind to, you’re capable of doing. And when you’ve focused on that section, changed your line and your whole approach, when you put that all together and make it through, the rush is incredible.

“There is fear,” he concedes, “but that just sharpens you up, makes you focus. If I don’t feel comfortable in a section, I might ride it at 99-100 per cent, but then I know that where I’m comfortable I have to ride at nothing less than 110 per cent to make up time.

“You’re never going to win a race riding at 100 per cent. You need to find those areas where you can push hard. But maybe I’m content to just match someone in a certain section, then before or after I’ll ride super-hard.

You can never approach a downhill and not attack right to the end. Even when riding safe, you’re still attacking.”

MINNAAR’S GARAGE

is stacked with toys. The 4x4 lives in the driveway; inside are two KTM 250cc dirt bikes, piles of motocross and cycling gear, and a quiver of classy Santa Cruz bicycles. He clearly likes to stay busy. If his weekly training mix is run-ride-gym, he’ll throw in a couple of golf, surf or

Minnaar: a humble guy with the relentless drive of a champion THE RED BULLETIN

motocross sessions, too. From his off-season “itch list”, he’s already done the Cape Epic, the Roof of Africa and two Dusi canoe marathons.

Such restless versatility is both a product of, and a reaction to, his racer’s DNA. “Racing’s been my life,” says Minnaar. “It’s the one thing I’ve done from a really young age. From an emotional side, I just love competing.

The challenge of never being perfect, of trying to get back up and win again. But it’s hard; you have to be open to a process of figuring out where you’re weak and working on that. It’s important to never settle or be content with where you are.”

Factor into that equation the toll that pro downhillers inevitably pay – in Minnaar’s case, this includes a double shoulder dislocation, broken scapula and clavicles, ruptured knee and thumb ligaments – and it becomes easier to join the dots.

“The initial kick-start was being nervous of life after racing,” admits Minnaar. “What happens when you stop racing? I never went to college, so there’s no education to fall back on. I needed to try get going on a few projects in my spare time.”

When his dad fell ill some years ago, Minnaar inherited responsibility for the family bike shop, which he has just finished renovating. Minnaar also finds time to manage his local and overseas properties, collaborate on product design with sponsors, partner in two cycling distribution companies, and, more recently, co-found an international jewellery line.

“My days are full,” he grins. “I think that’s how I like to live – to pack a lot in. But I also like to go with the flow.

If something comes up, I’ll join in, unless it’s got to do with heights. I don’t do heights, but everything else is cool.” Minnaar isn’t kidding. He’s pretty open-minded, whether it’s spotting opportunities in races or business, taking his tweenage nieces for birthday outings to the mall, or wrangling crocodiles.

“The crocodile thing was great to raise awareness for conservation,” he says. “But at the same time I was absolutely shitting myself. Honestly, we were in a pen with 20 crocodiles.”

Minnaar pauses. “If I think back, it was stupid.”

He pauses again. “There’s been a lot of those along the way. Touch wood, no one’s been hurt yet. Not too badly.

But that’s the fun part of life – laughing about how we got away with something that we probably shouldn’t have.”

Fast forward to the grand opening of Minnaar’s revamped bike shop. Guests, fans and friends are due in an hour, and the shop staff have the place looking immaculate. Out back, Minnaar is especially proud of the state-of-the-art bike-wash system that harvests and then recycles rain water through the wash bay.

But, out front, after an unseasonal cloudburst, puddles are pooling in the doorway. While everyone else takes shelter, Minnaar grabs a broom, steps into the drizzle and starts sweeping. Some might see the boss setting high standards. But Greg Minnaar just sees a job that needs to be done, and no reason why he can’t do it.

Like so much else, it’s as simple as that. gregminnaar.com 33

KING OF THE SKIES

In May, wingsuit pioneer FRASER CORSAN hit a peak speed of 400kph to become the world’s fastest unassisted human.

It was the culmination of a 15-year trajectory that broke technological boundaries and pushed the Briton to the limits of physical and mental endurance Words: Paul Wilson Photography: Richie Hopson

Fraser Corsan put in hours of practice to break the speed record over the Nevada desert

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THE SKY AT THE LIMIT

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“ WH ER E WE D I D T H E J U M P I N N E VADA , T H ER E AR E A LOT O F M O U N TAI N S. I CO U L D SEE HOW FAR AND FAST I WAS MOVING REL ATIVE TO THEM. I WAS GOING AT SPEED ”

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record was only one of four world-bests he and his team were hoping to set, during two jumps that were years in the planning. The first, in Nevada, should have involved leaping from a plane at 11,500m, which would have meant a world-record altitude for exiting a plane, and a possible 10-minute free-fall time, beating the previous mark of nine minutes, six seconds.

Despite selecting the most favourable location and potential conditions using 20-year weather data, unseasonal high temperatures shut down hoped-for wind systems and kept the plane at 10,000m. (Sixsecond physics lesson: the lack of wind and the heat meant the air at 11,500m was not as dense as hoped, and therefore lacked the pressure to lift a plane.)

The speed record, although magnificent, was meant to be accompanied by others.

Even more unlucky was what transpired a few days later in Canada. Instead of exiting from a piloted balloon at 12,800m, with a chance to break speed, height, time and distance record, more freakish weather prevented any attempt.

“There were streams of water running down the street outside our hotel,” recalls Corsan, “and that kept going for about three days. Then, we had cloud – solid, low cloud, actually on the top of the hen he was rocketing towards Earth at 400kph, the hotel roof, which was about 91m high. It was nuts.” fastest speed ever achieved by man without machine, For a man who lives to challenge limits and extend Fraser Corsan looked around and measured his the bounds of human achievement, surely these were astonishing progress in terms of mountain ranges. crushing blows? Corsan says no, and it’s hard not to “Where we did the jump in Nevada, there are a lot believe him. He has a scientific approach to his of mountains,” explains Corsan. “They’re huge, and achievements, an understanding that the relatively far away from where we were, but I could see how far short moments of incredible wingsuit flying are and fast I was moving relative to them. I was going at merely the outcome of thousands of hours of speed. I felt a steady pressure across my upper body planning, testing and practice. It would be against his – there was no dead air in front of me, which can nature and professional training to behave otherwise. cause fluctuations in pressure. I’m sure there was a “My background is air accident investigation, plus lot of noise, but what struck me was how clean it felt.” safety and risk management in defence and aviation.

A moment of calm, of pure, unadulterated speed I was the lead safety engineer for the Eurofighter was achieved after exiting a plane at 10,000m above programme. In a number of cases that involved me the Californian desert on a very hot day in May 2017. getting pulled in to look at and resolve issues after It was almost 16 years to the day since his first they’d actually gone wrong. Take, for example, the wingsuit jump; in May 2001, Corsan had become one Nimrod R1, the UK spy plane, when it crashed [in of the first dozen or so wingsuit flyers in the world, Afghanistan] in 2006. Some of these programmes are quite complex. You start talking about aviation and only the third in England, his home country. physiology at high altitude, how systems work, what Every one of his 1,300 wingsuit jumps since then had the back-ups are, what clearances you need, what equipped him to take a shot at the world speed record. your visual flight rules, and all this kind of stuff.

Unfortunately for Corsan, his all-time high was “So, for my wingsuit flights, I look at all of the counteracted by heart-breaking lows. The speed options of what can go wrong, from a technical, physiological and even a psychological point of view. Maybe there’s FRASER CORSAN’S FLIGHT MAKES HIM THE FASTEST PERSON IN THE someone on the team who WORLD WITHOUT THE USE OF MACHINERY. thinks, ‘Yes, let’s go and do His record of 400kph (249mph) is just shy of the top speed of a Bugatti Veyron, this, whatever we need to do,’ which was clocked at 408kph (254mph) at VW Group’s proving grounds in but my mindset is, ‘No, if this Ehra-Lessien in Germany in 2013. goes wrong, it’s all on me.’

Without the custom oxygen system he used, Corsan, who jumped from 35,000ft What I have to do is make (10,823m), would have had just 10 seconds of useful consciousness. the right call, ahead of time, At the altitude he jumped from, Corsan would have experienced temperatures always. We always aim for the of -50˚C to -70˚C and speeds of 250mph, causing instant wind burn to exposed best, but plan for the worst, skin. To counteract this, the wingsuit flyer wore heated gloves, and several layers and this time the weather of thin thermal clothing and balaclava. Flying at 400kph (249mph) required a special form of protection with a thermal, audio and impact protection helmet. took our record attempts away from us. We didn’t fail.”

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Corsan’s approach is cool and calm with an eye always on safety; this has helped him with his record-breaking achievements

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His oxygen system may be bespoke, but Corsan’s wingsuit itself is commercially available but tailored to his body and optimised to reduce drag

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“ I D I D A H U G E AM O U N T O F SPO RT AS A K I D. T HAT ' S T H E R E ASO N WH Y M Y LU N G CAPACI T Y IS BE T T ER T HAN AVER AG E – I N EED L ESS OX YG EN AT ALT I T U D E”.

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so that he can prevent his arms from Corsan, then, has the mental part of being swept back too far. “Every the tech-physical-mental equation all movement [of the arms] introduces sewn up. His CV also came in handy drag and affects your flying profile,” for the equipment needed to become Corsan set out to break Corsan says. “So what I do is lie face the fastest machine-free human. He four world wingsuit records: down on a weights bench, and hold was able to call on defence-industry highest altitude jumped weights in each hand, with my arms contacts to get an oxygen system from, longest time flown out in the flying position. I built it up, otherwise unavailable to civilians, for, highest speed travelled increasing the time and the weights, and adapt it for his record-breaking at, and furthest distance flown. In the end, bad weather until I was able to hold five kilo purposes. However, his wingsuit is meant he only managed a commercially available example, weights in place for 14 minutes.” to break the speed record. the Phoenix-Fly Vampire Alpine, It’s a massively impressive However, he did set other which was tailored to his body benchmark but Corsan remains new benchmarks, such as: and optimised to reduce drag. disarmingly frank about why it was The European to have exited He underwent testing at a UK necessary. “It was painful,” he admits, a plane at the highest aerodynamics lab, where they “and 14 minutes is 40 per cent more altitude at 10,823m were happy to run sessions in their than I’d need [to break the 10-minute (35,000ft). pressure chamber in return for usage flight time record] but when I’m The European record holder for the furthest distance of the data collected. Inside the training, I’m not flying in the cold of fall at 9,741m. and I don’t have the bulky suit on chamber, where conditions replicated 10 jumps per week made so that extra 40 per cent is necessary the low air pressure experienced at in the months leading up with the attrition of those extra high altitude, Corsan excelled. He to the record attempt. has a lung capacity of just less than factors when I’m flying.”

