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Home > SeaHelp > Special service: Propeller broken – special SeaHelp mission in Empuriabrava SeaHelp is known as Europe’s largest breakdown and recovery service for pleasure craft providing assistance in non-life-threatening situations SeaHelp members also receive a “special service” beyond this as the operation at the SeaHelp base in Empuriabrava in the Spanish municipality of Castelló d’Empúries on the Gulf of Roses (province of Girona The SeaHelp base in Empuriabrava is located in the largest marina in Europe just two kilometres from Castelló d’Empúries where the Fira der Feixell d’Ocassió used boat show traditionally takes place The SeaHelp centre on the Costa Brava has been run for two years by certified boat expert Axel Albrot we are on the spot in no time when it comes to providing fast competent and uncomplicated assistance to recreational skippers” regardless of whether the engine breaks down or if there is a sudden water ingress on board as happened a few days ago: “Two weeks ago the propeller clutch of one of our customers who owns a sporty inflatable boat called Black Jack adding that there was “hardly any propulsion” Although this service is not actually part of the standard portfolio of the SeaHelp centres across Europe “I used an underwater camera to record the propeller number and the customer still had exactly one of these propellers in stock.” The customer then booked a flight at short notice and brought the propeller to the boat in Empuriabrava All of the workshops in the area that were asked had declined the job because (according to them) it was “too dangerous” for the mechanics to change a propeller like this in the water as only Capitania wants to tow in the canals of Empuriabrava the effort involved in towing the boat to the crane lifting it onto the trailer and then lifting it back into the water would have been too high for this repair according to the boat professional; the price would also have been disproportionately high at more than 300 euros as SeaHelp man Axel Albrot not only trained as a mechanic he replaced the propeller in the water without further ado – as an exception everything was back to normal and the customer was able to continue sailing his boat” SeaHelp’s rescue boats can be called using the practical SeaHelp app or the free emergency number for Europe 0043 50 43 112 (or the alternative emergency number for Europe 00385 919 112 112) * terminal or telecommunication service costs may apply Easter in Croatia is an important family celebration characterized by exciting customs and a festive atmosphere Juni 2025) in der SeaHelp-Zentrale im kroatischen Punat sind auch alle SeaHelp-Mitglieder herzlich eingeladen You need to load content from reCAPTCHA to submit the form Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Facebook You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Instagram You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Google Maps You are currently viewing a placeholder content from OpenStreetMap You are currently viewing a placeholder content from X as many call one of the world's largest marinas is an increasingly popular holiday destination located on the coast of Girona in the Costa Brava It is a small seaside town that was originally built on a marsh but was later turned into a tourist attraction with 40 kilometers of canals and with a summer population of 80 thousand inhabitants It's no surprise that they are Empuriabravo named by many Spanish Venice is a very popular tourist destination for the wealthy Most of the city consists of private residences built in a classic Mediterranean style and the nightlife in Empuriabrava is also very lively The sun shines here as much as 300 days a year and tourists can enjoy it on the several kilometers long sandy beach which is also famous for its wide selection of water sports Empuriabrava is also a true paradise for all adrenaline junkies It is located north of the city the largest European center for skydiving – Skydive Empuriabrava which is considered one of the three best in the world It is owned by a Dubai prince who bought the center in 2012 then the seaside town of Empuriabrava is definitely on your list of Spanish cities to visit in the future From 2004 we research urban trends and inform our community of followers about the latest in lifestyle From year 2023 we offer content in major global languages From 2004 we research urban trends and inform our community of followers daily about the latest in lifestyle style and products that inspire with passion we offer content in major global languages It was the first to introduce different disciplines many of which were subsequently taken up by other organisers.  Friday  23th to Saturday 24th of February since January 2014 – but the 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid and this is the first after a four-year break Windoor are breaking in again with a 2-day event but the next time The four-way competition is run over 10 rounds with a couple of blocks slightly amended to fit in the tunnel will be there defending their Wind Games titles they have won it every single year of the competition.  Traditionally the Wind Games has featured a gripping battle between Arizona Airspeed and Hayabusa as these two teams have been neck and neck for many years There is a lot of respect and camaraderie as well as rivalry between the teams current world champions Airspeed will not be there to fight because the US indoor nationals happen on the same weekend These guys are some of the fastest moving in the world – but even they can’t fly in two continents at once!  including the French open and ladies team; ISR FireFlash the current UK ladies team and multiple UK champions; Chimera UK National champions; three teams from Qatar including world medallists Qatar Tigers and of course a high representation from Spain The competition will decide the results of the indoor skydiving Spanish Nationals with the winning Spanish team becoming National Champions VFS is considered by many to be the most difficult discipline in skydiving and indoor skydiving Some teams are returning from previous competitions let’s see how they’ve developed their skills. There is still one available slot left in this event if another team would like to join the party The well-known, super-likeable judge Thierry Courtin is Chief FS & VFS Judge. He will coordinate the other judges, working with the Intime scoring system If you’ve never seen a four-way dynamic competition this is an incredible flying display to watch Teams have to do three rotations of the tunnel in a set sequence which will include flying in different orientations and the nature of the moves means that the team members have to fly very close together practice and communication keep them a collision which could be catstrophic at such high speeds Compulsory (speed) rounds will be drawn with one pattern from each group (Snakes Teams also fly a free round of their own choreography The 2-way and 4-way Dynamic events are arranged