NO.

06

THE
FRENCHY
82 YEARS
AND NO 8000+
SIGN OF PARAGLIDING
SLOWING EXPEDITION
DOWN A FRENCHMAN
FLIES OVER
BROAD PEAK
NEW ROUTE
TO THE TOP BACK
HOW ADAM TO THE
ONDRA EIGHTIES
CLIMBED A TO B
THE WORLD'S ROLLERSKI:
FIRST 9C FROM THE
ARCTIC TO
NORTH OF MEXICO
NIGHTFALL
MOUNTAIN
BIKING
ON AXEL
HEIBERG
ISLAND
2 EUR | 2 GBP | 2.50 CHF

A PRODUCTION BY
 CONTENTS

E.O.F.T. 18/19 WELCOME

Welcome to the European Outdoor Film Tour 18/19! We look forward to introducing you to our
brand new two-hour program at one of our more than 350 shows. Travel with us back to the eighties,
to the dizzying heights of the Karakoram, and to Axel Heiberg Island beyond the Arctic Circle!
In this edition, you'll find information about the program's films and our partners. We hope you
enjoy the read! Your E.O.F.T. Team

4 THE A.O.
Adam Ondra grants us
10 8000+
Paraglider Antoine Girard
16 A TO B ROLLERSKI
Back to the 80s: Raimonds
exclusive insight into explores the Karakoram Dombrovskis rollerskis
the mindset of a 'rock' star alone and from lofty heights across North America

26 MBUZI DUME -
STRONG GOAT
30 THE FRENCHY
Age is not an excuse:
34 VIACRUXIS
The classic expedition
Tom Belz climbs Mount Jacques Houot is still documentary in six minutes
Kilimanjaro on one leg going strong at 82 —as stop-motion animation

WHAT IS THE E.O.F.T.?

The European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T.) is the largest
film festival for outdoor sports and adventure films and
has been touring Europe for 18 years. The kick-off takes
place every year in October. With over 350 events in
15 European countries, the E.O.F.T. is the largest film
event in the European outdoor community. Under the
motto 'This is real', the two-hour program shows
real adventures— no script, no actors, no special effects.
WWW.EOFT.EU
Cover: © Dieter Deventer

I M P R I N T The European Outdoor Film Tour is a production of Moving Adventures Medien GmbH in cooperation with the MAMMUT Sports Group
and W.L. Gore & Associates | Editors: Paula Flach, Daniela Schmitt, Mardee Saxton | Art Director: Birthe Steinbeck | Graphics: Sebastian Vogel |
V.i.S.d.P. Daniela Schmitt | © 2018 | Moving Adventures Medien GmbH, 80337 Munich, Germany

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 3

THE A.O.

INSIDE THE
MIND OF
ADAM ONDRA
He has been climbing for as long
as he can remember. He strives
for complete physical control
over every individual muscle
while maintaining a mental
big-picture perspective. His
climbing successes are based on
a sophisticated training system
that encompasses both the body
and the mind. Welcome to
the world of Adam Ondra.

4 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 THE A.O.

The exceptional Czech talent

Adam Ondra (25) has established
a new level of difficulty in climbing.
For five years, he worked on 'Project
Hard' in a cave in Flatanger, Norway.
On 3 September 2017, he completed
the entire route and gave it the name
‘Silence’. It is the first route in the
world to be rated 9c. Silence has
yet to be repeated.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 5

THE A.O.

It was the afternoon of 3 September 2017 when clim- Conscious vs. Subconscious 'If you want to
bing history was written in a cave near Flatanger in be on top of your
Norway. A quiet 'click', then a restrained cry of relief. We do not consciously perceive
game you have
He did it. Did he really? Yes, finally. Adam Ondra lets most of what we experience.
go, the full weight of his body absorbed by the rope. According to neuroscientists, to train, not just
He can hardly believe it. Did he really just climb the we are conscious of only about physically but
first 9c, the most difficult route in the world? For a five percent of our cognitive ac- mentally as well.'
long time, he believed it could be possible, and he tivity, which means that most of Adam Ondra
worked long and hard to make it possible. Yet this ex- our decisions, emotions, and ac-
traordinary achievement suddenly seems so surreal… tions depend on the 95 percent
The memory of this moment is still very much alive of brain activity that goes
in Adam Ondra—most prominently, the decisive moves beyond our conscious awareness. This is an incredibly
right before the last bolt. 'It was a very difficult moment large amount of sensory input that slips past our
for me to get my head around—another kneebar, rest waking mind into the brain, and we don't even notice.
again, time to think again… in these two minutes it was It's actually a good thing that our brain works like
very difficult for me to keep a cool head. Somehow, this. If not, we’d have no chance of mastering our
I was able to calm down and finish the route.' daily lives. Or climbing a 9c.
'Rational decisions simply take too long.' Ondra re-
Time to Think Again cognized this while working through the route on
Silence and drew his conclusions from that experience:
It's disconcerting when your 'I think everyone can understand that. The more expe-
own thoughts become your rience you have in doing certain things, the more auto-
biggest enemy. It's not the mated they are and the more unconscious they be-
burning calves, not the tortu- come. I've been climbing all my life. I have accumulated
red fingertips. No, it’s the so much experience that I can simply switch off my
quiet voice in your head that brain and trust that my intuition will make the move-
cheers you on, slows you ments for me and also make the right decisions. It's
down, and keeps silent—all at a bit like watching myself climb, and it's only in this
the same time and just at the state of mind that I climb to my true limit.'
time when you're hanging But trusting his instincts is only one aspect of
upside down like a bat on a Ondra's formula for success. Before he can surrender
sheer rock face and about to to intuition, full concentration and countless repeti-
climb the route of your life. tions are required. 'Hard routes consist of many tiny
ADAM ONDRA
'Climbing requires a wide details, and any of those details can be the reason you
When other kids range of skills,' says Ondra. fail. I climb so close to my limit that I really have to pay
were learning to walk, Adam
'And what's going on in your attention to every single detail, because there is no
was already trying to climb.
At the age of eight, he head plays a very important margin for error. Especially not in a 9c.' It were these
onsighted routes graded 7b+; role.' He is less interested in details that forced him to look at his training on the
at sixteen, he won his getting into the much-lau- route from a different angle.
first climbing World Cup
and collected three gold
ded 'winning mentality' than
medals at the World Champion- in using all facets of his A New Approach
ships. In 2016, he repeated mind perfectly for clim-
the legendary Dawn
bing—his intellect to find 'At first, I tried it the conservative way. I'd been practicing
Wall in a record time
of eight days. creative solutions for the the climbing moves over and over again, hoping that my
nearly impossible move- body would get used to the movement and that at some
ment sequences and his in- point it would be easier for me. But I got to a point
tuition to implement these where I couldn't go on.' The time he spent in Norway was
movements as effectively as possible. With this simply not enough. Ondra had to find a solution to
combination, the mind is invincible—and not just continue training at home. That's why he rebuilt the
when climbing. route in his climbing hall.

