The Red Bulletin UK 03/25

KINGS OF CRICKET

Ben Stokes & KL Rahul

Your guide to a season of unmissable action

Summer Heroes

Including

Rugby’s leading light ELLIE KILDUNNE

Formula 1 action at SILVERSTONE

London’s feral five-piece FAT DOG

The best of UK FESTIVALS

Rachael Sigee

The lifestyle journalist and athletics fan jumped at the chance to speak to newly crowned 400m world champion Amber Anning. “The 400m is so demanding, and Amber has made huge sacrifices to be in the mix,” Sigee says.

“It really feels like this could be her year.”

Jane Stockdale

Demonstrating dedication to the cause, the Scottish documentary photographer brought her own ladder to shoot padel star Tia Norton.

“We had to be a bit ninja to capture Tia from the heart of the action,” she says.

“I got a few bruises, but it was totally worth it.”

Jessica Holland

“Her self-belief is so contagious,” says the London-based writer of Red Roses rugby star Ellie Kildunne. “Ellie makes you feel anything’s possible.

It’s clear why she’s reached the very top of her game.”

Summer is as much a state of mind as a season here in the UK – a country where the weather is about as predictable as a lottery draw. While others might cancel plans at the first sign of rain, we Brits raise a brolly over the BBQ or head to the main stage in sequins and a pair of wellies. And when the sun shines, we want to make the most of every moment. It’s in this spirit that we’ve packed this issue of The Red Bulletin with the best UK events for your diary – and stories of the summer stars making them happen. Cricket royalty Ben Stokes and KL Rahul go head-to-head, Ellie Kildunne digs deep ahead of a pivotal Rugby World Cup, history-making sprinter Amber Anning vows to go bigger, and chaotic synthpunk outfit Fat Dog prepare to unleash mayhem. Plus lots more… Enjoy the issue – and a fun-filled summer.

Dinas Mawddwy, Wales

Going hard

If bikes were trumpets, this image would be a fanfare, because July 26-27 sees the return of the world’s toughest downhill mountain-bike race, Red Bull Hardline.

Carved out of the Mid Wales landscape by MTB ace Dan Atherton more than a decade ago, the course has left just as profound an impression on the hearts and minds of his sport’s elite, who’ll flock back to the Dyfi Valley for this notoriously gnarly challenge. Our ‘trumpeter’ here is London-based rider Josh Lowe, jumping the iconic Road Gap last June. If the mardy Welsh weather can behave itself this year, prepare for more minds to be blown and jaws to drop.

Instagram: @redbullbike

Dubai, UAE

Hot shots

Baskets were bulging in Dubai this April – and not only in the AC-cooled, marble-floored environment of its famed malls. Out on the street, at the national qualifiers of three-on-three basketball tournament Red Bull Court, pounding the paint, not conspicuous consumption, was the draw. And the reward for the men’s and women’s winners, Team Sharjah & 3x3.Dubai? A place in the world final, right back here in UAE’s most populous city, on November 20.

Instagram: @redbullhalfcourt

El Nido, Philippines

Wild style

In April this year, El Nido made only its second appearance (following its 2019 debut) in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. But this spectacular spot – gateway to the Philippines’ Bacuit Archipelago – is already a firm favourite among the contest’s elite, several of whom have dubbed it ‘paradise’. Here, we see Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes plunging into its Big Lagoon. The man known as the ‘Stylemaster’ returned to El Nido as a wildcard and upped his podium placing from third (in 2019) to second.

Instagram: @redbullcliffdiving

Saudi Arabia

Done and dusted

For Audi, the 2023 Dakar Rally began with high hopes but ended in dejection, blighted by setbacks. After a 2022 debut that had surpassed all expectations – including four stage wins and 14 podiums – the team of Mattias Ekström, Stéphane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz (and co-drivers) had reason for optimism behind the wheel of the redesigned RS Q e-tron (pictured). In his documentary Dakar: Race Against the Desert (available on streaming platforms), French actor/director Jalil Lespert chronicles the travails of some of the 2023 cohort, capturing “the fatigue aspect, the emotional scale” of the iconic rally raid. For Audi, at least, the pain was short-lived – victory was theirs in Saudi Arabia the following year. dakar.com

Your Ultimate Wingman

Femi Kuti

Keeping it in the family

The Afrobeat giant chooses four tracks that have helped shape a musical dynasty

On his latest album, Journey Through Life, Femi Kuti shares a deeply personal reflection on his experiences as part of one of music’s greatest dynasties. The eldest son of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer and activist Fela Kuti, he finally stepped out from his father’s shadow with his eponymous third album (1995) and Shoki Shoki (1998), melding socially conscious lyrics with funk-infused grooves. At 62, the Lagos-based multiple Grammy nominee is mellowing a little, taking time to savour his family’s legacy – son Mádé is a star in his own right – and help his community. But music is never far from his mind: “Every album is like a baby to me,” Kuti says. Here, he picks four tracks that have impacted the Kuti dynasty’s fortunes… Journey Through Life is out now on Partisan Records; Instagram: @femiakuti

Femi Kuti

Best to Live on the Good Side (2018)

“This track is about me and how I live my life. I’ve tried to move away from political themes to expressing my thoughts more, probably because of age. It’s more important to express the thoughts that have helped me and could [do the same for] others. Helping younger people is good for the soul.”

Dizzy Gillespie Things to Come (1946)

“I first heard this in 1987 and couldn’t believe [it featured] 15 players – five trombones, five saxes, five trumpets. I’d just moved back with my mother and grandmother. Back then I was arrogant, with bad vices. My grandmother said, ‘You’re a lazy musician.’

She told me to practise and listen to jazz, salsa, classical to retrain myself.”

Fela Kuti ODOO (1989)

“In the early ’90s, we would go to the Shrine [Fela’s nightclub in Lagos] and hear my father perform this. I loved watching him play. [But] I remember the stress of going on tour with him, travelling with 70 people. It was madness trying to control them all. For children of icons like this, it’s a very chaotic place [to be].”

Mádé Kuti Free Your Mind (2021)

“This is my son, who’s 29. He picked up the trumpet at the age of three, and by nine years old he was playing in my band. He catches on fast. And luckily I could afford to send him to one of the best music schools, Trinity Laban in London, which is where my father went, too. Mádé played all the instruments on his album For(e)ward.”

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OneCourt

Good vibrations

This haptic tablet puts the action at the fngertips of blind or visually impaired sports fans

For sports fans who are blind or have a visual impairment, audio description has long been the default way to enjoy a game, whether it be via radio commentary or simply friends and family relaying the information.

“That [method] has some benefits but also challenges,” explains Jerred Mace, CEO of tech startup OneCourt. “It’s really difficult to describe the location of a ball – things are happening so fast that it will have already moved by the time you’ve described it.”

And so industrial designer Mace set out to find a more immersive way for those with a visual impairment to experience sports. The result

is a lap-sized haptic device that ‘translates’ sports in real time. OneCourt mirrors the court or field of a sport and communicates, via vibration patterns, what’s happening in a game.

“It’s live, dynamic, tactile interpretation,” says Mace from his offices in Seattle.

“Basically, people can watch the game with their hands.” Initially developed for use with basketball, baseball, American football and soccer, OneCourt produces vibrations that represent different features of the on-field action, whether it’s a pass, a shot or a goal.

“With vision, you see the big picture – you can scan

Levelling the field: (from top) OneCourt in use at the Portland Trail Blazers’ Moda Center; it’s a gamechanger for fans with low or no vision

the field and see almost everything all at once,” Mace says. “And then you look at the details – [in the NBA, for example] it might be LeBron James or Steph Curry. But with touch it’s kind of the opposite: you’re starting with the details. If we were to show everything all at once, it wouldn’t really be comprehensible, so we’re attempting to only highlight what’s most important. We’re choreographing the experience and, generally, trying to identify a focal point.”

In January this year, the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers signed up as the first pro team to use the technology in their arena, offering OneCourt alongside existing accessibility accommodations such as radios and wheelchairs; the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns followed suit a month or two later. A move into MLB is the next step for Mace and his team, as well as plans (there’s a waiting list already in place) for an at-home device that can be used while following sport on television.

“Many fans who have been blind since birth have never seen what a football field looks like,” says Mace, who underwent corrective surgery for visual impairment during his youth. “Being able to understand the spatial relationships is a game-changer.”

OneCourt utilises on-pitch data already being collected by professional sports teams and leagues via physical sensors and cameras using analytical software (similar to Hawkeye in tennis). The biggest challenge was creating an experience that’s as close to real time as possible.

“Fans [with low or no vision] are often delayed in the experience – everyone around is cheering, but they’re waiting to hear what happened,” Mace says. “With this technology, the immersion and the realtime aspect changes people’s entire experience. You’re able to react alongside everyone else. You’re in the moment.” onecourt.io

Living Portraits

Walking work of art

Like many artists, Alexa Meade makes her living painting people. But few others do this in such a literal sense

“If someone hasn’t slept well, it doesn’t matter how beautiful their bone structure is, the painting just won’t feel alive,” says Alexa Meade. And when the US artist says alive, she means it: instead of using a canvas, she paints directly onto her subject.

Meade’s Living Portraits project transforms human beings into seemingly 2D portraits. The results are beautiful and startling in equal measure. “My paintings can talk and breathe and move around,” says the artist, 38, who’s based mainly in LA. “They’re real humans, so you’ll see the sparkle in their eye. I can put down bold

brush strokes on the face, but it’s the micro expressions of the model underneath that completely change the tone of the painting.”

The idea first came to Meade during extracurricular sculpture classes in the final year of her master’s degree in political science. Her method of playing with light and shadow is self-taught, she says: “I don’t give away all my secrets, but 90 per cent of the illusion is paying attention to how light and shadow falls on the human face and then exaggerating the shadows. A lot of people assume I’d paint to cancel out the shadows, but I do the opposite.”

In living colour: (clockwise from top) Meade paints the Queen of Hearts (2025); Spectacle (2018); A Proposal – We Cross the Street (2016)

From bold pop-art lines to expressionist-inspired wisps, Meade matches the painting styles to her models, most of them her friends but also the occasional celebrity: in 2018 she painted pop star Ariana Grande for the music video of her song God is a Woman

“It’s definitely a two-way conversation,” Meade says. “If I make a painting that feels full of energy and light because of my colour palette and brush strokes, but the person underneath is someone who’s more stoic, it’ll just feel like a clash and not live up to the aesthetic I was after. I really have to find out what works for the specific person.”

With all the clothes, props and backgrounds prepared in advance, she can complete the painting of a model’s face in 45 minutes. “Often, when painting a face on canvas, an artist has to commit to certain decisions,” Meade explains, “whereas I can let my process be guided by the person underneath and how I feel about them in the moment.”

The downside is that her paintings are short-lived. “It used to really upset me that I couldn’t save my paintings,” Meade says. “The work of art is the human themselves, so they must wash off the paint at the end. I have to ensure it’s captured in photos, because no matter how beautiful the painting, it’s this ephemeral thing. If the photos don’t capture its essence, it’s as if I never painted it at all.” alexameade.com

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Keerthana Kunnath

Pillars of strength

When the Kerala-born photographer came across a community of women bodybuilders in India, she saw their poise and power was worth celebrating

Early last year, photographer Keerthana Kunnath was researching Kalari, an ancient martial art originating in Kerala, when she stumbled across the Instagram account of a woman bodybuilder from the area.

“It was almost a shock for me because I’d never heard of something like that existing in India,” says Kerala-born Kunnath, who moved to London in 2020 to study for a master’s degree in fashion photography but still shoots personal projects in her home country. Having discovered the community of women bodybuilders, they became her next subject.

“In so many ways, they are disrupting [popular ideas of]

Keerthana Kunnath

Life through the lens: Indian-born, London-based photographer

what it means to be a woman,” she says. “There’s so much underrepresentation, and it’s almost like we’re always represented through the male gaze, shown through other people’s eyes.”

With her project Not What You Saw, the London College of Fashion graduate seeks to challenge stereotypes. “My approach was really different,” Kunnath says of the way in which she blends elements of fashion editorial with those inspired by traditional Malayalam (the official language of Kerala) cinema and poetry. “We’re so used to being portrayed

as this very coy, sweet, sensual woman. I wanted to keep their personality, which is extremely strong, but at the same time [show] that that doesn’t mean they’re not feminine.”

Working with her stylist friend Elton John, Kunnath incorporated traditional garments into the shoots. “We knew we didn’t want them to put them in their gym clothes – some of them really love dressing up, wearing saris,” she says. “There was a duality that was already within them.”

Kunnath was also inspired by religious iconography and took advantage of the stunning natural settings of Kerala and Karnataka in southern India. “These visuals have been stuck in my head because I grew up here,” she says. “When you go to a temple, you see paintings of beautiful goddesses in saris in the mountains or by the sea. I wanted these beautiful, serene backdrops [for my photos]”.

Since shooting the four women bodybuilders from Kerala, Kunnath has followed their progress in the sport, travelling to competitions and meeting and photographing more women from all across India. What she has learned is that this is a real labour of love. These women have day jobs as teachers and personal trainers, and most have overcome doubts from family, friends and even male trainers within their sport. “There might be 500 men and 20 women at a competition,” Kunnath says. “It’s a fairly new sport in India, and a lot of these women have never seen another woman competing. They’re the first ones in their gym who actually got into bodybuilding.”

But despite the women being in the minority, Kunnath can see a sisterhood forming: “On one side they’re competing against each other, but in the green room they’re always helping each other, teaching each other how to pose, fixing their make-up. There’s this beautiful community that’s being built now.”

keerthanakunnath.info

Sticking to their guns: (clockwise from left) Bhumika Kumar; Chitra Purushotham; San Dra San; Aisha Nida

Setting out on the open road without being limited to tried-and-tested tourist routes is often the dream for nomadically inclined travellers looking for some off-grid adventure. But not everyone relishes the idea of surrendering to the elements and wild camping. Camper vans or motorhomes come with their own set of challenges, whether it’s the need for specialist driving licenses, space to store the vehicle, or navigating narrow roads.

Inspired by the tiny house movement, Ukrainian start-up Lemki Robotix, in partnership with German firm IScale3D, has come up with a solution: the world’s first 3D-printed mobile home. “Our tiny camper is for people who love to travel but maybe don’t want to sleep in a tent,” says co-founder Thomas Kramer. “Basically, you have your tent on wheels – it’s stable, comfortable, and it protects you from the weather.”