as a tournament with head-to-head ‘knockout’ battles where teams compete directly against another team the winners going through to the next round The first three rounds are qualification rounds with the aim to get the strongest teams to meet in the final Another innovation introduced by Windoor Realfly was an amended system of judging to give a fair result but get the scores out quickly and freestyle are marked on a combination of technical ability It is difficult for judges to evaluate all these elements on a single viewing which used to lead in long delays in the scores whilst the judges reviewed the tapes repeatedly The new concept was that each competitor/team submits a tape of their routine to the judges in advance This allows the judges to mark the technical merit of the intention of the jump which leaves them free to mark the artistic interpretation and the performance live making adjustments to their anticipated technical score depending on how the moves are performed Entries in for 4 way dynamic include four teams; Windwerk The 2-way dynamic event was created by Windoor Realfly to build skills and encourage entry into the 4-way dynamic event It allows players to master the basics of the dynamic discipline of flying close together as you only need to schedule with one other person and it allows flyers to get the skills of this event and move forward into D4W.  We often see a scratch D4W team form a few days before the event There are 13 teams registered for this event Dynamic event judges for 2 and 4 way are Olivier Longchamp Solo speed was an event created by the Wind Games that gives incredibly exciting finishes flyers inter the tunnel and must do three circuits Their exact start and entry time is automatically recorded by sensor speed technology – so as competitors leave the tunnel Emotions are high at this point as the competitors are already pumped after flying their hardest They immediately know whether they’ve won or lost Because of the incredible standard of flying there are usually only tenths of a second separating the competitors and deciding the medals This event is run over ten rounds (eight for juniors) and remains gripping all the way to the finish line Anything can happen when the flyers are giving everything that they have got to fly to the absolute max This tunnel event involves high emotions like no other The Wind Games was the first to introduce music to competitive freestyle When you consider freestyle is a similar discipline to gymnastics it seems strange music hasn’t always been involved Combining music and flying means competitors can convey so much more feeling than by flying alone The wind games created a sensation when Leo Volkov’s freestyle video set to operatic music went viral with over 50 million views:- There are five rounds of freestyle competition where the content is completely open to the performer who may chose accompanying music if they wish The music is played inside and outside the tunnel The other two rounds are ‘compulsory’ rounds with three pre-drawn moves that must be included these can be joined together and combined with other moves in whatever way the competitor wishes Freestyle is always a very beautiful and moving event The variation in styles between competitors some very high energy with dance type moves and even more combining all these elements There is far more variation in this event than any other.  There are 8 competitors in Freestyle, and 11 in Junior Freestyle, which is anyone under the age of 15. There is no gender separation, only age; men and women compete together, as do the boys and girls. In senior, we are especially looking forward to see the performances of Ryo Shimizuguchi coming all the way from Japan for the first time who has trained ballet and brings this to her performances.  It is always riveting seeing future champions displaying impressive skills at such an early age.  Judges for Freestyle include José Miguel Garcia de Abreu who made history flying freestyle at the Wind Games with his hands tied together and the recently-qualified judge Cristina Arantes whos training course was run by Bich Ha-Tran Jean Phillipe Chatelain is Chief Freestyle and Dynamic Judge The Wind Games always work hard to get the scores out quickly which gives a real excitement to the competition It makes a huge difference to competitors and to the audience to know the state of the meet as they enter the next round it builds a great atmosphere for them to be aware how the struggles are playing out It is free to attend both days over the Wind Games competition This well-equipped tunnel has excellent viewing areas all the way round the chamber You can really see the expressions on the competitors faces before they get into the tunnel and their emotions as they leave; whether they’ve had a great round or messed it up completely The tunnel has a restaurant and bar to provide refreshments throughout the day There will be live commentary to explain who is flying and keep everyone in touch with the scores This will be MC’d by the one and only Regan Tetlow The four-way FS event will feature commentary by Rai Ahmed ex British ladies team and previous commentator at many Wind Games her technical knowledge reveals the deeper aspects of the event and the puzzles chosen by various teams Allegra Nasi will be interviewing teams and individuals from the competition so we can see their reactions to the ups and downs of the meet.  If you can make it to the event itself there is always an epic party afterwards The Windoor wind tunnel includes a wave club and accompanying facilities There will be a presentation at the wave club the dancefloor will be buzzing as competitors are released from the tension of the meet whether they did their best or their worst chat without having the pressure of the next round on their minds and talk to their rivals in a different manner now the results are all decided Wind Games website results as the competition’s happening Tune in to the Live Stream here, on the Windoor YouTube account @WINDOORREALFLYEMPURIABRAVA_1 The link of the live stream will be shared on Windoor and Skydive Mag social media just before the event Keep in mind that this schedule is approximate Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" You have successfully joined our subscriber list About Skydive Mag Contact Us Advertise Terms of Service Advertising Terms Contributor Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Skydive Mag Limited is a company registered in England and Wales at Companies House with company number 06587800 Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie PolicyWebsite by Kevin Blackledge With 35 kilometers of canals Empuriabrava is the largest residential marina in Europe the area was especially attractive because it was possible to dock the boat in front of the house and park the car on the opposite facade But from the very beginning it also suffered a non-stop construction of clonal quaint structures perhaps because the clients were unaware of the possibilities that another type of architecture could offer One of the main elements of Empuriabrava is the water so the design of the house takes a melting ice block as starting point One of the first moments of its process of decomposition provides an image that becomes the building’s first ‘ultrasound.’ This still photography is scanned and parametrized revealing a threedimensional volume that shows the space it contains drawing around it a landscape of pavilions that address the client’s demands The house’s complex forms are accomplished thanks to a process called CAD/CAM that transforms a computer model into a real object thanks to the action of a drill This is how each one of the pieces of the formwork is defined managing to accurately control its final form.It is designed during long periods of time but is built at an extremely fast pace The house is conceived as a hybrid of boat and car On top of the concrete base there is a steel structure in the form of a chassis wrapped up in a skin designed to control climate aside from serving as a support for videos and showings the north one translucent and the southern one opaque and energy efficient The former is carried out with an enclosure of milar sheets with kevlar fibers (a polyamide that is five times more resistant than steel and used The opposite side is covered with EPDM membrane (an elastomer also used in nautics) and on top it is wrapped up with tiles designed by Toni Camella (author of the mosaics of Santa Caterina) with the collaboration of the artist Frederic Amat The roof has ETFE cushions and is equipped with a pneumatic mechanism that helps to control the entry of sunlight Product of a new digital era, this house has its own web page: www.villanurbs.com...[+][+] Arquitectos ArchitectsEnric Ruiz Geli/Cloud9 Fernández Río (directores de proyecto proyect leaders); A.Mallol Consultores ConsultantsBoma (estructura structure); PGI (instalaciones mechanical engineer); Estudi Ramon Folch (medioambiente enviroment); F Cricursa (vidrio glass); Calderería Delgado (estructura metálica steel structure); Covertex (hinchables ETFE ETFE cushions); BEC (cables de acero y fijación cerámica steel cables and ceramic fastening); S Presta (carpintería metálica steel frames) Contratista ContractorObres i Construccions Joan Fustè there arent any match using your search terms Andrew Wilson-Bett explains why trailer boating brought him some unforgettable experiences and why he's reluctantly bid farewell to his trailler The boats my father and I have owned since the late 1960s have been quite varied but they have all had one thing in common: a trailer Trailer boating would happen twice a year for me and my dad: once up to Porthmadog in the spring and then back home again at the end of the season While I certainly loved it, my own boats have travelled much further afield. In my mid 20s, I worked for Fletcher Sports Boats and bought a lovely secondhand 160 Bravo with a 75hp Mercury outboard motor window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); I would tow her to work (in suit and tie) and at 5pm on the dot I would drive the mile or so to Chasewater a large reservoir serving the canal network Three of us would spend the evening waterskiing followed by a last-orders dinner at our local Italian For a number of years, I would then go out with my father’s Hardy Fishing 24 back in Wales, but after he died, I wanted to use a boat elsewhere. Our local boatyard had a barely used Boston Whaler 160 Dauntless with a Mercury 115 on the transom as well as Empuriabrava on the Costa Brava Our Spanish trips needed plenty of planning particularly when it came to overnight stays in France but we also wanted the trip to feel like part of the holiday One of our most memorable overnighters was at Château de Lassalle near Agen sadly now only open for weddings and events Getting there involved winding country lanes and a narrow gateway but it was worth it We towed the Boston Whaler to Spain three times, renting villas with a pool and mooring on Empuriabrava’s canal network, which gives you easy access out into the Med. The boat was great but we really needed something bigger that would still be easy to tow. This came in the form of an XO 250 Open the police pulled out and escorted us off the autoroute We reached the toll booth to be met by a journalist demanding to see the paperwork for the car and boat It transpired that there was a clampdown on overweight loads and we had been selected for a check we went on our way – but that is a lesson for us all It’s vital to keep your trailer boating rig legal you are uninsured and an accident resulting in injury or death might well cost you everything you own – including your liberty The Axopar 28 Cabin is Andrew’s first un-trailerable boat If you choose the right boat and the right cruising grounds Chartering a 25ft boat in the Med for a fortnight costs around €10,000 we rented a four-bed villa with pool and mooring But now we’ve upgraded to an Axopar 28 Cabin Fika is confined to a yard trailer instead First published in the September 2023 issue of MBY Home > News General > September 2 to 4 2024: SeaHelp secures popular fun regatta Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava 2024 The three-day Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava for motorboat fans will take place this year from September 2 to 4 2024 in the Bay of Roses; SeaHelp will secure the event and be on hand in the event of breakdowns and towing Water sports should be one thing above all: fun And that’s exactly what the Cannonball Sea Run on the Spanish Costa Brava is all about motorboaters from all over the world come together to cruise and party for three days – or party and cruise as each crew sets their own priorities for this event is also synonymous with the Cannonball Run an illegal car race across the USA from New York to Los Angeles These were organized by the US magazine Car & Driver in the 1970s and later became known to a wider public through several Hollywood films One of the best-known films dedicated to this topic is “All hell breaks loose on the highway” (original title: The Cannonball Run) It was produced in 1981 under the direction of former stuntman Hal Needham Parts 1 and 2 of this classic film won a total of eight Golden Raspberry awards (Farrah Fawcett but that didn’t – and doesn’t – seem to detract from the on-screen spectacle Just like their role models in the US action spectacle who are traveling with an ambulance and the doctor Nikolas van Helsing who appears disguised as a priest with his passenger Fenderbaum who competes in his Aston Martin in James Bond style many motorsport enthusiasts – inspired by the film – are once again competing 43 years later to win the coveted Cannonball trophy – only this time not on the road In addition to the 1st to 3rd places for the best points scores (the points are included in the Cannonballs to be collected) the trophy for the longest journey and the public prizes for the best sexiest and funniest costume as well as for the most beautiful boat The aim of the Cannonball Run Costa Brava