Horizons Sports • Posts • Page 23 of 29

The Amazing Trento Film Festival

There is so much going on all at once that you have to be really organised and plan ahead especially if you want to see the top films, which sell out quickly. Besides films, there are panel discussions, book presentations, films, cultural events, culinary rendez-vous, kids programmes and a lot more. HorizonSportsTV interviewed Sergio Fant, the programming director of the festival, who explains the mission of the annual event and how it continues to be the “mother of all mountain film festivals in the world” – and the first one – going strong in its 66th edition. I have never seen so many of the world’s top climbers and film producers all in one place!

The Trento Film Festival showcased some 130 films, 25 competing for the coveted “genziana” d’oro or argento prizes, and several premieres of feature films, including “Tout là-haut” by Serge Hazanavicius, “Edie” by Simon Hunter, “Holy Mountain” by Reinhold Messner and “Resina” by Renzo Carbonera. “Mountain” by Jennifer Peedom, was the unanimous choice of the public. Beautifully filmed, narrated by Willem DeFoe, and accompanied by the music of the Canberra chamber orchestra, the movie traversed the mountains and myths of mountains of the world, not leaving out the dangers and death that faced those who dared to challenge the heights.

A key ingredient in the films was the stories that were being told. Each film shared a story, some portrayed the suffering and struggle of climbers and alpinists to reach the top—or maybe not… As Reihold Messner said, “it’s not about reaching the top – it’s about the journey up “.

Go on your own or with your family and friends. Trento is a delightful and fun town and the festival shows the mountains as magical and alive . Watch the interview and all the top mountain film clips on HorizonSportsTV https://horizonsports.tv/video?mediaId=VAr24PFc

See you next year at the Trento Film Festival – plan on it!

by: Laurence F. Hopper & Julia Culver

HORIZONSPORTS.TV, the world’s only Nature Sports & Wellness video platform has been selected as Official Media Partner by the Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT). All twenty-one UTWT races on six continents will be available for viewing anywhere and anytime in the world through the HorizonSports.TV, smart phone, APP and browser as well as on Smart TVs, reaching over 200.000 unique viewers. All participants will receive a discounted subscription to HorizonSports.TV so that they can easily enjoy watching all the UTWT races whenever they want.

Laurence Fox Hopper, HorizonSports.TV CEO said: “We are thrilled to be the Official Media Partner of the Ultra Trail World Tour and to be able to showcase some of the most amazing Ultra Trails in the world such as the UTMB, the Marathon des Sables, the Western States 100… ”

Marie Sammons, Ultra Trail World Tour Director added, “HorizonSports.TV is a very good way for us to reach a much larger audience and be able to work together to extend and enhance the sports popularity worldwide”.

About HORIZONSPORTS.TV

HorizonSports.TV is the only nature sports & wellness subscriber video on demand (SVOD) platform that caters to people who hike, run, cycle, love mountains, want to be healthy and more active in nature with over 200,000 unique viewers per month through a combination of SVOD platform, Android / Apple App, and through smart TVs. HorizonSports.TV aggregates and produces the best inspiring video content from the top outdoor, sports events, lifestyle and adventure TV producers with a balance of sports and Wellness premium programming available for unlimited on demand, Live sports and streaming TV viewing.

About UTWT ®

The Ultra-Trail®World Tour is the Unique Series of the most emblematic Trail running and ultra-distances races in the World. It illustrates the wide diversity that Trail Running represents : with the narrow and steep paths in the Alps, the hot Californian trails, the hundred steps in Australia, beaches in HK, the dunes in Morocco…. On all continents, UTWT gives that unique opportunity for all runners participating in a minimum of 2 races of the calendar to get a ranking among the Top International Elite Runners. While being fundamentally different, the Ultra-Trail®World Tour races have common values, which they are proud to share and promote. Ethics, equity in sports, self-respect, respect for others, for the environment.

Contact:

HorizonSports.TV : Philippe Deleplace (philippe@horizonsports.com)

https://horizonsports.tv/

UTWT : Marie Sammons (marie.sammons@ultratrailworldtour.com )

