Events

29
Oct
2016
Great Adventure Challenge

Great Adventure Challenge

Last weekend my camera’s weather proofing and my own was put to the test. I was up at Cam’s Wharf on the NSW Central Coast covering Maximum Adventure’s Great Adventure Challenge and it rained and rained and rained but it didn’t dampen the smiles and the fact that it was a great day out.

The Great Adventure Challenge or GAC is an adventure race for corporate teams where they raise money for the Starlight Foundation. 17 teams from various companies compete on the day doing a variety of disciplines including mountain biking, trail running and kayaking with a bit of orienteering throw in for good measure. The wet weather added a new element into the event as well.

Rain started to fall about half an hour before we were due to start shooting and continued all morning turning the tracks into treacherous trails with a 10cm layer of thick mud on top. It kept up through the day but as the day progressed it started to ease off until it dried up about half an hour before we were due to finish up. I had full wet weather gear on but water seems to find a way to get in none-the-less. By the end of the day I was pretty thoroughly wet through.

I have a large Think-Tank rain cover which is definitely rock solid at keeping the rain out. The problem I have with it though is how big and bulky it is. For a much lighter and easier to handle rain protection I use Optech rain covers which are also large enough to cover my trigger system atop my camera. For around $15 you can find a pack of 2 on Ebay. They come packed up about the size of a cd which makes them small enough to just throw in your back for that just in case it  it down rain situation.

I saw another new toy on the weekend. Gil my colleague showed me his new coffee plunger that makes what is supposed to be a fancy little expresso. It appears that though that he might have gotten a faulty version because despite my request to try it out I or our other photographer failed to see so much as a drip from the plunger. 😉

Here is a selection of shots that I got from my locations on the day.

Posted by Richard in Adventure Racing, Events, Sports
27
Oct
2016
Coastal Classic Trail Run

Coastal Classic Trail Run

A couple of weekends ago, after a previous delay due to heavy rain, the trails of the Royal National Park played host to Maximum Adventure’s Coastal Classic trail run. Around 750 people strode out from Otford under the blue skies and set off for Bundeena. The event is quite big on the Sydney trail running calendar. It draws in everyone from the serious racer who covers the 29km course in just under 2.5hrs to social striders taking their time and making a day of it.

Being such a big event and a Point A to Point B style event rather than a continuous loop we decided to field a team of photographers to make sure we caught all the action. In total, there was 6 of us spread out along the course. Gil and I had scouted the course previously wanting to get something different from the previous years but still get a good variety of shots. We selected our locations carefully placed our team at some of the most idyllic and different settings we could find.

Although not one of the longest courses, the Coastal Classic trail run does provide a great challenge.  You are constantly going up and over the headlands, along challenging singletrack and running through soft s

and. What makes it really special though is its stunning views along the coast with its steep dramatic headlands and beautiful beaches and its all just a stones throw (granted a particularily big throw) from the city. From afternoon location that I shot I had the pleasure of watching pod after pod of whales frolicking in the ocean on their way heading south again.

A big congratulations to all who competed on the day. If you haven’t seen your results yet you can find them over on the Maximum Adventure website here. Here’s a couple of my shots from the day.

Posted by Richard in Events, Sports, Trail Running
19
Sep
2016
The Jetblack 12hr Mountain Bike Race

The Jetblack 12hr Mountain Bike Race

The final mountain bike race for the 2016 Rocky Trail Entertainment XC season was the Jetblack 12 hour. This year it was held at Mowbray farm MTB track near Picton in the southwest of Sydney. It was a couple of years since previously shooting my last XC race there. Though the course was basically the same, weather over the last month or so had altered the terrain around it.

The main change in the features around the course was the missing lake. Heavy rainfall of the previous weeks managed to wash away a dam, draining the lake in the middle of the course. Rain had left the track over-saturated. More rain overnight had also added to the puddles, making some sections of the track more like water crossings. Although the previous night had been another wet one, the new day dawned windy but otherwise the weather was great.

Terrain along the track varies quite a bit. It heads through open fields with some nice views across to the city, crosses and drifts along a small creek that was once the lake and heads off into a young pine forest. The wet weather had closed a couple of sections of the track making the course shorter. However, this just meant faster laps, bringing the riders back in front of our cameras more often.

