Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Racing Over Putrajaya

Red Bull Air Race, the world’s fastest motorsport, makes its debut appearance in Malaysia before a captive crowd.




The bright yellow plane zoomed by, nimbly manoeuvring past 25-metre high Air Gates, a trail of smoke the only evidence of its flight path just seconds ago. Another plane followed, as one by one, all 12 Master Cup pilots of the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championship took turns demonstrating skills outside the league of ordinary aviators: vertical climbs, upside-down dives, side turns, fast corners, and the mad sprint to the finish line.

Small Planes, Big Ambitions
Man has always wanted to fly. We do so on borrowed wings – whether it’s in the passenger seat, or in direct manipulation of the controls. For the latter, only a few graduate to the level of those elite Red Bull Air Race pilots who wowed spectators with their ultra-precise, low-level, high-speed flying.

The weekend race on 17-18 May 2014 over the stunning 600-hectare Putrajaya Lake was historic for two reasons: It was the race’s inaugural run in Malaysia and east Asia, and the first time Malaysia fielded a representative via former Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) pilot Halim Othman, nicknamed Toogoo, who competed in the Challenger Cup.

Getting Up to Speed
While the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has been around since 2005, awareness of the sport is generally low amongst Malaysians. This is where a little knowledge of the facts and figures will go a long way in helping you better appreciate the sport.

With a top speed of approximately 370kph, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship is the fastest motorsport series in the world (Formula One cars race at speeds of up to 350kph). Unlike aerobatic flying and airshows, the focus here—as its name implies—is on racing. Pilots speed through a low-level aerial track marked out by inflatable Air Gates, gunning for the fastest time without incurring penalties such as flying too high above an Air Gate, or hitting a pylon, which would result in immediate disqualification.

At each venue, the top nine places earn World Championship points. The ultimate Red Bull Air Race World Champion will be the pilot with the most points at the end of the season.

Day 1: Smoke On
As the 12 Master Class pilots geared up for Day 1’s action, a morning shower may have cooled the searing heat, but not the competitive tension. The Masters’ training session went underway at about 1pm, followed by the Masters’ Qualifiers. At the close of Qualifying Day, favourite Hannes Arch of Austria led the Master Class pack with a time of 01:15.144, with Canada’s Pete McLeod in a distant second.

Day 1 also saw the next generation of Red Bull Air Race pilots take to the skies in the Challenger Cup, a new addition to the 2014 season. Although Datuk Halim Othman placed a commendable third in training, our local hero only managed sixth in the final Challenger Cup tally, which was won by Frenchman Francois Le Vot.

Racing Against the Clock
When races are won in microseconds (in the final leg of the 2010 race in New York, Nigel Lamb from Great Britain edged American Kirby Chambliss by 3/100ths of a second for the second spot), every move counts. One has to maintain extreme focus and precision, even when battling forces of up to 10G. Especially when battling forces of up to 10G.

To get an idea of what it’s like, imagine bench pressing a small car six times per minute while navigating through a course at speeds of 370kph. Each time you pull a high G, the blood from your head drains to your feet, leaving you on the verge of passing out. To avoid greyout, pilots contract their stomach and thigh muscles to restrict the blood going downwards. The mandatory G-Race suit helps reduce fatigue by enhancing compression using water-filled ‘fluid muscles’.

While physics takes its toll on pilots, there are other things to worry about, like heat and humidity, mind games, and picking the right strategy. After all, as we have learnt, shaving off even a few microseconds counts.

Day 2: Speed, Skill, Guts, Glory
Race Day. With a 60% chance of rain, the Putrajaya skyline was overcast again, but there was definitely more colour in the crowd which had swelled overnight. Around the Putrajaya Lake, families and aviation fans set up their viewing spots, or lounged comfortably on provided seating.

Above, the 12 Master Class pilots chased the clock. The six winners of the heats and the two fastest losers proceeded to the Super 8 round. An aerial intermission with aerobatic stunt planes took the edge off the air, thick with anticipation. Then it was down to the Final 4.

The first off the runway, Briton Nigel Lamb blazed the track with a time of 01:15.023, setting a new course record. Matt Hall of Australia was up next, posting a time of 01:15.597. Pete McLeod, who topped the Super 8, was next in line, but received a controversial DNF (Did Not Finish) for exceeding the 200-knot speed limit at the start gate. All eyes were then on Hannes Arch. As his silver plane zoomed past the finish line at 01:15.597, it was official: 56-year-old Nigel Lamb had won his first career title after 44 races, five second-place finishes, and seven years of racing.

French novelist Gustave Flaubert once wrote, “An infinity of passion can be contained within a minute.” While the passion that drives these pilots to the peak of their game may not be something easily discernible to the naked eye, especially from ground level, simply being able to witness live these gentlemen’s commitment to their sport is a privilege that Malaysians now have.

On his win, an emotional Lamb said, “I never thought I’d feel this emotion. It’s a great feeling. After seven years, and all the ups and downs, this is the payoff.”

Added Lamb, “Flying around Malaysia is amazing. The people are wonderful and the food is great. I knew it was going to be great here.”

We look forward to welcoming these soaring heroes to our shores again next year at the 2015 Red Bull Air Race World Championship.