6 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU


For Adam Ondra, the 'Silence' route is the most important achievement of his climbing career to date.
But even that wasn’t enough. Fortunately, he had
another wildcard to play: 'Klaus Isele is a physiotherapist
who helped me more than anyone else to climb this
route. I thought that I would only go to a physiotherapist
if I was in pain. Klaus analysed my strengths and weak-
nesses and suggested exercises that would help me with
Silence. It started with stabilizing my shoulder and ended
with my calves. They were the key element in the knee-
bars.' Ondra knew that he would only be able to climb the
route completely if he had the opportunity to rest in
between, but, in the beginning, the resting positions were
not ideal. Then, Klaus showed him exercises that enabled
him to train his calf muscles so effectively that he was
able to accomplish the kneebar manoeuvre, flexing his
calves and completely relaxing the rest of his body.
It was also Klaus Isele who suggested to him, in
Photos: © Pavel Blažek
addition to climbing training, to visualize each and
every movement and to do 'dry runs' lying on the
All details at WWW.EOFT.EU
THE A.O.
ground. With this type of mental training, it is important
to perform every movement with focused intention
and to specifically target each required muscle group,
even though you’re not really climbing. 'I tried to be
as precise as possible,' recalls Ondra. 'And that actually
helped me to be fast and precise on the route at
the same time.'
Balancing speed and precision in climbing is an art.
The faster you climb, the more difficult it is to perform
the movements cleanly. Over the years, Ondra has found
his own way. 'I climb very quickly and I don't think my
feet are exactly precise, but they're precise enough.
Other people may climb slower and more carefully.
My climbing style is sometimes pretty powerful and
brutal, but I believe that for me and for my own body,
this is the most efficient way. I always try to be efficient
and make as few mistakes as possible, and that's how
I enjoy climbing the most.'
European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 7
 Photos: Michael Trammer
TRereium ex exped quia enisqui tem sum coriaep restesto magnimus eic tet, quis eumque nusam, quid ut
aliquodit, sim hicia exero et quo voluptam, optaqui dit quatur sus sit excernatati aceptur epediatulante
con rem dem quunto omnim cuptur aliae verspie nienit dolorpo remperspis ipis quiparum diciatusapis ienisci
inti asitatur, se nim seditiur? Doluptiam nus, cus cores nam exerchil mod et aut plitiae porro

Reliable, compact and equipped with a range of accessories for

individual setups, it’s the perfect companion for every adventure.
Because the surprises should all happen in front of the lens, not behind it.

www.arri.com/alexamini
 GET OUT THERE !

E.O.F.T.
ADVENTURE CAMP
Vertical
challenges:
Helmuts and Liva
are aiming to finish

SLOVENIA 2018
the via ferrata,
but there are still a
few vertical meters
between them and
their goal.

A weekend
with the WIDE
BOYZ:
Tom Randall and
Pete Whittaker.
We know them as
offwidth climbers.
In Slovenia,
along with our
winners, they also
experienced
other adventure
Outdoor adventure sports like caving
for everyone: and canyoning.
In the dreamlike and
varied landscape
of Slovenia, outdoor
adventure seekers
get their money's
worth—whether
in the water, on the
mountain, or
underground.

Next Stop: Caving! Francesco is determined

Helmuts and Giulio are enjoying the to plunge into the cold water of
daylight, but it will soon be dark, the Soča. The crystal-clear,
narrow, and wet. This cave tour is not turquoise river is a paradise for
for the faint-hearted. watersport enthusiasts of all types.

Climbing, Canyoning, Caving — Our first E.O.F.T. Adventure Camp was a weekend of outdoor fun and
discovery. Teaming up with Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker, the four winners of last year's Instagram photo
contest explored the rocks, gorges, and caves of Slovenia's Triglav National Park and found it an ideal location
for outdoor adventures.
Photos: E.O.F.T.

You can find the adventure camp clip at www.eoft.eu/adventurecamp

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 9

8000+

ANTOINE
GIRARD
HAS A
LOFTY GOAL

The French paraglider Antoine Girard wants to get high.

Over 8000 metres to be exact. Whether his dream of
flying is in the realm of human possibility, nobody knows.
But if he manages to fly over Broad Peak (8051m)
in the Karakoram, he will definitely set a world record.
An adventure in extremely thin air.
 8000+

Exclusive bird's-eye view:

Antoine Girard gets a unique
perspective from the top of
the world. Below him, the
Baltoro Glacier runs through
the Karakoram.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 11

8000+

Numbers do, however, play a very important role

8157 m NEW RECORD

Antoine Girard
in Girard's professional life; the 39-year-old is a com-
puter science professor at the University of Grenoble.
He works only part-time so he can pursue his dreams—
8051 m
Broad Peak
and flying is at the top of his list. After several failed
attempts to climb Broad Peak on foot, Girard wants a
rematch—this time, by air.
To be on top of the world, to get a birds-eye view of
7750 m
PREVIOUS
RECORD the world from over 8000 metres, and to fly over the
Brad Sander
highest peaks in the world—that is his goal. That's why
he makes it a point to train by paragliding in adverse
weather conditions. Only those who have enough
experience, who have mastered the equipment and
are total experts, can venture to the icy heights of
the Karakoram. It took him over a year to plan the
expedition, but Girard likes to plan. 'I'm actually very

4715 m
START OF
THE RECORD-
organized. I plan everything.'
BREAKING But before the expedition even starts, it seems to
FLIGHT be running off course.
near Payu Peak

Two Becomes One

Perhaps the most important number in this adven-

K2
PAKISTAN Broad Peak
Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum I
(Hidden Peak)
Payu
Nanga Parbat
RECORD FLIGHT IN THE KARAKORAM
With his paraglider and tent, Antoine Girard explores
the Karakoram in a self-sufficient bivouac. In addition to
the K2 (8611m), the second highest mountain in the
world, there are six other eight-thousand-metre peaks
in the region. On his four-week expedition, Girard took
35 kilos of gear with him. During that time, he lost
seven kilos, the same amount that his paraglider weighs.
'Numbers are just numbers,' responds Antoine Girard
when asked about his world record. In his para-
glider, the Frenchman soared over Broad Peak
(8157m), higher than anyone ever before. But to
ture is not Girard's altitude record but the number
one. When he sets off for Pakistan—equipped with
his camera, his paraglider, and his big dream—half
of the team is missing. His expedition partner can-
celled just five days before the planned start. And
just like that—two becomes one. This is no longer
a team expedition, but a solo adventure on the
edge of the impossible.
'It was a difficult start.' Girard recalls, 'My biggest
worry was loneliness. I wasn't afraid for my life, but
I knew that I was on my own, without a partner to
provide encouragement and make decisions with me.
The camera helped me cope with the loneliness.'
After the first flight, at about 4400 metres below
Nanga Parbat (8126m), when Girard was held cap-
tive by rainy weather and stuck in his tent for days,
he thought about giving up. Doubts began gnawing
at the edges of his mind. Maybe this plan isn't possible
at all. Maybe you can't do something like this on your
own. Maybe there isn't enough time to accomplish this
dream. Maybe this damn rain will never stop. Waiting
for better weather wore him down. Only in retrospect
can Antoine Girard reflect positively on his days in the
tent: 'This time was very important for me because
it allowed me to take a step back, to think about
Photos: © Antoine Girard

Girard, the numbers are not important. 'Breaking and more deeply understand why the project is so
records is not my objective. I do these projects important to me. It gave me confidence. After that,
primarily to get to know myself.' I got totally into it and believed I could do it.'