Measuring 3m in length and 1.8m in height and width, the sleek, teardrop-shaped capsule is printed in two sections: a kitchenette insert, and an outer shell that’s just 9mm thick; this keeps the complete camper, including tailgate, at a lightweight 550kg. And although thin, the walls are made from an eco-friendly composite material – created from 7,000 recycled plastic bottles and reinforced with fibreglass – designed to be hardwearing and robust. It’s also soundproof and provides thermal conductivity to keep residents cool in warm weather and snug if the temperature drops.

“The biggest challenge was to make it ergonomic and stabilise the material, finding the right composite that’s fireproof and thermal,” Kramer explains. The firm opted for an innovative and cost-effective 3D-printing

3D-printed tiny camper

Mini breaks

With its afordability, super-lightweight design and eco-friendly credentials, this compact, printable mobile home opens up a world of possibilities for of-grid adventurers

process known as Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF), which uses 100-per-cent recyclable plastic granules in place of traditional filaments.

Maximum efficiency is key in such a small space, and the camper offers hidden storage, a cosy sleeping area big enough for two adults and a child, and an outdoor shower that can be connected to the taps. It even has smart features including sensors to monitor water levels, temperature and battery charge, while optional solar panels can be added for even more sustainability.

The micro-camper is available in four variations,

light: (from top) Lemki Robotix’s 550kg micro-camper offers comfort and sustainability; company co-founder Thomas Kramer

with prices starting at around €12,000 [£10,300], and one of the biggest advantages of 3D-printing a vehicle like this, says Kramer, is speed.

“You can print the camper in two days and it’ll be ready in a week,” he explains, “whereas people often have to wait months – if you’re buying from a big factory, you could be waiting a year.”

It’s also easy to make modifications, customisations and enhancements to the camper, tailored to the traveller. “What’s beautiful is the form,” says Kramer.

“It’s a moving sculpture –and you can sleep in it!”

iscale3d.com/project/3d-camper

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Summer Heroes

Cricket/Surfing/Gaming/ Padel/Athletics/Rugby/ Festivals/Formula 1

Download:

House of Protection

LEAVING A SUCCESSFUL BAND IS A BIG CALL, BUT FOR ARIC IMPROTA AND STEPHEN HARRISON IT WAS A DOOR TO CREATIVITY

Words Lou Boyd Photography Anthony Tran

In 2022, Californians Aric Improta and Stephen Harrison made the decision to leave Grammy-nominated rock trio Fever 333, sending shockwaves through the hardcore community. Friends and bandmates since 2014, the drummer and guitarist left the security of a successful mainstream act to pursue something more meaningful: creative freedom. Their new project, House of Protection, fuses elements of punk, electronica, shoegaze and drum’n’bass and was created to be a safe space for artistic expression without limitations.

“With Aric, there’s just this level of understanding,” says Harrison. “Even if I don’t immediately ‘get’ one of his ideas, I trust his vision completely. That kind of mutual belief is powerful.”

Here, Harrison (pictured opposite, left, with bandmate Improta) reflects on how their friendship sparked a new sound and a more emotionally honest creative process…

the red bulletin: The two of you have been friends for more than a decade. How has that influenced the way you collaborate?

stephen harrison: I knew of Aric before I met him – his reputation precedes him. He’s one of the most creative people I’ve come across – not just as a drummer, but as a lyricist, a visual artist, just a fully realised artistic mind. Working with him one-on-one has been this masterclass in dedication. His work ethic is wild – he practises constantly; he’s emotionally invested in everything. It’s rare to find someone who brings that much heart.

Is it true you share a birthday? We do! Whether or not it means anything, I don’t know – I go back and forth on that

whole universe-fate-destiny thing. But our timing always feels weirdly aligned. We connect on a deep level, especially when it comes to nostalgia. We both obsess over our childhood and pull from those feelings when we write. We still love the same things we did when we were 10: skateboarding; aggressive music; big, open parking lots; abandoned buildings... And when we’re writing we’re chasing that feeling. We’ll be like, “Let’s write a song that feels like the last day of school,” and we both just get it.

How did ‘protection’, both creative and emotional, come to shape the project? That was there from the jump. When we started House of Protection, we made a pact: whatever we create, it has to feel safe. We wanted a space where we could express ourselves fully, without fear, no judgment. That kind of trust, even among friends, is rare. And when you’re sharing a lyric or a melody, it’s vulnerable. If it’s not met with care, it can be crushing.

On the House

2014 Drummer Harrison and guitarist Improta meet on the US music circuit

2017 The pair form Fever 333 with vocalist Jason Aalon Butler

2022 Harrison and Improta leave Fever 333 after five successful years

2024 They sign with Red Bull Records as House of Protection, film the video for their single Pulling Teeth in India’s infamous stunt pit ‘the Well of Death’, and release their debut EP Galore

2025 HoP play their first sold-out live dates – in LA and London – and release their second EP, Outrun You All

You’ve spoken before about heavier music being a safety net. How is that? Hardcore music is where we come from, and right now it’s having this big cultural moment, even showing up at places like Coachella. It would’ve been easy to ride that wave, but I’m not sure I’m the right representation of hardcore any more. Starting another hardcore band wouldn’t have felt genuine. If you’re going to step into a genre built on community and authenticity, you better mean it.

What were your musical reference points for the new album?

We love Bloc Party, The Prodigy, Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones… Those bands seeped into the DNA of this thing. We’re both ’90s kids, so a lot of the album is about chasing feelings from that era. Not specific sounds, more like moments. Like, how do you write a song that feels like being in a big, open field, aged 12, with nowhere to be? That kind of freedom.

You’re both performing vocals for the first time. Was that daunting? Definitely. Aric had never sung before, and I’d only ever done back-up screams. But we had this moment early on – I stepped out of the recording booth for a few minutes, came back, and Aric was freestyling over what would become [their debut single] It’s Supposed to Hurt I was like, “That’s it.” That song came from the discomfort of trying something new and pushing through it.

So it mirrored your creative process? Exactly. We’d just committed to this new direction, then the first thing we tried didn’t work. It was discouraging. But we pushed through, and that song’s when the magic happened. Growth hurts sometimes – that’s the whole point of the song.

You’ll be at UK festivals this summer. How you want the live shows to feel? I want people to dance, to move, to feel something. We’re still figuring out how to embody these songs in a live space, but I want people to feel what we’re feeling.

What advice would you give to young artists afraid to express themselves?

Look at artists doing weird, beautiful, imperfect things. There’s no blueprint. You can sound however you sound and there’s an audience for it. I’m not a perfect guitarist – I hit wrong notes – but I’m expressing, and that’s the point. There’s a quote I love: “The forest would be a quiet place if only the best birds sang.” downloadfestival.co.uk

“Aric and I made a pact: whatever we create, it has to feel safe”

Head to head

JUNE 20 – JULY 27

ENGLAND VS INDIA MEN’S TEST SERIES

CRICKETERS BEN STOKES AND KL RAHUL ARE SET TO DO BATTLE IN A TEST SERIES IN ENGLAND THIS SUMMER. PUTTING NATIONAL RIVALRY TO ONE SIDE TEMPORARILY FOR THE RED BULLETIN, THE STARS SIT DOWN TO TALK PASSION, PRESSURE AND THE KEY TO SPORTING SUCCESS

Words Rich Edwards

Photography Ali Bharmal

“Both teams take huge pride in this series” Ben Stokes

By any measure, it’s hot. The Red Bulletin is on a disused airstrip, three hours outside Mumbai and more than 900m above sea level, and there’s not an oval in sight. It’s an unlikely setting for a conversation with two of the cricket world’s leading lights. But here, taking full advantage of the shade, sit India’s KL Rahul and England’s Ben Stokes.

Rahul – a megastar with the 22.5m Instagram followers to prove it – has never played on the same Indian Premier League (IPL) side as Stokes, one of the most celebrated cricketers of his generation and the current England men’s Test captain. They have, though, come up against each other regularly since 2010, when their national teams met at the Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

It’s a day they both remember well. “He got me out, then scored 100,” laughs Rahul, who has won more than 200 caps for India across Test, 50-over and Twenty20 cricket.

The pair are here together filming a special project set to be released shortly before the two nations meet in this summer’s men’s Test series in England. As the players chat, a bull and four cows walk aimlessly in the early evening sun further down the runway, unaware they’re in the presence of cricket royalty.

This is a world away from the adulation that both men receive when they walk out onto the park for a match in the IPL.

Its 18th edition in full swing at venues up and down India, the league boasts matches that are played in front of packed stadiums and a global audience of billions.

The previous day, in a taxi from Mumbai International Airport to Aamby Valley City – a punishing drive of switchbacks, traffic jams, and the occasional unplanned stop to let livestock cross the road – The Red Bulletin receives a grounding in just what the IPL means to the people of India.

The Mumbai Indians are the local side in the state of Maharashtra. But unlike English football, which is still primarily governed by geographical proximity and family ties, the IPL is an illustration of the impact that individual stars have in dictating supporter loyalty.

“For me, there is only player: the flashing blade of Virat Kohli,” our driver told us, smiling broadly and removing his hands from the wheel to essay an off drive in the manner of India’s most famous modern-day batter. “So, for me, there is only one team, too: RCB [Royal Challengers Bengaluru].”

Bangaluru is almost 1,000km from Mumbai – and an 18-hour drive. This reflects the importance of cricket’s biggest stars in marketing the competition and turning it into the $12bn giant

Ben Stokes stats

Age: 34

Height: 6ft 1in (1.85m)

Specialism:

All-rounder

England caps in all formats: 267

Career highlight:

Leading England to a seemingly impossible victory against Australia at Headingley in 2019

Hard hitter: Stokes has hit more sixes in Test cricket than any other batter in the format’s history. He has smashed 133 maximums

KL Rahul  stats

Age: 33

Height: 5ft 11in (1.8m)

Specialism:

Wicketkeeperbatter   India caps in all formats: 215

Career highlight:

Scoring a breathtaking 199 against England in Chennai in the final Test of the 2016/17 Test series

Need for speed: This IPL season has seen Rahul become the fastest batter to 5,000 runs in the competition, beating the previous record set by Aussie David Warner

it is today. It also demonstrates the world that Rahul and Stokes inhabit every time they walk to the crease, and the profile that both players enjoy in the country.

Between them, the athletes have played for eight IPL franchises. Rahul has just become the fastest man to notch up 5,000 runs in the competition, while Stokes’ enormous auction fees for joining the Chennai Super Kings and the Rising Pune Supergiant remain in the top 15 of the competition’s most expensive-ever signings.  These are two of the most recognised cricketers on the planet and will once again be lining up against each other for a Test series that looks set to capture the imagination in England this summer. But how do these giants of their sport cope with everything it throws at them, and, in a world where cricket has changed beyond all recognition in the past 20 years, what do they believe the future holds? In a rare break from life in the fast lane of sport superstardom, they compare notes…

What was it about cricket that first made you fall in love with the sport?

ben stokes: I was from a sporty family. Cricket and rugby are both big sports in New Zealand [where Stokes was born and lived until the age of 12], so it was just always there, easily accessible. I had a cricket ground just a five- or ten-minute walk around the corner from my house in Christchurch, and it was the same [when we moved to] Wellington as well. My main memory as a kid was just being completely obsessed with sport. kl rahul: I don’t know what first made me pick up a bat as a child. All I know is my parents tell me that as soon as I could walk I would be all around the house with one in my hand. I would make my dad throw balls at me, my mum throw balls at me, my sister throw balls at me. Anyone who came home, I would have them chuck a ball in my direction. It was just something I was naturally drawn towards. Ever since then, I’ve been in love with this sport.

Can you still remember your first game?

kr: Absolutely! My first major game was when I was 11 years old. I travelled from Mangalore to Bangalore for an under-13 selection game and scored 26 runs in both innings. I remember my second game, too, because I got 100! I always wanted to be a cricketer, but I didn’t know if I had the skills or the talent to play professionally in a country like India, which has so many talented players – especially when you come from a small town with no history of guys who had played cricket at any significant level. I told myself that I was going to dedicate every moment I had to making it in the sport. I would be up at 5am to practise. I had to: my parents weren’t super-strict when I was growing up but they had a few rules, and they told me that if my grades started going down they would pull the plug on cricket. I had to find a way of combining both. When you’re 10 or 11, you don’t care about sleeping anyway, do you? You’d be awake for 24 hours, seven days in a row, if you had to.

bs: I remember bits and bobs from playing junior cricket – it was shorts and a white shirt, no coloured clothing, back then in New Zealand. When I moved to England, playing sport definitely helped me to settle more quickly. If you’ve got something outside of education where you spend time with people, it does create

“As a kid, Test cricket is what you dream of playing most”

KL Rahul

a bond. The group I hung around with were all into cricket and rugby and, being sporty myself, it was another way of making friends. The cricket team at school were all pretty much the same as the club team I played for in Cockermouth [in Cumbria]. It’s a small town and everyone knows everyone, but there’s no such thing as a local celebrity there. I don’t get back that often, but when I do it’s same old, “Alright, Ben, what have you been up to?” I’m treated the same way as everyone else.

Do you think the experience of being a high-profile cricketer in England differs from that of being a player at the same level in India?

bs: In England, you get recognised quite a lot, but it’s quite chilled being in the north east [Stokes lives in County Durham]. It’s probably the easiest part of the UK for me to live, because I tend to just go to the same places all the time. London can be a bit more hectic, obviously. When I was young, all I wanted to do was be a professional cricketer – I had huge ambitions to play for England. As soon as you do that, as soon as you play a lot of games for your country, you’re going to get recognised. That’s a natural by-product of success, and it comes hand-inhand with your dreams. You have to take the rough with the smooth, and there will be a part of you saying, “Well, this is what you wanted…” It is what it is. Sometimes it works in your favour and sometimes it can be frustrating.

Ben, did you find the level of scrutiny changed when you arrived as a player in India?

bs: One hundred per cent. It changes as soon as you get off the plane. India is cricket-mad; it’s a religion out here. If I had any advice to give to someone who’s come to India for the first time as a professional cricketer, it would be, “Keep your head down and keep moving.” The likes of Virat [Kohli], [Rohit] Sharma, KL, all the guys who are absolute superstars out here, you can’t just live a normal life. If you need something at the shop, you can’t just hop in a car and head to the supermarket.