is not to achieve top speeds or best times but to collect so-called cannonballs with initially secret contents which are collected at various posts around the Bay of Roses Cap Creus and Cap Begur to the south at the time of the takeover and may only be opened at the award ceremony at the end of the event The winners of the Cannonball Run don’t have to perform at their best they need one thing above all: a lot of luck The advantage of this is that there is no need to divide the participating sports boats into different competition classes and all participating crews have the same chances regardless of whether they are sailing a powerboat or a small cruiser yacht is that at least the driver and co-driver of each team must be dressed up as different titles are also advertised in this area valid international liability insurance and adequate rescue and safety equipment for all crew members are a matter of course and a prerequisite high-performance boats and yachts in the starting field some of which are equipped with several propulsion engines” but the Cannonball is all about fun and safety the organizers recommend watching the 1981 film “All hell breaks loose on the highway” – preferably together with the whole crew Speaking of safety: even though this is a fun event SeaHelp Costa Brava provides professional security for the entire event who is responsible for the entire Costa Brava is able to tow even heavy yachts with his emergency boat Anna which is well prepared for all emergencies Further information / registration for the Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava 2024 take a south-westerly course to Cala Joncols where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and refreshments From here we head for the bay of Canyelles Petites This is about halfway back to Empuriabrava The El Pirata beach bar at the Hotel Vistabella is the destination There is a floating jetty with mooring lines and buoys for the larger boats Spain where we were frequently jumping overhead potential water hazards got me thinking about whether my assumption is reasonable… The interesting thing about Empuria is that you’d be likely to be fully occupied managing the canopy all the way to splashdown This is because of the canal and road system that one would have to navigate to the safest possible landing; meaning there would be little time to take hands of toggles and manage peripheral equipment I always wear my lead belt below my jumpsuit (for performance and safety reasons that I believe pretty strongly in),  never worrying too much because I’m confident that I could extract it from inside my suit and dump it well before a landing.  However it struck me that in a place like Empuria – or in any place where for some reason I’ve had a low opening – that I might be so busy with navigating the canopy that I may very well not have time to get a belt out and drop it.  I think it is fair to consider that flying above the streets of Empuria there is something highly unethical about dropping a 5kg sack of lead Ok, so my Cypres had been removed from my gear for its service cycle the weather was spectacular and the pool had not been used since last season On top of that my Saturday plans had been cancelled at short notice so I had less to do than I thought All a good recipe for some decent safety experimentation I reckoned; so I decided to test there are two possible ways I could land in the water: For a while I considered a ‘Booties off the toes and rolled tight up the shins’ configuration as a third option but I realised that this would take quite some time under canopy and it would likely unroll down the leg within a few kicks in the water Attempt to swim in each of the two configurations in my home pool.Try to follow the standard procedures taught for water landing see how far I could swim with my clothes and lead on I had no idea what would constitute success specifically but I reckoned 4 or 5 lengths (about 50 – 60m) would give me some reason to be hopeful about the prospects for future survival These are conclusions I drew for myself and not intended to be recommendations or an overruling of any Ops Manual or SIMS having learnt now what I did in my personal swimming test should I be heading for the drink [water landing] in future I will:  I think that if I knew I was on my way into turbulent water (say open ocean) then I’d work harder to ditch my lead before landing – which should be easier because less concern about accuracy such as getting a canopy into a narrow canal – and thereafter I would do as stated above with the findings shared for the information of other qualified skydivers to assist their general knowledge about the sport The conclusions related to my personal circumstances only and are not intended to constitute advice for others we are all responsible for making our own safety and equipment choices Home > SeaHelp > Water ingress A normal working day for the SeaHelp mission team on the Costa Brava also offers its rescue services from Empuriabrava in the Catalan province of Girona together with Salvamentos Maritimos (a Spanish sea rescue cruiser) and the Mossos (the Catalan police) the sinking of a pleasure boat with three people including pets on board was prevented during a water incursion operation Base manager is the water sports enthusiast, passionate diver and ISO-certified boat expert Axel Albrot who can be on the scene in minutes when he receives an emergency call with his Humber 850 response boat (boat length 8.50 meters) which is equipped with a 5.7-liter Volvo Penta diesel inboard engine and is used for all types of relief operations “The boat not only has a large bollard at the stern we also have one of the most modern plotters there are also special fire extinguishers on board for all cases describes Axel Albrot his practical emergency boat Albrot responded immediately, replying that in the event of water ingress, it was imperative that the Salvamentos Maritimos in order to be able to avoid environmental damage Albrot was then told that the Spanish rescuers had already been informed but that they would need about an hour before leaving jumped into the lifeboat that sits with him just outside his house on the canal started his powerful six-liter engine and headed through the canals toward the harbor exit he saw an ambulance with an emergency doctor who had been called there for the same incident Albrot increased speed after leaving the harbor exit behind and only ten minutes later he reached the damaged boat which was in danger of sinking due to water ingress private dinghy had already taken two of the three crew members on board (one man had remained on board the average to be able to steer it) The dinghy skipper tried with a (very thin) rope to tow the eight-meter-long pleasure craft which Albrot estimated already had “at least a ton” of water in its hull due to the water ingress – without success Albrot took over the boat: “because with my professional rope and the strong engine I was able to tow the boat so fast that it got buoyancy from the ride and