Red Bull Air Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo courtesy: Red Bull
Fast and Furious Texas style: All the action from the Red Bull Air Race World Championship
Dallas-Fort Worth saw a lot of action this past weekend, with the opening of the State Fair and the Cowboys playing at home. But the most thrilling of it had to be the Red Bull Air Race World Championship at Texas Motor Speedway, when 14 pilots from across the world competed on a 1.5-mile aerial obstacle course in front of more than 30,000 people.
Now in its eighth season, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship is part of an adrenaline-rushing global sports series that takes place in eight stunning locations, across seven countries and three continents. The series also includes the Cliff Diving World Series (which returned to Possum Kingdom Lake this past May), X-Fighters World Tour, and the Crashed Ice World Championship.
The pilots were timed throughout a series of runs, as they made their way through the air-filled pylons. The Texas Twister was the toughest, because the pilots had to maneuver their way through the pylon not only by adjusting their speed and flying level, but also by determining exactly where to push the plane through.
After watching these guys hit speeds upward of 230 mph and forces up to 10 G’s throughout the tricky obstacle course, something tells me parallel parking is a breeze for them.
With a time of 55.285 seconds, British ace Paul Bonhomme took home his fourth first-place finish this season; his previous wins include Abu Dhabi, Chiba, and Ascot. Having finished third in the 2014 season, Bonhomme has 39 podiums and 15 race wins throughout his career, including two world titles. Bonhomme now extends his world championship lead by eight points as they head to the final stop of the season in Las Vegas on October 17-18.
Australia’s Matt Hall (who remains second in points behind Bonhomme) put in a solid performance, coming in second with a time of 56.052 seconds. Japan’s Yoshi Muroya finished third. Think about it: Only 0.767 seconds separated first and second place in the final round. Great Britain’s Nigel Lamb set a new track record — clocking in at 54.620 seconds — but only finished sixth.
The hometown favorite was Red Bull pilot and Texas native Kirby Chambliss, who came in 11th, while the other American in the race, Michael Goulian, finished ninth.
Another noteworthy moment from the action-packed weekend included the Red Bull Air Force team leaping from a helicopter at 5,000 feet and free-falling toward the crowd carrying the American flag during the National Anthem. The Red Bull Air Force team comprises the most accomplished and experienced skydivers, B.A.S.E. jumpers, and paragliders on the planet.
Even before the start of the big race at Texas Motor Speedway, a video of Lolo Jones riding with Kirby Chambliss got a bunch of buzz. She may be the fastest woman in the world, but she’s never gone as fast as 200+ mph, upward of 10 G’s.
Fans can relive the action from the Red Bull Air Race Texas on October 11 on Fox Sports 1.
This article originally ran on Culture Map. Click here to see the original article and a cool video from Red Bull.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Red-Bull-Air-Race-in-Fort-Worth_122116.jpg240320Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2015-09-29 18:02:312015-10-01 18:04:38Red Bull Air Race World Championship
Jayme of The Blonde Side interviewing Kirk Hammett of Metallica at Austin X Games (photo: Clark Terrell)
If you had to describe heavy metal in one word, it would, without a doubt be Metallica. Plain and simple. If you’ve ever even caught a glimpse of a Big Air competition or an X Games athlete throwing a 250-pound machine sideways and bringing it back with style (known as Best Whip), you’d know the most fitting soundtrack to such action could only be created by the men of Metallica.
As one of the biggest names to grace X Games 2015, Metallica kicked off Saturday night with an instrumental version and six-string salute of the National Anthem amidst the dusty Moto X Speed & Style course before their much anticipated two-hour concert later on the Super Stage.
The icons have been going vocal and rocker strong for decades and after their sweat-infested performance at Circuit of the Americas (known as COTA to locals), it’s pretty clear they don’t have plans of quitting the game anytime soon. As Metallica hit the live music capital of the world to co-headline the 20th anniversary of the annual action-sports event (with Nicki Minaj), we had a chance to sit down with Kirk Hammett and talk all things heavy–sports, fears, heat indexes, and more.
Arriving Friday, Hammett got intimate with the Texas heat pretty damn fast. “I got off the plane and instantly felt the heat and humidity–I’m a surfer so my body was saying “where’s the beach, where’s my surfboard?” but my mind was saying we’re in Austin, Texas–we’re land-locked but I’m glad to be here,” Hammett says.
As for connections or favorite X Games athletes or specific sport disciplines, Hammett doesn’t play favorites. At least not this early in, catching the X Games action live for the first time.