2,300 lifetime wingsuit seven litres, which is about a litre, or He also trains in order to, and skydive jumps made, 17 per cent, higher than the average hopefully, have the muscle memory including more than 1,300 male. It isn’t, however, the result he may need in times of emergency. wingsuit jumps alone.

“I deliberately put myself into highof simple genetic good fortune.

More than 55 hours total speed spins, so that I can become “When I was nine, our school time spent in free falls. used to make us do two four-mile comfortable with them,” Corsan says, runs every week,” Corsan remembers, with the nonchalance of a man perhaps now, aged 42, recalling his PE teachers describing how he mows the lawn or washes the car. more fondly than his classmates would. “I did “I knew that when we did the jump, there was a high a huge amount of sport when I was a kid. Squash, probability that on the exit of the aircraft, I would running, karate, loads of other activities. That’s spin, and I did. You’ve got to be confident in your the reason why my lung capacity is better than ability to recover from a spin. I did about a dozen average – I need less oxygen at altitude. Other deliberate spins in training; you don’t need to overdo people might have to suck in the oxygen at it. Just enough so that a spin is not a new shock and a much greater rate, and that can lead to panic.” is an environment you’re familiar with, and you There are specific physical training techniques know exactly what drills you need to get rid of it.” that Corsan swears by. To maintain the optimum With body, mind and kit in optimum condition, flight position, he needs strong biceps and triceps Corsan couldn’t have been more ready to achieve his and his team’s goal of the four world records.

Then came the weather, but setting the world speed record in Nevada also led to new European markers for exit altitude (10,823m) and wingsuit flight distance (9,741m). Corsan already has plans to try again next year, just so he can set the three records that eluded him and possibly extend his 400kph speed record. And yet, even with his skills, ability and outlook, those voices still pipe up and raise the difficult questions.

“With this project, I’m constantly asking myself: ‘Right, are you really serious about this? Can you do this?’ I can be 100 per cent prepared, but there’s always more information you discover and then it’s, ‘OK, are we really happy with that?’ And if we’re not, then we have to solve the problem it creates. There are times when it’s really tempting to take a shortcut, and say, ‘Oh, we’ll just do that like this.’ But we never do. Everything comes back to safety. It sounds boring but, you know, we want to come back alive.”

Indeed, but by being ‘boring’, Corsan gets to do one of the least boring things that anyone’s ever done. “Exactly,” he says. “That’s the pay-off.”

THE RECORDS, THE NUMBERS

39

” The Critics Never Got Me Down “ Ryan Gosling’s path to Hollywood stardom has been built on taking chances.

Having now taken on the sequel to the iconic Blade Runner, the actor reveals why risk is its own reward Words: Rüdiger Sturm 40

Photography: Michael Muller/Sony Pictures THE RED BULLETIN

Whether it’s La La Land or a dystopian future, Gosling values brave filmmaking

There’s no stopping Ryan Gosling – though, when we meet the 36-year-old, he’s sitting dazed with jet lag in a suite at Barcelona‘s Hotel Arts. Following his success in the musical La La Land, the actor has taken another brave step, playing the lead in the sequel to cult sci-fi movie Blade Runner. We quiz him about passion, artistic vision, and the pursuit of perfection the red bulletin: Your new film, Blade Runner 2049 [directed by Arrival’s Denis Villeneuve] is the sequel to such an iconic movie that expectations are very high. How did you cope with such demands as an actor? ryan gosling: We all knew the scrutiny the film would be under. Also, the first film was fundamental to my falling in love with cinema. To be involved in a universe you saw when you were a kid, and to now be working with those people, is a very special situation.

So you feel quite lucky to have that experience. We also felt, as fans of the [1982] original ourselves, that the new one deserved a lot of our hard work and love.

That’s why the craftsmanship on all levels was firstrate. Everyone wanted to give everything.

But you must have had periods of exhaustion or even dejection. How did you deal with these?

Yes, some of the conditions were not pleasant. It was physically taxing, but we reminded ourselves that this paled in comparison with the world we were trying to create. And, truthfully, anything that made things more difficult only added to the authenticity of the project. That’s what we were striving for.

But you’re not calling the shots in this situation...

No, because film is a director’s medium. And if you don’t admire him or her and aspire to help the 42

director achieve their goal, you are never going to make a great movie.

So, what do you expect from a boss who makes all these demands?

First of all, he has to have a clear vision. It would have been easier for Denis not to make this film and put himself up for these comparisons. But he did it fearlessly, because he had a vision for this film.

He felt a responsibility and really believed that he could realise his plan. As a result, we all trusted him completely and are very proud to be a part of it.

What if you like the vision, but not its creator?

That’s a problem. For me, it’s all about the filmmaker.

Because I’ve done films before where I liked the role but I didn’t necessarily see it the same way as the director. And those films usually don’t work out.

Vision aside, what else does such a leader need to bring to the table?

To give you another example: Damien Chazelle, who directed me in La La Land, is a real dreamer who risked everything for his vision. He opened himself up for a lot of criticism, which was really brave, and it was exciting to get to back up somebody like that.

What kind of boss would you not back up?

Someone who doesn’t trust their own instincts and is instead driven by the voices around them. Because

“As an actor, you must not be afraid to take risks�

�Working with people like Harrison Ford was special�

in that kind of situation you don’t know who is actually driving the ship.

So you prefer a dictator?

No. You have to believe that these people can hear alternative ideas and take advice, but at the end of the day they need to listen to their own instincts.

Do you possess the positive leadership qualities you’ve described?

I’ve directed myself, and the experience was similar in way that I had my vision and felt a responsibility to that. You do whatever you have to do to make it.

And with such a project you’re in a real relationship.

When you have problems, you can’t abandon them; you have to deal with them. When you get into this wrestling match, there’s no break.

That makes it sound as though you’re the lonewolf type…

No, no, it never happens on your own. It’s important to work with people who want to collaborate, and who are as passionate about your idea as you are.

It reaffirms you when you’re surrounded by people who choose to work on this when they could be doing other things that are more guaranteed to be successful. The editor on my film had planned a five-year motorcycle trip across America when I asked him to come and see my project and give me some ideas. When he saw the film, he immediately cancelled his trip and spent 96 days working in my basement with me. That’s how great things happen. So, when you find these people, you have an obligation to them.

What do you mean by obligation?

That I care about these people; I love them. I want to show what is great about them. And then things start to have a life of their own. Suddenly, they gain momentum and it’s all happening, and all you can do is try to catch up.

You have the vision, you find the right people, and you instil in them the right motivation. What else is required for the best possible results?

I’ll give you an example from Blade Runner 2049…

It was filmed by cinematographer Roger Deakins, and, for him, every single frame was about communicating the story. So there were never any discussions of “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?”

Understood. So, every decision serves the overall objective, and nothing is an end in itself.

But where do you get ideas?

When you’re confronted with a situation or an image, that has endless possibilities. For example,

“I felt like the critics gave me the worst they had” THE RED BULLETIN

in an area that was partly demolished I once saw a staircase leading to nothing because the rest of the house was already gone. Instantly, your imagination starts working, because you’re trying to envision the house that could have been there, or could be there in the future. There’s a sense of loss and hope at the same time.

But some ideas may turn out to be clichés. How do you avoid that?

You must not be afraid to take risks. Harrison Ford had been playing heroes in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and then he took on the lead role in the first Blade Runner, where he shoots a woman in the back. It shattered your ideas of what it meant to be a hero, and for that reason the movie still haunts us to this day.

So you need a dark and twisted vision to spark that creative process?

Not necessarily. The great thing about a film is that it can create empathy; it can help us to understand human life. It’s exciting to explore earnest feelings without trying to be cynical or sceptical in the way that a lot of films are made now.

How do you avoid cynicism yourself?

First of all, I’m a father. That changes you in every way – for the better. It’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Also, I have a dog that I’ve owned since I was 18 or 19, and he’s been on every film set with me and been around since my life became something completely different. It’s hard for me to imagine my life without him. To be honest, I’m not sure he is a dog. When I got him from the pound, the people there told me he wouldn’t weigh more than 20 pounds [9kg], but he’s grown to 85 pounds [38kg]. He feels more like the dragon from The NeverEnding Story to me.

Joking aside, your directorial ambitions suffered a bit of a blow when critics savaged your debut [2014 dark fantasy Lost River]. How do you cope with such setbacks?

The reaction to the film was more about the fact I’d made it, not the film itself. Like I said, it’s your job as a filmmaker to take risks. I would not be discouraged by that. If anything, it’s more encouraging, because I feel like they gave me the worst they had to offer. It’s like Raging Bull: “You never got me down.” Once you realise you can take the worst, it strengthens your resolve.

And they never got me down.

So you’re ready to take that risk again?

Yes, I’m already working on something. I’m absolutely excited about directing again. For me, this is the most fulfilling job ever.

Has there ever been a task where you didn’t live up to your potential?

Perhaps ballet. I had been training, but I never got to the point where I was comfortable with it. It was a struggle for me. I had an option to do ballet when I was a kid, but I thought it was too girly. So I didn’t spend the time on it that I should have. But I really wish that I had kept at it, because it can bring such a benefit to your life.

