Events

Jun

2018

OCR World Championships

Last weekend was the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Enduro Championships or more commonly known as the OCR World Championships. Competitors ran the 10km course with 30 obstacles in it and tried to knock over as many laps as they could in a 24 hour period. This year I was chasing Shammes AlShamsi, the only entrant from the United Arab Emirates around the course.

The Race

This has to be the toughest and most brutal race that pops up on my calendar. Whilst I think that the people who do 24mtb races and 24hr trail runs are crazy I believe (and please correct me if I am wrong) that these competitors can find a rhythm and lock into it. Obstacle course racers have to break that rhythm every 40m or so to complete a different obstacle. They do a huge variety of obstacles such as rope climbs, crawling in the mud under barbed wire, scaling walls and rope traverses across the creek.

Chasing one competitor around the course is a little bit awkward as the course is so spread out. I found the best place was around the start finish area where the greatest amount of obstacles were found making it easy to jump between one and another. I didn’t manage to get all the obstacles I still managed to get a good selection of shots with Shammes and and managed to grab a few other folks as I was waiting for Shammes to get back around to me.

Shammes AlShamsi at the True Grit OCR World Titles 24hr obstacle race. Lower Portland, Australia

Night

This has to be one of my favourite events as I simply love shooting at night. As night fell so too did the rain and fog. Both years I have shot it it has been raining and foggy which definitely add to the atmosphere of the event. I know many photographers don’t like these conditions but I love it. To a point that is, eventually heavy rain can wear me down.

Trying to pick out that one competitor in the night though became even trickier as it was almost impossible to tell one competitor from another in the darkness and the headlights shining into my eyes. I basically just ended up shooting most people in the night and hoping one was Shammes. Its always good fun playing around with different lighting setups at night. Hopefully I didn’t blind anyone but no-one complained to me so that’s always a good thing.

Action from the True Grit, OCR World Titles 24hr obstacle race, Lower Portland, Australia

Morning

I got up early for another few shots but had to shoot off before the finish due to another booking. In the early hours of the morning Shammmes, like many others, had pulled the pin due to exhaustion. I still managed to grab a few more frames before I shot off though. Being the athlete that Shammes is though he is off to Andorra this weekend for not one but 2 more Spartan Race events.

I certainly hope to be back again next year. Registration for the event has opened already. The level of fitness of these athletes just astounds me and the vibe at the event itself is just great. It is well worth checking out even if racing is not for you

The rest of the images can be viewed here on my website

Nov

2017

Kempsey Enduro: Superflow Championships

Last weekend Kempsey played host to the Superflow Enduro Championship. Rocky Trail Entertainment has been running the Kempsey Enduro for 3 years now. It is one of my favourites as I get to go stay out at the beautiful Hungry Head campsite.

It was another great weekend of racing. Though a slightly smaller turnout there was lots of new faces on track. I even met a couple of fellows who had done the drive down from Queensland for it. Pre-race rain dampened Sunday a bit and brought the hordes of mosquitos out enmass. I often wonder what bloodsucking creatures like this eat when there is no photographer sitting in the bush.

It also means a little bit of exploring new spots on the way home. This year I stopped off Middle Brother on the way home and had a look around the Blackbutt forest. I spent the night at Seal Rocks, camped at Treachery with the dingos. I didn’t get to see them though I did see their paw prints in the sand on the dunes. From there I headed to the Bombah ferry Stopping off to see the tallest tree in NSW, a 76m flooded gum called Giantis. I crossed the ferry and down the coastal road to Tea Gardens and Hawksnest a nice little detour.

: The crew

: Superflow Kempsey, Enduro 2017

: Superflow Kempsey, Enduro 2017

: Locals showing the out-of towners how it’s done

: Superflow Kempsey, Enduro 2017

: Hat Head locals

: Just a splash of rain

: Pre Race tune up

: Superflow Kempsey, Enduro 2017

: Taking the dog for a run

: Sarah booth shredding on the Sunday

: Female Elite podiums

: Male Elite podiums

: Monday sunrise

: The dingoes are there somewhere

: Myall Lakes National Park

: Flooded Gums

Oct

2017

Redass Downhill: Lithgow

The state finals of the NSW Redass Downhill were held a couple of weeks ago out on the Pony Club trail at Lithgow. It was a big weekend for me as it was on the back of a corporate race that we shot called The Great Adventure Challenge in the Royal National Park.