12 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 8000+

Facts on the ground: Antoine Girard (39) on the ascent from the Hunza Valley
with all his gear for four weeks of bivouac flying.

Sun + Rock + Air = Buoyancy but that's exactly what makes paragliding so appealing
to him. 'That's what makes paragliding so exciting—
Finally, the storm breaks and the clouds part to reveal there are so many obstacles, and I'm always curious
a spectacular mountain panorama. Some of the world's about how I will react in unplanned situations.'
highest peaks appear in front of Antoine Girard—
a canvas of stone, ice, and sky. The sun provides him Base Camp for One
with a mental boost, and more importantly, its rays
heat the rock to quickly generate the thermal uplift When Girard lands his paraglider, it's usually in places
needed for his paraglider to soar. The paraglider, where no one has yet to set foot. He perches his tent
including the 35 kilos of gear, is carried upwards by the in precarious positions on rugged mountainsides,
warm rising air. The air around Girard becomes thinner, lonely and peaceful at the same time—as opposed to
and with altitude, the air resistance also de-creases, the overcrowded, littered basecamps at the foot of the
allowing him to fly even faster. surrounding eight-thousand-metre peaks. 'What really
In order to make optimum use of the thermals, it's drives me is the feeling of freedom. It is one of life's
not just sun that's needed great privileges to find myself in such places, looking
but also relative calm, at the stars and the landscape around me. It's at these
'I gave myself a rare commodity amid moments when I'm the happiest person in the world.'
gigantic glaciers and win- But even the happiest person in the world has to eat.
arithmetic problems
dy eight-thousand-metre On long flight days and involuntary break days, Girard
to test my mental peaks. Girard has chosen loses a lot of weight. Seven kilos in a fortnight. Food
faculties at altitude.' a sport in which he is rations are tight; if he does not fly, he only consumes
Antoine Girard exposed to the most 100-150 grams of food a day, much too little. 'I used to
extreme forces of nature, dream at night about eating,' Girard recalls.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 13

8000+

The altitude is also becoming more and more problem. First, he flies to 'Up there, I had to
difficult for the Frenchman. His fingertips are a secondary summit, then concentrate so hard on
cracked, a result of the cold, dry, and thin air. His at 3:00 pm local time, he
surviving that I could
respirator isn't working properly anymore. Concen- finally floats over Broad
tration is also becoming more challenging. In order to Peak (8051m). hardly allow myself to
monitor his mental fitness and to calm down in tricky At 8157 metres, a good have any emotion.'
manoeuvres, the computer science professor gives 100 metres above the Antoine Girard
himself mathematical tasks. 'For example, 50 x 32. summit, a shout echoes
When it took me more than ten seconds to calculate through the icy air.
the answer, I knew I had to land. If I solved it in less 'Up there, I had to con-
than that time, I could keep flying.' centrate so hard on surviving that I could only allow
When dawn breaks on the morning of 23 July 2016, myself a brief cry of joy,' Girard recalls.
nothing suggests that it would be Antoine Girard's What Girard learned during his record-breaking
big day. The weather is mediocre at best, but the sun flight, he immediately incorporated into future plans.
fights its way through the clouds and Girard fights his 'Because my oxygen device didn't work on Broad
way into the sky. If you look at the GPS track of his Peak, I now know that I can do it without it. I can
flight on that day, it just meanders through the air. save this weight on my next expedition.' While this
He 'leaps' from summit to summit in order maintain may be evidence that Girard is actually somewhat
altitude. After five hours of uninterrupted flight time con-cerned with numbers (i.e., the weight of his gear)
and a distance of almost 200 kilometres, he finally in the end, it is about getting to know himself and,
begins to ascend Broad Peak. Although his oxygen is on his own, finding the confidence and courage within
giving out, he flies on and keeps working those math to reach new heights.

Timeline Production © 2014 adidas AG. Michal Sabovcký - Lomnický štít

DISCOVER
THE WORLD
OF 30°
MAGAZINE
LIFESTYLE I SPORT
www.30degres.swiss ADVENTURE I TRAVEL
 LA RÉUNION ISLAND

LA RÉUNION From the adrenaline rush of action-packed out-

door activities underwater or high in the air, to
hours of relaxation on one of our glorious
The multi-faceted paradise in the Indian Ocean – beaches – La Réunion offers a wealth of stun-
An electrifying island experience for all the senses ning natural beauty in its compact area, with
everything adventurers long for in a vacation.
The active volcano Piton de la Fournaise has
erupted twice in 2018, captivating spectators
with the drama of this breathtaking natural
spectacle. Nature-loving hikers will find the
finest views from Piton des Neiges, an extinct
Intense
experiences volcano 3,071 metres in height which aptly
surrounded bears the name of 'Roof of the Indian Ocean'.
by shoals And adventure-loving explorers of this volcanic
of fish
island can even test their mettle underground in
Amazing a unique cave hike through a lava tunnel.
Photos: © IRT / Laurent Beche, frog974

impressions In addition to the UNESCO-listed mountain

at Piton
ranges, travellers can plunge into the under-
de la Fournaise
volcano water world of the island, teeming with ocean
life, and go snorkelling in the coral reefs, take
whale and dolphin watching expeditions,
or even try an underwater sketching course.
La Réunion guarantees unforgettable natural
experiences and spine-tingling moments.
© IRT/ frog974

en.reunion.fr

WelcOme to outdoor paradise

A TO B ROLLERSKI

In winter, one of the keys to success

in cross-country skiing is choosing
the right wax; for training in summer,
it's the right wheels. The wheels
Raimonds Dombrovskis used weren't
on the market for long, but they made
it possible to complete the trip that
consisted of mostly unpaved roads.
Unlike in 1988, off-road rollerskis

A
now have brakes. This would have
made many some descents
30 years ago much more relaxed.

For most of us, rollerskiing

'My girlfriend said, "If you go, take the dog
with you!" And it was okay. He was my buddy.
I could talk to him. He always agreed with me.'
Raimonds Dombrovskis
would not be the most
obvious choice of sport
equipment for crossing the
North American continent
from north to south.
For biathlete Raimonds
Dombrovskis, it was the
perfect thing to do in the
summer of 1988, and it
was the longest training
run of his career.
Every day, Raimonds updated the
number of kilometres he covered
on the side door of his VW Bulli.
He wasn't out to set a speed record,
and there were no coaches or
sponsors who expected a certain
level of performance from him.
In fact, he and his team were
self-sufficient and rather short
of cash throughout the entire trip.
They kept their heads above water
by selling sponsored sunglasses
and T-shirts.