Blade Runner 2049 is in cinemas from October 6; bladerunnermovie.com 45

T H E

IRONMAN A L G O R When the IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP made its debut almost 40 years ago, triathletes won races with little more than grit and determination. Since then, things have changed – massively. Today, as the popularity of endurance racing surges, amateurs and pros like Timothy O'Donnell are devouring data to optimise their potential to the nth degree. Here’s how…

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WILL COCKRELL Photography:

PATRIK GIARDINO

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triathlon legend Mark Allen competed in his very first Ironman, IBM had just introduced the world’s first personal computer. It was 1982. Timex hadn’t even released its classic Ironmanbranded watch yet. Allen says he was lucky if he could find a wristwatch that could do simple split times.

GPS hadn’t yet trickled down to consumers and Allen would use paper maps and a stopwatch to measure his pace. There was so little data, he didn’t even bother with a training log. “I had a general idea of what I was doing,” he says. “But I don’t have any log books from back then – it was all in my brain.”

Allen went on compete in 12 Ironman Championships. He made the podium in nine and was the overall winner in six, most recently in 1995, at the age of 37.

Allen is considered by many to be the godfather of the long-distance triathlon.

However, despite his analogue approach to training early on, Allen was also one of the very first triathletes to embrace heart rate monitors, sometime in the mid-1980s. And to this day he understands better than most the role science and technology plays for the modern triathlete – in fact, it’s his job to understand. Now 59, Allen spends most of his time coaching. His clients include everyone from ambitious amateurs to world-class pros, but one thing they all have in common these days is their voracious appetite for data.

This October will mark the 41st edition of the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, where competitors from around the world who have scored highly enough in their respective age

groups in qualifying Ironman races throughout the year go head to head to claim the sport’s ultimate glory.

While little has changed in the race format over the years – it’s still a gruelling 140.6 miles (226km) that includes a 2.4mile swim (3.8km), 112-mile bike ride (180km) and 26.2-mile run (42km) – the science and technology surrounding endurance sports has transformed triathlon training. You can be sure that every athlete descending on Hawaii Island for the event this year will be wearing a wristwatch with the same capabilities as a super computer and they’ll be buried in their laptops dissecting what went right and what went wrong in their training.

Triathlon has become almost as much of a maths problem as it is a physical and mental challenge. “GPS tracking, rest recovery scores, sleep scores – people are relying on those numbers more and more,” says Allen. “And it can definitely help you fine-tune your training.”

We’re living in a golden age for tracking fitness metrics. Blood tests, satellites and sensors have become so accurate and user-friendly that they can produce a unique athlete profile no trainer or doctor ever could. While heart rate tracking has become the gold standard, many athletes are now looking at even finer things like heart rate variation (the time between beats) to measure their fitness. Measuring pedal stroke power on a bike has become the norm and tracker technicians are beginning to understand how to do the same thing with your running stride (with a pod in your pocket). Meanwhile, athlete-specific blood tests can now uncover micronutrient deficiencies that, once addressed, have the potential to shave minutes off your race time.

It’s no surprise that a handful of Allen’s clients are going to Kona in October. One of his clients is even considered a serious contender to win the whole thing.

American Timothy O’Donnell holds a long distance title recognised by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and Kona 2017 will be his sixth Ironman Championships (he finished third in 2015). At 36, O’Donnell represents a new generation of triathlete with

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far more data at his disposal than Allen ever had. O’Donnell may be chasing the same sort of success as his training mentor, but his day-to-day training analytics couldn’t be more different.

“It all happens automatically – everything goes through Bluetooth,” he says of the data that’s collected during his workout.

“I finish a session, hit stop, and bam – I’ll pull it up on my phone while I’m waiting to go into a massage appointment or something. I start absorbing it all and then go about connecting the dots. Triathletes are very analytical. I want to process as much information as possible.”

In a sport where achieving maximum efficiency is everything, data can be an extremely useful weapon in gaining an advantage. For elite athletes like O’Donnell, efficiency is the single most important factor in shaving precious seconds off his times. In triathlon, the tiniest adjustments here and there can have a game-changing impact.

Here’s how O’Donnell once described Hawaii’s Ironman World Championship: “The fittest racer doesn’t always win Kona. The athlete who races at 100 per cent of their fitness wins.”

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Ironman athlete Timothy O’Donnell, 36, admits he’s a data geek when it comes to his training.

“Triathletes are very analytical,” he says.

“I want to process as much information as possible”

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ronman-distance triathlons are nearly as old as the sport itself. The debut event was held in Oahu in 1978, just a few years after the first known triathlon of any kind in San Diego, California. As with most great challenges, the Ironman race was primarily set up to settle a debate: which type of endurance athlete was the fittest. Fifteen men set off one early morning in February to prove a point – the winner finished in just under 12 hours. Today, there are dozens of Ironman qualifying events throughout the year. The Kona World Championship race hosts 2,000 men and women every year and the event is broadcast live on NBC. Because of its multisport format, the triathlon has always driven innovation in endurance sports science – everything from the data we can capture to the science behind nutrition. By the early 1980s, triathletes were beginning to use heart rate monitors and just starting to understand the importance of heart rate zones. Up until then, triathletes like Allen relied on what’s often referred to as perceived exertion, or how hard you feel you’re working. Heart rate-based training is still – and probably always will be – the primary method of calculating where to increase your intensity in each discipline.

Another breakthrough came in the early 1990s – one that seems to be driving the innovation today. An up-and-coming 49

”DR ROCK TOLD ME MY MAGNESIUM LOOKED LOW. IT WAS SO SUBTLE HE SAID I MIGHT NOT NOTICE IN TRAINING, BUT I MIGHT NOTICE IN THE RACE. I WON THAT RACE”

Timothy O’Donnell has competed in numerous triathlons around the world but says the Ironman World Championship is by far the most difficult race.

The Hawaii event is where the stakes are highest and the conditions aren't always favourable

technology company called Garmin was becoming a big name in GPS. At the time, GPS was mainly used in military and maritime sectors. But by the late ’90s, the consumer application was obvious. First, GPS technology began popping up in cars and then, in 2003, Garmin introduced its first fitness watch, a matchbox-sized GPS unit you could wear on your wrist.

The significance of GPS in sports cannot be overstated. Most people see GPS as a simple tracker of movement from point A to point B, accounting for things like speed and distance. But the latest GPS technology can actually track movement in all directions – and even your rate of acceleration. In other words, a GPS can tell if your hips move too much when you run or if your swimming stroke is off.

Today, Garmin’s flagship triathlon watch, the Forerunner 935, can switch between swim, bike and run analysis with the push of a button on the go, and uses data from past workouts to determine if you need to push harder or pull back to avoid overtraining.

The tech engineers at fitness companies are now engaged in a race to make these 50

wearable devices even smaller, more accurate, and easier to use. At Garmin’s headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas, almost all employees on the technical side are endurance athletes themselves and are known for their relentless pursuit of perfection – by all means necessary. One Garmin electrical engineer spent several days just trying to figure out how to make sure a watch sensor that measures the amount of elevation gained and lost drained water properly after a swim.

“This guy is a sub-elite triathlete himself,” explains product manager Joe Heikes, who’s been with Garmin for nine years. “There he was with a bucket of water out on the sidewalk.

He’d dip his hand in the bucket for a couple minutes, then take off running.

He’d come back, dip his hand in the bucket, then take off running again.”

A modern Garmin triathlon watch has over 200 separate fields of data, but it’s what you do with the data that really makes a difference. Information is what basically helps an athlete make microadjustments that could have a major impact, whether it’s sliding back a half

inch on your bike saddle to increase power with less effort, or leaving your outstretched arm in front of you for one tenth of a second longer in the pool.

“Just this year, I’ve really started focusing on my running stride length,” says O’Donnell. “For me, a 1.6-metre stride length is where I want to be.

And I’d notice – when I wasn’t running well, my stride length got shorter.”

O’Donnell isn’t afraid of embracing experimental technology. He loves his Halo headset, which is said to stimulate the brain and promote connectivity between his mind and body. A 20-minute session before his workouts, he says, puts his muscles into a state of “hyperlearning”.

O’Donnell is also beginning to measure his running power, and he’s looking forward to the day when sensors can measure fluid dynamics on the bike, something that is, as yet, only possible in a wind tunnel. “Garmin just bought one of the main players in fluid dynamics,” he says. “That’s a sign to me that the next thing will be sensors that can calculate co-efficient of drag.”

One Ironman competitor that’s sure to have O’Donnell looking over his shoulder at this year’s race is 37-year-old Jesse Thomas, who was a track star during his college years at Stanford University in California. Thomas might be a relative newcomer, but his star is rising and he’s recorded several impressive finishes in shorter triathlons.

Thomas says he’s “less obsessed with his numbers” than many of his peers, yet he’s no stranger to cutting-edge science and tech when it comes to his training.

Mid-winter rides in his hometown of Bend, Oregon, are a big challenge when the roads are buried in snow. But Thomas still logged lots of miles in the saddle without leaving the house. “I connect my indoor trainer to a virtual platform called Zwift,” he says. “You can ride alongside real people doing the same courses. By entering your weight and using your power meter, you get a simulated group race. It kept me motivated.”

While numbers may not be his thing, Thomas is a bit of a nutrition geek. In 2010, he co-founded a company that made natural energy bars, and he recently teamed up with exercise scientist Dr Garret Rock to analyse his nutrient profile through blood testing.

Athletes have been able to measure things like lactic acid or gross nutritional deficiencies for years. But only now do we have the longitudinal baseline of athlete blood profiles to identify optimum levels of each micronutrient for various types of athlete. Rock and his team know exactly THE RED BULLETIN

O’Donnell lives and trains in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and fellow triathlete, Mirinda Carfrae. This June, he scored a home-soil win at the Ironman Boulder race, which helped him qualify for October’s big event in Hawaii

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According to Ironman royalty Mark Allen, 12 months is all it takes to be ready to compete in triathlon’s pinnacle event. “As long as you have some sort of fitness background, a year is plenty of time,” he says.