KL, there’s a big spotlight on any player who excels in your sport in India – what’s the key to adapting to that?

kr: For me, I think the key to everything is to remember who you truly are. [Looking at] the athletes I’ve met and interacted with, I don’t think they’re still the person they were when they first started playing cricket and first broke into the India team. A lot changes over time. You’re exposed to a lot of things, and you can get beaten down on a daily basis if you’re playing all three formats. It’s something you have

Cricket heroes: Stokes and Rahul, shot for The Red Bulletin in Aamby Valley City, India, this April

to go through. You can forget who are and what truly gives you the joy and fun of playing sport.

What have you found is the best way to avoid that?

kr: The people who can come out of that mental space and focus on what’s truly important are the guys who can find time to do the things they enjoy and be themselves as much as possible. They’re the people who are happy, the ones who are in the right space. It can be hard to find a balance, but there is help if you want it. I’ve got no shame in saying that I’ve worked with mental health coaches and therapists. I’ve found help. There have been times when I’ve felt like I didn’t know what to do and how to handle myself. But if you want to get physically stronger, you go to the gym; if you want to get better at cricket, you find a coach and you put in the hours. It’s the same principle for looking after your mental strength as well.

Is that part of the game spoken about in the dressing room?

kr: Definitely, I think with the IPL you have the opportunity to speak to players who are going through the same journey. There’s so much in common with everyone who has played this sport, and the things we go through. You realise that you’re not the only one. You help each other out with certain things.

bs: Yeah, if I can chip in there, I think that’s one of the really great things about the IPL. It’s helped to develop relationships between nations. Before, there was none of that. There was no mingling between international players from one country and players from another outside of a series. That has changed completely. The game has just completely opened up, and I think that’s a hugely positive thing.

What about the future of the sport on the pitch? T20 cricket is huge around the world now – can it co-exist with Test cricket?

bs: I think Test cricket is the pinnacle. And I think you’ll hear everyone say that. Anyone who says that Test cricket is dying is completely wrong. When you look at the opportunities that the sport now offers people, the opportunity that it offers to play in different competitions and in different countries, I can only see it getting bigger and bigger as time goes on. In the next 20 years, it’s going to be exciting to see where cricket can go. Twenty years ago, the landscape was completely

different to the landscape now. I think cricket itself is probably a bit unsure of its direction of travel, but I wouldn’t say that was scary, I’d say that was exciting.

kr: Yes, when you’re a kid growing up, Test cricket is the format you dream of playing the most, and I think that’s still the case. The challenge of playing against the best cricketers over five days in different conditions – there’s nothing like that. It’s probably one of the most unique challenges in sport.

Ben, your son plays rugby, and your daughter has just taken part in the Cheerleading World Championships in the US – what kind of father are you on the touchline or in an audience?

bs: My son loves rugby, and I’m buzzing about that. I love going down there to watch him play and train on a Sunday, and I’ll be there walking up and down the touchline. It’s full contact, and a lot of the players are at an age when they understand that they’re not going to get hurt if they make a tackle. I say to Layton, “You see the biggest guy on the field? Try and smash him.” I’m not a parent who shouts from the sidelines. We’ve got this thing where he just looks at me and he can tell if I think he’s playing well or whether I think he needs to get stuck in a bit more. And I’ve just got back from watching my daughter [Libby] compete in the World Championships in Florida. She’s definitely inherited my commitment. She won’t stop until she has hit what she needs to do and it’s perfect.

KL, you’ve just become a father for the first time, so you have all this to come…

kr: Yes, I’ve only just had a baby, so it has been very hard to leave her behind. My mind is always thinking about what she’s doing, and about everything I can do to keep my family happy and provide for them.

The two of you first played against each other at the Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2010 – what advice would you give your teenage selves?

kr: I’d say, “Go easy on yourself in life and in cricket. Have fun playing the game, make sure you’re still that kid who first picked up that bat all those years ago, and keep doing that for as long as possible.” I would beat myself up far too much when I was coming through as a young cricketer.

bs: I’d say, “You’re going to have more bad days than good days, so just deal with it.”

“India is

England are up against India in the men’s Test series this summer – what can we expect?

kr: As a cricketer, the Test is one of the series you really look forward to. Playing in England, in front of huge crowds and at some of the most famous grounds in the world, is something special.

bs: Both teams take huge pride in this series. We were disappointed, very disappointed, with our showing back in the series in India [England lost 4-1 in India in 2023-24]. But we’re very confident that we can put on a better show at home than we did then.

Chasing the race

WATCHING F1 IS ONE THING, CAPTURING IT ON CAMERA QUITE ANOTHER. PHOTOGRAPHER VLADIMIR RYS REFLECTS ON TWO DECADES OF SHOOTING THE HIGH-OCTANE ACTION AT SILVERSTONE

Words Rachael Sigee

Photography Vladimir Rys

JULY 4-6

FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX

July 8, 2018: Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes W09 flies into the pit lane, reflected in the Silverstone Wing building’s windows. “You can’t see the cars coming round the corner, so you have to be prepared,” Rys says.

Since his first season in 2005, F1 photographer Vladimir Rys has shot almost every British Grand Prix at Silverstone. But even all that experience can’t guarantee perfect shots. “Silverstone is one of the more difficult races for pictures,” he says. “It’s an old airfield, so there’s no elevation and the track is quite flat. And it’s a challenge, weather-wise. But the atmosphere is amazing – almost every day is sold out.” After so many visits, Rys says it’s essential to stay sharp: “You need to push yourself creatively. At such speeds, the tolerance for being in or out of focus is really small. You must use your instinct to prepare for what will happen in the next second, because once it’s happened it’s happened and you’re already too late.”

July 17, 2021: in 20 years of shooting F1, Rys has witnessed its evolution. Here, he captured Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen carrying his wreath after victory in the first-ever Sprint, brought in to make race weekends even more competitive.

July 6, 2024: “This is typical Silverstone,”

Rys says of

“It’s grey and dark, but I love shooting in the

– it adds another perspective.”

his shot of Sergio Pérez racing in Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Silverstone livery.

rain

July 5, 2015: “The Silverstone crowd goes bananas when Lewis Hamilton, or any British driver, wins. I don’t think you get as much emotion anywhere else, except maybe at Monza. This was after he won in 2015 for Mercedes, when he jumped on the pit-wall fence. I stood back from the other photographers to get as much emotion into the picture as possible.”

July 13, 2019: a packed grandstand on a gloomy race day. “That’s the typical light at Silverstone: moody and dark. And even in cold weather the stands are full. The vibe’s different there. You can feel it.”

July 5, 2015: F1’s biggest stars have had their name inscribed on the trophy at Silverstone over the years. For Rys, it’s important to keep his relationship with the drivers professional: “I want them to almost not pay attention to me. I want a candid moment.”

July 9, 2022: “F1 cars go up to 350kph, and slowing down the shutter speed gives you this panning effect where everything but the car is blurred. This is Lando Norris in his McLaren MCL60 on the main straight.”

July 3, 2022: “Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu’s crash on the first corner in 2022, after touching cars with Mercedes’ George Russell, was one of the scariest moments. F1 cars are built to be difficult to flip upside down, but it does happen. You can see his helmet lit up by the sparks. The halo [protection device] saved his life.”

July 29, 2020: “This overhead shot shows Red Bull Racing doing pit-stop practice. The whole crew has to be so synchronised. I have incredible access, and sometimes you do have to get in the way to get the shot, but the guys know me so well now. I’ve been there longer than most of the mechanics.”

July 18, 2021: Lewis Hamilton hugs the Silverstone trophy after winning the eighth of his recordbreaking nine GP wins at the circuit. “He was very emotional,” says Rys. “It’s always great when the drivers show real emotion. You don’t get the usual pictures where they are the ultimate fighters; you can see that they are human beings.”

July 3, 2022: “I was just behind that fence when Zhou Guanyu crashed, and you can see the imprint from his car. These fences worked very well here –if there was a concrete wall, it would be a different outcome. It was a really dramatic moment. Thanks to the safety measures we now have, nobody got hurt. It was a miracle, really.”

At Red Bull Pole Position, you can watch this year’s British Grand Prix action trackside, with entertainment from the world of Red Bull, live DJ performances and more. redbull.com

A whole new ballgame

AS PADEL RAPIDLY RISES IN POPULARITY, THE UK’S 21-YEAROLD STAR PLAYER TIA NORTON HAS HAD TO ADAPT HER GAME. AND THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN LIFE-CHANGING

Words Matt Blake

Photography Jane Stockdale

“We always say that padel is easy to pick up but difficult to master”

Perfect partners: Norton (right) and Steffie Weterings, shot for The Red Bulletin at The Padel Yard in April this year

You hear The Padel Yard long before you see it. It’s not just the Ibiza-chill dance music wafting down the street but the symphony of pops and thuds of ball on bat and Perspex that sounds almost like gunfire – the soundtrack to a sport said to be the world’s fastest-growing.

“Padel is a loud game, and not just the sound it makes on court,” says 21-year-old Tia Norton, one of the UK’s elite players. “I’ve played in tournaments around the world where, if I closed my eyes, I could have thought, ‘I’m in a club right now.’ Between games, there’s thumping music, lights flashing, people having a good time. You would never get that in tennis.”

She turns to Dutch female number one Steffie Weterings, her partner both on court and in life. “Absolutely,” smiles Weterings, who quit professional tennis for padel three-and-a-half years ago. “I did all the tennis career stuff, and in the end I had enough of all the seriousness. Padel is so much more relaxed, a real beachy vibe.”

It’s a bright blue day, and Norton has come to The Padel Yard in Wandsworth, south London, to hit some balls before travelling to Bristol to compete in the Silver R3 Bullpadel Cup – the highest professional padel tournament ever staged in the UK. And while the prize pot of €18,000 (£15,340) doesn’t quite match the £50 million that’ll be shared among this year’s winners at Wimbledon, many believe the sport of padel is on its way to challenging tennis’ dominance with its own brand of accessible, high-energy excitement. “It’s incredible to see so many people loving padel,” Norton says. “I mean, if you’d told me when I started playing nine years ago that I’d be sitting next to a music star like Stormzy at a padel club, I’d have called you crazy.”

It’s not just UK rappers posting padel clips on TikTok and Instagram: Prince

William is reported to be ‘hooked’ on the game, while David Beckham, Andy Murray, comedian Jason Manford, Jürgen Klopp and Cristiano Ronaldo are among a tsunami of celebrities who have invested in the sport in recent years. Such endorsement has fuelled a surge in grassroots participation. According to the Lawn Tennis Association, active players in the UK almost doubled from 129,000 to 235,000 in 2024 alone. And, as in any suspected gold strike, prospectors are swarming in. As recently as 2016, there were barely a handful of courts across the country; now there’s estimated to be more than 800, with many more planned in the next year.

Padel’s ascent has been so sharp in parts of Europe that some in tennis have started clutching their pearls. “Tennis is endangered,” Novak Djokovic warned in July last year. “If we don’t do something about it, globally or collectively… they’re going to convert all the tennis clubs into padel and pickleball [another offshoot] because it’s just more economical.”

Norton describes padel as “a mix between tennis and squash, with a beach volleyball vibe”. The rules are simple: it’s always doubles, played on an enclosed court with glass walls that players can use as part of the game. Scoring is the same as in tennis, but all serves are underhand. As for equipment, you bash a furry ball over a net with what essentially looks like a high-tech beach bat with holes drilled into it. “I think [padel’s] popularity lies in its simplicity,” Norton says. “We always say that padel is easy to pick up but difficult to master, whereas tennis and squash are sort of the opposite.”

There’s one more key difference between tennis and padel: while the former often rewards the biggest hitters, the latter calls for ingenuity and finesse. “Because you’ve got that back wall, power isn’t everything,” Norton says. “Hard shots always bounce back, so you have to be clever about where you place your shots, find those tricky angles, and use spin to outsmart your opponent.”

This is exactly why padel is known to insiders as ‘tennis with a second chance’. “The biggest mistake you can make in padel is to assume the rally is over,” Weterings laughs.

And just like a well-timed smash shot with sidespin (or ‘vibora’), the story of

padel has bounced around for far longer than many in the UK might think.

It was invented in 1969 by a Mexican businessman named Enrique Corcuera at his holiday home in Acapulco. He wanted a game that wasn’t so tough on the joints as tennis, or as hard on the heart as squash. So he built a small court in his garden. Then, to prevent straying balls and encroaching weeds, he surrounded it with walls. It was an instant hit with Corcuera’s powerful friends, including Spain’s Prince Alfonso de HohenloheLangenburg. A high-society playboy and founder of luxury beach resort the Marbella Club, the prince introduced padel to the Costa del Sol in 1974. Soon, thanks to its many shots and tactics, the game developed its own lingo, and it became a national obsession across the Spanish-speaking world.

Now, in Spain – where there are estimated to be more than 20,000 public courts – padel attracts more amateur enthusiasts than any other sport, including football. It’s also hugely popular in Italy, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. Globally, there are estimated to be more than 30 million active players across 110 countries.

“The speed at which padel has grown [in the UK] is quite staggering,” says Michael Gradon, co-founder and CEO of Game4Padel, the UK’s largest padel operator. “It’s rare to be at the forefront of a sport that’s evolving so quickly.” Gradon presides over an empire of 23 padel clubs

across the UK, including The Padel Yard, and hopes to have almost doubled that figure by next year. “When we started in around 2018, almost nobody outside of Spain had heard of padel. When you went to a tennis club or shopping centre and proposed building padel courts, they usually assumed you were talking about paddleboarding. Now we’re being offered new sites almost every day.”

To understand quite how confident businesses are in padel’s future in the UK, consider the investment: it costs around £80,000 to build one court, says Gradon. And that’s just outdoors. He reckons that to build a club with half a dozen courts you’d need to raise at least half a million pounds. “And that doesn’t include all the work involved, like finding a suitable site where the noise and lights won’t be an issue, building your own canopies [for indoor facilities], and securing planning consent, which can take years.”