At 10am a mass start sent mountain bikers racing off into the fields. The harsh light in the open fields below the start line meant shooting there was tricky. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before a few clouds came rolling in and softened up the light a bit. I followed the track in the same direction as the riders were headed, stopping when I came across shots that I liked. By mid afternoon I had made it probably halfway around the track. I realised the best locations to shoot the sunset would be in the fields and dams back near the start so I packed up my kit and headed back in that direction.

Nightfall saw me playing with my lights around the lakes and puddles. By using a mix of flashes and dragging the shutter to create long exposures I was able came up with some interesting effects. When water was added to the frame I threw reflections of the riders lights into the mix. I always have trouble balancing the riders lights with my flashes.  The problem is, I end up losing portions of the bikes due to over-exposure caused by the riders lights. Exposing for the riders lights is tricky as no 2 riders seem to have lights of the same brightness. Practice makes perfect though and each time I am out there I seem to get a little bit better. The good thing about 12 hour and 24 hour races is that I get plenty of practice and plenty of chances to get it right.

Below are my picks for the race.

Posted by Richard in Bikes, Events
13
Aug
2016
Superflow: Kempsey Enduro

Superflow: Kempsey Enduro

Last weekend was spent cavorting around the headlands and bushland near Kempsey. It was the final round of Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Fox Superflow Enduro and I was up there to cover it with Gil under the guise of Outer Image. I set up camp each night at the beautiful Hat Head National Park on the coast. It’s only about a 20 minute drive from the trails in Kempsey but is a beautiful area. Rugged coastline and wild surf made for some interesting shooting on the headlands over the weekend.

Kempsey Superflow enduro is a 2 day  race taking place on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The trails had been hit by some torrential rain through the week leading up to the race. Sections of the tracks were underwater whilst other sections were just mudpits. It certainly made for some interesting comments from the riders as they went on by. On the Sunday the trails were cut shorter in order to remove the worst of the wet trails. There was still a couple of deep mud sections that took down more than a few riders.

On the way home I took a bit of a detour and headed out to find Mount Seaview Nature Reserve. in the falling darkness I managed to drive right past the turnoff. Not wanting to drive too much further in the dark (I would miss all the great scenery) I settled in for the night on the edge of Cottan Bimbang National Park.  In the morning I took a drive through the park and it is definitely a place that I think calls for some further exploring.  I headed back towards Mt. Seaview but it turns out it’s not an easy park to access. Something I shall have to plan for in the coming future.

 

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Posted by Richard in Bikes, Events, Places
25
Jul
2016
Superflow: Killingworth

Superflow: Killingworth

The tiny little town of Killingworth on the NSW central coast played host to round 4 of the Fox/Camelback Superflow Rollercoaster. Killingworth is a quaint little town that seems to only have about 20 houses in it but unfortunately the entrance to the trails seems to be a bit of a magnet for dumping. This year it did seem like the local club had cleaned the around the area quite a bit though.

The trails themselves though are pretty cool. As far as from a shooting perspective there is a few nice sections. I had shot on what was called the Camelback trail last year and this year picked the Fox trail for something different. As I walked and shot my way up trail I talked to a few of the riders and had the company of Matt Staggs who helped me line up a few shots. Everyone directed me to a fern section near the top of the trail.  This was a great section and certainly unique to these trails. The trails twist and turn through the giant leafy fronds. Riders had to come past me twice for this race and it was quite easy to find 2 different angles I really liked. I’m sure I could have shot plenty of more angles in there if they had to do another lap

It was a great day out covering what is my favourite format of mtb racing. Next up is Kempsey which is a great weekend away. See you all there.

Posted by Richard in Bikes, Events, Sports
05
Mar
2016
Superflow: Ourimbah

Superflow: Ourimbah

The first round of Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Superflow Gravity Enduro took off last weekend at Ourimbah. There was a great turnout for it with almost 200 riders in the pack.

I was up there under the guise of Outer Image again to getcompetitor shots for all involved. Gil was away for the weekend so in his absence I called in the talents of Jaime Black to give me a hand. Jamie settled in on the downhill track and I moved to cover the all-mountain trail. Having shot at Ourimbah so many times before I was wondering where I might find a new angle but there is always going to be a spot or angle out there. I soon found a nice rock section where people are jumping over and tested a couple of different angles on it until I found one I liked .

Posted by Richard in Bikes, Events