But it’s not going to be easy. Here, Allen outlines exactly what it takes to prepare your body to swim, cycle and run 140.6 miles (226.2km) – and maybe even score a place on the podium

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PICK A RACE Nothing makes this challenge

more real than signing up for an actual Ironman. “There’s a mind-body connection,” says Allen. “Signing up for a race helps your body be ready.” He recommends doing the bulk of your highintensity training during cooler months, so you should choose an event that happens in late autumn or early winter.

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BECOME A DATA GEEK A good triathlon watch can

measure everything from sleep quality to swim-stroke efficiency. But the one thing that matters above all else is heart rate, says Allen. Chest straps are more accurate than wrist sensors, so choose a watch that’s strap-compatible.

Later in your training, a GPS feature will track distances, and a cycling power meter will measure how much effort you are expending, which ultimately will tell you if you’re getting fitter.

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4

BUY A TRI BIKE Triathlon bikes are designed to

be ridden in the aero position and it’s essential that you become used to the equipment early on. The right fit is important, too, Allen says, “because your body begins developing a neurological pathway between your brain and your muscles”. Allen also suggests picking up an indoor trainer that’s compatible with your new ride, since you could be logging your first several hundred miles during the winter.

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DO A TRIATHLON! It’s never too early to sign up

6

HIRE A COACH While Allen insists that this

for a local sprint-distance race.

With a breezy 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run, this is a great chance to simply get a feel for combining the three sports under pressure and transitioning between them.

isn’t an essential step for Ironman hopefuls, services like his are surprisingly cheap. For as little as £20 a week, you can get help designing your training programme, troubleshooting access via your smartphone and email, and even personalised feedback on swimming, cycling and running if you send a video.

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JOIN A MASTERS SWIMMING CLUB Swimming is one discipline where

having another person evaluate your technique is invaluable. Masters clubs are like group swimming workouts, with seasoned pros on hand to give feedback. Allen suggests working on your stroke mechanics as much as possible early on. “Do it in the very beginning so that you have all the tools you need throughout the rest of your training,” he says.

Speed Concept triathlon bike by Trek, starting at £3,600 Log workouts with the free TrainingPeaks fitness app

LOG YOUR TRAINING SCHEDULE ONLINE Having past, present, and future

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RICH CRUSE, TREK BIKE

training sessions in one place allows you to pick up patterns of success and failure and adjust them accordingly.

There’s a big variety available out there.

TrainingPeaks (trainingpeaks.com) has a one-size-fits-all approach, while coachspecific sites like Allen’s (markallen coaching.com) are more personalised.

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SIGN UP FOR MORE TRIATHLONS Longer races such as Olympic-

distance (1.5km swim; 40km bike; 10km run) and half Ironman will serve as important milestones in your progression. Allen recommends doing an Olympic-distance triathlon just as your training volume begins to really increase, and then a half Ironman at the six-month mark. A couple of months later, he recommends another Olympicdistance race. “It sort of resets your body’s concept of what fast is,” he says. “Then, when you continue with your training, your Ironman speed doesn’t feel as hard as it did.”

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DIAL IN YOUR NUTRITION “For all the information out there,

Ironman nutrition is actually really simple,” says Allen. “You just need to understand what to eat during your workouts and what you’re eating in between workouts.” During training sessions, Allen suggests using energy bars and gels to consume around 300 calories (experiment with your intake to find your exact caloric need) and about a litre of fluid per hour. Before and after workouts, every meal should include unrefined carbohydrates such as oatmeal or brown rice, lean proteins like chicken for muscle recovery, and some healthy fat, such as nuts or avocado.

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LEARN TO JUGGLE By the second half of the year, you’ll

be doing five-hour bike rides and twoto three-hour runs, so you’ll need to be able to negotiate your schedule with your employer. “Use weekends smartly,” says Allen. “Put the long workouts on days off, where you have the best chance of getting it done.”

Finally, Allen has encouraging words for anyone who simply can’t fathom the distances. “Take heart: when you finally get to your Ironman, it doesn’t feel anything like two half Ironman races back to back. It’s just a different feeling – you’ll be able to do it.”

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what your levels should look like across a couple of dozen blood and genetic markers if, for instance, you log exactly 12 hours of endurance training per week.

“One year before Wildflower – a hot and hilly half Ironman in California – I took the blood test,” says Thomas.

“Dr Rock told me my magnesium looked a little low. It was so subtle and he said I might not even notice in training, but I might notice in the race. I won that race.”

“The needs of an elite athlete are totally different than the rest of us,” says Rock, co-founder of athletebloodtest.com and himself a former Ironman triathlete.

“Blood testing has become a critical tool in predicting your performance.”

Another interesting thing Rock learned about Thomas through blood testing is his ability to recover quickly. Whereas most endurance athletes balance on the edge of overtraining, this gave Thomas peace of mind. “He can beat his body up,” says Rock.

“We tested him before and after a training camp and saw his baseline hardly changed.”

For Thomas, it makes sense that Ironman triathletes are prime guinea pigs when it comes to leading the way for other endurance sports. “Triathlon has a history of leading the technology in sports like cycling and running,” he explains. “It’s less regulated than those individual disciplines and that drives the technology even more.”

F

ew athletes are as gifted as Thomas, O’Donnell, and certainly Mark Allen.

And overtraining is the number one mistake made by all endurance athletes, professional and amateur alike. This is why every number, every chart, every metric out there, is ultimately designed to do one thing: help you train at an extremely precise level to achieve the best results you possibly can.

“My watch tells me if I’ve ever overtrained,” says O’Donnell. “There’s so much information out there that allows us to train smarter and recover better that you’re seeing guys like [three-time Ironman champion and Kona course record holder] Craig Alexander still winning races in his mid-40s. It’s allowing us to actually extend our racing careers.”

All these technological innovations in sports training are having an even bigger impact on us mere mortals. For most of

us, completing an Ironman triathlon is akin to climbing Mount Everest – it’s an achievement that seems almost otherworldly, or at least only possible for people with inhuman genetic codes.

But, the truth is, thanks to advances in technology, an Ironman triathlon is more achievable than ever. Triathlons have sort of become one giant equation – if you just do what the data tells you to do, you’ll one day be able to complete an Ironman.

“It’s the amateurs who benefit the most from all the numbers,” says Allen.

“In fact, the higher your level of body awareness – like with the pros – the less the data matters. All the new high-tech tools really flatten the learning curve.”

The kind of elite-level blood testing people like Dr Garret Rock offer is now available to everyone. It can help amateurs avoid making the sort of nutritional mistakes that kept them from making significant breakthroughs. Having a good fitness tracker and undergoing some kind of blood analysis is a bit like having a team of trainers, nutritionists and even motivators in your corner.

“One study showed that something like 50 per cent of endurance athletes are deficient in iron,” says Rock. “Amateur athletes are significantly more prone to common athletic-induced disorders like this. Amateurs are often squeezing in workouts after stressful workdays, managing reduced sleep hours and training levels. So, knowing this becomes critical, not just for better performance but for regular enjoyment – after all, it’s not fun when you don’t feel well.”

At the end of the day, finishing an Ironman race is one thing, but ending up on the podium at the end is another. Most pros agree that winning a medal requires much more than a knack for crunching numbers. While O’Donnell does pay attention to the data right up until the final miles of a race, it all disappears as soon as he can smell the finish line.

“I always say that triathlon is a professional sport where talent is a lesser factor than hard work,” he says. “That said, the last 10km of an Ironman run, everybody’s in the same situation. No one feels good and it’s just about being able to push yourself. You’re not thinking about your heart rate or anything like that – it’s just that ability to drive forward.

”THERE’S SO MUCH INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT YOU’RE SEEING GUYS LIKE CRAIG ALEXANDER STILL WINNING RACES IN HIS MID-40S“ 53

Words: Patricia Oudit Photography: Bastien Bonnarme

DIVING INTO THE DEEP BLUE

How do you learn to stay calm as monster waves toss you around like a rag doll?

French big-wave surfer Justine Dupont has the solution: freediving

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“TIME SEEMS TO STAND STILL WHEN YOU’RE 20M BELOW THE SURFACE”

STAY CALM

Do the right thing underwater, like Dupont, and you’ll survive the power of the big waves

TOWERING DEPTHS

The diving pool at La Teste-de-Buch is a tower that stands over 20m tall

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A

ny trip Justine Dupont makes to the diving tower at La Teste-de-Buch near Bordeaux is a return to a bizarre world, a stark contrast to a big-wave surfer’s regular life; a still, peaceful parallel universe in which the clangour and violence of the surface are left far behind.

Last winter in Nazaré, Portugal, one of Europe’s major big-wave surfing hotspots, was no different. There, the waves – vast 30m-high slabs as tall as a city block and collapsing like dynamited buildings – are Dupont’s playground. And yet within seconds of a dive, and 10 or 20m down, she’s overcome by calm, cocooned by the deep and wrapped in a cloak of serenity. “You can’t hear a thing below the surface,” says the 26-year-old. “It’s as if time stands still. Plus, there’s this unbelievable three-dimensional freedom – a lightness. You concentrate on the here and now. It’s magical.”

Dupont has been practising freediving twice a week for two years to learn how to react as calmly as possible should something happen when she’s in the water. She goes to the diving pool at La Teste-de-Buch as often as she can. Her trainer, Laurent Gamundi – an expert in freediving and underwater hunting, whose club, Biarritz Chasse Océan, has a diving course for surfers – watches over her while she’s there.

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Talking to freediving trainer Laurent Gamundi at Biarritz Chasse Océan

“At first, I had difficulty letting go,” says Dupont, “but now I feel totally liberated.

I used to think too much about the exercise itself and whether the time I spent in the water was long enough to prepare me for the conditions in the sea at Nazaré or at Belharra in the Basque Country.”

But the composure that the Bordeauxborn surfer needed developed over the course of her diving sessions, so improvements came by themselves. For big-wave surfers, this composure is vital for survival, simply because the essence of the conditions they face is always the same: tonnes of water slamming into your body, pummelling it with relentless force and hurling it like a rag doll into the torrent over and over again.