So, is padel a fleeting fad like, say, rollerblading in the 1990s, or the start of something more enduring? Gradon laughs. “Spain and Argentina have had

“When I was 12, I was the only kid my age playing padel in the UK”

the sport for more than 50 years,” he says. “Honestly, I can absolutely see UK padel players outnumbering tennis players soon. It’s not stealing players; people are coming fresh, drawn by the fun and the depth of the game. You rarely see anyone leave a court without a smile.” Global ambitions for the sport took a significant step forward last year when the Premier Padel Tour received a substantial boost from Qatar Sports Investments, led by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president and CEO of Paris SaintGermain FC. “The world has only seen the tip of the iceberg of what the sport of padel can achieve on the global stage,” said Al-Khelaifi in 2022.

There is even talk of padel being accepted into the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. For that, it just needs to establish 75 national federations across the world – a feat many believe will become a reality well before 2032.

In many ways, the story of padel mirrors Norton’s own. When she first picked up a padel racket at 12 years old, there were barely any women on the UK circuit, let alone girls her age. “Nobody had heard of it, and I was the only kid my age playing in the UK,” she says. “I was playing in male tournaments, practising with men, playing with men, competing against men, getting hit by the balls. It was a very big world for a very small me. It was lonely.”

Fortunately, Norton had support from her parents who, after their closest padel court in Birmingham shut down in 2015, drove her from their home in Leamington Spa to London every week to practise on one of the very few courts available in the country at that time. “If there’s one memory that defines my childhood, it’s travelling,” she says. “We drove for two or three hours, I played, slept in the car home, got back late, and then went straight to school the next morning.”

At weekends they often flew to Spain for training or tournaments: “We’d fly out on Friday nights, I’d spend the weekend playing, we’d fly home on the Monday morning, then I’d go straight to school from the airport. A lot of my early years were spent sleeping in cars and planes.”

It paid off. By her teens, Norton had outgrown what untroubling competition there was in the UK; the real challenge was abroad. So abroad she went, taking on the world’s best in Spain, South America, Dubai. “It was a completely different level to what I was used to,” she says. “Those girls were tough.” Then, in 2021, aged 17, she became the first

Court taught: training and competing abroad in her teens shaped Norton into the formidable padel player she is now

Bright future: Norton has her sights set on breaking into her sport’s world top 100

Smash padel patter

Like any sport, padel boasts its own unique vocabulary to describe the action on court, with many terms adopted from their Spanish origins. Here are the ones you should know:

Remate (finish)

An overhead smash hit with power

Globo (lob)

A high, soft shot, typically used to gain time or move opponents back

Bandeja (tray)

A controlled, medium-height overhead shot, often hit with slice on the forehand side

Bajada (downer)

A drive hit around shoulder height after a lob comes off the back wall

Vibora (viper)

A fast, aggressive overhead smash hit with significant sidespin

Cuchilla (knife)

A combination of a bajada and vibora off the back wall

Chiquita (little one)

A short, slow ‘dink’ just over the net, often with backspin

Chancletazo (big slap)

A hard, fast shot at a ball that’s relatively high over the net

Contrapared (against the wall)

A shot played intentionally off the side wall to create a specific angle

Gancho (hook)

An offensive lob or high volley

British woman to compete in – and win –a match on the World Padel Tour. With that, Norton could be officially crowned padel’s UK number one.

“Tia is seen by many as the golden girl of British padel,” says her manager, Oliver Morgan. “A lot of the other top British players migrated from tennis, but Tia’s been playing padel since she was a girl. You can see that in the way she plays. So really she’s the closest thing we have to a padel native in Britain, and that makes her pretty unique.”

Morgan is an influential figure in padel in the UK. Not only does he manage a raft of its top players but he founded the Pro Am Padel Tour – a tournament series that pairs pros with celebrities to add a sprinkle of stardust to the burgeoning national scene. “From the moment I first played padel on a pop-up court in 2021, I saw something special,” he recalls.

Already experienced in sports management, Morgan instantly saw padel’s potential for growth, and the commercial opportunities for the UK’s top players. In Spain, after all, the best in the world can easily earn north of £200,000 a year from prize money, plus a great deal more in sponsorship. And, as its popularity climbs, so do those numbers.

“I searched the internet for the top British players, but there was such a lack of information,” Morgan recalls. “Finally, I spotted one article on Tia in the Leamington Observer.” Soon, he had signed Norton and a collection of other

rising stars from the UK, including Louie Harris and Aimee Gibson. But to secure brand sponsorships he would need to boost their profile. Then Morgan had a brainwave. “Padel had become incredibly fashionable among celebrities, and hugely Instagrammable,” he says. “It seemed to me that if we could attract them to come and play with our top players, the ensuing media attention would be good for everyone.” Now in its third year, 2025’s edition of the Pro Am Padel Tour is set to be held in four cities across the UK, featuring celebrities including Jason Manford and England rugby star Joe Marler.

Today, brands are queueing up for Norton’s ambassadorship, from skincare specialists to sportswear brands. But with padel’s newfound limelight comes a new set of pressures for its ‘golden girl’. As the sport’s popularity grew, it began to lure struggling professional tennis players –hoping for their second chance – onto her turf. Norton was recently toppled from her top spot by Gibson, a former tennis pro who only began playing in 2022, and

“If we did get into the Olympics, that would be pretty special”

who last year became the first British woman to break into the world’s top 100 (74 of whom are Spanish).

This change in ranking coincided with a challenging period for Norton. “There were a few contributing factors, some personal, but I wasn’t doing so well in tournaments, and I was starting to lose the enjoyment for it,” she admits candidly. “That led to a few mental issues in terms of, ‘Why am I still doing this?’”

A significant strand to this struggle was the ‘speed-dating’ game of finding a consistent and compatible partner.

“Constantly playing with different partners was tough,” she says. “Fundamentally it’s a cooperative game, so it’s really important to click with each other.” Then, finally, she met Weterings. “She offered me the support I guess I needed,” Norton says, looking warmly at her partner. “In my head she was a lot better than me, so I thought maybe I could learn from her.”

The impact was immediate and profound: “I moved to Holland, started training with Steffie and, as we spent more time together, our relationship progressed both on the court and off it. We played our first tournament together, and we lost out to number 50 and 60 in the world in the third-set tie break. So I was like, ‘OK, wow, this is a big, big change.’ I found myself again.”

Watching them – the way they play together, the way they look at each other – the connection between the two is palpable. And this support system has renewed Norton’s sense of purpose and drive. “I’ve found my love for padel again,” she says. “And also… [she looks at Wetering] I’ve found a new love.”

Wetering’s 12-year-old dog Dolce, a fluffy, white Lhasa Apso and Maltese cross, hobbles over from a nap and plonks itself between the two women. “Oh, and how could I forget you, Dolce,” Norton says, ruffling the dog’s cheeks and adding, “I’d say things are going very, very well.”

Now her sights are on finally breaking into the world top 100, then the Olympics. “If we did get into the Olympics, that would be pretty special, wouldn’t it?” Norton says. “I’ll be 28 by then, which by padel standards is still young – there are some pros on the circuit who are nearly 50.”

Weterings squints into the sun. “I’m 14 years older than Tia, so I don’t know exactly where I’ll be by then,” she says. “But you never know.” She smiles, looking at Norton. “That’s one of the lovely things about padel, isn’t it? We’ve got plenty of time yet to enjoy this adventure together.” Catch the next edition of the Pro AM Padel Tour on July 23-24; Instagram: @proampadeltour

Team goals: the support of Weterings, the Dutch women’s number one, has given Norton a renewed purpose and drive

Latitude Inside the line-up of the UK’s finest festival for theatre and comedy

Line of thought: offering a broad spectrum of creative arts, Latitude –staged at the picturesque Henham

Suffolk – has been a celebrated fixture on the festival calendar since 2006

Park,

Artist spotlight:

Thomas Green

ONCE A CARD-CARRYING CULT MEMBER, THE AUSTRALIAN IS NOW A SUCCESSFUL STAND-UP COMEDIAN TRANSLATING HIS EXPERIENCES INTO SELL-OUT SHOWS

Words Jessica Holland

Ten years ago, Thomas Green completely changed his life. Then a primary-school teacher in Adelaide, South Australia, he left the intense religious community he’d been part of for a decade, separated from the woman he’d married when he was 22, quit his job, and moved to the UK to make it as a comedian.

Green had previously performed stand-up here and there – making it to the final of a national competition and taking a few hour-long shows to the Adelaide Fringe – but London’s circuit was on a different level, and he was determined to be part of it. His debut tour, End of Daze, and its accompanying comedy special –filmed in late 2023 and available to watch on YouTube – deals with that first big transition in his life.

The comedian will start touring his follow-up show, Brainstorm, in September. But first he’s taking to the stage at Latitude…

the red bulletin: What should people expect from your set? thomas green: People usually say ‘energy’. I’m very animated. I grew up loving Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Billy Connolly. I’m not political or ‘edgy’ – worst word ever. I like to be cheeky and have fun.

How did you first get into comedy? When I was at uni, I took part in a national competition and got through to the finals, but after that I just stopped for a while. I started teaching, I got married really young, and I was part of a hyper-religious sect. Then, in 2012,

I just booked myself into the Adelaide Fringe, an hour’s slot for a week. I was still teaching for a few years after that but also doing the Fringe every year. I’d look forward to it so much. For those weeks, I’d really feel like myself. It’s so cringey, but I really felt like I was doing what I was meant to be doing.

The transition from your former life to becoming a stand-up comedian sounds quite radical…

Yeah, leaving that enclosed environment was profound. It was a big part of my life as a teenager. They tried to deliver me from a ‘porn demon’ after finding out I’d watched porn: they laid me down in front of everyone in the church and prayed over me. It was quite intense.

What brought you to the UK?

In 2015, I was getting divorced, I’d left the church, and I was going to quit teaching. Then I met my [current] wife. She was working in a bar where all the comics would hang out in Melbourne. We started dating, then she came [to the UK], and I came over, too, later that year. It turned out that she lived in the same suburb as my best friend from uni, so I moved in with him in London.

How did you find the move?

I always wanted to move here. I love Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, and I always wanted to do comedy in the UK. I’d been in such a confined environment that it was like I was seeing things for the first time. I had a new perspective on life – I still have that now. I’m so grateful for everything. I was moonlighting, doing stand-up while also doing supply teaching in the UK for a bit to keep afloat, and then I quit teaching completely.

What’s been your worst gig?

My first gig in the UK was a proper horror story. It was in 2016 and I was 28 years

old, but I was like a naive kid. It was a 20-minute opening set in a club in Camden. People were drunk, passing out; it was chaos. I was brought on like a deer in headlights, the whole audience staring at me. I didn’t have 20 minutes of material. I didn’t have club stuff, with that pace. The worst part is that my eversupportive wife had brought 20 family members to see her boyfriend’s first gig in the UK. They didn’t come and see me again for seven years.

Did you learn from the experience?

It was a real awakening: ten years in, I’m still growing and learning stuff. Even in the last 18 months, I’ve become more comfortable performing, which is why I’m so excited to get on tour again.

What’s your new show about?

It’s about how my mouth has got me into trouble, and how my brain operates. There’s always a lot going on in my head; it’s chaos.

How does performing at a festival like Latitude compare with a normal gig? Festivals are definitely different. This is my first time at Latitude, and I’m looking forward to it as a lot of comics have said to me it’s great and that comedy is really a part of the festival. It isn’t always like that: I played Leeds once at midday on the Saturday and it was just hungover teenagers sat on the floor, recovering.

How do you feel about comedy in the UK at the moment?

It’s an exciting time in British stand-up. There’s a beautiful cauldron of emerging talent, fresh ideas coming through. I think the audience for comedy is growing again; it’s having a resurgence.

“I’m not political or ‘edgy’… I like to have fun”

Behind the scenes

LATITUDE’S

TAYLOR, ON

ARTS AND COMEDY

BOOKER, KIRSTY

WHY FESTIVALS ARE VITAL FOR EXCHANGING IDEAS AND EXPANDING HORIZONS…

“Latitude was launched in 2006 with the idea of bringing the Sunday newspaper culture section to life. One of the first festivals to give comedy, theatre, poetry and literature equal billing alongside music, it aimed to build a weekend of thoughtful, curious and joyful experiences – a space where people with varied yet intersecting interests could come together.

“At Latitude, you can dance to something energetic in the sun, then sit down and watch 6,000 people in hysterics at the Comedy Arena or experience a pin-drop moment during contemporary theatre. When everyone reconvenes after the headliners finish, you can then explore late-night acts – from digital cabaret in the Theatre Arena to alternative comedy and spoken word.

“To book the headliners, I’m often working a whole year in advance, but we’re constantly discussing who might be next, who’s breaking through, or who’s coming to the UK. My main priority with comedy is always: who’s funniest live? Who can connect with our audience?

“[Comedian] Amy Gledhill is at Latitude this year, and she has a brilliant story:

she used to volunteer at the festival in her early days, and now she’s performing. We’ve also come full circle with Greg Davies – he MC’d our very first comedy line-up, and now he’s the headliner.

“It’s important that festivals remain outward-looking, presenting life experiences that may not be universal but help foster empathy. In a way, we’re creating a utopia for a weekend, a vision of the world as we hope it could be. It’s about curiosity and temporarily removing the boundaries of day-to-day life. You can absolutely catch an hour of killer one-liners at the Comedy Arena, but comedy and theatre are also where people often speak truth to power.

“I work to design the programme so people encounter new ideas or perspectives. You might find someone articulating something that you’ve felt but couldn’t express, or discover a new way of seeing the world. Or you might just fall in love with a performer because they capture your heart in that precise moment. The arts matter, not only politically or culturally but in showing people that there are all kinds of ways to make a life.”

THE BEST OF LATITUDE’S THEATRE AND COMEDY OFFERINGS

COMEDY ARENA

Bridget Christie

The celebrated comedian, actor and writer, who has performed 14 hit solo shows and created critically acclaimed Channel 4 comedy drama

The Change, returns with her unique blend of sharp wit and relatable insights.

Amy Gledhill

Fresh from winning the 2024 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show, the Hull-born comedian, actor and writer brings signature warmth and storytelling prowess.

THEATRE ARENA

Bryony Kimmings: Bog Witch

Playwright and performer Kimmings’ show tells of her being dragged, kicking and screaming, to live in the countryside – and her transformation from slick city bitch to big boggy witch. Gravity & Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours

This internationally acclaimed Australian ensemble presents an immersive experience combining physical theatre and contemporary circus.

THE LISTENING POST

Brian Bilston

Described as the ‘Banksy of poetry’ and Twitter’s unofficial Poet Laureate, Bilston has a huge social following and sells out shows across the country.

Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown

This award-winning podcast sees host Matthew Crosby pit team captains

Ben Clark and Tom Parry against each other in a series of silly games, joined by comedian pals. Always fun, always chaotic. latitudefestival.com

Matt Jones

THE MTB

MAVERICK

HAS LONG SOUGHT THE ULTIMATE TEST FOR TWO WHEELS. NOW HE’S TAKING HIS QUEST TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD

Words Rachael Sigee

For almost as long as he’s been riding bikes, Matt Jones has built his own jumps. Whether creating a mammoth bike track in his backyard during lockdown or a custom ramp to jump over his own house, the British freestyle rider is all about testing himself – and gravity – to the limit. “I just love constructing things and testing them,” says the 30-year-old. “It’s that loop of: build it, try it, change it, build it, try it, change it. And perfecting it in the end.”

But for the last year Jones – known for his fearless appearances at the likes of X Games, Crankworx and Red Bull Hardline – has taken his DIY approach into the virtual realm, designing his own video game, Mavrix (launching soon in beta on PC). And he’s adamant that, thanks to his unique understanding of the sport, it’ll be the most authentic MTB video game ever.

“We’re trying to build out what people experience in the real world,” Jones says. “With the tech available now, we’re moving into a time where you can absolutely nail the physics.” Even better, in the virtual world he doesn’t have to worry about risking a bad landing: “I can test a 100ft jump, and if I crash I can just try again. There’s much less danger!”

the red bulletin: In terms of authenticity, what was most important for you to get right in the game?

matt jones: Bike physics is complicated. You’ve got two wheels, two separate tyres with different amounts of grip, handlebars, then the rider’s body position and where they put their weight… so many variables. It’s difficult to capture that in a video game, but I think we’ve nailed it. Everything behaves how a bike should, whether

that’s losing traction or doing a drift around a corner because you’ve turned in too hard, or the ability to balance a wheelie using pedal force, rider weight and the incline you’re on. They’re all things that are super-important, but video games haven’t done a good job of capturing them in the past.

How does building in a virtual space compare with the real world?

It’s amazing, because it’s a blank canvas where you can do anything. And you can do it fairly quickly, too: you can turn the side of a mountain into a bike park much quicker than with diggers and dumpers. I love the flexibility and freedom. But I’m trying to use all the skills and knowledge I’ve built up over years of building jumps to assemble tracks and courses that actually work and make sense. So you come round a berm and the style of jump there is the one you’d expect to see.

You’ve said this has allowed you to build your “dream MTB playground”. What makes it so epic?

It’s that I get to design the landscape: how the mountains flow together and the ground undulates, and where you have rock and grass and forest. Most people have to work with a landscape they’re given and just add things. [With Mavrix] we actually get to start from the landscape itself. You don’t have to spend years finding the perfect hill; you just make the hill.

Will pro riders automatically be good at the game?

Absolutely. We’ve already done play tests, and people who ride bikes well are instantly better, because we’ve set up the controls in a way that works: the brakes are split up on the controller so you’ve got a front brake and a rear brake, just like on a real mountain bike. People who already know how to manage braking around corners just instantly get a feel for it. It’s pretty exciting that it transcends real life.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve been able to capture in the game so far?

We’ve added the iconic river [canyon] gap from Red Bull Hardline last year, so I get to ride that gnarly jump whenever I want and do double front and double back flips on it. That’s my favourite thing: hitting jumps and deciding at the last minute what I’m going to do.

You’ve designed the game with your twin brother Jono, who’s also a pro MTB rider. What was that like?

It’s awesome to have a sounding board of someone who’s ridden bikes their whole life. Especially with Jono being from more of a racing background, because we’re really leaning into racing and time trials in the game. Actually, I was kind of worried about working with my twin brother! But it’s been perfect – we absolutely sing from the same hymn sheet.

You two have been jumping on a tandem IRL this year. How was that? Yeah, that was hard. If there’s a true test of our relationship, it was that. That was insanely hard. Tandems aren’t designed to be jumped, but we managed to get some air.

Will there be a tandem in the game?  A hundred per cent. Watch this space. It’s a work in progress.

Instagram: @mavrix_game

Changing the landscape: bikecourse builder and rider Jones says Mavrix will be the most true-to-life MTB game ever

“You don’t have to spend years finding the perfect hill; you make it”

AUGUST 2-3 UK ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

IN HER FIRST FULL YEAR AS A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE, 400M SPECIALIST AMBER ANNING BROKE A BRITISH RECORD, TOOK HOME TWO OLYMPIC MEDALS AND BECAME WORLD CHAMPION… AND THAT, SHE SAYS, WAS JUST THE WARM-UP

Words Rachael Sigee

Fast track

Running the show: Anning at the Tyson Invitational, an annual trackand-field meet in Arkansas, in February this year

To prepare for her first professional athletics season, Amber Anning wrote a letter to herself to read before races. “I spoke about how proud my younger self would be,” the 24-year-old says. “I wrote, ‘All of the hard work and training you’ve done – don’t let it get away based on you not having belief.’”

In March this year, the 400m runner carried the letter in her training bag to the European Athletics Indoor Championships in the Netherlands where she was one of Team GB’s big medal hopes. But disaster struck when Anning was disqualified for a lane infringement in her opening heat. After that, she added something to the letter: “The last thing I put in was, ‘You are going to stand on a podium and hear your national anthem – go get what’s yours.’”

Just two weeks after Anning’s disqualification at the European event, her prediction came true and God Save the King played out in Nanjing, China, as she took gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. “I had no idea that I was making history until the interviews afterwards,” she says of the victory, which made her the first British woman ever to win a world indoor sprint title. “It was really special. It gives you a taste of, like, I want to keep feeling this. It’s a good feeling being on top!”

After picking up two bronzes in the women’s and mixed 4 x 400m relays at the 2024 Paris Olympics and coming fifth in the individual event – setting a new British record of 49.29s in the process – this was the breakthrough Anning had been waiting for.

A “very energetic” child, Anning was born in London but spent her early childhood in Australia where she was immersed in surfing, rollerskating, dance, netball and athletics, trying everything from cross country to multi-eventing. Once the family returned to the UK and settled in Brighton and Hove, athletics and netball vied for Anning’s focus, but ultimately track won out, and in 2020 she made the move to train in the US, first at Louisiana State University and then at the University of Arkansas.

“The biggest differences are the weather and the facilities,” she says of life in the States. “Having warmer weather, it’s easier to have quality sessions, there’s less chance of injury and you can be more consistent with training. The competition is also

a different level – there are a lot more girls to compete against. It makes you up your game because you have to. They’re running fast, and if you want to be the best you have to compete against the best.”

This August, Anning will defend her British title at the UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham. And her sights are firmly set on the World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo in September and beyond.

“My main goal is to be the first British woman to break that 49-second barrier,” she says. “I know that it’s going to take 48 to medal at the LA Olympics in

2028. And for the relays I want to push our times and get up there on the top spot. We’ve done a really good job of picking up the bronzes and the silvers. It would be nice to beat the Americans on home soil, let me just say that!”

the red bulletin: Your world title followed disappointment at the European Championships. How did you pick yourself up after that setback?

amber anning: The fact that I had the relay two days afterwards… getting that silver medal and the British record was a nice high after the low. Also,

I was like, “I’ve just done this for the team, but I need to do this for myself.” I was giving myself rest and recovery, giving myself grace. But also I had something to deal with on a bigger level: to really put my name out there, I had to embrace the low and know that a high could come from it.

How did you feel before the World Championships? I was pretty calm that whole week, even though I’m normally quite a nervous runner, because you do want it so much. But I’ve been working with a psychologist, and she was just like, “I’ve never seen

Flying the flag; Anning and her teammates celebrate bronze in the mixed 4 x 400m relay at Paris 2024

“The

400m is a hard race… the lactic acid is

just crazy”

you in this state of calmness. I think something very special is about to happen.” It was weird that I was so at peace. Usually, a few days out, I’m panicking and not really sleeping, but I just felt like I was ready.

What’s your pre-race ritual? How do you calm those nerves?

I’ve actually started wearing make-up! I’ve never really worn it, ever, but I wanted to do something different this year. I wanted to enjoy the process of getting ready to compete. So before I leave the hotel I’m having a great time in my bathroom, playing music, glamming up, taking pictures. I’m just trying to not think about the race. People do say, “You look good, you run good.” For the bus journey, I listen to music. But I don’t warm up with music at the track. As soon as my headphones are off, it’s game time. So it starts off really high-energy, but then I’m really locked in and it’s lower-level to conserve energy for the race.

Your manicure is looking good today…

Nails are becoming a massive thing! [US champion sprinter] Sha’Carri Richardson is a prime example –hers are so long but so expressive. It really shows her personality. I make sure before any championship that my nails are done – you don’t want a chipped nail when [the cameras] zoom in on you on the start line.

What’s going on in your head mid-race?

My coach says, “Amber, once you switch off your brain, you are going to become a very dangerous athlete.” But right now I have a million-and-one thoughts going through my head, and I feel like that is the hardest thing. You have a section in the race where you have so much time to think. I’m trying to get to that stage where I’m so confident in my race pace and my plan that I know my legs will get me where I need to be.

There was a scary moment in the middle of the world title race when you and the US athlete Alexis Holmes jostled for position. What were you thinking when you were knocked off your stride? It happened pretty quickly. I was confused, but I was like, “You don’t have time to be confused! The race is yet to be won.” I didn’t have time to think; I just had to get back into it and work out what to do to make sure I finished in first position. I didn’t expect it to be that close coming into the break [when the athletes converge into the inside lane]. I thought I’d have a clearer run-in. But I trusted myself and my speed enough to know that even if the race didn’t go the way I’d planned, I’d be able to get it done.

How much has working with a sports psychologist helped you?

So much! After a long year of competing collegiately in America, I was quite tired and fatigued and I knew that what was going to get me through the rounds was my mental state. Confidence and belief are the things we’ve really tried to home in on. I definitely felt like in my Olympic final last year the lack of belief in myself – that I could go out there and give it all – was probably the reason why I fell short.

Part of the reason you moved from Louisiana to Arkansas was to focus more on your training than the college experience. Is it hard to find balance? You know what: life is about balance. You can’t be too serious with this sport, and as I’m speaking to more professionals I’m realising they do a really good job of enjoyment. They know when to switch on, but they also know when to switch off. That’s something I need to do a better job of. At LSU, I was too switched off – enjoyment was taking over the focus from track. But in Arkansas there was not much going on, so I was fully focused because I didn’t have that life outside of track. That’s good, too, but I want the middle ground. After the World Indoors, I celebrated with [Team GB’s 60m champion] Jeremiah Azu and [60m finalist] Amy Hunt. We were on the 61st floor of a hotel, we had a glass of champagne, and we played cards. I don’t normally drink during the season, so it was nice to have a glass!

How do you usually decompress when not training?

I’m getting into reading a lot more. I used to read a lot about the psychological side of sports, but now I’m transitioning back into fantasy series. And I’m rewatching Gossip Girl at the moment. I’m also a big foodie. It’s hard, because you want to eat a lot of different stuff, but as an athlete you do have a restricted diet. I want to post my meal prep a little bit more online and show a day in the life of what I eat. It’s part of being a professional athlete – cooking clean and fuelling my body in the correct way.

You’ve said in the past that you don’t really like the 400m – is that true?

The 400m is a hard race – there’s so much going on. The lactic acid is just crazy. It’s not something I necessarily like doing! But 400m runners always say, “The event picked me; I didn’t pick the event.” I just

Hard gains

What does it take to run 400m in 49.29 seconds?

Tempo training

Anning runs every single day – on an ‘off’ day, she does tempo runs over 200m and 400m, meaning running slightly below (around 65-75 per cent) her max speed Overdistancing

During the winter months ahead of the season’s start, she builds strength by running, at speed, up to 1km – further than her signature distance

Weights

She lifts three times a week

Personal training

She has two sessions with her PT per week

Swimming

The weekend means one or two sessions at the pool Recovery Physiotherapy and a weekly massage keeps her body in optimum shape

Competitive edge: Anning prepares at the blocks for the 2025

World Athletics Indoor Championships women’s 400m heats in Nanjing in March; (opposite) she and Team USA’s Alexis Holmes jostle for position in the final

Picking up pace

While every four years audiences worldwide are glued to the athletics at the Olympics, it’s long been a concern that interest drops off in between Games. But the dawn of a new era for the sport has seen the launch of two fresh formats designed to bring in new fans, build buzz, and offer big-money incentives to athletes usually dependent on sponsorship.

Athlos

A new, invitation-only trackand-field meet that champions women athletes – and ensures they’re compensated for their talents – Athlos was launched last year by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The inaugural event in September brought together 36 elite athletes, including US Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas, Kenyan 1,500m world-record holder Faith Kipyegon and Team GB’s Daryll Neita, to race

in New York for a share of the $663,000 [£500,000)prize pot. Boasting a celebritystudded red carpet and a performance by Megan Thee Stallion, the meet pulled in three million viewers and will return this October to cap off the outdoor season.

Grand Slam Track

The innovative brainchild of US sprint legend Michael Johnson, the Grand Slam Track series is all about the world’s best track athletes going headto-head. As well as competing in their specialist event, each runner must also compete in a secondary race (eg, running the 100m both flat and over hurdles). With $12.6 million (£9.5m) in prize money up for grabs over four meets in Kingston (Jamaica), Miami, Philadelphia and LA, the format has attracted top competitors including Team GB’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who won silver in the 400m at the Paris Olympics, and US 400m hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

“I want to be the first British woman to break 49 seconds”

happen to be pretty good at it, and it’s getting me far, so I love that part of it. But the training is gruelling.

How did athletics win your heart over netball? I was on the England pathway for netball and it got to the stage where I had to pick. What I loved about track was the fact that you have the individual success but you still have the team aspect of the relays. You get the best of both worlds. With netball, I sometimes felt like I could be the best player and we would still lose. You’re relying on other people, whereas with track you’re out there and it’s down to you to get the job done. I liked the accountability. I wanted that sense of control.

Was there ever a back-up plan in place if athletics didn’t work out?

It’s always been this. I don’t really agree with back-up plans. I feel like you go for what you want and you will be steered in the right direction regardless.

Who are your sporting idols?