Fast Facts

  • Red Bull Air Race World Championship is the fastest motorsport series in the world with a top speed of approximately 370kph. In actuality, the top speeds achievable by the race planes range from 425.97kph (230 knots) to 444kph (240 knots).
  • Red Bull Air Race World Championship is the fastest motorsport series in the world with a top speed of approximately 370kph. In actuality, the top speeds achievable by the race planes range from 425.97kph (230 knots) to 444kph (240 knots).
  • The average length of a Red Bull Air Race track is approximately 6km.
  • Starting this year, the engines, propellers and exhausts of planes have been standardised, thus levelling the playing field.
  • The pylons that form an Air Gate now stand at 25 metres high, 5 metres higher than in the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
  • The top part of each pylon is made from spinnaker fabric – the same lightweight material used to make boat sails.
  • Pylons must rip apart instantly and easily if a plane touches them, yet be sturdy enough to remain stationery in all weather conditions, including stormy weather and strong winds.
  • In 2003, it took 20 minutes to repair an Air Gate. In 2010, the repair record was down to 90 seconds for a full repair.
  • All pilots of the Challenger Cup fly the same plane, the Extra 330 LX.
  • According to Breitling, the official timekeeper, time will be measured in thousandths of a second. There is also a photo-finish system which has a resolution of 1/10,000th of a second. That system will be used if two pilots have the exact same time at 1/1,000th of a second.
  • Born in 1984, Canadian Pete McLeod is the Red Bull Air Race Championship’s youngest pilot. And while Hungarian Peter Besenyei (nicknamed The Godfather) and Nigel Lamb share the same birth year (1956), Besenyei leads the other side of the scale by a few months.

There’s always something exciting happening in Malaysia. Click here to view the latest events.

About the Author

Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Categories
Wonderful Malaysia

Karambunai Beach & Kudat, Sabah

Sabah is definitely a spot you don’t want to miss out on whilst traveling your list of perfect getaways in South East Asia. Not only is it one of the most popular retreats for active mountain climbers due to notorious Mount Kinabalu, Sabah is also home to the most fresh seafood and beautiful flora everywhere. It’s time to get in touch with your side that pines for adventure in the nature!

156221_10153748558570543_1775905654_n

1653654_10153748559780543_272565078_n

Karambunai Beach is only a mere 45-minute drive from KK airport, on this beach you can find a hotel named Nexus Karambunai Beach Resort Spa which has beautiful chalets literally on the sand, you can step out onto the balcony and find yourself watching the waves crash down on the sand. Not only will you be dumbfounded by the incredibly cheap rates Nexus provides which also are inclusive of a delicious breakfast buffet, but also the facilities are stellar. They include the use of a large swimming pool which is a few steps away from the beach, amongst the beach you can find small huts where friendly masseuses await your massage-yearning bodies, a large human-sized chess set, a large bar facing the waves on Karambunai Beach and several others.

1604547_10153748554055543_690063091_n

1620512_10153748552835543_1888965970_n

Nexus Karambunai Beach Resort Spa is only a 15-minute drive from the center of town in KK where you will be able to find small malls, including many stores amongst market stalls offering anything your mind could possibly desire in terms of seafood and local Asian delights. The ever-notorious Sabah Chili-Padi chocolate is a must-try along with several other local delicacies. The town is also very expat-friendly and the cobbled streets in Chinatown are very welcoming for tourists to take a drink at the many cafes and bars. Do not be fooled, Sabah might be small, but boy does it turn into a lively place at night!

You might not possibly have a remote interest in leaving Karambunai Beach or KK, but if you rent a car and take an hour’s road-trip up to Kudat Beach, which is at The Tip of Borneo, you might find yourself in another heaven-on-earth situation. There is a reason The Tip of Borneo is named such way, because it literally is the only little tip of cliff facing the baby blue waves crashing upon the shower. Amongst many other nicknames such as ‘Surfer’s Paradise’ or ‘The Tip of The World’, Kudat is found to be an ecological haven full of green flora and lively fauna everywhere.

1623673_10153748557455543_1288699557_n

When reaching Kudat, you will be able to find many hostels and fit-for-your-typical-backpacker lodgings where are a large community of come-and-go expats can be found, be it surfers or simple tourists searching for an adventure. Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed throughout our long road-trip from KK to Kudat was the exceptionally green scenery as previously mentioned above, we would pass by mini ‘kampungs’ (small and local villages/huts) which were literally 4-5 colorful shacks every other 10km we drove right on the roadside that portrayed such a calm and serene vibe.

1622830_10153748555940543_656826588_n

On an additional note, don’t forget Sabah is also a goldmine for divers, as you can easily travel to Mabul and Kapalai resorts to busk in the ocean and snorkel and dive, alongside many other little islands you can take a look at surrounding those areas, you can see why people have wet dreams about diving and surfing in Sabah. The people, I find have a much friendlier and warm attitude towards newcomers and expats, you will obviously get the usual locals who will try to scam a bit of cash off you, but that you can find, happens everywhere in the world. All in all, you need to be able to tick Sabah off your list of places to travel in South East Asia!

1656406_10153748560245543_896103783_n

About the author

Amanda Chini was born in Kuala Lumpur, lived in Mexico for 12 years, is culturally diverse and a third-cultured kid who’s been to Greece, Spain, England, Ireland, LA, NY, San Antonio, Colorado, Mexico, Aruba, Tenerife, Singapore and plans to travel to many more! Amanda is fluent in both English and Spanish, and her interests include photography, reading, writing and good food.

Share
More related articles