could not sink any further” At the bow of the police boat was a policeman in neoprene Albrot explained to him that this was not necessary along with associated dogs (except for the skipper) were already safely accommodated on another inflatable boat- and no one was injured The entire rescue operation was now coordinated on radio channel 6 whose staff was pleased that “everything is going well” The Spanish rescuers stated over the radio that they would accompany the SeaHelp response boat to the port to provide assistance if necessary which was being towed because of water ingress whereupon the captain of the Salvamentos Maritimos took over as he said he had a powerful pump on board They took the average alongside and began to pump the water out of the boat The Catalan police were pleased with the professional assistance provided by the SeaHelp response boat: who knows what would have happened to the damaged boat if the SeaHelp boat had not arrived at the scene of the accident within a very short time The police officers politely asked if it would be possible to contact the SeaHelp rescuers also in future emergencies on the water and ask for assistance which Albrot gladly answered in the affirmative the captain of the Salavmentos Maritimos called thanked him personally for the mission and gave the phone number of the rescue control center in Barcelona so that SeaHelp could contact there in case of an emergency in order to be able to provide increased assistance in future rescue missions on the Costa Brava SeaHelp’s response boats can be called using the handy SeaHelp app or by calling the free emergency number for Europe 0043 50 43 112 (or the alternative emergency number for Europe 00385 919 112 112 * terminal or telecommunication service charges may apply Beyond his achievements and his sporting performances the easy joke and a boyish enthusiasm for all things in life Which made him even more an inspiration.  As a boy at school he remembers “My teachers would always tell me to stop dreaming in class Well it’s a good job I didn’t listen to them because it’s actually our dreams that lead our lives.” Vince was born into a skydiving family and did his first jump He remembers vividly when he made his first solo jump He was terrified in the plane but as soon as he was in the air it felt incredible the fear was gone and he knew he wanted to do this forever.   I knew what I wanted to do with my life: a career in skydiving This feature of joy following fear was to define his life Leaving behind his intended career as a carpenter and his judo competitions passing his AFF course in just four jumps.  He was already friends with Fred Fugen Fred taught him everything and very quickly Vincent became outstanding That was the powerful beginning of his skydiving career that would bring the world adventures that had never been seen or even dreamed.  It was also the beginning of an inseparable partnership with Fred that would span 20 years – although knew these two young guys and invited them to join him They started to train the three of them as a freefly team and qualified to be the French National team Vince and Fred won three World Championships in Freefly as Babylon Vince and Fred had moved to Empuria for training entering freefly competitions and to BASE jump They were invited to load organise all over the world The boys were like a breath of fresh air and launched a new era where champions hang out with new skydivers as buddies the first person to proximity fly.  Because they were done with competition and asked if they could be Soul Flyers too so that started the first of many BASE jumping adventures together he had a big surgery and didn’t know when he could be allowed to jump again he said to Vince and Fred to keep going with the Soul Flyers At that time the Soul Flyers were mainly wingsuit and BASE jumping In 2010 they did some epic head-down BASE jumps from the Troll Wall with Fred and Vince freeflying together next to the cliff even doing their competitive signature move flying along the cliffs in the Vercors and the Brento Although they had flown wingsuits at night before this was their first BASE wingsuit jump at night In 2014 the Soul Flyers wowed the world with iconic jumps from the Burj Khalifa it took three years of negotiations to realise five day jumps and one night jump from a platform specially built at the top Freeflying together with orange smoke and yellow suits smoke carving round the Burj Khalifa produced spectacular footage and their evident joy made it clear the goal was pure fun the absolute limit of possibility without wearing pressurized suits they stepped out in -50°C temperatures and performed a beautifully choreographed freefly routine After opening they spent 6 minutes weaving down the side of Mont Blanc playing with the terrain and their canopies became the venue for one of Vince’s dreams He woke up one morning having dreamed about jumping off a mountain and getting into a plane It was a twist on a feat achieved by Patrick de Gayardon Vincent never met Patrick but he knew of his exploits and for sure he was inspirational to the young Frenchman and set back by an injury on the first attempts a fitting tribute to honour Patrick’s achievement As well as flying with planes (and canopies) wearing a wingsuit Vincent flew in formation with all sorts of planes who was training alongside Babylon in Empuriabrava Of course Vincent was interested and asked if he could jump the Jetman At that time it was a big rigid wing but no engine.  Vince did 2 jumps Over several months Vince learned how to use the Jetman which developed into a sophisticated flying machine with jet engines at 1,000°C.  It was just Vince at first then Fred learned some time after.  Skydive Dubai were very interested in Yves’ project and sponsored him Some moving jumps for Vincent personally flying were in 2016 flying with the jet fighter pilots of the Patrouille de France He said it was the only time in the air he had to tell himself not to cry.  next to the world’s biggest passenger plane – an A380 They were smaller than the A380’s winglet (The little vertical part at the end of the wing) The three ‘aircraft’ performed a carefully choreographed aerial showcase over the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai skyline This stunt caught the public’s imagination as everyone could imagine waving at the Soul Flyers as the passengers in the airline were doing diving below it then climbing high above it to show off their skills.  