Whilst the rain held off for the Great Adventure Challenge it greeted us as we drove across the mountains on the way out to Lithgow. All things considered, though the rain was very welcome as it’s been months since we have seen any around Sydney way and to be honest it was more like a drizzle the any serious rain. Thankfully this type of rain doesn’t affect but it does offer a great atmosphere in which to shoot. I love shooting in this type of weather.

Most prosumer/professional cameras are perfectly weather-sealed and have no trouble being out in rain like this. The main thing to watch out for is getting raindrops on the lens as these will distort the picture. The use of a lens hood and remembering to keep the lens pointed down usually take care of this problem. If not a quick dab with a lens cloth sorts it out. There are numerous ways to protect your camera if the weather gets worse. I always have one OP/Tech rain sleeve in my bag just in case. Very simple to use and will still let me use flashes or triggers mounted on my camera. Otherwise, in a pinch most plastic bags will offer some amount of protection to be able to get the job done.

: The welcoming ceremony

: Muddy but happy

: Head down and going for it

: Bouncing the way through

: The big jump

: Into the rockgarden

Sep

2017

Coastal Classic Trail Run

Once again it was time for one of the trail runners favourite races, the Coastal Classic. It’s one of Sydney’s highest rated trail runs, taking runners along a beautiful stretch of coastline going through the Royal National Park. Being in a national park though the organisers, Maximum Adventure, cap the number of competitors and so it can be hard to get an entry as they sell out so quickly. The Coastal Classic completes the Thermatech Triple Challenge series which included the Jabulani in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Raffertys Coastal Run at Lake Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast.

Although the Coastal Classic may not be the longest of races it certainly presents a good challenge to those who take it on. The trail takes runners up and down the park’s headlands and onto the numerous sandy beaches along the coast of the Royal National Park . Unlike last year at this time, when there was torrential rain forcing the postponement of the race, we had a beautiful spring day, chilly in the morning but warming up nicely as the day progressed. Out on course I set 5 photographers, myself included, positioned to capture the beautiful coastal scenics and the runners enjoying the trails. There was around 1000 runners on course from all different skill levels, some there to run fast and put in the best time they can while others were taking their time and enjoy the day out.

The Triple Challenge has been a great series to cover. Next up for us in the trail running category will be the Bouddi challenge in October. A new race on the running circuit running through the Bouddi National Park on the Central Coast.

You can find the full gallery of Coastal Classic images here If you want to see the images from the other races of the triple challenge you can find the Jabulani images here and Raffertys Coastal Run images here

: Stacks of numbers

: Plating up for the Coastal Classic

: All smiles and readiness

: A few last tips from the organisers

: Maximum Adventure’s Coastal Classic trail run in the Royal National Park, Sydney, 2017

: Maximum Adventure’s Coastal Classic trail run in the Royal National Park, Sydney, 2017

: Maximum Adventure’s Coastal Classic trail run in the Royal National Park, Sydney, 2017

: Maximum Adventure’s Coastal Classic trail run in the Royal National Park, Sydney, 2017

Aug

2017

Stromlo Weekend

I like Canberra. I never used to but it has grown on me over the years. I still have no idea how to get to anywhere except Mt. Stromlo but I’m getting there. I don’t often get down there in Summer and I am not so sure those scorching hot dry days would suit me so well but, being a winter person, the cold blustery days suit me just fine.

I arrived late on the Friday afternoon and caught the sunset. With the sun going down so too was the temperature. Martin from Rocky Trail set up a gas heater inside the marquee and we chatted and ate dinner. I crawled off to bed early, keen to get wrapped up in the warmth of my sleeping bag. At some point in the wee hours of the morning the temperature went sub-zero

Saturday:
I awoke to a thick frost covering the car. The chill made it hard to get up. It was the final round of the Shimano GP series though and I have been shooting this series for a few years now. Stromlo is one of my favourites on the circuit there are some great views to be had around the hill.