[Jamaican multi-medal-winning Olympian] ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce, Usain Bolt and, on the British side, Christine Ohuruogu. Christine is the most decorated 400m runner of our time. Also, Allyson Felix [the most-decorated female Olympian in trackand-field history]. As a woman, in terms of what she went through with her pregnancy and to come back… seeing how females are pushing the barriers. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is 38. She’s been going for so long, she’s had a kid, she’s setting up businesses, and she’s really changed the narrative for women to stay in this sport for longer. We can go through a pregnancy and come back and be at the top of our game. It’s just phenomenal.

With the women-only Athlos series, Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track format [see panel, left] and the Netflix show Sprint, there’s a drive to introduce new audiences to athletics. What’s your take on these ideas?

We need it. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened earlier, but better late than never. The sport needs to be a little bit more exciting. Everyone is watching when it’s the Olympics, but then people don’t really know what’s going on in between. We have championships every single year – track never stops. So this is what the sport needs. I’m hoping to be a part of all of them!

See Anning in action at the UK Athletics Championships at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on August 2-3; britishathletics.org.uk

Alys Barton

THE SURF PRO COMPETES AT THE BEST BREAKS ON THE PLANET BUT SAYS NOTHING BEATS CATCHING A WAVE BACK HOME IN WALES

Words Ebbi Ferguson Photography Dominic Marley

Wales may not be the first – or even the tenth – country that comes to mind when you think of surfing. But that hasn’t stopped Alys Barton, a waverider from the Gower Peninsula, making her mark on the international competition circuit.

The 21-year-old joined the competitive scene later than many of her rivals, but she’s made up for lost time, winning English, British and European titles, and she’s currently representing the UK in the WSL Qualifying Series (QS). “I’m lucky enough to travel and compete across the globe in places like Indonesia and Brazil,” Barton says, “but there’s still nothing quite like surfing in Wales.”

As she looks ahead to competing against the world’s best in front of a home crowd at the UK’s biggest surf contest, the WSL Boardmasters Open, Barton talks passion, patience and competing against her heroes…

the red bulletin: When did you start surfing?

alys barton: I’ve lived on Gower my whole life, just five minutes from Llangennith, which is probably the best-known surf break [in the area]. But I only started surfing when I was 12. Compared with everyone else I compete with, that’s pretty late.

Do you remember your first experience of surfing?

My first memory of a surfboard isn’t riding it. As a kid, I’d float an old board in the shallows, playing ‘boats’ while my dad surf-skied. It never occurred to me back then to try to actually catch a wave. When my dad transitioned to surfing, he took me along to Langland [Bay] one day to give it a go. After an hour of him pushing me onto waves, I was hooked, and my then hobby

– gymnastics – fell by the wayside. I’m grateful for the years I spent in the gym, though – all those hours of backflips and round-offs help me nail airs today.

What do you most love about surfing? Surfing offers a unique connection to nature. It’s not just about riding a wave but about understanding the rhythm of the sea, feeling its power, and becoming part of something much bigger than yourself. The ocean has a way of humbling you, reminding you that you can’t control everything.

What’s special about surfing in Wales? Wales is such a unique and beautiful place with a vibrant surf scene, but you’ve got to truly love it to survive here: it’s wet, cold and windy most of the year, and we can be starved of waves for weeks in the summer. But when it’s on, there’s no place I’d rather be. I much prefer a crowded line-up at Llangennith to fighting 200 guys for the same wave at a QS practice session. When the competition scene gets loud, I’m grateful to escape back home.

Honours board

Crowned English and British champion at U18 and Open levels

Victory in the European Junior Championship in 2022

Won the Cold Waves by Porsche contest, staged in the Baltic Sea, for a third consecutive time in 2025

WSL Qualifying Series best finishes: Pantín Classic Galicia Pro, Spain, 2022, second place; Boardmasters Animal Pro, UK ,2023, second; Caparica Surf Fest, Portugal, 2025, second

I feel like an underdog, as no one on the international circuit seems to have heard of Wales. Although we may not have perfect waves all the time, I have the drive that lots of competitors might not –in Wales, we train whatever the weather.

Was it difficult making the transition to competitive surfing?

I was so nervous when I first entered the Welsh nationals. I came fifth out of five girls, but I fully caught the competition bug. My proudest moment to date was winning the European Junior Championships [U18 girls’ category, 2022]. Competing against such talented surfers and coming out on top was an experience I’ll never forget. It gave me the confidence to take my skills to the next level.

What’s it like to be part of a vibrant women’s scene?

It’s such an exciting time. I feel like everything is evolving, and there are so many women who are charging: Caitlin Simmers, Molly Picklum, Robyn Larg… There are girls pushing the air game, the barrel game, taking on super-scary waves. They’re matching and giving more than the guys; the performance is incredible! It’s been wild getting to surf with some of the girls I look up to. It pushes me to be better and see what’s possible for women in the sport. It’s not without its challenges, though – prize money and point weighting are still some of the biggest frustrations. Things need to shift; if they say it’s equal, it has to actually be equal.

How has surfing shaped your approach to life in general?

It’s taught me patience and resilience. The waves don’t always cooperate, and there are days when you wipe out, but that’s the learning process. It’s reminded me that failure isn’t a setback but part of the journey. And it’s made me more mindful, encouraging me to live in the moment and not to worry too much about [the future].

What does lie ahead?

I’d like to make it to the WSL Challenger Series. I was also very close to Olympic qualification last year, so I’m hoping I could be there in the 2028 cycle. And I’m really excited for Boardmasters this year. It’s great to compete in Newquay – I have so many good memories and great friends there. But mostly I’m just keen to surf, to have the adventure of setting off in the van to go in search of waves.

Barton will be competing in the WSL Boardmasters Open at Newquay’s Fistral Beach from August 6-10; boardmasters.com

“When it’s on in Wales, there’s no place I’d rather be”

Boomtown Peek behind the curtain at one of the wildest parties of the summer

JODY HARTLEY

Mind blown: the immersive Boomtown – staged on Hampshire‘s Matterley Estate – places you in a meticulously designed fictional city with themed districts and multiple stages

Artist spotlight:

Fat Dog

LONDON’S FAVOURITE PARTY BAND HAVE TAKEN THE MUSIC SCENE BY STORM OVER THE PAST YEAR. THIS AUGUST, THEY’RE SET TO LIGHT UP THE STAGE AT BOOMTOWN

Few new bands have whipped up word-of-mouth buzz quite like Fat Dog. The south London electronic punk outfit – Joe Love, Chris Hughes, Morgan Wallace, Jacqui Wheeler and Johnny ‘Doghead’ Hutch – cut their teeth in the shadowy backrooms of local pubs. But it didn’t take long for tales of their anarchic live shows and unmistakable sound to echo far beyond the capital’s limits, and the band amassed a cult-like following before laying down a single track.

“There’s a type of madness we seem to inspire in our fans,” says keyboardist Hughes. “They’re a bit like us – like how dogs [resemble] their owners. Chaotic. Just a few brain cells bouncing around in screensaver mode.”

Fat Dog’s reputation as chaotic party starters may be well-earned, but they’re now firmly in the music

industry spotlight. Their debut album WOOF, released last September, scored rave reviews, was played on BBC Radio 1 and 6Music, and landed them a spot on Later… with Jools Holland. And one of their 2024 Glastonbury appearances was so mobbed, security pulled the plug.

This summer, they’re unleashing WOOF at festivals across the UK and Europe. Ahead of the madness, Hughes throws us a bone...

the red bulletin: You’re heading to Boomtown this summer. When was the first time you played the festival? chris hughes: It was 2022. It felt like a desert, because there was a heatwave going on. It was my first time playing with a rock band, so I was a bit overwhelmed. We were new to touring. We’d already been partying on the way there, and we had quite an early slot.

How did it go?

I remember that by the time we had our instruments together, we had five minutes to get to the stage and set up or they were going to cancel the gig. It was midday, we were a small band, and it was boiling hot. There was no shade. The crowd were lying in whatever shelter they could find. We had to work hard to get them going.

How did you manage it?

We’d brought a few mates to help out. One of them, [photographer and video director] Dylan Coates, got on stage in his underwear, and another was supposed to play the didgeridoo, but I don’t think he actually knew how. He just kept banging it on the ground, which turned off our gear. [Lead singer] Joe ran into the crowd trying to pull people to their feet in the blazing sun. Dylan, still in his pants, was

“You could say we’re a fullcontact band”

Full fat: Fat Dog stop for munchies (keyboard player Chris Hughes pictured front left); (opposite) singer/guitarist Joe Love on stage with the band at Troxy, London, this April

spilling beer everywhere. By the end, the stagehand told us, “You’ll never play this festival again.”

But now it’s 2025 and you’re back at Boomtown...

I think it’s because we’ve got this ability to strong-arm crowds into dancing. You could say we’re a full-contact band.

Have you had a look at the rest of the Boomtown line-up? Anyone you’re excited to see?

Alien Ant Farm, definitely. And Getdown Services – probably our favourite British band right now. They supported us at our London show and I just fell in love with them. Their lyrics are hilarious and smart. Everyone should go listen to them.

Your debut album, WOOF, feels like such a fully realised piece of work. What’s the reaction been?

It’s been crazy. But honestly, we’ve been playing most of those songs for so long they already feel familiar. We’ve definitely seen a shift. Before, people knew us from live shows, but now we’ve got fans who only know the album. And the album is more polished, while our gigs are always a bit more raw.

Have you noticed a change in the crowd at your gigs?

It used to be sprightlier, people ready for chaos. Now, after more radio play and exposure, we get a broader mix. There are a lot of 6Music dads. You’ll hear knees cracking when we ask everyone to crouch down.

What’s been your biggest ‘pinch me’ moment since WOOF came out?

Playing live on TV on Later… with Jools Holland, definitely. That was surreal. It suddenly all felt very real. We were so nervous. And he was shorter than I’d expected him to be.

Are you planning to approach this year’s festivals differently now you’ve got an album out?

We’re trying to be a bit more organised, maybe bring more instruments, some lighting, tighter stage direction. At one point, we talked about making our violinist fly, but we’ll see. We make these big plans, then we get to the festival and just play.

Where and when can people find you at Boomtown?

No idea, not a clue. We’ll be there, though, and it’s going to be great.

Behind the scenes

JAMES COUSINS, HEAD OF MUSIC FOR BOOMTOWN, LIFTS THE LID ON

WHAT IT

TAKES TO BOOK ONE OF THE UK’S BIGGEST LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

– AND

SHARES HIS MUST-SEE PICKS FROM THIS YEAR’S LINE-UP

“One of the things that I think makes Boomtown special is that we’re so much more than a music festival. People come for a whole range of reasons; it’s a truly immersive, experiential event. That gives me a lot more creative freedom to book acts that put on incredible stage shows, even if they don’t fit the mould of a typical festival line-up.

“Supporting grassroots artists is really important to me, and I want to give emerging talent a platform and even get them onto the bigger stages. It also means I can take more risks and build a more dynamic and diverse line-up.

“As far as programming goes, each of our stages tends to stick to a specific genre or vibe. Some, like Grand Central, are all about

diversity; this year, that stage has everything from the Sex Pistols to Fatboy Slim. Other stages have a more defined sound –The Lion’s Gate, for instance, is rooted in jungle music, while Wrong Side of the Tracks focuses on hip hop, grime and soul.

“Looking at music across the entire UK festival scene, I do think it’s becoming more inclusive and representative, though there’s still progress to be made. Festivals like Glastonbury have led the way, but the industry remains male-dominated. Striking the right balance is a challenge, but it’s something I’m deeply committed to.

“There have been times over the years when I booked artists I wasn’t completely sure about, but they turned out to be amazing. Last year, Marc Rebillet was one of those surprises. He’s not your typical Boomtown act, but his set was phenomenal. He completely blew me away and turned out to be one of the most unpredictable and highenergy performers I’ve ever booked. We’ve had other curveballs, too, like Salt-N-Pepa and The Blues Brothers Band, both of them risks that ended up becoming unforgettable moments. This year, I’m especially excited about Boney M. It’s another bold choice, but I really think it’ll pay off.

“Looking ahead to this year’s line-up, there are so many artists I think are on the verge of breaking through. Pa Salieu, who’s performing on Grand Central, is someone I’ve been watching for a while. Burna Boy is also on the bill, and after his recent Grammy win his trajectory just keeps climbing. We’ve also got rising stars like Kofi Stone and Moonchild Sanelly, both of whom I believe are poised to make massive waves in the near future.

“More than anything, I’m looking forward to the magic fields of Boomtown – the atmosphere, the creativity, the chaos, and the sense of everything coming together. There’s nothing quite like it.”

Rising

star: A Little Sound

THE BRISTOL DJ BREAKS DOWN THE FESTIVAL’S DRUM’N’BASS OBSESSION AHEAD OF HER MAMMOTH SET THIS AUGUST

Why is Boomtown so special among fans of drum’n’bass?  It’s unique. You get all the subgenres – from dark minimal to jungle and jump-up – and the crowd knows and loves every bit of it. It’s a place where the vibe is right, and people are there for the music.

How does your music fit with Boomtown?

The festival is all about diversity and freedom, and my sound is all about merging light and dark elements, with its roots in jungle, reggae-influenced drum’n’bass. I bring in my own tracks, but I also try to connect with the crowd by giving them what they want, whether it’s classic d’n’b influences or fresh material.

How does playing at Boomtown differ from other festivals?

The crowd at Boomtown is different – they deeply understand the music. It’s more underground and authentic, which makes it easier to be creative.

What’s the vibe of your Boomtown set this year?

Expect a mix of my Bristol influences, reggae vocals and fresh unreleased tracks. I’ll be keeping it dynamic, experimenting with flips and heavier vibes while always focusing on making it exciting and different for the crowd. It’s going to be high-energy!

Rising Rose: Ellie Kildunne, photographed for The Red Bulletin at Hackney Marshes in east London in April this year

AUG 22 – SEP 27

Ellie Becoming

SHE’S THE WORLD’S BEST RUGBY PLAYER, WITH TROPHIES AND TITLES TO RIVAL HER SPORT’S MOST STORIED STARS. BUT ELLIE KILDUNNE’S GREATEST TRIUMPHS HAVE COME FROM BEING UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF

Words Jessica Holland Photography Benedikt Frank

Ellie Kildunne is standing on a busy east London intersection, inhaling a tub of teriyaki chicken and talking passionately about the power of self-belief. It’s a rare day off training in a two-week gap between Six Nations games, but already today the 25-year-old England rugby superstar has recorded an episode of her podcast Rugby Rodeo, met with a beer brand, and done an interview for this magazine. As she makes conversation while heading for a cab to take her to a photoshoot on this bright spring afternoon, it’s clear her optimistic energy isn’t something she turns on for the microphone.