That’s why Vince captivated the world – the joy he shared with Fred at every new experience was tangible – the way they whooped and hugged arriving in the Porter Some people would love to be famous so they dream up stunts to achieve that and so the world loved him for his heart even more than his achievements Vince loved everyone’s dreams not just his own and he lived a life actively encouraging everyone to follow theirs becoming the antidote to those schoolteachers stamping on our imagination Let’s be thankful we knew this special soul and let his legacy give us the courage to follow our own dreams Follow your dreams instead of following your fear” We have credited all photographers where known if we have missed your photo credit please get in touch and we will update it Thank you to Patrick Passe for his help compiling this homage The Skydive Empuriabrava Challenge is a unique event running World Record events in two orientations on the one drop zone The famous French load organiser Patrick Passe assembled a group of 106 belly-flying skydivers aiming to break the FAI large sequential world record Babylon and friends drew a veritable crowd of 104 In the relatively new category of World Record to qualify as a ‘large’ formation for these rules means you must have a group of at least one quarter the current World Record Then 35% of the group must move to a new formation in order to be officially recognised as a second point The new management of Skydive Empuriabrava was in evidence with a drop zone transformed like a film set and Regan Tetlow commenting to a rapt crowd of spectators Large formations are one of the best crowd-pleasers in skydiving as they present a great visual spectacle A film crew was making beautifully edited day videos Kicking music energised the drop zone and there was a stylish festival atmosphere SKYDIVE EMPURIABRAVA EUROPEAN CHALLENGE – Day 2 Record Attempts Patrick’s group met on Wednesday 18 September at Skydive Empuriabrava The first jump for both loads was a bit zoo-stylee Patrick’s group made a complete 104-way and held it for 10 seconds. wishing perhaps that they had planned the second point The notorious tramontana winds kept us on the ground the next day but Friday dawned with clear blue skies and not a breath of wind The first jump the formation did not complete due to a collision and some lost people – but half of the group got some sequential practice by making their second point The formation flying by the pilots of two Twin Otters a Dornier and a Porter was so close the organising team actually asked them to open up slightly and be farther away SKYDIVE EMPURIABRAVA EUROPEAN CHALLENGE – Day 3 – Records the first formation built cleanly and beautifully and was complete by 9,000 feet the key was given to make the sequential move and by 7,500 feet the group were flying in their second formation A wonderful feeling as everyone on the jump had time to ‘feel’ that it was completed Often on big-ways you track off not knowing the outcome but this time the general feeling was one of elation with whooping under canopy and high-fives on landing The judges are still counting as I write this so the record is yet to be official It was my second jump here and certainly was the easiest World Record I have made But this quick success is a testament to the strength of the group Patrick had put together His laid-back style of organising is the opposite of the American ‘boot camp’ style It seemed fitting for the relaxed atmosphere of Empuria We are dirt diving the next 106-way jump when the news comes in from the judges… it’s official all with our record-breaking dive playing on a giant TV in the background It was like a mosh party but without the alcohol In true Skydive Dubai style fireworks and smoke were going off on all sides The first two points the same as we’d just achieved with a long curving ten-minute run-in to allow the different planes to jockey into position The jump was beautiful – building even quicker and smoother than before I was on tenterhooks for the streamer as I had the move in the third point… we went into cloud I just kept my eyes on Patrick for the streamer – yes There it was – I made my move and there was that visual silence that told me we must be complete I sneaked a glance at my alti … 7,500 feet so we still had 5 seconds to savour the world record feeling in the formation before tracking Once again I’m reporting before the judges have made the record official – but I feel so sure it’s a given Tom Claeys and me) and each and every participant The judges had declared yesterday’s 3-point jump a World Record so we dirt dived a fourth point of 106-way We were now to go 1,000 feet higher and break off 500 feet lower I wasn’t convinced we needed any extra time but it was good to feel we had it in abundance The climb to altitude took forever and my legs started to cramp When we ran in the set-up of the planes looked slightly different I struggled to see the lead plane from the door of the Caravan (right right right trail) When we left the picture was different; previously the base had been straight across but now it was above us I saw a few near-collisions because of this unexpected picture that this was likely going to be a hypoxic mess I just focussed on doing my job and was pleasantly surprised to see the formation built smoothly and quietly I found my belief again and started willing the jump to succeed There was the nod for the second point – yes The formation was flying beautifully and once again I had that incredible feeling of savouring the moment I could sense Roy Jean-Jacques in my line geeking at me ‘This is almost getting boring’ – but it so wasn’t Andrey Veselov and Alexander Khabibulin – were complaining their fingers ached they had to press the button too many times No-one was used to this level of repeated success Watching the video then we held the fourth point for 15 sec The plan we will change the plan and make some fun skydives with no record in mind just enjoying the great group of skydiving talent assembled here in the sunshine of Empuria saying “Is this for real?” It felt quite bizarre to be calmly planning five points of 100+ way The fifth point of the sequence was a bold move building 24 cats on the outside of the 106 SKYDIVE EMPURIABRAVA EUROPEAN CHALLENGE – Day 4 – TWO NEW WORLD RECORDS We boarded for our last World Record attempt (but still 3 jumps of the event to go) We’re waiting for the judges’ decision as to whether the record is official the timing between the last grip on one point and the move to the next is split-second SKYDIVE EMPURIABRAVA EUROPEAN CHALLENGE – Day 5 – ONE EUROPEAN RECORD AND TWO NEW WORLD RECORDS I believe it’s the first time a group has ever made 5 points of 100+ way A decade ago Roger Ponce de Leon organised a beautiful 4-point 104-way and to my knowledge this is the most number of points ever made in a 100+ formation Look out in the photos for Brit Pauli who is wearing a pair of union jack boxer shorts over his red jumpsuit They are surely his ‘lucky shorts’ as he only wore them on the record dives The crowd and jumpers again went wild when the judges declared our FOURTH World Record we made the most amazing four World Record jumps back-to-back Remarkably we did not change a single person into a different slot I’ve run out of superlatives so I’ll sign off Home > Area Balearic Islands > Regatta optimally secured with SeaHelp: Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava 2024 The three-day Cannonball Sea Run Costa Brava for motorboat fans in the Bay of Roses took place for the first time at the beginning of September; SeaHelp