https://www.ultratrail-worldtour.com/

HORIZONSPORTS.TV, the world’s first Nature Sports & Wellness video platform has been selected as the official TV partner for the Gran Fondo cycling world Tour and has created a dedicated Gran Fondo World Tour TV channel on the HorizonSports.TV platform. All of the amateur cycling race videos from eleven locations on four continents will be available for viewing anywhere and anytime in the world through the HorizonSports.TV smart phone APP and browser as well as on Smart TVs, reaching over 200.000 unique viewers. Laurence Fox Hopper, HorizonSports.TV CEO said: “We are stoked to be the main TV partner of the Gran Fondo World Tour and to be able to showcase the exciting amateur pro-cycling contents from some of the most beautiful places in the world” Dani Buyo, Gran Fondo World Tour CEO added, “HorizonSports.TV is an ideal worldwide broadcast partner since it is easily viewable and is also focused on cycling”. About HORIZONSPORTS.TV HorizonSports.TV is the only nature sports & wellness subscriber video on demand (SVOD) platform that caters to people who hike, run, cycle, love mountains, want to be healthy and more active in nature with over 200,000 unique viewers per month through a combination of SVOD platform, Android / Apple App, and through smart TVs. HorizonSports.TV aggregates and produces the best inspiring video content from the top outdoor, sports events, lifestyle and adventure TV producers with a balance of sports and Wellness premium programming available for unlimited on demand, Live sports and streaming TV viewing. About Gran Fondo World Tour ® Gran Fondo World Tour ® is a world circuit for passionate cyclists who want to experience what it is like to be in a “pro circuit”. It is the first cyclosportive world ranking for amateurs and passionate cyclists. This is a unique opportunity for passionate cyclists to participate in professionally organized cycling events in different continents; cycling along Galibier – Madeleine (France), riding Central Asia Step, South African Natal Zulu Region hills, California coast, Korean mountains, Spanish Sun and weather or Norwegian lanscapes. Participants compete like a pro in exciting places while gaining points to be part of the world ranking. The world ranking is open to cyclists at any level of expertise. Gran Fondo World Tour ® is based on a world wide circuit of Gran Fondo events that ranks all their participants to determine who is the best #granfondo man or woman racer in the world. There is also a Prize for the participant who raced in the most competitions. A total of 36.000 USD dollars in prize money will go to the top 3 winners. The philosophy of the world tour is to keep the characteristics and name of each venue. The event locations also use the name of their main sponsor in all of the venue communications; Sponsors can use the Gran Fondo World Tour ® Brand for their own purposes. Contact: HorizonSports : Philippe Deleplace (philippe@horizonsports.com) https://horizonsports.tv/ Gran Fondo World Tour : info@granfondoworldtour.com http://www.granfondoworldtour.com/

Absa Cape Epic 2018 The Cape Epic is the most renowned mountain bike stage race in the world and the only 8-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). This official UCI status makes it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar.

Pierra Menta 2018 The Pierra Menta is one of the most famous international ski mountaineering competition, which is held annually in France. A total of 10 000 meters of positive vertical drop, over four days, in sublime scenery of snowy ridges, linking the grueling climbs - five peaks from 2 000 to 2 687 meters - and descents.

Adam Ondra portrait Adam Ondra is a professional climber who started climbing at about the same time he learned to walk. At age 16, Adam won his first lead Climbing World Cup. So far he has 3 gold medals from World Championships. To date, only Adam and Chris Sharma have climbed a route grade 9b+.

Rock the Parks Season 1 Episode 17 - Joshua Tree : The Climber’s Paradise. It’s a rocky ride for Colton and Jack as they explore the Chasm of Doom and climb The Eye of the Cyclops in Joshua Tree National Park.

Watch the video

HORIZONSPORTS.TV, the world’s first Nature Sports & Wellness video platform will be live broadcasting all five endurance races of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series 2018 and also the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship which tops the season. The Storytelling Agency Spocks Family will produce the live feed and a summary of each race which will be available right after the race on our VOD platform.

The ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship is the “mother” of all Swimrun races and the toughest to complete. There are 52 transitions as the teams swim to and run across each of the 26 islands covering a total of 75 kilometers, including 10 km of open-water swimming and 65 km of trail-running. The five races of the world series take place in beautiful locations around Europe making the broadcast a must see.

Swimrun is a two-person team-sport. The team must complete the course together. The course alternates between running and swimming along a pre-marked course taking place outdoors in a natural setting – it can be between islands or between lakes. The two members of the team are tied together and must race within 10 meters of each other. They share the experience, the fun, the beauty and the suffering.

About HORIZONSPORTS.TV

About ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series

Swimrun is the sport that was born from a drunken bet. In 2011 it got the name from Erika Rosenbaum, one of our ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship podium finishers.

In 2002 Anders Malm, the owner of Utö Värdshus (the finish line hotel of ÖTILLÖ), his friend Janne Lindberg and some of his staff (the Andersson brothers) had a late night in the bar. They challenged each other – “Last team of two to Sandhamn pays for hotel, dinner and drinks”.