You’d think the world’s best rugby player would have built her confidence from her many successes: Kildunne has competed at the Olympics in the sevens; was top try-scorer for the English national team, the Red Roses, in 2024; and was crowned the best women’s 15s player on the planet at the World Rugby Awards in Monaco last November. But the Yorkshire-born talent says her confidence is a learned skill and it’s actually her mistakes and failures that have made her the unstoppable force she is today.

“I haven’t always had this self-belief,” Kildunne says, looking fresh and relaxed, signature curls bouncing and Olympic-rings tattoo visible on her forearm as she walks. “I’ve had to work hard to get to that point – by getting things wrong, feeling hurt, not getting selected, being injured.”

These painful experiences taught her that it’s OK to take a step back or change direction, and that trusting her gut usually has better results than gaming things out in her head. “I think doubt is the main barrier to success,” she says. “You’ve got to take risks, and you’ve got to believe in your instincts. You are where you are for a reason. There’s no need to doubt anything – you’re the driver of your own journey. I’m 100 per cent a heart-rather-than-head person now, and that’s come with making those mistakes.”

This hard-won confidence comes through on the pitch when Kildunne is breaking through defensive lines and charging to the try line, and also when she talks about the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off in August. As we talk, the Red Roses have lost only one of the last 53 games, and that one by just a three-point margin. The loss happened at the last

World Cup final in 2022, where their opponents, New Zealand’s Black Ferns, had home advantage. This year England will host, and the impact on women’s rugby of a Red Roses victory could be transformational.

“It’s such a cool opportunity to keep inspiring,” she says, although she won’t speculate on possible outcomes. “We don’t know what the effect is going to be, because we’re living it first-hand. You can have hopes and dreams, but I hope it takes me beyond my imagination. The opportunity is limitless.”

The women’s game is already on a rocket ship, with viewer numbers soaring. More than eight million viewers watched the 2024 Six Nations final on the BBC, up a third from the previous year. In 2019 the Red Roses became the first women’s national team to go fully pro, when full-time paid contracts were introduced for 28 players (plus Elite Player Squad contracts for an additional seven), and World Rugby has the team ranked at number one by a wide margin. As the officially selected best player on the planet, Kildunne could be feeling the pressure as she looks ahead to a potential Black Ferns rematch later this year, but she exudes self-assurance.

“I’m absolutely loving it,” she says without hesitation. “There is a challenge: how to ensure I don’t become taken out of the game because I’m being targeted. But I don’t necessarily feel the pressure. It’s not a bad place to be, for people to know what I can do. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

Kildunne was lucky enough to start playing rugby at a young age, in an accepting environment, and to go pro while she still in her teens – opportunities that didn’t exist in the same way for women in previous generations. She was seven when she joined a boys’ rugby club near her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Although opposing players would sometime complain if they lost, muttering that they didn’t tackle her because she was a girl, “something clicked,” she says. “I loved it. I didn’t care that I had to get changed behind the towel that my dad held up

“Throwing yourself into things is important… life is short”

Personal best: in 2024, Kildunne was named Six Nations Player of the Championship and World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Player of the Year

Full charge: in rampant form against New Zealand in an international at Twickenham last September

“The brand of rugby that we play with the Red Roses is so expressive”

in the changing room. The boys on my team were like my family. They looked after me.”

A natural athlete who also loved football, tennis and athletics, Kildunne switched to a girls’ rugby team when she was 12. But it wasn’t until she competed in a big rugby tournament, aged 15, that she realised she could take the sport seriously. It was at the competition that she learned about Hartpury College, the Gloucestershire institution with a reputation as a talent factory for rugby stars; she enrolled there after finishing school. By 18, she was scoring her first try for the Red Roses in an international game.

That was in 2017; since then, she has competed at the highest level in not just the 15s – both in the Premiership and internationally – but also the sevens, which is included in the Olympics. Although Team GB’s rugby sevens only finished seventh at Paris 2024, she considers walking out into a sold-out stadium at the Games a career highlight. Earlier that spring, the Red Roses had won a sixth straight Six Nations, with Kildunne, the tournament’s top point-scorer, awarded the fan-chosen Player of the Championship award. Then, to cap off a standout year, she was flown to Monaco in November to be crowned the best of the best at the World Rugby Awards – an experience she describes as “mind-blowing”.

As Kildunne’s own rugby career as gone from strength to strength, so too has women’s rugby as a whole, although more work is required before full gender parity is reached. A report published in 2024

by O2, the Rugby Football Union and the charity Women’s Sports Trust found, among other stats, that awareness of the Red Roses is now just 15 per cent lower than that of the men’s team, down from 25 per cent in 2023. During an already jam-packed year, Kildunne – whose creative streak off the pitch includes a love of painting, photography and playing piano – was tapped to create a limited clothing line that wove findings from the study into its designs. One T-shirt from the range, launched in September, declares ‘The gap is closing’ over text from the report.

We’re coming into a new era,” Kildunne says, “because [the women’s game] is shown on TV, and because of the power of social media. I’m loving every second of it. I understand the power we’ve got as part of the Red Roses to inspire, and I want to inspire everyone – whether they pick up a rugby ball or not – to be themselves and take chances. It’s important to throw yourself into things. It doesn’t matter if it goes right or wrong, because you’ll learn something. Life is so short, and I don’t want to regret not doing something. That’s why I take opportunities, both on and off the field: to learn, to meet new people, to gain understanding and perspective, and to live life to its fullest. You don’t know who you’ll end up inspiring, and you don’t know when your last moment on the pitch will be, so have no regrets.”

The boost in visibility and funding for women’s rugby has resulted in real opportunities for players such as Kildunne who, unlike previous generations, hasn’t had to work a day job around her training schedule, and she’s appreciative of this shift. But she’s also wary of comparing the women’s rugby team to the men’s, or to the Lionesses – the football superstars who won a record-smashing European Championship final at Wembley in 2022 and had a London Overground train line named after them this year. “We’re not looking to play like the men, or to liken ourselves to anyone else,” she says firmly. “What’s meant to happen will happen. We could go past where the men are, but it would look different. It’s never going to be the same. We’re creating our own story.”

It’s this philosophy that Kildunne credits for her growth on the pitch: the idea that she’s on her own unique path rather than following in anyone else’s footsteps. Earlier in her career, she says, “I was trying to play a brand of rugby that wasn’t me, but I didn’t know it. It was the same in terms of my relationships with people: you try to tailor yourself for the people around you.” She was likened to male players and encouraged to see them as models for how to develop. “But I’m not six-foot something, and I’m not a man,” she says. “I was trying to tailor my game to play differently. I didn’t have the true

Unstoppable: Kildunne was dominant against Wales in the Six Nations this March, notching up a hat-trick

“The beauty of rugby is that it’s a space where you can just be you”

Sound advantage

Kildunne says she doesn’t perform any specific ritual before a big match. But one constant is listening to music in the changing room to energise her game.

“I like to listen to songs I can dance to,” she says.

“There’s a lot of Afrobeats; that’s typically my go-to, because it makes me smile

and dance around the room stupidly. These are my current favourites.”

Favourite Girl

Darkoo (feat Rema)

Active

Asake and Travis Scott

Bundle by Bundle Burna Boy

United front: Kildunne says the support of her team has had a powerful influence: “If you feel that you’re believed in and backed, it creates this deeper burning desire to do well”

Ready to grow: “I don’t think I’m at my best,” says Kildunne. “I’m going to become faster, stronger… show more flair”

“I’m my true authentic self on the pitch and off… unapologetically Ellie”

confidence that comes from knowing that people really believed in me.”

A shift in that mindset over the past couple of years has helped Kildunne reach the highest level of her sport. “Now, the brand of rugby that we play with the Red Roses is so expressive. [Current head coach] John Mitchell and [attack coach] Lou [Meadows] came in and saw the potential I had, and they let me spread my wings a bit,” she says. “From then, I started enjoying the game even more. It’s given me the confidence and belief and support to pick gaps, find people’s shoulders, kick when the kick’s on, run when I need to keep ball in hand. John Mitchell always says to me, ‘Be decisive. Back your decision and just go with it. Don’t think, just do.’

“[The coaches] have stepped in and given us the ability to express ourselves and our ways of playing. It’s allowed people to play without fear and play with excitement instead.”

This has also affected Kildunne’s approach to life outside the game. “I’m my true authentic self on pitch and off it as well,” she says. “I haven’t changed anything drastically; I’ve just learned that being me, truly me, and not wearing a mask of who I think people want to see has made me grow massively as a person. Now I’m unapologetically Ellie.”

Part of this growth has involved Kildunne accepting her body and refusing to listen to ignorant comments about it. “It’s not been an easy journey,” she says. “Playing in a male-dominated sport, it’s easy for people to stereotype and say comments that aren’t very nice. People assume that if you’ve got muscles and play a male-dominated sport, you’re aggressive, or whatever the stereotype might be.

“It’s a journey within myself to understand that I fuel my body to perform well and to be successful. We’re inspiring women and men to be the best versions of ourselves. If I didn’t feed myself, I wouldn’t be able to play the way I do. If I didn’t go to the gym, I’d get hurt every time I took the ball into contact. My body is my tool. It’s taken time to accept that.”

This feeling of acceptance, both from herself and from others in her team and the coaching staff, has enabled Kildunne to take her game further than ever before. “The beauty of rugby in general is that it’s a space where you can just be you,” she says. “That’s been so powerful for me. If you feel like your intentions are understood, that you are believed in and backed, it creates this deeper burning desire to do well and keep pushing.”

Kildunne is still only 25, although she has already earned her 50th cap as a Red Roses player – in a triumphant Six Nations game against Wales in March, when she scored a hat-trick in just nine minutes. The most surreal thing about being publicly crowned as the world’s best player, she says, is that “I don’t think I’m at my best. I’m going to become faster, stronger, kick further, pass further, show more flair”.

It’s an invigorating thought: everything is transforming so quickly that new ground is constantly being broken. Whatever the outcome of this year’s home World Cup, women’s rugby won’t look the same on the other side, and neither will Kildunne. “I don’t know what the best looks like yet,” she says. “No one does. There’s so much more to come.”

Star appeal: all smiles as fans sign her customised shirt after her 50th England performance, versus Wales, in March

The Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off on August 22, with England taking on the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light; Instagram: @elliekildunne

SUMMER FLYING BY?

Enhance, equip, and experience your best life

DIVIDE & CONQUER

Runpacking in the Lake District, UK

VENTURE

TRAVEL/ UK

“Despite having more than 40km in our leaden legs, the 40 winks are terrible. Bivvying is never that comfortable, but our sleeping bag-less set-up leaves me cold to the core, even in high summer”

“This moka pot is mocking me.” There’s an epiphanic point in every adventure when you realise your kit choices are either on point or pointedly indulgent. It’s almost 10pm on the first night of a twoday runpacking journey through the Lake District, our bivvy spot is still 10km downtrail, and the sharp edges of the luxury Italian item in my pack have been chafing my back for as long as I can remember.

But here’s the rub. My trail partners –Luke Douglas and Stef Amato – and I are the sort who relish the added difficulty of finding space in an 18-litre running vest for breakfast paraphernalia. In 2022, we founded the Peak Divide – a mild-to-wild, two-day, 76km runpacking trip across the Peak District from Manchester to Sheffield. It’s an event borne out of friendship and our shared experience of bikepacking. Two wheels are swapped for two feet, but the ethos is the same: eating, drinking and journeying through the landscape while carrying all your kit, albeit with Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments rather than the Strava kind.

We planned to take the same spirit to the Lake District, plotting an undulating 72km route from Keswick to Kendal on a recce that would ultimately become a sister event: the Lakes Divide. The task was to run a predominately off-road diagonal route over a weekend, covering a marathon distance on the first day and another 30km the next. But, as this was runpacking, it was about the journey as much as reaching the finish: we’d make time to take photos, stop for a sketch, dip a toe in open-water spots, and generally drink in the scenery. It being high summer, we’d carry enough kit to wild camp rather than book into a bunkhouse or B&B.

This is the beauty of this form of travel. Unlike an out-and-out trail-running race, it affords you the luxury of time and a wonderful freedom where any fork in the

path is an opportunity for exploration. Yet there’s still an element of speed, meaning you can cover more ground than hiking and become more immersed in the landscape. By carrying everything we required, we could stop any time we liked during running days. And then, after dark, our options for a bed were, quite literally, the whole of the Lake District.

The forecast is fair, providing a true test of our light-packing abilities. Setting off from Keswick’s town square, our backpacks contain a minimal overnight set-up (bivvy bag and sleeping mat), the aforementioned breakfast brew kit and enough crumpets and Borrowdale Tea Bread to last us for two days on foot.

Luke and Stef are the route masters. Having grown up in the Lakes, Luke has the advantage of being at home on these trails, and he quickly becomes run leader, setting a good pace as we leave Keswick behind for the quiet trails of Catbells Terrace, racking up 15km without much fuss or fatigue. But it’s clear there would be nothing mild about a weekend in the Lakes. With the expanse of Derwentwater opening up below us, we run along verdant, fern-lined paths, and the day’s big challenge – the looming summit of Stake Pass – appears on the misty horizon.

As the trail starts to drag on the unrelenting trek up the Langstrath Valley to the day’s literal high point, Luke has a guaranteed morale booster up his sweat-wicking sleeve. All adventures are enhanced by a wild swim, and Black Moss Pot is the perfect light relief. Down jackets downed, packs ditched and shoes off, Luke does his best high diver impression into the water before Stef and I follow with a more sedate entrance. The swim is welcome but swift. Our trio doesn’t have many runpacking rules, but keeping moving, however slowly, is one.