“You get cramps, you get battered, your diaphragm seizes up; your tensed muscles burn and stop reacting. It can really hurt,” Dupont explains. Yet somehow she finds these moments in the churning wave soothing. “It sounds odd, but I’ve often enjoyed those moments underwater because it’s just the sea and

me. And the sea reminds me that it’s not me making the decisions. All I can do is prepare meticulously so that I can deal with the situation as best I can.”

Dupont explains that the greatest risk with waves that size is simple – drowning. “But I surf better and more calmly if I know there’s a safety buffer.”

In Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, the book for which writer, journalist and surfer William Finnegan won the Pulitzer Prize, the author describes the sort of rationale behind that buffer thus: “When someone drowned in big waves, it was rarely possible to know exactly why, but I believe it often started with a twowave hold-down… Most big-wave surfers can hold their breath for several minutes.

But that’s on land or in a pool. Ten seconds while getting rag-dolled by a big wave is an eternity. By 30 seconds, almost everyone is approaching blackout…

Fighting the reflex that wanted to suck water into the lungs was nasty, frantic.”

If breathing becomes impossible, the situation can quickly turn into a nightmare THE RED BULLETIN

PREPARING FOR THE WAVE Dupont holds her breath for a minute and a half before returning to the surface

ON THE WAY UP

Justine Dupont has excelled herself in just four years

2013

She’s the first female surfer to ride a 15m wave in Belharra. This 30-second heat will change her life.

2014 2016

Wins the European Longboard Championships.

Finishes second in the 8m wave class at the Big Wave World Championships in Hawaii, behind local heroine Paige Alms.

2017

Surfs an almost 30m monster wave in Nazaré, Portugal.

A first for a female surfer.

BREATHLESS

Psychologists suggest our thirst for air decreases underwater

where demons are summoned, which is why Gamundi, a former bodyboarder, supports big-wave surfers in their quest to find serenity underwater.

All fears are initially taken fully on board so that they can gradually be overcome. For some surfers, the process takes months. Dupont found it easier.

Her awe of big waves, which she’d had since childhood, has simply vanished.

When did she first surf big waves?

“Last winter was the first time I only used a shortboard and I spent a lot of time surfing big waves.”

Belharra, situated off the coast of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, is scheduled for this autumn, but the priority is Nazaré and its huge swell, which makes it the perfect place to pit yourself against monster 60

waves and gain confidence. And to push your own boundaries.

That’s all about visualisation, which is 60 to 70 per cent of the deal with freediving, a sport in which you’re always putting yourself to the test, as Gamundi explains. “Say your brain links a positively charged word to a feeling that isn’t necessarily pleasant, at least not to start with,” the trainer says. “We can thus help the brain to reach a sense of wellbeing more quickly.”

Stress management, oxygen supply, abdominal breathing: the training is almost reminiscent of yoga.

“It’s a learning process that’s very important for big-wave surfers,” Gamundi continues. “The underwater world here on the Basque coast is nothing like the

calm warmth of the Mediterranean. The water is cold, tempestuous and dark – black, even, once you dive in. Sometimes it can seem really sinister and you’re confronted with your most intimate fears.”

In June, Dupont and a group other big-wave surfers got to test one of these dark waves at Belharra under the watchful eye of Gamundi.

“It’s important from a psychological point of view to get to know the spot yourself,” Dupont explains. “Even in gentle conditions, you’re still diving 25 metres down under a towering wave.”

Training is a way to demystify it, she says. “You prepare yourself for a challenge greater than the one you really face.”

The sheer size of the waves that pro big-wave surfers tackle requires complete THE RED BULLETIN

stress control. To feel good on the water at heights of 25 or 30m, you’ve got to feel secure underwater, too. Every dab hand has their own method of achieving this state: Shane Dorian, Greg Long and Mark Healey – all surfers from the US – do CrossFit, yoga and underwater hunting respectively.

Big-wave surfers have two different approaches when they practise freediving: there’s the physical approach, based on dynamism – top big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton does it with weights, for example – or the psychological approach of Justine Dupont.

Anyone watching Dupont in training at the diving pool in La Teste-de-Buch can’t help but be impressed by her rigour.

She carries off a series of 20m dives with meticulous regularity, chalking them off with almost banal facility. There are also special techniques that teach her to go easy on the oxygen and to reduce her desire to gasp for air. Dupont’s coach describes an extremely effective exercise he uses with the surfer.

“We dive to the bottom and then keep ourselves in position by holding onto handles,” explains Gamundi. “The body’s carbon dioxide levels start to rise but, psychologically, your requirement for air decreases once you’re underwater and the body behaves as if it’s been able to snatch a little bit of air, which is exactly the same thing that happens when you’re under a big wave.”

“THE MORE RELAXED YOU ARE, THE LESS YOU PANIC”

It would be counterproductive, Gamundi explains, to do 10 strokes, say, to fight against the wall of water. On the contrary, “the more relaxed you are, the less you panic.”

At the age of 17, Dupont could hold her breath for three and a half minutes at rest. However, in the latest run of tests, she was able to sustain this for 40 seconds longer.

“It’s important for me to have a reference point so that I know where I stand,” she says. “In some ways, it’s like doing a dive at Belharra. The water is turbulent to start with, but the closer you get to the bottom, the clearer things start getting around you. It’s like that moment when your head pops back up above the surface.”

For Dupont and her supervisor Brice Benhadj, training isn’t only about eliminating all contingencies; it’s also about constantly finding new ideas for how to deal with the water.

“I started stand-up paddle-surfing a year ago,” Dupont says.” It gives me a different perspective on the wave and is a very efficient way of giving my cardiovascular system a workout and improving my paddling. I swim a lot, mainly in open water, and I also have a kickboard. And I go bodysurfing with my friend [2012 Bodysurfing World Champion] Fred David. He’s the best teacher there is.”

Dupont also has a workout routine based on lunges and knee-bends to strengthen the lower body, because you have to be firm on both legs for a tow-in – when a jet ski takes you out to the waves on a towline. “It’s very simple. That way, I can even work out when I cook!”

And gradually testing her limits doesn’t stop the woman who came second in last year’s Big Wave World Championship occasionally taking high risks quite blithely.

“In Belharra, I saw Justine surfing without making use of the rescue sled on the jet ski, even though she knew she was going to get a pummelling,” reveals French photographer Bastien Bonnarme. “You don’t even see that too often with the guys.” justinedupont.fr ; @justinedupont33

Variety makes training more efficient. Even cooking becomes a serious part of Dupont’s preparation for the wave

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JOSH HOMME is a rock star who can conceive of nothing more boring than other rock stars. The frontman of US band Queens of the Stone Age explains how staying offline boosts your creativity Words: Marcel Anders Photography: Andreas Neumann

“THROW YOUR CELL PHONES AWAY” 62

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Last year, Josh Homme (seated) co-wrote and produced Iggy Pop’s much-lauded album Post Pop Depression.

Now he’s back with his regular band, Queens of the Stone Age

At first glance, Josh Homme looks like your bog-standard rocker with his black leather jacket and boots, 1950s quiff and impish grin. That’s to ignore, however, Homme’s stature, both physically (he’s 6ft 4in tall) and as an innovator, and his almost pathological disregard for the common trappings of rock stardom.

In the first sphere, Homme spent the 1980s and ’90s blending quarts of Black Sabbath sludge and punk grit with generous splashes of droning psychedelia to create stoner rock – a form of hypnotically dark metal he developed with his first band, Kyuss, and then honed 64

to diamond-hard sharpness with longtime project Queens of the Stone Age. Indeed, QOTSA are among the most successful rock musicians of the current era – all but one of the band’s six studio albums has gone gold.

And yet Homme hates the rock-star lifestyle. Or, rather, he loathes the clichés and the accepted rules of the game. If the 44-year-old had his way, his fellow musicians would go and get their hands dirty in the fields every now and again and waste less time on Instagram. In this interview, he explains why that would actually do all of us some good.

the red bulletin: You live in Palm Springs, the famous retirement paradise in the Californian desert. Not the kind of place you’d expect to find a rock star… josh homme: That’s exactly why I live there – so that I don’t bump into some beat-up musician on every corner. If I want to see them, I can go to Los Angeles – it’s only two hours away. I have peace and quiet in Palm Springs and can spend time with my family.

And apparently there’s a Homme Street, named after your family…

It’s in the neighbouring town of Palm Desert. But, yes, it was named after my THE RED BULLETIN

“It’s fine if people say they think my music is shit. Any reaction is better than none”

grandfather, Clancy Homme. He was one of the very first settlers to move there in the early 1940s. He bought hundreds of acres of sand dune and turned it into a farm with arable land.

Did you spend time on the farm when you were a kid?

Every spare second I had. My grandfather was my hero. I thought he was John Wayne up until I was nine, because he looked like him and he was often on horseback. I worked on the farm regularly right up until we released the first Queens of the Stone Age album, because I didn’t want to lose my grip on reality. I knew the THE RED BULLETIN

world of rock music is one that it’s all too easy to get lost in, and one where you can turn into an arrogant, decadent asshole if you’re not careful.

So you’d recommend working in the fields to your fellow rock stars?

Hard work and a bit of humility never hurt anyone. In that sense, I think it would definitely do a lot of musicians some good!

It sounds as if you don’t have the highest opinion of other professionals in the industry…

At least not the ones who have to doll themselves up just to go to the supermarket, as if they were about to go on stage. There’s something clownish about them. Oddly, it’s a very common phenomenon, even in the world of hard rock and heavy metal. Something’s seriously wrong upstairs, if you ask me.

How do you manage to steer clear of all that?

I don’t make a whole show of my work.

I don’t post online how everything’s going in the studio and how great the new album is going to be. Only people who haven’t got a lid on their ego do that sort of thing. I keep my music secret for as long as I can, as well as I can.

Even though fans now demand online interaction with their idols?