16 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 A TO B ROLLERSKI

Although a 6759-kilometre journey

is more a matter of endurance than
speed, incredibly high speeds were
inevitable on Raimonds' long
downhill runs. On the 1988 trip, after
his wheels had been comfortably
broken-in, he was able to reach
speeds of up to 120 km/h! In 2014,
his top speed was just 70 km/h—
and even that felt dangerous!

Today, it's (almost) unimaginable,

but there was a time when it was
possible to find your way to your

B
destination without GPS and Google
Maps. Before the Internet and
smartphones, route planning was,
for the most part, still based on map
reading. And thank God, there weren't
too many junctions on the North
American highways.

When people asked him why he was

going on this journey, Raimonds would
always say, 'When I left, I had no reason.
But now I have 100.' In addition to
discovering the captivating landscape
of the American West, he became aware
of new sides of himself. For the documen-
tary, he repeated the journey again in
2014. 'Why' is an actual place, by the way;
it's located on Arizona State Highway 85,
not far from the Mexican border.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 17

A TO B ROLLERSKI

Raimonds estimates that his dog, Bucis,

90 DAYS
ran about 70 percent of the trip with
him. At the end of the journey, when
Raimonds returned to his studies at the
university in Anchorage, he was unable
to take Bucis with him. Fortunately, his
girlfriend's sister, already a devoted
dog owner, took Bucis in.

Whether on snow or on the road, Inuvik

the skating movement is the same. 14 August 1988
Starting Point
However, you have much more grip
on paved roads than on winter snow,
which is why Raimonds preferred to
train on gravel. In his opinion, this
was better preparation for the winter.
But an adventure like this in snow on
cross-country skis would never have Skagway
occurred to him. (Alaska)
4 September 1988
Florian's
departure

CANADA

THE ROUTE Calgary

1988
Winter
At first Raimonds thought he would Olympics
need to cover 60 kilometres per day
but discovered along the way that he
had miscalculated. In order to complete 5 October 1988
the route within his given timeframe, Raimonds
crosses the
he would have to do 80 kilometres per U.S. border
day—a distance you would never
attempt in normal training.

6759 KM
Grand Canyon
4 November 1988
This is where
Raimonds had to walk

Baja
California
12 November 1988
Journey's End

For the first leg of the trip,

Raimonds was accompanied by MEXICO
Florian Hüttner, whom he had
met two years earlier at a
biathlon competition. Along with
Martins Grants, who drove the
support vehicle and later became
the cameraman, and Bucis, it
was unfortunately rather tight in
the VW T2. In 2014, a much
bigger documentary crew was
on board (but no dog!), which is
why the vehicle also needed
to be one size bigger.

18 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU


One highlight of Raimonds'
biathlon career could have been
the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary.
However, an appendectomy put
a spoke in his wheel shortly before.
While he was fit enough to
accompany his team to the games
(and shake hands with Ronald
Reagan), he did not actively
take part in the competitions.
His rollerski journey was, therefore,
a reaction to this disappointment.
Raimonds wanted to be perfectly
prepared for the next season.
'On one downhill, I passed a car.
That's how we knew it
was over 60 miles per hour.'
Raimonds Dombrovskis
USA
All details at WWW.EOFT.EU
A TO B ROLLERSKI
Raimonds Dombrovskis was born in
1962 in the Latvian Soviet Socialist
Republic. Problems with the KGB
prompted his family to move to the
United States in 1979. He had
already competed in biathlons at
a professional level in his home
country, and after only two years in
America, he was also very successful
as part of the U.S. team. He received
a sports scholarship and became
a seven-time U.S. champion.
Although there was also the
possibility of going directly along
the coast to Mexico, Raimonds chose
the more difficult route through the
interior. The ups and downs of the
mountain routes simply had greater
training effect. He also liked the
mountains more than the sea. Today,
however, he prefers to spend his
adventure holidays on rivers, e.g., on
a boat trip on the Yukon River.
European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 19
A TO B ROLLERSKI

In 1996, Raimonds Dombrovskis

When his girlfriend's father
bought a video camera in 1988 and
suggested that Raimonds document
his crazy adventure, nobody knew
that the material would be on the
shelf for almost 30 years before
it would actually be made into a film.
After two directors had already
dropped the project, Arnis Aspers
(lower picture, middle), who had
known Raimonds since childhood,
finally took the matter into his own
hands and put his friend's story
on the big screen.
returned to his homeland. As early
as 1988, he had been convinced
that the Soviet Union would not
last long. Then in 1989, the Berlin
Wall came down, and in 1991, Latvia
became independent. Although he
had always dreamed of competing
for Latvia at the 1992 Olympics,
the decision was harder for him
than he expected. After all, the U.S.
had supported him for many years.
In the end, he did not participate
in the games for either team.

FIRST
TRIP: 1988
ON THE
ROAD AGAIN:
2014 Even after his biathlon career ended,
Raimonds remained committed to winter sports.
He has been running a ski resort in Latvia since
2002. He also organizes the logistics for the
Latvian bobsleigh team and managed the U.S.
team at the Olympic Games in Sochi.

Photos 1988: © Martins Grants, Photos 2014: © Janis Spurdzins

20 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

KÄRCHER

KÄRCHER GETS EVERYTHING

CLEAN AFTER CAMPING,
HIKING, SURFING, ETC.
Finally, holiday time! So, it's time to pack your hiking boots or bike and head off to the
countryside. That equipment gets dirty is just one of those things. To get rid of dust
and mud in next to no time, Kärcher has a practical aid and some useful tips for almost
every holiday situation: the mobile, OC 3 low-pressure cleaner.

Thanks to its compact dimensions, the new Kärcher low-pressure With various accessories in practical boxes, the Mobile Outdoor
cleaner is ideal for cleaning when you're on the road.. Cleaner can be used in a variety of ways.

Hiking shoes rinse off everything with your OC 3. Depending on how

When looked after well, hiking boots last a long time,
and cleaning them is very easy:
1. Start by removing the worst dirt with the OC 3
water jet and, where necessary, use a brush. For a
thorough clean, also remove the shoelaces and insoles.
2. Wash the inside of the shoe with water and
detergent and then rinse it with clear water.
3. For drying, stuff the shoes with
newspaper and never place them
directly in the sun or under a heater,
as this could damage the material.
4. Afterwards, apply the appro-
priate shoe care wax.
Camping gear
Before going home or continuing to
your next destination, your camping
dishes, folding chairs or other uten-
much there is to clean, the 4 litres of water from the
tank will be enough, or you can use the suction hose
from the Adventure-Box. It can suck water out of a
large canister or bucket. If the battery is running low at
the end of your holiday, simply use the car adapter and
work with the car battery's power.
Practical aid when out and about
Thanks to having its own water tank,
the Kärcher battery-operated low-
pressure OC 3 cleaner can be used
anywhere, and is no bigger than a
bicycle basket. The nozzle has been
specially engineered for low-pressure
applications and it ensures a high
degree of cleaning performance.
The new Mobile
Outdoor Cleaner Further information:
Photos: © Kärcher

from Kärcher
sils need to be cleaned. So quickly www.kaercher.com
recommended
retail price:
EUR 159.99

22 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

KÄRCHER TO GO.
Anytime. Anyplace. The Mobile Outdoor Cleaner.

