Sport

Red Bull X-Fighters returned to the Union Buildings this past weekend for the fourth stop on the 2015 World Tour. I arrived a few days early, met the course builders and shot portraits of the international sculptors. The rest of the images are pretty much an assortment of action from the weekend. Congratulations to Tom Pagés of France for putting together flawless runs all day and making himself untouchable. Check out these links for all the real info written by those in the know – I’m just about the eye candy 😉

http://www.redbullxfighters.com/en_ZA
www.redbull.co.za
http://www.redbull.com/za/en/motorsports/offroad/stories/1331746842726/red-bull-x-fighters-south-africa-2015-track-build

TB_20150910_X_FIGHTERS_0007

Life

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0173

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0174

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0162

 

TB_20150909_X_FIGHTERS_0059

TB_20150909_X_FIGHTERS_0062

TB_20150909_X_FIGHTERS_0065

Taka Higashino (JAP)

XF_ZA_TORR_TB_0187

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0183

XF_ZA_MELE_TB_0176

XF_ZA_LIFE_TB_0262

XF_ZA_VILLE_TB_0256

XF_ZA_SAYE_TB_0180

XF_ZA_SAYE_TB_0232

XF_ZA_SAYE_TB_0252

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0021

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0032

XF_ZA_NAME_TB_0190

XF_ZA_JONE_TB_0201               

XF_ZA_LIFE_TB_0217

Crowd

XF_ZA_BIZO_TB_0236

XF_ZA_PAGE_TB_0246 Tom Pages (FRA)  XF_ZA_PAGE_TB_0248   Maikel Melero (ESP) 

Tom Pages (FRA)

XF_ZA_PAGE_TB_0209


When I was shooting Red Bull X-Fighters there was talk of swell hitting that left in Namibia.. you know the one I’m talking about! The chances of going seemed stacked against us but thankfully Red Bull, being the fine company they are, made magic happen. Two days later, flights were booked, accommodation sorted, a moersa lens rented and passports were packed.

The main focus was to get images of Slade Prestwich. Check out the the interview Red Bull did on his pre and post expectations / experience. If you’ve heard rumours of this wave being heavy… believe it! That spitting chocolate mouth of death will eat you alive however it’ll most likely give you the barrel of your life. Its gamble you just can’t walk away from.

As for Namibia, it’s a bizarre place. Your mind keeps changing its mind on where it thinks you are. One minute you think you’re in South Africa, next transported back to “puzzle box” era Germany / Europe. Puzzle box as in those old 1000 piece German architecture landscape puzzles you used to sit for hours with you mom trying to figure out. Then the dessert and vast amounts of sand settle your mind back into reality.

What a great trip. I live for opportunities like these. Quick shout out to Sunshine Company for hooking me up with the carbon fibre Sirui tripod you see me operating in the last photo.

INSTAX_01 INSTAX_02 INSTAX_03INSTAX_04_TJB6833 _TJB4073 _TJB4087 _TJB4097 _TJB4145 _TJB4193 _TJB4521 _TJB4540 _TJB5319 _TJB5535 _TJB5688 _TJB6557 _TJB6778 


On Thursday myself and a few others headed out to Dungeons in the hopes that the surf would turn on during the three hour window that was spotted for the morning. A 5.5m swell at 16s was predicted and there were hopes for some solid surf following the previous Friday’s perfect conditions. This was my first time out there. Unfortunately the swell direction was just off but that didn’t stop the core group of charges from surfing. Just goes to show how much work and dedication these guys have. They’re warriors not athletes in my book.

DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE  DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE DUNGEONS IN BLACK AND WHITE