“We met Chad Kagy last night and he was super nice. He invited us up onto the ramp, but I think we missed our opportunity–James and I were getting ready for the National Anthem. I’m totally into watching extreme sports–it’s pretty phenomenal. I mean this genre of sports wasn’t around when I was a kid or a teenager, so to see the things that these guys do is just mind-blowing for me. I’m having a great time and it’s a very super cool thing I’m way into,” he says of the events, which took place on 12 different courses, all in the blazing sun.
[Just hours after our interview, Kagy was rushed to the hospital after crashing a Frontflip Flair, breaking both of his heels, which required multiple surgeries. Kagy later shared his x-rays via Facebook, saying he “got screwed at X Games this year.”
Having only enough time to catch a few events, Hammett was quick to give innumerable kudos to the men and women brave enough to throw their bodies off ramps and turn tricks, many of which had never been done before.
“So far it’s been pretty crazy. I don’t know how those guys do that on those motocross bikes–I don’t know how they train for that. I’m sure there’s a whole science behind it–it’s impressive,” he said.
“I saw that super ramp [known as Big Air, where skateboard athletes drop in from either a 50 or 65-foot high roll-in]–that ramp is so so amazing. I saw some guy on the Big Air ramp and just couldn’t believe it, and the speeds they were getting up to and the heights they were getting up to. It’s phenomenal for me to watch something like that and to watch someone pull in off so seamlessly–it’s like ballet man, it’s no different, it’s a discipline for sure,” he says.
Though the guitarist has never done a mid-air flip variation himself, he’s no stranger to his own version of extreme sports and a healthy array of physical activity.
“My sport is surfing–I’m a full on surfer. I surf as much as I can. Every winter I go to North Shore in Hawaii and take advantage of the waves there. I know a bunch of the pro surfers and that’s kind of my deal every winter. That’s kind of my own personal X Games,” he says.
“I do waves–I’m a water guy. I also run, I mountain bike–I’m big into mountain biking when there’s no waves,” he muses, visibly dreaming of Hawaii for a minute.
When asked if he would be ballsy enough to suit up in protective gear and try one of the X Games disciplines,Hammett didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely man–I am a charger. I am in the surfing world, which means if I see waves and you know it’s going, I’ll charge for sure.”
The thing Hammett fears most in life? Not heights or broken bones. Sharks.
“Sometimes I’ll spook myself. In the Bay Area it’s pretty shark-y and if you’re held under it’s completely black–there’s no visibility. At least if you’re held under in Hawaii you have some visibility–at least five-6 feet. Northern California is known for it’s great white shark breeding grounds and there’s a lot of sea lions in that area and great whites love sea lions. Sea lions are like the caviar of great whites,” he explains.
Music and headphones are about as much a part of the X Games as wheels and helmets. Pretty much every one of the athletes has headphones tucked in their ears while performing their stunts and tricks–a way of either staying focused, drowning out the crowd or tapping into their crazy creative side.
As for being dubbed the perfect soundtrack to the X Games (even by Veteran X Gamer Tony Hawk himself), Hammett sees the similarities and digs the parallel.
“Our energy goes into our music and gets amplified to the next level. When people can hear it and tap into it and feel that energy, it’s a motivational sort of feeling that comes up over people if they let themselves be energized by it. Our music has an element of danger in it, and the mood that it evokes. It’s not dangerous but there’s a certain element of danger. I think a lot of these extreme athletes can relate to that. Our music is the type that sees you through–there’s a beginning, middle and an ending. I think extreme athletes want to experience a conclusion and then listen to the next song. I think psychologically it helps them maybe see to the end of whatever they are doing–whether it’s a race or a trials thing or whatever. It helps them see that there’s an end to what they are doing and know they’ll make it through,” he says.
“But I got to tell you, when I’m out there surfing and there’s a !*(%ing wave that’s coming at me that’s maybe 10 foot, the last thing I’m thinking about is music man. I’m just thinking I got to be in the right position, I got to be going a certain speed, I got to catch this wave or else…and so for my own process I don’t really think about any sort of music–that’s just the way I am. When I go running I don’t listen to music, I listen to podcasts,” he says.
A professionally mixed recording of Metallica’s X Games show is available now through July 15th at LiveMetallica.com for just $5, which benefits Central Texas flood victims.
Until next year X Games and Metallica fans, keep it adventurous folks.
This article originally ran on the sport’s page of CBS Man Cave Daily – click here to see the original piece.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_5085.jpg6831024Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2015-06-10 12:57:132015-07-09 13:16:41Metallica’s Kirk Hammett & X Games
The Blonde Side recaps X Games Austin 2015 (photo courtesy Clark Terrell)
Looking back at the X Games.