Cleaning a bike can feel like scaling a mountain, but with the
Mobile Outdoor Cleaner with Bike Box it’s downhill all the way.
The spray gun safely washes dirt from sensitive parts, while a
multipurpose brush attachment removes tougher grime – leaving
your spokes, frame and treads looking great. The box comes
complete with an integrated lithium ion battery, detachable 4-litre
water tank, detergent and microfibre cloth. www.kaercher.com
ZEISS

WAITING FOR
a piton with both hands, thoroughly convinced
that I was doing everything properly. And although

JUST THE
I didn’t notice anything when I hammered it into
the rock, there must have been a slight crack
because suddenly the spike came loose and I fell

RIGHT MOMENT ten meters. But luck was on my side—instead of

He’s an outdoorsman, an entrepreneur,
and an extreme mountain climber.
Stefan Glowacz, Brand Ambassador
for ZEISS, talks about how he prepares
for long journeys in the wilderness,
the importance of his ZEISS Terra ED
binoculars, and about the fall that
saved his life.
How did you get into climbing?
My parents were devoted mountain climbers.
They took me with them back before I could
even walk properly. Through them, I discovered
my passion for the mountains. My parents even
moved to southern Germany from northern
Germany in order to pursue mountain climbing,
and they always supported my own passion
for this sport 100%.
Was there ever a particularly close call
when you were out climbing?
Yes, there was an accident when I was training
in southern Bavaria in 1990. I was holding onto
falling onto a jagged boulder, I fell onto the forest
floor, which was a blessing in disguise despite the
fact that my knee, heel, and wrist were shattered.
It took two years for the injuries to fully heal. But
looking back I can say that the accident happened
at exactly the right time, otherwise I’m certain
I would have died. The fall brought me back to
reality. I had been arrogant, but after the accident
I no longer felt that I was invincible. Since then,
I only climb with a rope team; the time when I
would climb by myself is over.
How do you remain focused over a long
period of time when climbing?
The interaction between body and mind is crucial.
One of the most important factors is the ability to
summon absolute concentration at will and main-
tain it for a longer period of time. This is a skill any
ambitious climber should practice every day. I’ve
also tried out yoga a few times and have borrowed
a few techniques when I warm up and cool down.
Which role do compact and lightweight high-perfor-
mance binoculars play when you’re out climbing,
such as the ZEISS TERRA ED or VICTORY Pocket?
Sometimes we sit for hours—even days—under
a cliff we want to climb and observe it using our
binoculars. We set goals for ourselves and try to
determine the exact route we’ll take. For this
detailed planning, an outstanding pair of binoculars
is an absolute must. This approach to climbing has
saved us many times from unpleasant surprises.

With its high

magnification,
light weight, and even
smaller packing
dimensions, the ZEISS
Victory Pocket is the ideal
Photo: Klaus Fengler

companion for Stefan

Glowacz on his COAST
TO COAST expedition.

24 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU


BY FAIR MEANS: How do you choose your
climbing excursions and
According to Stefan Glowacz,
to reach a hard to access area how do you prepare?
with one's own strength and The preparations can last as
power from the last point of long as two or three years
civilization, score a first ascent
and return by means of your own
for a complex expedition,
strength, totally self-sufficient. such as to the Arctic or to
Baffin Island up in northern
Canada in the winter. The
important thing is to answer as many questions as
you can in advance and mentally work through
possible solutions to problems you might face
when climbing. Each piece of the puzzle must fit
before we leave, otherwise it would simply be too
risky to go climbing in these inhospitable environ-
ments. Sometimes we also need to learn new types
of sports, such as snowkiting or whitewater rafting.
By planning everything down to the last detail, we
try to ensure that we are never in a situation where
we couldn’t react.
'It all depends on one's
creativity. A big adventure
can start right in front
of your doorstep.'
Stefan Glowacz
All details at WWW.EOFT.EU
ZEISS
What advice would you give
a first-time climber?
Beginners should only go climbing under
expert supervision, either with a climbing
instructor at a rock-climbing gym or with a
guide when climbing in the mountains.
And of course you should go climbing and
practice as much as possible because this
sport requires a lot of experience. That’s the
only way to do it safely.
What have you planned for your
next big adventure?
In the past our approach has been 'by fair
means'. The new expedition COAST TO COAST—
from Starnberg to Greenland—takes it a step
further and combines the different aspects of
adventure: sailing - big wall climbing - crossing
inland ice. Our new endeavor will start at the
end of July and will last for about 100 days.
We plan to return at the end of October.
European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 25
MBUZI DUME - STRONG GOAT

Tom Belz is determined to prove

that even an amputee can climb
a 5895-metre-high mountain.

ON ONE LEG
One leg, two crutches. Tom Belz has been making his way in the world like
this for 23 years. He contracted bone cancer as a child, and amputating his left
leg was the only way to save his life. It's obvious that Tom is missing one leg;
it's also easy to see that he does not let that hinder him in any way, as proven
by his Kilimanjaro ascent in the summer of 2018 and his Swahili nickname—
'Mbzui Dume', which means 'strong goat'.

Photos: © Nils Heck

26 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 MBUZI DUME - STRONG GOAT

'At home, people Have you been

always want to label treated differently
in Africa because of
me and put me in
your disability, as
a box where I don’t opposed to how you're
belong. Here, they treated at home?
just have no idea Yes. From the moment
where to put me.' I walked onto African
soil, everyone was staring
Tom Belz
at me. But not the tour-
ists—it was the African
people who thought it
was totally crazy. They
just didn't know how to deal with me. I only have
one leg, but otherwise I'm perfectly normal.
I actually work with mentally and physically handi-
capped people. First, I had to prove to the African
people that they didn't have to help me so much.
One of the boys holds a record for climbing and
descending Kilimanjaro. He and I were running up
and over hills, and he turned around two or three
times and thought, 'Tom's actually pretty fast!'
That's how they finally realized what I'm capable
of. During the ascent itself, I was, of course, Tom Belz doesn't need mountaineering
super thankful that I had skills to climb Kilimanjaro, but he does need
guides there to support a lot of stamina and a large supply of
crutch tips, the protective rubber caps that
me because I constantly
meet the ground. Tom wore out 10 pairs
broke through the ice on on his way to the summit.
the summit plateau.