In 2006 Michael Lemmel and Mats Skott were asked if they could make a commercial race out of their crazy challenge. The first couple of years only 11 teams started and only two managed to finish within the time limits. Then something happened and the teams learned that the only way to race is by not stopping, with constant movement. Today the race is internationally recognized as the SWIMRUN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP and has been ranked by CNN as one of the toughest races in the World.

The sport of Swimrun was born!

The 5 races of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series are Hvar – Croatia (8 April 2018), Utö – Sweden (20 May 2018), Isles of Scilly – UK (10 June 2018), Engadin – Switzerland (8 July 2018), 1000 Lakes – Germany (30 September 2018).

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship is the jewel in the crown and will take place in 2018 on September 3. It is the origin of the Swimrun movement where teams of two race together from island to island (Ö till Ö).

Contact:

HorizonSports : Philippe Deleplace (philippe@horizonsports.com)

https://horizonsports.tv/

https://otilloswimrun.com/

HORIZONSPORTS, the world’s first Nature Sports & Wellness TV and video platform is broadcasting Acid Masters, the first indoor endurance competition where men and women compete equally.

Acid endurance fitness is an innovative race based on the astonishing results of a rigorous Scandinavian ski-team training format which combines intense interval training and endurance racing. The top athletes are usually well-rounded endurance athletes who stay in shape indoors during the Scandinavian winter.

This is the only modern competition where men and women race in the same heat, competing on the same level, and their data results are instantly recorded and displayed to the public. Each contestant tries to go the farthest during the time allotted in each of the eight different exercises (row, run, pullups, squats, bike, plank, bhurpees, Dpole). All scores for each exercise are instantly recorded on the bulletin board and who – ever (man or women) has gone the farthest during the two hour competition wins.

About HORIZONSPORTS.TV

HorizonSports.TV is the only nature sports & wellness video platform that caters to people who hike, run, cycle, love mountains, want to be healthy and more active in nature with over 200,000 unique viewers per month through a combination of (SVOD) platform, Android / Apple App, and through smart TVs. HorizonSports.TV aggregates and produces the best inspiring video content from the top outdoor, sports events, lifestyle and adventure TV producers with a balance of sports and Wellness premium programming available for unlimited on demand, Live sports and streaming TV viewing.

About ACID MASTERS

Acid Masters was founded in Stockholm in 2014 by Fredrik Erixon and Anders Eriksson in order to open a new gym with a new training format. Acid Masters is taking the nature sport endurance experience from the outdoors to the indoor public arena so that the crowd can have a unique experience and follow every step and heartbeat of the competitors during an endurance race. The next Acid Masters World Championship will be held in Stockholm in the end of November 2018.

Contact:

HorizonSports : Philippe Deleplace (philippe@horizonsports.com)

Acid Masters : Fredrik Erixon (fredrik.erixon@drivereklam.se)

https://horizonsports.tv/

http://acid-masters.com/

HORIZONSPORTS, the world’s first Nature Sports & Wellness TV and video platform has produced together with Adventure Academy Sweden, the first episode of the reality show Adventure Academy Sweden. Get to know Jessica, Beata, Marcus and Jaromir, our four amazing adventure candidates as they introduce themselves and tell you what they plan to accomplish – can they do it? This is a first of its kind show, designed for the toughest girls and guys selected from 20 students who go through a grueling course taught by the top Scandinavian adventure instructors. The course includes Alpinism (mountain training), Hypothermia (cold weather training), Nordic winter, Long Distance Cycling, Navigation, Kayak, Hellweek and their own Adventure during 2 weeks in the wilds of Scandinavia and Europe. Don’t miss the season launch tonight on HorizonSports.TV .

About HORIZONSPORTS

HorizonSports.TV is the only nature sports & wellness video platform that caters to people who hike, run, cycle, love mountains, want to be healthy and more active in nature with over 200,000 unique viewers per month through a combination of (SVOD) platform, Android / Apple App, and through smart TVs. HorizonSports.TV aggregates and produces the best inspiring video content from the top outdoor, sports events, lifestyle and adventure TV producers with a balance of sports and Wellness premium programming available for unlimited on demand, Live sports and streaming TV viewing.

About Adventure Academy

Adventure Academy is a unique adventure education. The idea is to give the participants the right conditions and knowledge in outdoor life to dare to take the step and carry out their own adventures – as well as inspire others to do the same. The education is led by some of the most experienced adventurers in Sweden.