I don’t care about that. I don’t want people to hear my songs and maybe even pass judgement on them before they’re ready. Not because I’m paranoid, but because I want to be able to really go off the rails every now and again and come up with absolute crap.

The musician that punk icon Iggy Pop calls one of the most ingenious songwriters of our era can come up with crap? Seriously?

You’ve got to give yourself the freedom to make mistakes in life so that you can learn from them and get better. That’s why I find it helpful to work away from the public eye and not constantly put myself on display on social media.

But isn’t feedback from others just as important to your advancement?

As a matter of principle, I only make my albums for myself, because there’s no way I can force people to like them in any case. All I can do is write songs that I love myself and which keep my passions burning. And if some people say they think it’s shit, that’s fine.

You don’t mind if people say they hate your music?

If people hate you, it means you’re arousing emotions in them and they’re not indifferent to you. And that’s actually great! Any reaction is better than no reaction. Insofar as the hate is totally OK, I say bring it on.

OK, that’s easy to say when you’re a rock star who’s sold millions of albums. But were you so serene in the early days of your career?

I never wanted to be part of a scene, because I never wanted to be part of a group of bands that all sounded the same. It’s always been important to me to come up with something of my own.

The soundtrack to my life. And that’s got to be authentic, regardless what other people think of it.

What recommendations can you give to young people who want to forge a creative career for themselves?

Throw your cell phones away. Live in the here and now. Enjoy every moment to the fullest. How do you become a great concert pianist if you have to stop every couple of minutes to stare at your screen?

My tip is: be creative instead of getting your phone out because you’re bored!

I’m so happy I grew up in the desert, because it boosted my creativity. There was so little to do in your spare time that you had to come up with things yourself so as not to go crazy.

My solution was to create my first band, Kyuss [in 1987]. We were a group of kids who decided to make a racket because we were bored. And, believe me, in the long term that gives you a lot more than posting pictures of your breakfast on Instagram.

Villains, the new album from Queens of the Stone Age, is out now; qotsa.com 65

PEDALLING What ’s the best way to find new fulfilment when one chapter of your life draws to a close?

Former world-class downhill mountain biker René Wildhaber lost his hear t to new cultures, peoples and landscapes by taking his skills to some of the world’s wildest and unridden terrain Words: Werner Jessner Photography: Dan Milner (Chile), Antonin Pergod (Cameroon)

THE GLOBE 66

VILLARRICA, CHILE

Following a 2015 eruption, this perfect cone-shaped volcano was off-limits until recently. Wildhaber and his Canadian partner Matt Hunter saddled up to unravel its secrets.

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MOUNT CAMEROON

The very first time bikes have ever been ridden, or carried, here. Wildhaber and his friend Alban Aubert lugged theirs to the top and, over the next two days, navigated the mountain’s unspoilt trails to become the first men to pedal back to sea level.

RENÉ WILDHABER

Now 40, the former worldclass downhill MTB rider from Switzerland has only ridden the odd adventure race since 2016. His time is now taken up with bike parks, his lecture tour, and travelling.

MOUNT CAMEROON CAMEROON

This 4,095m active volcano in West Africa is one of its country’s most spectacular sights. Known locally as ‘the Mountain of Greatness’, it even warrants a mention in the national anthem.

GOT A LIGHT?

GETTING THERE

No direct flights from the UK, but a range of airlines fly to Douala, Cameroon's largest city. From there, it’s a five-hour drive.

GETTING AROUND Wildhaber recommends Mount Cameroon Trekking, run by a local NGO and committed to promoting sustainable tourism and reducing local poverty.

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It took six hours to get the damp wood to catch light in a hut at an altitude of 3,700m. Wildhaber fashioned a chimney from empty PET bottles to clear the smoke.

OCEAN, SWELL

Two days and more than 4,000m of descent later, the duo’s Cameroon trail ended by the sea.

“These are memories that stay with you; the very reason why travel enriches the soul,” says Wildhaber.

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“MOUNTAINS, SAVANNAH, OCEAN: THE CAMEROON TRIP PROVIDED SO MUCH FOOD FOR THOUGHT“

TERRA INCOGNITA

Would the trail be passable? The only way to find out was to ride on.

What they did know was that there would be no water available once they set off. For the four days on the mountain, Wildhaber and Aubert had to organise local water carriers in advance via a trekking agency.

“IN CHILE, I WITNESSED THE PERFECTION OUR PLANET HAS TO OFFER. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAD TO PRAY”

BEAUTY

Around 750km south of Santiago, Villarrica is one of Chile's most active volcanoes, with regularly recorded eruptions dating back to 1558. Its rich soil gives rise to unique plant species, and the national park it sits in is home to condors, cougars and güiña (small wild cats).

FIRE AND ICE

“The mountain got a sprinkling of snow,” says Wildhaber. “But our plan hadn’t been to conquer the peak. We just wanted to get to a col at 2,500m above sea level, then enjoy a never-ending downhill.”

VILLARRICA CHILE

Standing at 2,840m tall, this active volcano is one of Chile’s highlights.

Wildhaber’s expedition was almost ended by wildfires afflicting the region, but the rains arrived just in time.

EXPLORING THE WORLD...

GETTING THERE

Fly to Santiago, then travel 800km south. Local providers such as Amity Tours know the way.

GETTING AROUND Not possible without local help. Private landowners are planning to open their land to mountain bikers.

Agencies such as H+I Adventures and Patagonia MTB Trails will assist you.

THE RED BULLETIN

Wildhaber established himself as one of MTB enduro’s all-time greats, but the urge to tackle the world’s wildest environments was strong.

...AND ENDURING THE WORLD To conquer new ground, you have put in the hard yards, carrying your bike on your back for days at a time if need be.

renewildhaber.ch

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GUY VEALE, SEAN BELL

FLORIAN OBKIRCHER

T H E B E AT GOES ON THE RED BULLETIN

In the 1950s and ’60s, the basement was a jazz club. Since 1987, DJs have taken care of the music

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Glasgow’s Sub Club, The Red Bulletin looks into the long-term success of this beloved nightlife institution and finds out why its ceiling has to be replaced every 18 months Running a business for 30 years is a remarkable feat in any industry. Surviving for three decades in the fast-paced nightlife business is almost impossible. And yet Glasgow’s Sub Club has achieved just that and more besides, having also established a reputation as one of the world’s most highly regarded clubbing venues among DJs and revellers alike.

When it opened in 1987, the club was a place for local underground bands to break through – Primal Scream played their first-ever gig in the low-ceilinged basement on Jamaica Street. At the same time, it began to champion house music, which was just arriving in Europe from the US. And, around 2003, a teenager named Ross Birchard was working behind the bar and collecting glasses; today, as hot producer Hudson Mohawke, he makes beats for the likes of Kanye West.

So how has Sub Club – a relatively small venue with a capacity of just 410 – managed to remain a globally acknowledged breeding ground for talent and a forward-thinking musical institution for so many years? The Red Bulletin asked Ross THE RED BULLETIN

Telford, 30, the club’s general manager, one of its resident DJs, and the A&R man for its in-house label. the red bulletin: If you had a time machine, which Sub Club party from the past 30 years would you revisit? ross telford: I could go back to 1995 and the first time [Detroit legends] Derrick Carter, Carl Craig or Moodymann played at the club – it was the first time any of them had played in the UK. Or I could return to the acid house nights of the late ’80s, 75

when house music first came over from Chicago. But for me, house music has always been about the present. So, actually, I wouldn’t want to go back in time – it would probably ruin the illusion. The best things are happening right now.

You started out collecting the empties at Sub Club in 2005; now you’re one of the club’s resident DJs on Saturday, among other things. How did that happen?

I gave Domenic [Capello, who runs the weekly club night Subculture alongside DJ Harri] a mix CD and he liked it. I gradually started to get more gigs, warming up for guests and filling in for Harri and Domenic when they were playing elsewhere.

Nowadays, I play once a month. So I guess you could say that was the culmination of all of those fill-ins.

Twenty-three years down the line, Subculture at Sub Club is arguably the world’s longest-running weekly house and techno night.

How would you describe it?

It’s a classic house night. You can hear a variety of house music put together by Harri and Domenic, two guys who know the crowd and the sound system so well.

Does Sub Club’s loyalty to its resident DJs contribute to the club’s success?

Definitely. Club culture was built around the model of having one or two resident DJs who played there every weekend. Legendary venues like Paradise Garage in New York and The Warehouse in Chicago are just two welldocumented examples. Most clubs these days have external promoters. They do maybe one night a month, and almost always book a guest DJ. Very rarely is it the club that runs Saturday night each week, and just as rarely are there resident DJs. In that sense, do you think sustainability is the reason for Sub Club’s longevity?

There are a few reasons. One is that it has never really been 76

“It’s never been about trends here. Sure, it’s about listening to what’s current in electronic music. But most of our resident DJs have been playing long enough to have developed very distinctive styles” DJ Telford at work

In Order To Dance Three classics from Sub Club’s history, picked by Telford Romanthony Falling From Grace (Murk Main Mix)

I could have picked any track by Murk [US house duo Ralph Falcón and Oscar Gaetan] from 1992-95, but this is one of my favourites. They have a way of arranging the sounds in their tracks that works amazingly well on a good sound system. Couple this with Romanthony’s vocals and you have a track that still works its magic 20 years on.

Yo Yo Honey Groove On (DJ Pierre Wild Pitch Remix) A classic Harri track.

It has a long intro for long mixes – DJ Pierre crafted his Wild Pitch sound for basements like Sub Club.

Underground Resistance Jupiter Jazz

Classic Domenic track, classic Detroit techno.

When those first few bars of unmistakeable synth stabs come in, you know the party is on.

about trends here. Sure, it’s about listening to what’s current in electronic music, but it doesn’t have to be about one style of music that just happens to be on trend. Most of our resident DJs have been playing long enough to have developed very distinctive styles. This generally means that you take the best of a wide-ranging selection of new music you’ve heard and loved that week, and you present it at the club at the weekend. The second thing is that the guys running the club really love what they do. As with any business – not least one where artistic integrity and vision are often put before profit – it takes a lot of time and dedication to make it work, let alone to be successful.