TOM BELZ
As YouTuber 'Tom NATIVE', the
31-year-old has already published
several travel videos. The first
time he set his sights on ascending
a mountain, it was Kilimanjaro.
Dr. Klaus Siegler, the surgeon who
amputated Tom's left leg when
he was just eight years old, took
on the challenge with him.
Dr. Klaus Siegler, the
doctor who saved your
life 23 years ago,
also accompanied you
on the ascent. How was
that experience?
Very intense. Klaus saved
my life back then, but
that clinic held traumatic
memories for me and I
had to reorient myself.
At first, I didn't even
want to go back to there,
but with time, this feel-
ing subsided a bit, and
I had the opportunity to
meet children there who
had the same fate as
I did and to whom I was
introduced as a role model. I often saw Klaus
there, and that was really nice. For me, the clinic
became like a second home, a place where
I started to live again. Klaus was a very important
part of that, so climbing Kilimanjaro with him
actually felt right.
What does Mount Kilimanjaro mean
to you in your life now?
I wanted to prove to myself that I could make
it to the summit. But in the end, everyone
has his own baggage in life to carry; Kilimanjaro
is a metaphor for that. Everyone has his own
Kilimanjaro to climb. Your partner leaves you, one
parent dies... these are terrible things, but they
are also opportunities. Life isn't always as easy
as you might think, but you have to decide for
yourself whether you will succumb to life's
challenges or find a way to transcend them.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 27

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28 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU


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European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 29
THE FRENCHY

NO
No Problem: This is
Jacques Houot's motto.
He never uses his age
as an excuse.

PROBLEM !
Mountain biker, ski racer, and life expert Jacques Houot is 41 years old—in each leg.
A total of 82 years of optimism, and an example by which everyone should live.

30 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 THE FRENCHY

'All those close calls I had...

it's very good. Because after
that, I enjoy life every day.
Everything I do is a bonus.'
Jacques Houot

In his guide for unconventional thinkers What-

ever You Think, Think The Opposite, the British adver-
tising icon Paul Arden tells the following anecdote:
'A friend of mine was in trouble, so he asked his father for
advice. He said, "Dad, I’m in trouble." The father asked,
"Are they going to kill you?" He said, "Oh no, no."
His father said, "Son, you don’t have a problem."'
This clever insight comes from a person who prob-
ably didn’t escape the jaws of death anywhere near as
often as Jacques 'Frenchy' Houot. And Houot would JACQUES HOUOT
probably add, 'Even if they did want to kill you, you'd
still have no problem.' He speaks from experience. was born in France in 1935. In the mid-1970s,
he immigrated to the United States.
By his own account, he has survived life-threatening
Today, he lives in the small town of Carbondale
events '23, maybe 24' times. Was it merely luck or did in Colorado, at the foot of the Rocky
he somehow play a part? The eighty-two-year-old Mountains. In addition to mountain biking,
this active retiree also loves to ski.
Frenchman lives by this simple motto: No problem!
Adding parenthetically, What could go wrong?
Throughout his long life, Houot has kept a detailed
account of all that's happened to him. Some inci- because of the promise of financial gain but because
dents occurred decades ago. Shortly after his birth in of the possibility that it would offer adventure and
1935, little Jacques mastered his first challenge in this exciting experiences. And although he spent many
world. He was born a 'blue baby', named according to years working in the jewelry business, the accumu-
the infant's blue complexion caused by a lack of oxy- lation of worldly possessions has remained foreign
gen. Although the chances of survival in these cases to him to this day. With his lifelong focus on the
were not good at the time, doctors were able to save present, financial secu-
him. From 1940–44, he was also fortunate; in contrast rity has always been of
to many others of his generation, he survived the little importance. Today,
Second World War. And his first swimming attempt he lives on an extremely
in 1945 could have ended badly; it was involuntary in modest pension. During
nature and took place in winter, when the thin layer of filming, he confided to di-
ice covering the surface of a lake suddenly collapsed rector Michelle Smith, 'If I
ADIEU CANCER STICKS
under him. were rich, I would already
Jacques smoked a pack
In the mid-1970s, Jacques Houot immigrated to be dead. Money kills you!' of cigarettes a day—until he
America. He lived in Colorado and Florida and was This may sound like had a heart attack.
Heeding the advice of his then
involved in a variety of activities. He did not have a a rather extreme asser-
boss, Jacques quit
Photos: © Pete McBride

career plan in the traditional sense; he was instead al- tion, but it is not surpris- smoking in time to reclaim
ways seeking after the next challenge, not necessarily ing coming from Jacques his quality of life.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 31

THE FRENCHY

IT'S IN HIS KISS

into the water below, he
This song was
might have had more luck made famous in 1964, but
than sense. He managed for Jacques, the text
has lost none of its relevance.
to wind down the trusty
Whether it's love or not,
old-style window crank man or woman, no
just in time to get out of one is safe from his bisous.
his car before he drowned
inside it, but without the
spontaneous resuscita-
tion attempts of a courageous passerby, this story
would have ultimately ended badly.
Nevertheless, there were moments when Jacques
Houot did not rely on good fortune alone. In a situation
where no one else could help him, he took his life into
his own hands. He quit smoking after having barely
survived his first heart attack (yet another incredible
MICHELLE SMITH
story...), and he decided to supplant his rather pas-
sive lifestyle with a much more active one. Since then,
Filmmaker Michelle Smith met Jacques he has accumulated an extensive collection of medals
Houot at a mountain bike event.
in mountain biking and skiing.
When he told her some anecdotes from
his adventurous life, she was Houot is convinced that everyone has his destiny
immediately fired up about making in his own hands, particularly when it comes to
a film about him. 'repairing his body' as he puts it. He declared war on
his back problems and fought his cancer diagnosis
with the same zealous fervor. No Problem! Thus far,
Houot. There are situations in which money actually this strategy has served him well.
saves lives, but for him, quality of life greatly outweighs Today, in his hometown of Carbondale, Colorado,
any material comforts or conveniences. Although it almost everyone knows him. He cultivates a large
may only apply to a certain segment of his age group circle of casual acquaintances but does not have
(and others), overweight and lethargy are widespread particularly close friendships. He also never had
and inherent problems of prosperity. Jacques Houot a family. The freedom to do exactly what you want
prefers to stay active. to do every day has a cer-
It is possible that in tain price; the question is
some situations Houot whether you want to pay
was simply luckier than it or not.
others, however ambig- 'The Frenchy' is not
uous that term may be. only a portrait of an
Fortunately for Houot, extraordinary and an ex-
KEEP ON SMILING THE MOUNTAINS
no bullet left the barrel traordinarily lucky man,
The real secret behind Jacques' ARE CALLING
joie de vivre is his of his opponent’s pistol but also of a man who has After working as a sailing
interminable cheerfulness. after he pointed it at him never been afraid to make instructor in Florida, Jacques
According to his theory, returned to Colorado.
and pulled the trigger. the necessary choices for
you can prolong your life by In the mountains surrounding
When he crashed his car, the life he wanted to live.
Photo: Michelle Smith

one full hour with every laugh. Carbondale, he found the perfect
We say: Why not try it! careening from a bridge Until today. terrain to get back in shape.