After crawling up the zigzagging final ascent to Stake Pass’ 480m summit, we

STRAIGHT OUTTA KESWICK (clockwise from top) the team follow their route, Derwentwater below, fern-lined paths front and centre; all adventures are made better by a wild dip – this time in Black Moss Pot; Douglas and Reynolds take a break halfway up day one’s biggest climb, Stake Pass; (opening page) pie, chips and peas on his mind, Reynolds enjoys the big downhill into Langdale

catch our breath and let calves cool as we down gaze at Langdale. There’s something entirely different about the Lake District compared with the Peaks. It feels more Alpine, open and remote. The climbs seem endless. And when you’re in the valley the hills enclose and envelop on all sides.

Keen to crack on, a fast, gravity-fuelled descent buys us time for a slow dinner at the iconic Hikers Bar at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Pie, chips, peas and a pint later, we’re positively plodding towards our bed for the night. Luckily, given that said bed was on our backs, there’s no need to call ahead. Bivvies benefit from arriving under the cover of darkness, so, with the back chafe starting to bite, I’m delighted to hear Luke announce we’ve arrived at our sleeping spot on the shore of Tarn Hows.

Despite having more than 40km in our legs, the 40 winks are terrible. Bivvying is never that comfortable, but our sleeping bag-less set-up leaves me cold to the core, even in high summer. And, because we’d made camp after dark, I’d managed to position myself on top of some tree roots. It’s fair to say the moka pot earned its place, given our substandard slumber. Following a breakfast of hot brews and crumpets, it’s time for the early-morning leg loosener up and over the hill to the

A-to-B itineraries

Peak Divide

A perfect introduction for any ultra-curious runner, this 76km event spans Manchester and Sheffield, crossing the Peak District. The organisers carry your overnight camping kit –and cook you fresh gnocchi at the feed stops – so all you need to worry about is getting to the Steel City. peakdivide.com

West Highland Way

A longer challenge, the 154km long-distance path cuts through the Scottish Highlands from Milngavie, near Glasgow, to Fort William. It’s one for summer but, because of midges, best tackled in May or June. westhighlandway.org

South Downs Way

A similar challenge to the WHW, this 160km route runs the entire length of the South Downs National Park from Winchester, Hampshire, to Eastbourne, East Sussex. The route is along a chalk ridge, so it dries out fast, making it accessible almost all year round. southdownsway.org

village of Hawkshead. After a teethcleaning session in town, a tree-lined traverse and a foot ferry across Lake Windermere, we’d broken the back of our second day. Broken the back, perhaps, but not cured the coffee-related discomfort, the moka pot digging in as we do the same. The combination of rain and an irregular train service sees us put our foot down to knock off the final 10km to Kendal.

Adventure complete, the journey home gives us time to reflect on the stack of highs, lows and learnings about route, running and ourselves. Runpacking, especially on an A-to-B route, brings with it an amazing sense of achievement – it’s remarkable the distances you can cover, and the remote places you can explore, over a couple of days, even if it’s a mixture of running, shuffling and walking rather than an out-and-out sprint. It’s now become the travel method of choice on holidays, with four days and 200km of running punctuated by wee drams in the Hebrides on the horizon. Maybe I’ll leave the moka pot at home, though…

Tom Reynolds is a sports journalist, writer, TV producer, and co-founder of the Peak Divide and Lakes Divide – social, supported trail runs across the two National Parks. Instagram: @peak.divide; @lakes.divide

WINDING INTO WILDERNESS: Reynolds and Douglas begin the journey up Langstrath Valley; a self-made route on bridleways and footpaths requires the odd pause to check you’re on the right track

NOTHING COMES FROM NOTHING

THE COST OF PROGRESS IS A SIMPLE TRANSACTION.

Ex nihilo nihil fit, INPUT MAY NOT ALWAYS EQUAL OUTPUT. BUT THERE CAN BE NO OUTPUT IN THE ABSENCE OF INPUT.

THRUDARK FORCE ACTIVEWEAR.

#1 CITY

Conquer the heat, hustle and bustle of an urban summer with these essentials

GOOD TO GO

Whether you’re staycationing, heading off hiking, set on surfing or festivalbound, pack clever this summer

Photography Tim Kent

(Left to right, from top) MARSHALL Monitor III ANC Headphones, marshall.com; NIXON Suite E Snapback Cap, uk.nixon.com; HOVERAIR X1 Promax Drone, hoverair.com; VALLON Howlin’ Sunglasses, vallon.com; PEAK PERFORMANCE Original Tee, peakperformance.com; 686 Everywhere Ripstop Shorts, eu.686.com; STANCE Townie Crew Socks, uk.stance.com; NIXON Ripley Watch, uk.nixon.com; ONEPLUS Pad 2, oneplus.com; ANKER Laptop Power Bank 25K, anker.com; STUBBLE&CO Packable Sling, stubbleandco.com

(From top) LEKI Trail Lite Poles, leki.co.uk; PÁRAMO Aspira 360 Smock, paramo-clothing.com; AKU Superalp V_Light GTX Boots, aku.co.uk

#2 HIKE

They say: learn to walk before you run. We say: pack these before you walk

(Left to right, from top) MONS ROYALE Zephyr Merino Tencel T-shirt, eu.monsroyale.com; GARMIN InReach Messenger Plus, garmin.com; NEBO Curvbeam 600 Flex Rechargeable Head Torch, nebotools.co.uk; MONS ROYALE Ridgeline 5 Panel Cap, eu.monsroyale.com; DARN TOUGH Hiker Boot Midweight Hiking Socks, darntough.uk; OSPREY Talon 22 Backpack, osprey.com; DRAGON ALLIANCE Koby Sunglasses, uk.dragonalliance.com; HYDRO FLASK 32oz Wide Mouth, hydroflask.com; RAB Birchen Pants, rab.equipment

#3 SURF

Going for a break at a break? These surf-trip saviours are all you need to prevent a wipeout

(Left to right, from top) GARMIN Fēnix 8 - 43mm Watch, garmin.com; TIMES Roam Polarised Sunglasses, wearetimes.com; STANDARD PROCEDURE Aloe Vera Gel 250ml, standardprocedure.com; DRYROBE Advance Short Sleeve, dryrobe.com; PROTEST Prttambaba Flip Flops, protest.eu; SANTA CRUZ Tiki Hand Strip T-shirt, santacruzskateboards.eu; VOLCOM Filip Rygalski Boonie Hat, volcom.co.uk; SLOWTIDE Tigre Performance Quick-Dry Towel, slowtide.co.uk; VOLCOM Filip Rygalski Smile Trunks, volcom.co.uk

(Left to right) XTRATUF

Boots

#4 FESTIVAL

Take to the field in style and confidence – these hero items are as safe a bet as a Lana Del Rey late show

(Left to right, from top) COTOPAXI Allpa X 1.5L Hip Pack, cotopaxi.com; STANDARD PROCEDURE SPF 50+ Sunscreen 60ml, standardprocedure.com; HELINOX Sunset Chair HDB, helinox.co.uk; SEA TO SUMMIT Comfort Deluxe Self-Inflating Sleeping Mat, seatosummit.co.uk; OAKLEY Eye Jacket Redux Sunglasses, oakley.com; VOITED Slumber Jacket,voited.co.uk; ANKER Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank, anker.com; NEBO Edge 2K Rechargeable Torch, nebotools.co.uk; IGLOO 15oz coffee mug, igloocoolers.com

FITNESS/ HYBRID

ENGINE

Athlete, coach and content creator Paige Summerton shares how to get to grips with HYROX, the functional fitness format taking the world by storm

The fitness world is swarming with fads making dubious ‘get-ripped-quick’ promises, but HYROX bucks that trend. Founded in Germany in 2017, the indoor fitness competition combines cardio and functional exercises, featuring a course with eight workout stations – such as a 50m sled push or 1,000m rowing –interspersed by 1K runs.

The format has exploded in popularity thanks to its accessibility – as well as individually, it’s possible to compete in pairs or teams of four – and the hybrid nature of combining cardio and strengthbased exercise in the same session makes it the ultimate all-around fitness test.

A 2022 study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation reported that hybrid exercise is better for

“It’s demanding. With HYROX, you have to do the hard sessions”

Paige Summerton, HYROX athlete

heart and lung health than HIIT, cardio or weight training on their own, and also as effective – but more time-efficient – as combined training, which silos cardio and strength training into separate sessions.

HYROX athlete, coach and content creator Paige Summerton believes she’s the “fittest I’ve ever been” since joining her first competition a year ago and has seen improvements in her cardiovascular health, strength and endurance.

The 25-year-old trained professionally as a dancer and qualified as a personal trainer before being bitten by the longdistance running bug. She only discovered the functional fitness race when a friend asked if she wanted to take part in a doubles competition. Summerton was a natural; since then, she’s won her age group at HYROX Valencia, securing a spot at the World Championships in Chicago in June.

Here, she reveals her tips for those getting started in the hyped-up hybrid fitness trend…

Double up

Summerton’s introduction to HYROX was via the doubles category, where pairs

compete together and can share the load at each station, and she recommends this to ease yourself in while still enjoying the race. “Solos is a bit of a pain cave,” she says, “whereas with doubles you can push wherever your strengths are, and your partner’s there to help you out and get you through.” Research published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2017 suggested that buddying up could also improve your performance, keeping fatigue at bay and seeing you reach new heights by increasing enjoyment and decreasing perceived effort.

Action stations

Due to the varied nature of the eight workout stations, there will naturally be some ones you excel at and others you find challenging. “Despite being a short athlete, I struggle most with the burpees – they’re the ones that get my heart rate up,” Summerton says. She recommends noting your pace at each station in training, finding your weaknesses, and focusing on those rather than building on your strengths: “If you’re going for time, seconds matter, so next race you should try to shave off five to 10 seconds on your weaker station.”

Compromised cardio

Although the stations get all the attention, Summerton says it’s important not to forget about the running, which accounts for “more than 50 per cent” of HYROX. The alternating format means it’s tougher than your average foot race, too: “After the first two stations, you’re like, ‘My legs!’” She advises introducing compromised runs – where you simulate a race by breaking up a run on a treadmill with a functional workout like a sled push – into your training. “Compromised running will help you much more than getting good on stations like the SkiErg or rowing machine.”

Rest and repeat

“HYROX is demanding,” Summerton says. “You have to do the hard sessions, and you can’t get through training weeks without pushing yourself.” To counter this, she has increased her focus on recovery, which starts before each session: “I do dynamic stretching, muscle activations and any prehab work before going out on a run – it helps me recover quicker after each training session.”

To maximise recuperation, Summerton has also started taping her mouth shut to aid her sleep. “Nose breathing is so much better for you than mouth breathing,” she says. “It filters out allergens, and some also believe it improves lung function and capacity. I would consult a doctor first, though, and maybe alternate nights when starting out.”

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WELLBEING/ BACK TO

BASICS

As mindful logging-off catches on, social startup The Offline Club is forging a real-world connection

In an interview with The Guardian this February, pop star Gracie Abrams revealed that she’d swapped social media for needlepoint; the following month saw the launch of an app that blocks access to timedraining distractions on your smartphone until you go outside and literally touch grass. According to the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute, this is all part of ‘the great logging off’, a predicted trend towards ‘analogue wellness’ as people get serious about spending less time on their phone.

Ben Hounsell was ahead of this curve. In October last year, the 23-year-old started the London chapter of The Offline Club, which offers social gatherings with a strict no-phone policy, meaning people pay to have their devices locked away. And business is booming. The club launched in Amsterdam in February 2024, and there are now successful offshoots in Paris, Barcelona and Dubai. The London branch already has more than 27,000 followers on Instagram, and according to Hounsell its 200-capacity events sell out fast, attracting all ages.

“It’s growing super-rapidly,” he says. “We’re a social-impact startup, so we’re not profit-driven – our mission is just to get as many people as we can off their phones for a bit. In my previous job, I was optimising TikTok videos to be as addictive as possible, and I spent a disgraceful amount of time on social media. It was too much. Now it feels like I’m building the polar opposite.”

The concept of ‘digital detoxing’ isn’t new, yet we still spend a huge amount of time glued to a screen. “The average UK person spends four hours a day on their phone, and eight hours looking at a screen,” says Hounsell, “and we know the effects are increased levels of anxiety and depression. At first, being away from your phone can be anxiety-inducing; your brain isn’t used to being alone with its thoughts. But after a while it’s really beneficial. I’m not anti-tech, but the benefits of ditching your phone for a few hours are really coming to light.”

Here, Hounsell shares the positives of logging off when you head out…

“People are becoming more isolated by being on their phone”

Ben Hounsell, analogue wellness expert

Quiet mode

Socialising doesn’t have to be about constant conversation, says Hounsell. “For the first hour at our offline hangouts, there’s time to connect with yourself. The room is in relative silence, except for some live piano.” Going out intentionally phone-free gives people permission to do things they’d usually put off in favour of scrolling at home, he explains. “People pick up longforgotten hobbies: reading, writing, drawing. Studies show that being surrounded by people also doing their own solo activities is a very positive thing – you reach your flow state much quicker. A YouTuber with, like, 1.5m followers came to a recent event and said it was like a revelation.”

Increase connectivity

“There’s no substitute for socialising in real life,” says Hounsell, “but social media gives you the feeling you’re being social, even though you’re sat in your bedroom.” He’s witnessed first-hand the epidemic of loneliness in big cities like London: “It’s a clear downstream effect of people being more isolated by being on their phones.” Hounsell says 67 per cent of The Offline Club’s attendees come alone, but when the floor is opened up for the second hour of the night, with no distracting smartphones present, people have a better opportunity to connect. “Conversations are more authentic and human – if the conversation hits a lull and you’re running out of things to say, you can’t use your phone to avoid it or duck out. Your brain has to actively engage. I’ve seen these people go from strangers to friends in a short space of time. And personally, my existing relationships have become a lot stronger since I went from more than eight to twoand-a-half hours a day on my phone.”

No signal

An unexpected benefit of disconnecting, Hounsell says, is getting lost. “Navigating is one of the trickiest things without a phone,” he says. “I did an ‘unplugged walk’ around Hyde Park with 100 people, none of us with phones, and we genuinely got lost. But it was freeing and fun, especially in London where we’re all caught up in the hustle and grind. It’s the same with boredom. A lot of people worry that they’ll be bored without their phone, but I think boredom is something of a luxury now – and we’re supposed to be bored sometimes. You slow down, notice the little things, and that’s worth doing.” theoffline-club.com

LESSONS FROM THE WILDERNESS

From intrepid artist and adventurer Tessa Hulls

The next issue of THE RED BULLETIN is out on August 12