A couple of hundred people turned out for the race. I got out onto a new section of track on the backside called slippery rock. Although i say new the track itself is old but its new to the race and new for me to shoot. I made my way upward shooting at various locations along the way. At the top of the section I was greeted with a great open vista across to the Brindabella range to the west.

: Black Mountain Tower at sunset

: Getting ready to start

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Rocky Trail Entertainment’s Shimano GP at Mt Stromlo, 2017

: Paul from Gloryfy showing off his wares

: The Eagle and the Tower

Sunday:
Day dawned warmer but soon cooled off as a cold wind set in. Today it was the Elite Sprint Cup, a new race for, as the name suggests, some of the top names in the Australian XC racing scene. The course was only 2kms long and as I was here to shoot editorials rather than competitor shots I found myself running around a lot more trying to cram in as many shots and locations as I could in the short time. Thankfully it was a nice compact track. One of the things I love about Canberra at this time is the golden blooms of wattle And this short course ran straight through one of the finest stands of wattle trees at Stromlo. It also ran across the 4 cross track and so I found myself running between the 2 sections each lap. It was great to see the impressive pace these athletes all kept up.

The rain moved in as we were packing up. I heard mention that it was snowing 10kms up the road in the hills so I took a short detour (completely in the wrong direction) and dashed up into the Brindabellas. I had all the weather on the way there rain followed by hail followed by sunshine followed by snow. As I near the top of the range the snowfall became quite heavy and started to sit on the road. Since I realised I was no longer going around corners but rather more drifting around them I turned back down the hill and decided to start the long drive home

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: Imogen Smith at the Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: Jenny Blair at The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: Female winners at The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: Male winners at The Elite Sprint Cup. Stromlo, 2017

: After race chilling

: Snow on the gums, Brindabellas

: Snowfall, Brindabellas, 2017

: Snowfall, Brindabellas, 2017

: Snow covered hills in the distance past Canberra

Jun

2017

Outdoor Retailer Australia Show ’17

I went to the ORA (Outdoor Retailer Australia show) for a day to have a chat with some people and check out all the new gear that is coming to Australia over the next few months. I teamed up with guest blogger Jason Lorch, the editor from Tyres and Soles, who wrote the words below. T&S do loads of great gear reviews on their site and I thought this was exactly their cup of tea.

It was our first time at the ORA show and I only wish we had gone for more than one day. It was on from the 18th – 20th June 2017 at the Royal Hall of Industries and the Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park.

We couldn’t shoot every product as some were pre-production and prototype models, and the exhibitors didn’t want us shooting those, which is understandable. We understand that you need to keep a few tricks up your sleeve in this industry. It’s also worth noting that this event is primarily focused on B2B, so business is key here and media although welcomed, are not the highest on the agenda for the exhibitors. Again, we understand and respect that.

But rest assured, we saw a lot and you should all be getting excited about the new products heading your way.

AXISGO (Aquatech)

Aquatech have been around for years making submersible camera housing and other protective gear, at the highest quality. After making very specific products for a certain target market, Aquatech has now jumped into the global market of the smartphone with their AXISGO iPhone underwater case and we managed to have a play with it.

The AXISGO is a housing kit that allows you to take your iPhone down to depths of 10 metres! It comes in 3 colour choices, with a trigger handle (which was brilliant!) and different housing lenses for different image effects. We saw some of the photos that had been taken with this gadget and the results were astonishing!

AXISGO

Outdoor Retailer Show 2017 — The impressive AXISGO underwater housing for iPhones from AquaTech.

Barz Optics

Barz Optics is an Australian-based family company located at Burleigh Heads in Queensland on the east coast of Australia. They offer a huge range of optics and frame types for any situation. Floating models, kids’ polarised models, melanin-infused polarised sunglass lenses, polarised lenses with a bifocal reader, and prescription lenses….