32 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 WE HAVE YOUR OUTDOOR-TICKET ...

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VIACRUXIS

PURSUING THE
ULTIMATE
SUMMIT SELFIE

MEANS EVERYTHING
Both traditional and modern:
With great attention to detail TO THESE TWO
MOUNTAINEERS
and infinite patience, filmmaker
Ignasi López has adapted the
classic expedition documentary
into a stop-motion animation,
and he's not afraid to comment
on the genre with a bit of irony.

34 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 VIACRUXIS

The ambitious alpinists

Marcel Lechèvre and Andrejz
Kozajkowski scaled a mountain
without ever leaving the studio.
We wondered what these
two would say about their
expedition if they could talk.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 35

VIACRUXIS

First of all, congratulations to both of you on What's with the 'Climbing on ice and
coming down from the mountain in one piece! rumour about you snow scares me. I prefer
Things went a little differently than planned... meeting a Yeti out
that my figurines climb
Marcel Lechèvre: That’s one way to put it! there?
ML: I saw him! the mountains for me.'
It's certainly not easy to describe, but how AK: I was three meters Ignasi López
did you experience the decisive moment in the behind you and I did
last section of the ascent? not even see you!
Andrejz Kozajkowski: In slow motion. When you ML: That's not my problem.
watch your life's dream just implode like that… AK: You saw a Yeti and didn't take a picture of him?
well, it’s frustrating, first and foremost. You don't even believe that yourself.
ML: I did.
Things actually seemed to go pretty well for AK: Seriously, if you had seen him, there would be a
the most part, but for a while, we completely photo. And it would have gotten 10,000 likes on
lost sight of you. How long were you stuck Instagram by now!
in the whiteout? ML: More like 100,000. But I couldn’t really get a good
AK: At least half a day. We apparently just walked photo of him. All you can see is fog.
around in circles. An incredible waste of time. AK: Yeah, exactly—all you see is fog.

Is it possible that Instagram is a touchy

subject between you two?
AK: Yes, for sure. You don't see it in the movie, but it
was ridiculous how often we had to stop so he could
take selfies!
ML: As if we would’ve gotten to the summit any faster.
AK: At lease we could have reached the summit!
ML: You're not seriously saying that I caused the ice
cap to break off?
AK: If you hadn't taken the photo...
ML: Who was the one up there posing? Who wanted
the picture so badly?
AK: It was my turn to finally have one picture taken
of me, after you took 30 selfies!

Well, um, that must have been an unfortunate

set of circumstances. Did you know that upper
ice sheet would be so unstable?
ML: The higher up you are, the sketchier it gets.
One always hopes that a big chunk of ice doesn't
decide to come down while you’re up there.
But it did and, fortunately, it missed us by a long way.
AK: The ice cap, yes. But when we traversed back
down, it was pretty close in places. And you wanted
to send me through there first...
ML: Wait, we'd already agreed who'd go first!

Combined Forces
Marcel Lechèvre and Andrejz Kozajkowski brave Thanks guys! Thank you very much
the most difficult conditions together. for the interview!

36 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 VIACRUXIS

IGNASI LÓPEZ FIGURINE

MAKER AND STORYTELLER
In this interview, the film's creator tells us more about
the production process for 'Viacruxis'

How did you come up with the idea
of making an animated climbing film?
The mountains and animation are two things
that inspire me equally. I am an active sports
climber, but alpine climbing on ice and snow
scares me. I prefer that my figures climb the
mountains for me!
How long did you work on Viacruxis?
The idea first came to me about 16 months
before, and all that time, I
didn't think I'd be able to finish
the project. But in the end, the
creative process is the most im-
portant thing, and what you
can learn. And this thought was
ultimately very reassuring.
Did you make the movie
by yourself or did someone
help you?
I took care of almost everything
myself in this short film. I only
had help with sewing the
costumes and recording the
voices for the two figures. One
voice is my wife! It was a pretty
tough project. Like a high
mountain that I had to climb
with great effort and stamina.
Can you briefly describe the
production process?
I started with a very simple idea and then gradu-
ally constructed the story. First, I wrote the script
and determined what the two characters should
do in each scene. Next, I drew the storyboard and
built the figures and the backgrounds. After that
followed the single frame photography and the
editing and, as a last step, the sound design and
the music. It's like a big puzzle
where all pieces have to fit to-
gether.
What was the most
complicated thing?
It was quite complicated to make
the figures move vertically. They
could only weigh very little and
were constructed on a delicate
framework of wire and pins.
The film is clearly not set
in the present, yet you have
picked up on the current selfie
IGNASI LÓPEZ
trend. Was that on purpose?
Since he likes to climb The thing with the selfies was my
himself, making a film about idea for portraying Marcel's vanity.
his favourite sport was an
I also enjoyed combining the past
obvious choice, even if
it meant spending his time and the present with a common
inside the studio. storyline—photography.

THE TECHNIQUE

Ignasi López spent months bringing his two figures to life in 'Viacruxis'. The process of stop-motion animation
is simple but very time-consuming. The illusion of a fluid movement can only be achieved by using 25 frames
per second. That means for every second of the finished film, the director had to touch his characters 10–15 times
(each image was later doubled) and correctly position the limbs to create a realistic climbing movement.
Because they were wired together, head, arms, legs, and even the hair and beards of the two figures could be
fixed in any position. This was the only way for López to keep control of his figures and the set and to capture
the difficult movements, broken down into individual pictures. Every rope in the picture also had a wire core
Photos: © Ignasi López

inside. Despite all these efforts, the movements in a stop-motion animation are never 100 percent fluid; it is
all purely manual labor, which is exactly what gives a stop-motion movie its unique charm.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 37

NORTH OF NIGHTFALL

Darren Berrecloth carries his

bike up the mountain —
the ascent must come before
the descent. And, while the
ascents typically take a bit
longer on Axel Heiberg Island,
so do the descents! When
Darren wanted to post one
of his rides on Instagram,
he found it wasn't possible.
The descent took longer than
one minute, exceeding the
maximum allowable length of
an Instagram video.

NORTH OF NIGHTFALL
On Axel Heiberg
Island, a long-held
dream comes true
for four mountain
bikers. But even in Before shooting began,
the team had to figure out
this uninhabited whether the area, which
desert, they looked so perfect in photos,
was actually suitable for
witness the impact MTB. A scouting trip to the
far north revealed that there
of civilization. were lots of possibilities for
riding lines, but not so much
for building camp. It was a
year before Cam Zink (left
image), Darren Berrecloth,
Carson Storch, and Tom van
Steenbergen could begin
their Arctic adventure.

Tom van Steenbergen,

Carson Storch, Cam Zink
(from left to right), and
Darren Berrecloth (next page)
spent a month north of the
Arctic Circle. All four rode
a bit more carefully than
usual—the nearest
hospital was about twelve
flight hours away.