There’s a legend about Sub Club that the holes in the ceiling are made by revellers banging on it to applaud the DJ. Is that a true story?

Yes. It’s an example of how intense things can get. We have to replace the ceiling every 18 months or so!

Speaking of exuberance, local DJ hero Jackmaster praised Sub Club in an interview last year, saying, “When you’re in the booth, you’re disconnected from people enough for steaming kids not to do your nut in.

But you also feel you’re a part of it and very connected to everyone…”

Exactly. But, actually, in the DJ booth you’re on the same level as the people on the dancefloor and they can still definitely do your nut in!

The layout of the space is key: the position of the sound system in relation to the dancefloor and the booth; THE RED BULLETIN

T H E

A M E R I C A N

S O U N DT R A C K

STEVIE WONDER JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

SUNDAY, OCT 22

SATURDAY, OCT 21

1 A L U M R O F 2017 S GRAND PRIX E T A T S D E UNIT X T , N I T S U A 2 2 0 2 T OC

R FORGET, E V E N L ’L U O Y E AND A RUSH C N IE R E APPENS. P H X E N IN IO T T S A U R A A E IL U S, WHERE EXH A FOR THE UNIQ IC R E M A E H T OF VISIT CIRCUIT

Y AT A D O T D N E K E E W BOOK YOUR F1 .COM T I U C R I C E H .T W WW

In 1999, the club shut for three years due to damage from a fire in the pub next door

Sub Club’s annual SoundSystem festival in Glasgow’s Barrowlands

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the flow of people in the room. The room was basically built around the position of the system, so even 15 years after its initial install it’s still one of the best-sounding rooms in the UK. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned while working at Sub Club?

Patience. In such a fast-paced industry, it can be very easy to make rash decisions; to over-promote yourself and become a flash in the pan.

Sometimes holding back can really benefit you in ways you maybe don’t realise or notice until further down the road. Saying ‘no’ once in a while is OK. What are the three key ingredients Sub Club needs to guarantee future success?

Patience, dedication and hard work!

For details on Sub Club’s 30th anniversary celebrations, go to subclub.co.uk THE RED BULLETIN

RICHARD PHILLIPS-KERR, SEAN BELL

“In the DJ booth you’re on the same level as the crowd on the dancefloor”

THE RED BULLETIN PROMOTION

ADVERTISING

The Superstar is CInelli’s flagship model, offered in disc and non-disc options

CINELLI SUPERSTAR

©JACINTOVIDARTE

T h e r e s u l t o f a r i c h h is to r y o f d e s i g n a n d i n n ova t i o n Cinelli’s story started in 1947. An outstanding pro cyclist with 15 years of experience, Cino Cinnelli had covered thousands of kilometres, distances that had allowed him to develop some truly innovative ideas.

History remembers Cinelli less for his racing career than for his design innovations. He gave modern cycling the first aluminium handlebars, the first saddle with a plastic core, the first pedal straps and the first quick

release pedals. Thirty years later, in 1978, Cino handed the company over to a young industrialist, a leader in the field of steel tubing with a love of cycling – Antonio Colombo.

With this change of leadership, the Cinelli brand was transformed. Colombo instigated a series of collaborations with designers, making Cinelli the first brand to take a passion for art and integrate this into the world of bicycles.

Every product is taken through a rigorous

creative and development process, with focus continually on the two ideologies on which Cinelli is built – innovation and design. And their latest venture, the Superstar, is no different.

This is Cinelli’s first disc-equipped bike and it offers the finest performance a road bike can possess. It’s a blisteringly fast machine featuring handling that inspires confidence.

Cinelli is now known throughout the world for its bicycles which combine not only an emotional, cultural and artistic elegance, but are designed for optimum technical performance.

www.cinellibicycles.co.uk

DISCOVER A NEW LANDSCAPE OF ADVENTURE S T O R E S N AT I O N W I D E | W W W. S N O W A N D R O C K . C O M

®

guide Get it. Do it. See it.

16

September

TAKING THE PLUNGE

DEAN TREML/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

The iconic 16th-century Stari Most bridge in Mostar will be the backdrop when the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series splashes down in Bosnia and Herzegovina. See all the action from the fifth and penultimate stop on Red Bull TV

THE RED BULLETIN

81

GUIDE

See it Last year’s stop in Mostar drew a crowd of 20,000 spectators

DIVING INTO THE ACTION

Among the highlights on Red Bull TV this month are daredevil drops, venomous verses, and the most treacherous of tracks

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

82

Stari Most bridge was built in the 16th century

THE RED BULLETIN

16 THE RED BULLETIN

September

LIVE

RED BULL CLIFF DIVING STOP 5, MOSTAR The fifth and penultimate stop of the world series takes us to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostar’s iconic Stari Most bridge, which has a diving tradition stretching back more than four centuries, provides the backdrop as the competitors showcase their skills in front of a passionate crowd.

ROMINA AMATO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL (2), ALFRED JÜRGEN WESTERMEYER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, BORIS BEYER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, JAANUS REE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

September/October

23 24 6

September

LIVE

RED BULL BATALLA DE LOS GALLOS - SPAIN FINALS

Madrid’s WiZink Center plays host to the Spanish National Final of this annual freestyle rap tournament. See 16 aspiring MCs spit their fiercest rhymes in a bid to make the World Finals in Mexico.

September

LIVE

RED BULL HARDLINE

We’re back in Dyfi Valley, Powys for a fourth year of breathtaking mountain-biking skills in the Welsh hills. Twenty of the world’s best and bravest riders will be put to the test in this one-of-a-kind contest at Dan Atherton’s painstakingly purpose-built course.

to 8 October

LIVE

WRC SPAIN

The mixed-surface rally returns to Barcelona with a special stage below the city’s famous Montjuïc hill. Look out for homegrown hero Dani Sordo, former teammate of record-breaking rally legend Sébastien Loeb, who will be aiming for his first WRC title.

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GUIDE Edited by Gisbert L Brunner

Get it

ULYSSE NARDIN INNOVISION 2

Cheating physics

Innovations in this revolutionary timepiece include an escapement that defies the decreasing torque of a watch spring, and a balance wheel with gold weights that improve inertia. In other words, it’s very precise. ulysse-nardin.com

Want Zenith’s new watch? Get your passport ready

THE STEADY TICK OF PROGRESS Time changes everything, but, perhaps ironically, the one thing that hasn’t changed in more than 350 years is the way we measure time itself. In 1656, Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens invented the pendulum clock, dramatically increasing accuracy in timekeeping from 15 minutes a day to 15 seconds with the use of a simple harmonic oscillator. Today’s wristwatches have a balance wheel and spring instead of a pendulum, but the mechanical concept that makes a clock tick has remained essentially the same. Until now.

ZENITH DEFY LABORATORY

A new concept in time Zenith is a Swiss watchmaker that prides itself on making its own internal timepiece movements. And this month it launches one that is uniquely different from all that have gone before. The now-standard balance wheel and hairspring have been replaced by a component made of vibrating silicon, which requires no lubrication, is resistant to temperature fluctuations, stays powered for 110 hours on a single wind, and is accurate to 0.3 seconds a day, making it the world’s most precise mechanical watch.

The price – 27,000 Swiss francs – includes a first-class plane ticket to Switzerland, where Zenith’s CEO will personally hand over one of these experimental watches (limited to just 10), symbolically passing on the baton of timekeeping history. zenith-watches.com

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PATEK PHILIPPE AQUANAUT TRAVEL TIME REF. 5650G

Divine materials

This watch from Patek’s Advanced Research Program has an innovative balance spring made from a frictionless, temperaturestable silicon dioxide called Silinvar and accurate to -1/+2 seconds per day. patek.com

PANERAI LAB-ID LUMINOR 1950 CARBOTECH 3 DAYS

Future proof

Such is Panerai’s confidence in the near friction-free internal parts of this timepiece – built from silicon and ceramic, with a coating of ‘dry lubrication’ – it comes with a 50-year guarantee. panerai.com

THE RED BULLETIN

THE RED BULLETIN PROMOTION

ADVERTISING

COME RAIN OR SHINE

Alberto Contador’s Foundation teams are sponsored by Polartec and will put its fabrics to the ultimate test this year – from NeoShell with its breathable waterproof protection, to Delta, Polartec’s revolutionary cooling fabric.

©JACINTOVIDARTE

E m b ra c e eve r y e l e m e n t t h a n ks to t h e s c i e n c e o f fa b r i c

From humble beginnings more than 100 years ago, Polartec has become a leader in its field, producing the most advanced performance fabrics available today.

Inventors of modern synthetic fleece in 1981, Polartec’s engineers have supported adventurers and athletes alike. And now they’re redefining what to wear on a bike, revolutionising the industry with Polartec Alpha and Delta.

Polartec has pushed the limits of fabric technology, bringing cyclists the benefits of active insulation, adaptable breathability, reduced skin-cling, increased airflow, and superior wicking properties.

This year, the Polartec Alberto Contador Foundation cycling teams will be putting

Polartec fabrics to the ultimate test as they compete on the international circuit.

Look out for the Polartec logo – it’s a sure sign your clothes will be working even harder than you.

The rh+ AirX Lite Jersey featuring Polartec Delta

www.polartec.com

GUIDE

Do it

September/October

24 September

RED BULL HARDLINE

Insane. That’s one word to describe this downhill mountain bike race. Designed

by Dan Atherton to be one of the toughest on the planet, it combines huge gap jumps, slab drops, woodland runs and a massive road jump in a course that strikes fear into even the world’s best riders.

24

September to 29 October NFL London Games With the Americans showing interest in that quaint sport called soccer, it’s only right that we embrace their version of football. And what better way than by catching one of four real-deal NFL season matches here in London – two at Wembley and two at Twickenham. Better than staying up all night for the Super Bowl.