provided reliable security for the event and was on hand in the event of breakdowns and tows motorboaters from all over the world come together on the Costa Brava to cruise and party for three days – or party and cruise as each crew sets its own priorities for this event Just like their role models in the US action spectacles many motorsport enthusiasts competed against and with each other for the coveted Cannonball trophy this year – only this time not on the road The special thing about the Cannonball Run is that the winners don’t have to achieve top sporting performances This made it unnecessary to divide the participating sports boats into different competition classes and: all participating crews have the same chances the condition was that at least the driver and co-driver of each team had to be dressed up as different titles were also advertised in this area some equipped with several engines and some very exotic” had finally registered for the first Cannonball-Run Costa Brava The starting field even included “a prototype of a Mayla yacht the GT made of full carbon with two supercharged V8 / 650 hp engines” the only boat with a two-speed gearbox at the start was an “absolute eye-catcher with strong performance” A “beautiful and lightning-fast” Cigarette 39 Top Gun a one-off from Milimeter Custom Boats in Poland a Baja 40 Outlaw and a twin-engine Wellcraft 26 Nova all crews met for a briefing and registration at the “La Perla Blanca” bar at the entrance to the port of Empuriabrava After a detailed discussion of the nautical chart and the route for the first day of the event there was a “flying start”; all the boats set course for Cap de Creus where the first “cannonball” was to be collected all the boats docked in the port of La Escala the last stage of the day finally started back to Empuriabrava they met briefly in the “Perla Blanca” to discuss the next day’s nautical chart after which they took buses to nearby Roses A catamaran chartered exclusively for the participants of the run was already waiting there – for a sunset cruise together The second day at sea brought the longest route of the event for all participants The course went from Port Lligat in the north to Cap Begur in the south Rising northerly winds made for rough seas especially in the southern sections of the course head of operations Axel Albrot from SeaHelp Empuriabrava kept an eye on all participants at all times and was ready to provide assistance if necessary You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube More Information © Kosa | (YouTube) all the boats met for lunch in Cala Joncols half of the participants then headed back to Empuribrava – the corresponding day’s “cannonballs” had already been collected The others sailed a little further south along the coast and met up in the “El Pirata” beach bar at the Hotel Vistabella all the boats set off punctually at 10 a.m many interested spectators gathered on both piers No wonder: from there you had an excellent view of the participating boats and the starting procedure in a mix of sun and cloud the participating boats and yachts headed towards La Escala to collect the first “Cannonball” a northerly wind made for choppy waters and made crossing the bay a bit of an adventure especially for the crews of smaller boats – “guarded” by the watchful eyes of the SeaHelp rescue boat The handover of the last cannonball took place in the Cala Montjoi area Some of the participants made the return journey to Empuriabrava together and enjoyed the calm ride from the harbor entrance to the mooring on the beautiful canals the award ceremony took place in the “Perla Blanca” The participants enjoyed the evening with DJ music The count of the cannonballs secured first place for the crew of the Sunseeker XS Sport Although the prizes were awarded at random this crew more than deserved the top spot – as all participants agreed and the Dutch team “Los Tulipanes” took the cup for third place in their Sunseeker 37 Tomahawk The so-called “Breakdown Cup” went to “Team Baywatch” which was badly shaken by engine problems and whose Sea Ray 400 was unfortunately unable to complete a single leg The “Sexiest Costume” went to the crew of the “Alora” (Mostes 255) – the ice cream vendor outfit with bright gold-colored hot pants was unbeatable in this category The crew of the “Flying Artists” (Baja 29 Outlaw) wore the funniest costume The skirts and tops chosen to match the color of the freshly refitted boat won the crew this cup The trophy for the best costume went to the crew of the “777” (Baja 23 Outlaw) who competed in “Human Cannonball” costumes The Cigarette 39 Top Gun of the team “Ruhrpott” won the vote for the most beautiful boat of the run And – last but not least – the prize for the longest journey was won by the “Discovery” team (Millimeter Custom Boat Diablo V8) with a whopping 2,259 kilometers – the crew had come all the way from Poland with their boat After the first Cannonball-Run Costa Brava co-organizers and especially all helpers who had provided support boats Special thanks were due to the crew of the SeaHelp rescue boat “Anna” without whom the entire event would not have been possible founder of Tunnel School and Chief Examiner of Tunnel Instructor Organization about what it takes to become a tunnel instructor runs coaching workshops and instructs at training courses for wind tunnel staff and several different Armies Jonas, who has a degree in physical education, was a developer of the tunnel instructor syllabus for the non-profit organization of tunnelinstructor.com (TI) He has been an instructor for more than 13 years has over 5,000 flying hours and is a multiple world medallist.  I am currently located at Windoor Empuriabrava in Spain This tunnel is placed in a beautiful coastal town and is next to the skydiving drop zone It’s an ideal place to be as a flyer the tunnel is known for its good reputation with some of the best flyers and coaches around the world and hosting a world class competitions such as the Wind Games Tunnel Instructor organisation and Tunnel School also provide their services worldwide.  If you have a passion for flying and are interested in teaching and guiding others While prior experience in a tunnel is not necessary being physically fit is beneficial as the job requires strength and the course surely tests that Being an experienced skydiver can provide a foundation in understanding the principles of free fall so I think theoretically it can help a little being a wind tunnel instructor is a different sport Sometimes we face the opposite issue and need to unteach certain old habits from skydiving that are not necessarily good for a tunnel instructing.  