38 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

NORTH OF NIGHTFALL
 AXEL HEIBERG ISLAND

is, at 43,178 km², only slightly larger

than Switzerland. About 11,700 km² of
the island is covered by glaciers, and the
area has been explored since the 1950s.
Axel Heiberg Island is uninhabited except
for scientists from McGill station who
conduct research there seasonally.

Axel Heiberg
Island

Arctic
Ocean

GREENLAND

Baffin
Bay

Ar
cti
cC
irc
le
24 hours of daylight seems ideal for both mountain
bikers and filmmakers. Theoretically, you can cycle and
film around the clock. However, the reality is that every-
one involved got very little sleep. And nights weren't CANADA
particularly relaxing. Director Jeremy Grant explains,
'If anyone started snoring, the night was over for everyone.'
Hudson
Bay

Every single run

Photos: © Blake Jorgenson/Red Bull Content Pool

on Alex Heiberg Island

must be carefully planned
out. The barren landscape
offers impressive views,
but the long distances
made it impossible to try
too many variations while
filming. But sometimes
you get the perfect shot,
like this one with
Carson Storch.

40 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 All details at WWW.EOFT.EU

 NORTH OF NIGHTFALL

The effects of
climate change
are having even
more impact in the
Arctic than in the
rest of the world.
Although Crusoe
Glacier is still
consistently
advancing on Axel
Heiberg Island,
most glaciers
worldwide are in
retreat. If this trend
continues, more
and more ice sheets
that reflect sunlight
will disappear and
global warming
will progress
even faster.

Premium dirt, as far as the eye can see, and not a trace of
vegetation. Tom van Steenbergen had a clean shot; he just
needed to keep an eye out for the possibility of a passing
musk ox, caribou, or polar bear, some of the few permanent
inhabitants of this Arctic desert, whose scree hills are only
free of ice and snow for about two months in summer.

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All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 41

 INT. OCEAN FILM TOUR

THE FILM TOUR Order at

ticket
s

FOR ALL WHO

now et
o r-T icket.n
Outdo ave with
a n d s ode
LOVE THE SEA the c YOU
OTICK
ET4

6 YEARS OF
THE INT. OCEAN
FILM TOUR
O MARE MIO: The deep-blue companion of
the European Outdoor Film Tour is sailing into
its sixth year, bringing you back to, on, and
into the sea! Every year, the producers of the
International OCEAN FILM TOUR portray
our planet from a fresh perspective, with
a program full of sea adventures and water IN THE NEW TOUR
VOLUME 6
sports action. The film tour offers unmitigated Freediver and director Julie Gautier usually lives
inspiration for all those who love the sea. her life behind the camera, but the new International
OCEAN FILM TOUR program presents a portrait
COME of the life of this talented Frenchwoman, who has
ALONG
HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT YEARS , dedicated her life to the sea.
OCEAN
LOVER
S

ADVENTURE ACTION OCEAN LIFE ENVIRONMENT

THE OTHER SHORE
VOLUME 3
From Cuba to Florida,
170 kilometres. Diana Nyad is the
first person to swim this dangerous
sea passage. Nonstop. She made
her first attempt in 1978 at the
age of 28. THE OTHER SHORE
tells the story of how Nyad,
now age 66, pursued her goal
with interminable determination
and passion.
AT T R A C T I V E D I S T R A C T I O N S
VOLUME 2
When the surf is up, there are no
excuses. Surfers simply must go
in the water. In ATTRACTIVE
DISTRACTIONS, surfing legends
Albee Layer, Matt Meola, John
John Florence, Dege O'Connell,
and Torrey Meister take us to the
best surf spots in the world.
SHOREBREAK
VOLUME 4
First he was a surfer, then he
became a photographer. Clark
Little has turned his passion for
the perfect wave into his profession.
In Hawaii and literally in the centre
of the surf, he pursues his favourite
motifs—big waves. And because
he has a sixth sense for knowing just
when to press the shutter release,
his images are pure art—master-
pieces of captivating beauty.
VA M I Z I
VOLUME 5
Off the coast of Mozambique lies
one of the oldest coral reefs on
earth, an unspoiled and vibrant
wonderland of biodiversity.
However, coral reefs around the
globe are dying, a warning sign
of the imminent effects of global
warming. VAMIZI presents an
actionable plan to save our
oceans—establishing 'Hope Spots'.

The new tour begins in March 2019. Information and tickets

are currently available at www.oceanfilmtour.com.

All details at WWW.EOFT.EU European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19 43

LAST PICTURE
In the age of remote-controlled drones, we have
already become accustomed to images shot from
soaring heights. Drone videos are also increasingly seen
in documentaries because they are relatively inexpensi-
ve compared to helicopter shots, and, it's no secret, be-
cause it's fun for the cameramen to fly the drone and
control it using a screen—safely from the ground! If the
drone gets into turbulence, the pilot doesn't have to
worry about his own safety.
It's a totally different story for Antoine Girard. As a
paraglider, he is there live and in-person when taking
photos and recording video, at an altitude of more than
FLYING HIGH
SAVOIA
GLACIER
GODWIN-
AUSTEN
GLACIER
44 European Outdoor Film Tour 18 /19
8000 meters. In this photo, with Broad Peak (8051)
behind him, Girard glides silently toward K2 (8611m), the
highest mountain in the Karakoram range. Unfortunately, on
this day, K2 was covered in thick clouds, but in the center
of the photo, you can see how the Savoia Glacier (left) and
the Godwin-Austen Glacier (right) flow into each other and
become one at the base of the 6802-metre-high Angelus.
From up here, there is not a soul to be seen, even
though most of these mountains are consistently
bustling with expeditions. This exclusive view of the
Karakoram is a privilege for people like Antoine who want
to conquer the mountains their own way.
K2
8611
METRES
Photo: © Antoine Girard
All details at WWW.EOFT.EU
䌀䄀一夀伀一䰀䄀一䐀匀   ∠   䌀䄀倀䤀吀伀䰀 刀䔀䔀䘀   ∠   娀䤀伀一   ∠   䄀刀䌀䠀䔀匀   ∠   䈀刀夀䌀䔀 䌀䄀一夀伀一

䘀䤀嘀䔀 一䄀吀䤀伀一䄀䰀 倀䄀刀䬀匀⸀ 伀一䔀 䔀倀䤀䌀 䔀堀倀䔀刀䤀䔀一䌀䔀⸀
夀伀唀刀 䈀唀䌀䬀䔀吀 䰀䤀匀吀 䠀䄀匀 䴀䔀吀 䤀吀匀 䴀䄀吀䌀䠀⸀ 倀䰀䄀一 夀伀唀刀 䴀䤀䜀䠀吀夀 㔀글 䄀䐀嘀䔀一吀唀刀䔀 䄀吀 嘀䤀匀䤀吀唀吀䄀䠀⸀䌀伀䴀⸀
TESTED FOR

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