London; nfl.com/international

4

to 15 October BFI London Film Festival Like the Cannes Film Festival with fewer yacht parties, but no less glamour, last year’s BFI fest saw nearly 400 films presented at theatres around the capital. This year is set to be even bigger, opening with Andy Serkis’ directorial debut, Breathe, starring Andrew Garfield and Clare Foy in the true story of a man battling polio-induced paralysis.

London; bfi.org.uk/lff

19

28

September to 8 October London Oktoberfest There’s no need to travel all the way to Germany to don your lederhosen and grab some steins. The UK’s biggest Oktoberfest brings Munich to London for eight days, with Bavarian beer, schnitzel, pretzels and live music. Plus there will be around 50,000 revellers wearing funny shorts.

Canary Wharf; london-oktoberfest.co.uk

and 26 September #NormalNotNovelty Celebrating women in the music industry and empowering aspiring female DJs, producers and sound engineers, these workshops have seen Flava D, Throwing Shade, Monki and more impart their industry knowledge at Red Bull Studios London. Now the project is touring the UK, with Dr Marina Lopez and DJ Ceri Owens attending Leeds College of Music on September 19, and Madam X, Katie Tavini and Anz coming to SSR Manchester on September 26.

To sign up, head to redbull.co.uk/normalnotnovelty

86

THE RED BULLETIN

BORIS BEYER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, RIANNA TAMARA

Dinas Mawddwy, Wales; redbull.com

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

THE RED BULLETIN BEYOND THE ORDINARY

12 copies for £20

getredbulletin.com

GUIDE

the BIKE GUIDE

On June 12, 1817, German baron Karl Drais unveiled his wooden two-wheeled velocipede.

Two hundred years later, his invention bears about as much resemblance to the modern bicycle as we do to the dinosaurs Photography: Mark Mattock Stylist: Sarah Ann Murray

Cento10AIR road bike

by WILIER wilier.com.

Rider is wearing: MET Rivale helmet met-helmets.com; NIKE Terminus sunglasses nikevision.com; AGU KM Asolo jersey and shorts agu.com; GAERNE G.Stilo+ shoes gaerne.com

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GUIDE

Above: PIVOT Mach 5.5 Carbon mountain bike pivotcycles.com Right: OLFI one.five action camera olfi.co.uk; BELL Super 3R MIPSequipped helmet bellhelmets.com; ADIDAS Backland Dirt goggles sportsshoes.com; LEATT DBX 5.5 neckbrace leatt.com; FIVE TEN Hellcat Pro shoes fiveten.com; MUC-OFF Biodegradable Chain Cleaner muc-off.com Opposite page: SCOTT Genius 900 Tuned mountain bike scott-sports.com

90

Rider is wearing: BLUEGRASS Brave helmet bluegrasseagle.com; SPY OPTIC Omen MX goggles spyoptic.com; SPOT Gen3 personal GPS findmespot.eu; OSPREY Radial 26 backpack ospreyeurope.com CUBE AM storm jacket and shorts cube.eu; ALPINESTARS Mesa cycling jersey alpinestars.com; SCOTT Mission kneepads scott-sports.com; CUBE Mountain socks cube.eu; CUBE All Mountain Pro shoes cube.eu THE RED BULLETIN

MTB

In 1977, Californian Joe Breeze built the first dedicated mountain bike from repurposed motorbike parts. Today, Breezer #1 resides at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. And the modern MTB is a very different beast‌

GG UU II DD EE Left: CINELLI Superstar Disc road race bike cinelli.it.

Rider is wearing: MET Rivale helmet met-helmets.com; SANTINI Sleek Plus jersey and shorts santinisms.it; DHB Aeron 9cm socks wiggle.co.uk/dhb; GIRO Factor Techlace shoes giro.com Below: CUBE Attain GTC Pro Disc road race bike cube.eu Opposite page: LAZER Z1 helmet lazersport.co.uk; SLR Tekno saddle selleitalia.com; MUC-OFF Luxury Chamois Cream muc-off.com; EXPOSURE Diablo MK8 torch exposurelights.com

92

ROAD

When all you care about is speed in straight line, this is the type of bike you choose: thin, light and sharply constructed, using raceproven aerodynamic geometry.

If you’re looking for a modicum of comfort, aim for a sportive bike with a slighter, more relaxed frame and wider tyres.

GUIDE

URBAN

City cycling can be hectic and dangerous, so you need a steed upon which you can feel confident.

An urban bike is a cross between a road racer and a mountain bike, delivering a mix of comfort and manoeuvrability for negotiating traffic and powering up steep hills.

From top: FIVE TEN District shoes fiveten.com; MET Corso helmet met-helmets.com; FITBIT Blaze watch fitbit.com

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MODEL: CRAIG LE ROUX @ NEVS

CANYON Urban 8.0 bike canyon.com.

Rider is wearing: BERN Union helmet bernunlimited.com; NIKE Terminus sunglasses nikevision.com; MONS ROYALE Redwood V LS Box Logo shirt monsroyale.com; GIRO Havoc shorts giro.com; HIPLOK Lite wearable bike lock hiplok.com; DHB Aeron 6cm socks wiggle.co.uk/dhb; CUBE Urban shoes cube.eu

THE RED BULLETIN WORLDWIDE

GLOBAL TEAM Editorial Director Robert Sperl Editor-in-Chief Alexander Macheck Creative Director Erik Turek Art Directors Kasimir Reimann, Miles English Photo Director Fritz Schuster Production Editor Marion Wildmann Editors Stefan Wagner (Chief Copy Editor), Ulrich Corazza, Arek Piatek, Andreas Rottenschlager Design Marco Arcangeli, Marion Bernert-Thomann, Martina de Carvalho-Hutter, Kevin Goll, Carita Najewitz

The Red Bulletin is available in seven countries. Above is the cover of this month’s French edition, featuring Parisian boxer Tony Yoka with Toulouse rappers Bigflo & Oli. See all the editions at: redbulletin.com/ howtoget

Photo Editors Rudi Übelhör (Deputy Photo Director), Marion Batty, Susie Forman, Ellen Haas, Eva Kerschbaum, Tahira Mirza Commercial Director Franz Renkin International Sales Elisabeth Thurner-Grössinger Advertising Placement Andrea Tamás-Loprais Creative Solutions Eva Locker (manager), Martina Maier, Verena Schörkhuber, Edith Zöchling-Marchart Country Management and Marketing Sara Varming (manager), Magdalena Bonecker, Thomas Dorer, Kristina Trefil, Stephanie Winkler Marketing Design Simone Fischer, Alexandra Hundsdorfer Head of Production Michael Bergmeister Production Wolfgang Stecher (manager), Walter O Sádaba, Friedrich Indich, Michael Menitz (digital) Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Maximilian Kment, Karsten Lehmann

THE RED BULLETIN United Kingdom, ISSN 2308-5894

THE RED BULLETIN Germany, ISSN 2079-4258

Editor Justin Hynes

Editor Andreas Rottenschlager

Associate Editor Tom Guise

Proof Reading Hans Fleißner

Music Editor Florian Obkircher Chief Sub-Editor Nancy James Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong

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

Sub-Editors Joe Curran, Olivia Rosen Country Channel Management Tom Reding Publishing Manager Ollie Stretton

THE RED BULLETIN Mexico, ISSN 2308-5924

Advertisement Sales Mark Bishop, mark.bishop@uk.redbull.com

Editor Luis Alejandro Serrano

Printed by Prinovis GmbH & Co KG, Printing Company Nuremberg, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany UK Office 155-171 Tooley Street, London SE1 2JP Tel: +44 (0) 20 3117 2000

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, Cara Schlesinger, Bernhard Schmied, anzeigen@at.redbulletin.com

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 Switzerland, ISSN 2308-5886 Editor Arek Piatek Proof Reading Hans Fleißner Country Channel Management Melissa Stutz Advertisement Sales Marcel Bannwart, marcel.bannwart@ch.redbull.com

Office Management Kristina Krizmanic, Petra Wassermann IT Systems Engineer Michael Thaler Subscriptions and Distribution Peter Schiffer (manager), Klaus Pleninger (distribution), Nicole Glaser (distribution), Yoldas Yarar (subscriptions) General Manager and Publisher Wolfgang Winter

This issue is dedicated to Nancy James, Chief Sub-Editor of The Red Bulletin UK, who sadly passed away in July.

A dedicated, dependable, warm-hearted and much-loved colleague and friend, Nancy will be greatly missed by all of us at The Red Bulletin.

96

Global Editorial Office Heinrich-Collin-Strasse 1, A-1140 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-28800 Fax +43 1 90221-28809 Web www.redbulletin.com Red Bull Media House GmbH Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700

THE RED BULLETIN France, ISSN 2225-4722 Editor Pierre-Henri Camy Country Co-ordinator Christine Vitel 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

Directors Christopher Reindl, Andreas Gall

THE RED BULLETIN

WATCH NOW

RED BULL

HARDLINE WALES, UK SEPTEMBER 24

GUIDE

Action highlight

Every autumn, this picturesque volcanic island in the Aegean Sea becomes a playground for the world’s best freerunners.

Expect parkour tricks of a suitably breathtaking and explosive kind when the Red Bull Art Of Motion final lands on Santorini on October 7. redbullartofmotion.com

“My philosophy when I’m in the air? Be as quick as possible” PREDRAG VUCKOVIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Santorini, Greece

Makes you fly

Portuguese freerunning pro Pedro Salgado makes an impromptu house call on the steep cliffs of Santorini

The next issue of The Red Bulletin is out on October 12, 2017 98

THE RED BULLETIN

THE ALL NEW GENIUS

ANY TRAIL. ANY TIME. NO SHORTCUTS When designing the all new Genius, we wanted to finish with a bike that was perfect for our backyard. We wanted a bike that could clear any climb and tackle any descent.

A bike for any trail, any time. What we got is exactly that, and much more. Capable, lightweight, fun, the all new Genius is just calling for the mountains.

SCOTT-SPORTS.COM © SCOTT SPORTS SA 2017 | Photo: Keno Derleyn