Skater boys (and girls) were cool long before Avril Lavigne sang about them in 2002. In fact, this past weekend the X Games celebrated their 21st action-packed year–each year bigger and better with no plans of slowing down. Literally. No slowing down for this extreme weekend with more than 136,000 in attendance over the four day event, which boasted 206 athletes competing in 20 disciplines in five sports. In fact, nothing about X Games 2015 was slow–not even the $9 beer lines.
An excess of VIP parties, flat bill hats, noises that evoked awe and amazement from the crowd, energy drinks, sunscreen, humidity, flying dirt in your face, loud engines, louder music–that pretty much sums up X Games 2015 at Circuit of the Americas, but here’s a healthy recap if you missed it.
Surprise, Brah
As Travis Pastrana, 11-time X Games Moto X and Rally gold medalist, told us there’s an element of surprise that adds to the overall weekend. “It’s the one place that everyone comes out with their new tricks, so everyone is kind of secretive for like two months. After X Games everyone kind of opens up like “hey buddy sorry I wasn’t returning your calls,’” he jokes.
Athletic event becoming just as much a music festival
Nicki Minaj and Metallica co-headlined the weekend on the Super Stage, and other musical talents included The Glitch Mob (one of the most popular electronic acts), Kid Ink, Talib Kweli, Pennywise and a few others.
Debuts
As Pastrana mentioned earlier, X Games is the place for athletes to debut tricks they’ve been keeping top secret for months, but it’s also the debut of athletes taking on their first X Games, or new disciplines being introduced.
One of the most popular events to debut this year was the skateboard/BMX Doubles on Sunday, with veterans Bob Burnquist (who has attended every summer X Games and leads the all-time medal count) and Morgan Wade (local Texas guy) taking home gold for the Big Air Doubles on the MegaRamp. Both Burnquist and Wade posted their highest individual scores on their third run and no one could top it.
This brand new event consists of four teams–one skateboarder and one BMX rider–paired up to post the highest individual scores and adding them up for their final score. Pairing up with guys in this new discipline is a unique element to the weekend.
“I’m just excited to have another shot at riding the ramp,” Wade told ESPN’s Annie Fast on Sunday. “That alone is worth everything to me because I only get to ride this a week out of the year. It’s a different dynamic because I don’t want to let him down and I’m sure he’s thinking the same,” he told Fast about competing as a team. The event’s silver medal went to Steve McCann and Elliot Sloan and Tom Schaar and Zack Warden took bronze.
We heard a lot of talk throughout the Paddocks of a few teams unofficially forming together for next year’s competition.
Other sports that debuted this weekend included Moto X Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing, and Moto X Toyota QuarterPipe.
Age is just a number–nothing more, nothing less
X Games is also one of those places where age is just a number. It pretty much means nothing. You’ve got guys like Tom Scharr, who at just 15 was the defending America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air gold medalist (he left with bronze this year behind Burnquist who took home gold and Elliott Sloan with silver), competing on nearby stages with 43-year-old Mike Brown who took home his third gold in Enduro X. Brown turned pro in an era before X Games was even a thing (1989). Though the guys compete in different disciplines, the age disparity isn’t something you’ll find in many other sporting events.
Then you’ve got sports like BMX Vert, which is a final-only format with eight athletes and is essentially a halfpipe make of skatelite (a durable paper-composte material) and wood, and is 60 feet wide with 11.5 feet transitions and two feet of vert. Jamie Bestwick, a 43-year-old rider who was unbeaten in X Games Vert since 2006 succumbed to 25-year-old Australian Vince Byron, which was a huge change in the game.
For the women’s sports, the age ranges are as big–you’ve got the youngest at 14 with Alana Smith (SKB) and the oldest being 42-year-old Nicole Bradford (MTX). For men, the oldest is formerly retired NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace at 58 (the second-oldest athlete ever in X Games history) and America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air Trey Woods at 14 (who is also the lightest male athlete at X Games weighing 105lbs).
Sheldon Creed took home his first X Games gold in Off-Road Truck Racing Sunday. Interesting fact–Creed just wrapped up his junior year of high school. Who needs a class ring when you’ve got a gold medal from X Games? “To be an X Games gold medalist, that’s so rad and something that I’ve been looking to do since I was little,” he told ESPN, which is ironic, because by most standards, he’s still little. Or at least young.
The average age for X Games Austin athletes this year was 27.87.
A first time for everything
Nichole and Jared Mees became the first married couple to compete against each other in X Games
The Blonde Side hanging with some other media at X Games
history as they battled it out in Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing, and Shayna and Cory Texter (also Flat-Track Racing) became the first brother and sister to compete against each other.
The Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing event was one of the events to debut at X Games 2015, where 24 racers competed on the 3/8-mile long oval dirt track on twin-engine motorcycles. Drivers hit high speeds, dramatically leaning into turns with no front brake having to use the rear skid to their advantage for traction and control. The final lap came to a dramatic fit-for-TV finish with a mechanical failure allowing Bryan Smith (Kawasaki) to snag gold.
Don’t forget the women
Saturday showcased one of my favorite competitions with 12 of the best women’s skateboarders in the world contending for the biggest prize purse in women’s skateboarding. Alexis Sablone walked away with her fourth Women’s Skateboard Street gold medal and left the crowd with jaws still hanging on the asphalt after watching her performance. Pamela Rosa, a 15-year-old Brazilian skater who rocked a personalized home futbol jersey and Chicago Bulls flat bill cap, combined her technical skills, clean style, and even left it all on the course with an impressive kickflip off the roof, which got her silver.
Maria Forsberg also made her return to Women’s Enduro X after retiring last year to have a baby. After giving birth to her daughter Londynn in October, the six-time medalist (3 gold) was ready to return to the action.
“I got 6th which is obviously my worst finish by far,” Forsberg says explaining how she crashed during her seeding lap which left her literally starting behind everyone else, in a second row. “I had the worse gate pick and was dead last by like 10 feet and I caught up to 6th in six laps, so to me it was awesome what I overcame. I was doing some jumps I wouldn’t have before the pregnancy so I felt really good. It’s hard because looking at results you’re like “she got 6th and usually she got 1stor 2nd’ but to know where I started in the back, I’m really happy,” she says.
Innovation is nothing new for Austin
The festival villages, which included the Galleria–a retail hub featuring large-scale sponsor activations (AT&T took your selfie and put it on a bobblehead photo in exchange for your email address), Torchy’s Tacos Playground (although they didn’t have tacos, which was disappointing)–where fans could compete in pop-a-shot basketball, soccer penalty kicks, skateboard simulation and even catch performances from the YouTube sensation waterskiing squirrel.
The total event was very SXSW-like with innovation and marketing in every crevice of Circuit of the Americas like chalk art contests, semi-impromptu yoga set up by Wanderlust Yoga, Skype’s pull-up contest against the fittest woman on earth–crossfitter Camille I.Bazinet, and even a #tucktest from Fruit of the Loom who had Travis Pastrana riding a mechanical bull to see if the shirt could withstand the #tucktest. Spoiler alert–it did. And he drives fast cars better than he rides bulls. Fans lined up for hours to get their own newly designed Fruit of the Loom undershirt to see if they too could pass the #tucktest.
VIP Parties
When an event rolls into Austin, so do the VIP parties. It’s like a right of passage. Many of the athletes and sponsors were throwing their own parties. Some of the biggest went to “Luna Rising” presented by Dos Equis at Ironwood Hall on 7th St., the Monster VIP party (can you imagine how hyped up all the guests were with free Monster all night long?), and the popular downtown pool party series “Shock Wave” back for its second season–on the fourth floor of the W Hotel Sunday late afternoon. Admission was $30 and included complimentary valet, specialty drink cocktails (all Texas brands) and a DJ. Many of the athletes headed to the Wet Deck after the conclusion of competition and grabbed a cabana to soak up the sun, well actually, the shade. And of course a few cocktails.
Behind the scenes
One of the best parts of a weekend packed with so much action is seeing all the behind the scenes craziness and nuisances. Whether that’s watching athletes throw their skateboards off the ramp knowing they just got beat out by a sick trick from their competitor, being treated by medics off course after a fall or even just your casual couch races, it’s all pretty damn entertaining. Check out these behind the scenes pictures from ESPN.
Athletes quotes
“I did a double flair on a Megaramp Quarterpipe, I’m super pumped! The feeling is indescribable.”
–Colton Satterfield, X Games GoPro BMX Big Air gold medalist
“I was trying to stay focused, I had a good first run which is the best because then I wasn’t as stressed as I usually am, on the last run I felt like I could take a risk—-I’m so happy.”
–Alexis Sablone, X Games Women’s Skateboard Street gold medalist
“I had no plan coming here today. I had certain tricks I wanted to do but didn’t exactly know how to get there.”–Curren Caples, X Games Toyota Skateboard Park gold medalist
“The car got destroyed and after that I figured it was done, but I kept hounding the leader and he made a mistake and I was able to get by.”
–Scott Speed, X Games Car Racing gold medalist
“I just decided to let it all go, just have fun, that’s what BMX is all about.”–Mike Clark, X Games BMX Dirt silver medalist
“I would’ve never guessed 20 years ago when I started watching X Games that I would have my own gold medal–especially seven of them!”