Contact:

HorizonSports : Philippe Deleplace (philippe@horizonsports.com)

AdventureAcademy : MatthiasAßmann(ma@mandel-consulting.com)

https://horizonsports.tv/

https://adventureacademy.se or https://adventureacademy.dk

At ISPO 2018 in Munich, the world’s largest multi-segment sports exhibition, the Scandinavian Village takes up a special place. The Village is the beating heart of the Scandinavian Outdoor Group (SOG), a not for profit organization providing export market support to more than 60 premium outdoor brands from all five Nordic countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. The SOG is proud of its prowess in innovation and support of new members and was therefore keen to showcase this year’s new entrants through a dedicated “retail clinic” around the twin themes of innovation and creativity. We were hosted by the CEO of SOG, David Ekelund who made the introductions, beginning with Stefan Carlsson of technology brand INUHEAT Wearable Heating. Stefan explained that the goal of his company is to provide premium apparel brands with an App controlled technology platform combining patented conductive yarns and smart electronics to improve comfort in already great apparel such as gloves and socks for consumers and professionals. Next was the turn of development member ROJK SUPERWEAR where we met Jan-Fahrenheit Betros who heads design & product development for the young company’s sustainable and eco-friendly production. The products are made of self-developed, fully decomposable natural materials such as wool and hemp which achieve high standards of functionality through clever design and innovative weaving techniques. Before we moved on Jan proudly showed us the very attractive upcoming Badland Jacket which won the prestigious ISPO 2018 Eco Achievement Award. Right around the corner David then introduced us to Jo Egil Tobiassen, CEO & Founder of Northern Playground, also a development member of SOG. Jo, who is an accomplished sportsman, explained that he had invented his innovative “Zipware” because he and his friends were tired of damp and cold upper and lower base wear after strenuous outdoor pursuits. Jo then went on to personally demonstrate on himself items of his apparel line by unzipping shorts and even removing a women’s sports bra in the blink of an eye. The clever incorporation of zippers in Northern Playground’s apparel line truly delivers personalized climate control for the entire body, banishing sweaty and cold clothing once and for all. Finally, David and our group of visitors walked the short distance to the Scandinavian Outdoor Group’s partner, juggernaut vehicle manufacturer VOLVO CAR CORPORATION where we were welcomed enthusiastically by Stephan Green, Director of Commercial Management. Stephan quickly went on to explain that the gorgeous V90 Cross Country Volvo Ocean Race vehicle in front of us was inspired by the famous race of the same name and that it was designed to bring out the adventurer, big or small, in each one of us. All-road and all-weather capability with thoughtful features and accessories such as waterproof seat covers, foot mats, a tough water-resistant load compartment floor and storage bag help protect the interior from dirty kit and equipment. It even features a portable pressure spray cleaner to hose off dirty gear before stowing it. This elegant vehicle truly combines luxury with utility. Our tour now concluded we wished David well and now look forward to the next ISPO in 2019.

ISPO München is a sustaining member and SOG is a trade partner of the not for profit European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) which counts more than 130 members throughout Europe and believes that “The outdoor sector and the millions of people who enjoy the outdoors are active champions for the conservation of nature and wild places”. As a charitable association the EOCA directly funds specific projects to emphasize the European outdoor industry’s commitment to having a beneficial impact on the environment.

February 3rd, 2018 John Dodds

Innovative combinations of natural fibres in outdoor clothing is becoming trendy . The German start-up Pally’Hì (meaning a nice way to shear sheep in Celtic) has developed a line of clothing made of merino-bamboo fabric, designed by snowboard pioneer Peter Bauer. The idea is to make clothing that is functional but also appeals to a lifestyle—the bamboo-merino t-shirts are beautiful, with a 59-69 euro price tag that seems to be targeted to urban hipsters rather than teenaged snowboarders.

The seven-year old Swedish company Röjk is one of the few companies that develops its own fabrics in close cooperation with factories and manufactures most of its clothes in Sweden: the Badlands series uses 100% merino wool and the Rover series is made of bio-degradable and anti-bacterial biopolymers based on inedible plants that grow in the wild in Sweden, as the company is moving away from synthetic fabrics. The small German company MaxFred are offering knit hats and neck-kerchiefs made of bamboo jersey with a small percentage of polyester. Why bamboo? Because it is an abundant and readily sustainable natural material that also makes a soft and comfortable fabric. Tencel is another plant based fabric that is being integrated into performance wear for biking and hiking.

There are many companies that use natural fabrics in outdoor wear and we expect the trend to increase as consumers become more aware of natural fibres in their clothes and more brands offer a line of natural fibre based clothing.

Laurence F. Hopper