New products at the show included their latest floating model, the Polarised Photochromic BiFocal Reader – the Cabo, as well as the new kids floating polarised model, the Grom. They’ve also released a cycling-focused model which has been very popular with the cycling community to date. We recommend you check them out.

Barz Optics

LifeStraw

LifeStraw started in 1994 with their first filter that could remove Guinea worm larvae from water. It then evolved into a more effective pipe form in 1999 and is essentially the design you see today. Since then, more than 37 million LifeStraw Guinea Worm filters have contributed to the near-eradication of the disease.

The design is simple, elegant and highly effective at removing 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella. It weighs only 57 grams and can be placed in your pack or pocket. You can literally drop down to a dirty puddle and suck it up. The effect it has had on third-world communities has been hugely impactful.

LifeStraw now has a range of products from the individual LifeStraw, LifeStraw Go, LifeStraw Mission and the LifeStraw Family. Plus, for each LifeStraw that’s purchased, one school child in a developing community receives safe drinking water for an entire school year.

LifeStraw

UQUIP

One of the main purposes of attending the ORA 2017 show was to discover new brands. One such brand is UQUIP. A small company based in Bad Bramstedt in Northern Germany (close to Hamburg). They produce a range of camping products such as stools, beds, portable storage, mats and lights.

What impressed us was the detail and the level of quality in their designs. One item caught our eye straight away. It was a teeny weeny folding chair, that looked as if it would fit a very small dog or kitten. In fact it can hold up to 150kgs of weight yet it only weighs 250 grams! So we just had to test this out for ourselves.

Although I was nowhere near that weight, it felt incredibly secure and rigid under me. It was also surprisingly comfortable. We could see this stool being incredibly handy for many uses, especially for the professional photographer who needs to carry a lot of stuff around and sit in the same spot for long periods of time.

UQIP

THERMAREST

We’re fans of the THERMAREST products, namely their air mattresses and sleeping bags but we haven’t had much exposure to their tent range, so were happy to see their Tranquility tent on display. The tent itself appeared well-built and had all the quality you would expect from this brand. It is aimed more at car camping, so don’t expect anything lightweight that you can carry in your pack for multiple days.

The 4-man tent weighs in at 5.19 kg. If you’re looking for high quality and not concerned about weight for those short trips to your favourite car camp spot, then you’d do well with these tents. Thermarest offers a range of 4 to 6-man tents, shelters and footprints.

The Tent Field

We headed out to the tent area where a lot of tents were set up, in a variety of shapes and sizes.

PELICAN

Pelican have been around for years and are best known for their virtually indestructible travel cases. What caught our eye this year was their range of drinkware and cooler boxes. The Traveler Tumbler can store hot or cold liquids at the correct temperature all day, and come with a narrower bottom section so they can fit into most vehicle holders.

We were told that the cooler boxes can retain ice for ten days! One of the Pelican exhibitors recently came back from a ten-day fishing trip where he had fish stored in the box but was dubious about opening it up and releasing all the cold air, but he took a gamble and opened it anyway. To his surprise, there was still ice in the bottom, after ten days!

ONE PLANET

The reason we didn’t shoot as much as we wanted was that we got stuck at the One Planet stand for longer than expected. We’re big fans of One Planet and any opportunity to catch up with them is a bonus for us. One Planet is based out of Melbourne and has been manufacturing outdoor equipment for more than 30 years. They have a reputation for creating gear that’s incredibly tough and durable.

It was great to see how the One Planet range has evolved. Offering more and more products each year, from their beloved backpacks and sleeping bags to tents, jackets and footwear. They remain true to their core market and their consistency for high-quality, super-tough gear can be seen across all of these products.

All in all, it was a great show with tons of interesting brands and products on display, I just wished we’d come for more than one day.

Author: Jason Lorch

Born and grew up in Wales but now a fully fledged Aussie. A passionate mountain biker, hiker and general nature addict. He also fancies himself as a bit of a muso and enjoy a good craft beer every now and again (probably too often).

His blog at Tyres and Soles will inspire people to get out there and experience first hand, the natural wonders that surround them. and is well worth checking out. Be sure and go get lost in the stories and reviews over at Tyres and Soles.