–Ronnie Renner, Moto X Step Up gold medalist
“I just hammered down that last corner and went for it man. To survive here and come home with a gold medal, it’s a dream come true really.”–Bryan Smith, Harley-Davidson Flat-Track gold medalist
“Every win takes a lot of hard work and practice on the course and a lot of preparation. I’m stoked that I was able to put down those first two runs and not put too much pressure on myself.”–Nyjah Huston, Monster Energy Skateboard Street gold medalist
The Blonde Side interviews Travis Pastrana on the Red Carpet before ‘Angry Sky’ Screening at X Games weekend (photo: Kurt Bradley)
‘Angry Sky’ ’30 for 30′ Kicks off X Games Weekend
Like everything that comes along with X Games, the kick off bash on Wednesday night in Austin was nothing less than adventurous. The night featured a red carpet screening of the 30 for 30 documentary Angry Skybenefitting the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at The V Foundation and the Central Texas Red Cross after the recent historic flooding that happened throughout the state.
I’ve long been a fan of the popular docu-series, but usually watch from the comforts of my couch in yoga pants and on my very girly and non-HD 42″-inch TV, cold beer in hand. Being able to see the film in the comfort of the Alamo Drafthouse literally amongst the brilliant minds behind the film was a unique experience, one I could get used to–seeing their faces, hearing the theatre fill with laughter (especially during the scenes which featured aeronautical engineers Lucy and Karl Stefan, because she is THE funniest woman I’ve ever seen on TV), and catching glimpses of the row of X Games veterans supporting their friends and competitors.
Angry Sky executive producer Mat Hoffman says the inspiration behind the film was pretty simple. “This seemed like it was a story that nobody ever heard of–nobody ever told this story–so when I discovered [it], I was like this story has to be told. It’s so inspiring and nobody even knows about it. Nick just had a passion and a will–he just wanted to do the impossible and did it…I don’t know, I’m kind of rambling but that’s what inspired me,” he says.
Jeff Tremaine, the director of the film, pretty much mirrored Hoffman’s thoughts. “Nick was clearly cut from the same cloth as guys like Evel Knievel, Mat and Travis–people that I look up to. I love to tell these kind of stories and to discover one that hasn’t been told. It was a rare treat to find this footage and it’s just a remarkable crazy story and set in a crazy time,” he explains.
Ryan Nyquist, four-time X Games BMX gold medalist and V Foundation spokesperson was in attendance and noted the homegrown feel of having X Games in Austin for the second straight year rather than Los Angeles. “I think most athletes have a different outside activity or something that inspires them besides just bikes, skateboards or whatever and seeing that Mat [Hoffman] was passionate enough to produce a film like this is awesome. For me, it’s like if it piqued his interest and made it happen, I want to see it,” he says about supporting his friend.
Travis Pastrana, 11-time X Games Moto X and Rally gold medalist, was also on the red carpet showing support, decked out in a short-sleeve button down and Red Bull hat, in attendance with his family.
“Mat Hoffman is really cool because he’s my all-time hero. Just all-time for me,” he says with a smile before heading into the screening. “He’s really a pioneer and the person that first does something that everyone else doesn’t understand. Usually it’s so far out there–honestly that’s what Mat was for BMX and that’s what Tony Hawk was for skateboarding–lunatics doing stupid stuff,” he says which just so happens to be one of his favorite part of X Games. “It’s the one place that everyone comes out with their new tricks, so everyone is kind of secretive for like two months before. After X Games everyone kind of opens up, like “Hey buddy sorry I wasn’t returning your calls,’” he jokes, looking forward to the action packed weekend ahead to see who might debut the newest and craziest stunt.
As for the 30 for 30 series itself, Tremaine can’t say enough good things. “I’m super proud and thrilled to be involved with this–ESPN has been such a great partner–such a creatively supportive partner. They just say go make your movie–they don’t get over involved and have been such a good partner. I love the series–I haven’t seen one that wasn’t worth watching the whole thing,” he says.
About the film: In the 1960s, a truck-driver Nick Piantanida discovered skydiving, and set out to break the world record for the highest parachute jump by taking a helium balloon to the edge of space. Over the course of a year, his dream to launch the first civilian space program drove him to obsession. Directed by Jeff Tremaine and Executive Produced by John Dahl, Mat Hoffman and Connor Schell.
Angry Sky will make its television debut on ESPN on July 30th.
*The main picture above was taken by my new buddy Kurt Bradley – an awesome photog who works for a few of the same publications I do. Check out his X Games 2015 photos here.
