http://jungle-run.com/locations/tour-de-timor-2012-6/
TOUR DE TIMOR 2012
The Tour Begins - Stage One
PETER WALL | SEPTEMBER 10 2012 |NO COMMENTS
The Jungle Run crew was up at 3:30am this morning to start our coverageof the 2012 Tour de Timor (that’s not a misprint, 3:30!). By 4:30, carswere packed, crew were fed, and our work began in earnest. Jungle Runfounder Joe Yaggi, sound man Wil Hemmerle, and the editing and productionteam left the Timor Lodge for the finish line in the advance media convoyat 5:30am – half an hour later than planned – but with still enough timeto get to the finish line to set up.
After a short speech from the newly elected Timor Leste President TaurMatan Ruak, the race began at 7:00am. 300 plus riders began the 6-dayodyssey, decked out in their team colours, many sporting flags from theirhome countries. Quite a sight.
All this will be well documented. Nine still photographers are herecovering the Tour, and two of them were on the back of motorbikes today.Here’s a shot of Australian Zoe Morley, here shooting the Tour for thesecond time.
Six videographers were on motorbikes today, all shooting for Jungle Run.Intrepid tour veteran Jacqui Hocking, newcomer Chris Knight, myself(Peter Wall), cinematographer Patrick Lavaud, Jungle Run Balinese shooterGusti Ketut Oka, and local Timorese freelancer Armando BarroSoares.
I rode behind Sean Burrell, the event director and expert motorbikedriver, and we hit the road about 30 minutes after the riders left, asSean had to make sure various VIP guests were taken care of.
We quickly made up time, and filmed the field from tail to top as weblasted along the gorgeous Timorese coast. 50km in to the race we hadcaught up to the race leaders as they competed up the first major climb,a King of the Mountains point competition. Shortly after the climb, wewere there to capture the major lead change of today’s race. Australianrider Jared Hughes caught the two other lead riders with about 45km togo, and went on a mighty solo break-away for the rest of the way for thestage win. A remarkable performance.
Riding backwards while filming on a motorbike is a new thing for me, andluckily I am the right size (5’8) to be able to pull it off. Stoppingisn’t a problem, but quick accelerations and major bumps are. LuckilySean and I had a two-way headset wired into our helmets, and he was ableto give me advance warning of when I had to hang on. For the last 40km ofthe race today Jared Hughes was out at the front of the race on his own,with only us for company. Several times he tried to draft behind us, andI had to warn Sean so he could put a little more space between us and therider, as drafting is illegal… But the day went well, we got the shots,and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike to shoot daytwo.
Finally, tonight’s camp site. We’ve taken over the new market in the townof Mota’ain. The town is right on the border with Indonesia, and themarket’s wall actually is the fence that separates the two countries! Thefood, media, and bike repair sections are housed in various concretestalls, and the medical tent, the National Critical Care and TraumaResponse Centre from Australia, have brought their own tents. Truly asmall village of riders, media and support workers that has sprung up inthe middle of… well, nowhere. Most people are in tents, including me,though some people will sleep on the floor of the market stalls. We’llsee how everyone feels in the morning!
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, as the Tour will cross into Indonesia forthe first time in the race’s history.
TOUR DE TIMOR 2012
The Tour Begins - Stage One
PETER WALL | SEPTEMBER 10 2012 |NO COMMENTS
The Jungle Run crew was up at 3:30am this morning to start our coverageof the 2012 Tour de Timor (that’s not a misprint, 3:30!). By 4:30, carswere packed, crew were fed, and our work began in earnest. Jungle Runfounder Joe Yaggi, sound man Wil Hemmerle, and the editing and productionteam left the Timor Lodge for the finish line in the advance media convoyat 5:30am – half an hour later than planned – but with still enough timeto get to the finish line to set up.
After a short speech from the newly elected Timor Leste President TaurMatan Ruak, the race began at 7:00am. 300 plus riders began the 6-dayodyssey, decked out in their team colours, many sporting flags from theirhome countries. Quite a sight.
All this will be well documented. Nine still photographers are herecovering the Tour, and two of them were on the back of motorbikes today.Here’s a shot of Australian Zoe Morley, here shooting the Tour for thesecond time.
Six videographers were on motorbikes today, all shooting for Jungle Run.Intrepid tour veteran Jacqui Hocking, newcomer Chris Knight, myself(Peter Wall), cinematographer Patrick Lavaud, Jungle Run Balinese shooterGusti Ketut Oka, and local Timorese freelancer Armando BarroSoares.
I rode behind Sean Burrell, the event director and expert motorbikedriver, and we hit the road about 30 minutes after the riders left, asSean had to make sure various VIP guests were taken care of.
We quickly made up time, and filmed the field from tail to top as weblasted along the gorgeous Timorese coast. 50km in to the race we hadcaught up to the race leaders as they competed up the first major climb,a King of the Mountains point competition. Shortly after the climb, wewere there to capture the major lead change of today’s race. Australianrider Jared Hughes caught the two other lead riders with about 45km togo, and went on a mighty solo break-away for the rest of the way for thestage win. A remarkable performance.
Riding backwards while filming on a motorbike is a new thing for me, andluckily I am the right size (5’8) to be able to pull it off. Stoppingisn’t a problem, but quick accelerations and major bumps are. LuckilySean and I had a two-way headset wired into our helmets, and he was ableto give me advance warning of when I had to hang on. For the last 40km ofthe race today Jared Hughes was out at the front of the race on his own,with only us for company. Several times he tried to draft behind us, andI had to warn Sean so he could put a little more space between us and therider, as drafting is illegal… But the day went well, we got the shots,and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike to shoot daytwo.
Finally, tonight’s camp site. We’ve taken over the new market in the townof Mota’ain. The town is right on the border with Indonesia, and themarket’s wall actually is the fence that separates the two countries! Thefood, media, and bike repair sections are housed in various concretestalls, and the medical tent, the National Critical Care and TraumaResponse Centre from Australia, have brought their own tents. Truly asmall village of riders, media and support workers that has sprung up inthe middle of… well, nowhere. Most people are in tents, including me,though some people will sleep on the floor of the market stalls. We’llsee how everyone feels in the morning!
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, as the Tour will cross into Indonesia forthe first time in the race’s history.
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