The employment status of instructors can vary but generally tunnels have an employed team of instructors Work arrangements for wind tunnel instructors depends on the individual Some instructors may work full time at a wind tunnel facility dedicating their entire work schedule to teaching and guiding participants in the tunnel it’s also common for wind tunnel instructors to combine their work with other pursuits or involved in related fields like aviation or extreme sports Specific circumstances depend on the instructor and the availability of opportunities within the industry One has to successfully complete the Wind Tunnel Instructor Course and meet all the necessary standards The final examination of the course is split into three parts a final examination inside the tunnel with a Chief Examiner or Examiner and a full 30-minute class with first time flyers from start to finish one is signed off as a qualified wind tunnel instructor we have a three-level rating system.  Course A is an entry-level course designed for individuals who want to enter the world of work as a wind tunnel instructor It is a low wind speed course and it covers the fundamental principles of tunnel flying This course aims to provide a solid foundation for aspiring instructors one is eligible to apply for a work position as a wind tunnel instructor Course A+ is an advanced-level course that builds upon the knowledge and skills gained in Course A During this course we teach how to fly with a client and specifically how to control someone’s flight while in flight ourselves Course B is a high speed freefly spotting course It’s an advanced course designed for more experienced instructors and in-depth knowledge of handling people and provide safety while learning freefly The Class A course takes approximately 10 hours of tunnel time with one hour of training session per day distributed in four 15-minute sessions The Class A+ takes about 6 hours of tunnel time The time is distributed into 45-minutes’ training time per day in three 15-minute sessions It is important to note that it also depends on the current skills of belly flying of the participant The Class B course takes approximately 6 hours of tunnel time distributed into one week where we train again one hour per day.  the exact amount can vary depending on the individual’s physical fitness and skills There isn’t a fixed minimum number of hours the course is designed to ensure participants gain the necessary proficiency and knowledge in the tunnel and the standards of TI are met They each have their own advantages and disadvantages In a group course the main advantages are that the participants share some tunnel time together which gives more time spent in the wind and learning from reflecting on each other’s mistakes The disadvantage is that a group course is much more time-consuming.  the one-on-one courses are at a much faster pace and have more individual approach The cost depends on the price of the tunnel time at the facility where the particular course is conducted I wouldn’t like to point an exact number because the prices are frequently changing depending on the price of electricity throughout the year but as an example from Empuriabrava (Spain) at current pricing the cost for a class A instructor course in summer 2023 is 6,995€ The reward you get from the sensation of flying while you are working is priceless The financial rewards as a beginner instructor are not that attractive we are talking the average monthly paycheck but there are many ways to make much more money we sell our coaching services and private lessons Both Tunnel Instructor and the International Bodyflight Association share a common focus on training and certifying individuals as wind tunnel instructors Their qualifications aim in the same direction; to provide the necessary skills set and knowledge to effectively teach and guide participants in the wind tunnel The techniques used are very similar.  I would say the main difference is that IBA is more used in USA and TI more in Europe The rest of the world is probably like 50:50 It depends on the particular tunnel and its technology these two systems are the only ones that I know of The decision should depend on where the instructor wants to work IBA is more known in North America and TI in Europe One should find out what system they follow in your most desirable tunnel and go for that.  The tunnel instructor job requires active participation in the flying sessions with the clients It is true that the continuous exposure to the airflow and the conditions of the wind tunnel environment could take a toll on the human body in various ways But I am not aware of any study and I always protected myself adequately I feel great and the only toll is that I get a workout I love many aspects of being a wind tunnel instructor The best points are sharing the joy of flight with others and seeing their progression That makes you proud because you were part of this progress The work is full of diversity and you never stop learning new things I also like the tiredness after work like after a good workout and I appreciate being able to combine work with pleasure.  We are talking about the best job in the world It is physically demanding: a tunnel instructor spends extended periods inside the wind tunnel Work shift and irregular hours: wind tunnels usually operate throughout the week including weekends and evenings when customers are more likely to be available you may have to work non-traditional hours which can disrupt balance in your life and social engagements need to be able to evaluate honestly your skills and fatigue while working to never jeopardise the safety of your client at the expense of your bad judgment.  there are more safety considerations and we each how to prevent all sorts of risks We have already developed and are still developing new techniques that we teach in our Tunnel Instructor methodology I would describe them as a minimum set of tools that the new instructor can use to handle the first-time flyer and solve potentially dangerous situations that can occur there are many more techniques that can be acquired outside of this course I am not afraid to say that by when you finish this course I am imagining a scenario where I traveled back in time and give advice to my younger self before becoming an instructor You will not regret it and you will be happy doing what you love.” But this would be my advice to myself Everybody has to think for themselves what actually makes them happy One of the problems that can arise is frustration from not progressing in flying as fast as we would like to Enjoy the process of learning and you will succeed Take good care of it and always make sure you fully recover before you start pushing your body to the limits again The instructor should be able flying-wise to perform perfectly what he is teaching A good instructor should have these traits: Tunnel instructors get free tunnel time for their own personal training Sometimes it is considered as an extra part of the salary it is essential that the instructor keeps skills sharp and trains frequently to build up confidence Instructors get between 1 to 3 hours of staff time per month or more plus there is always a good deal from the tunnel company for the instructors to buy time for a discounted price It’s in the interest of the company to have great flying instructors my mom used to tell me in the morning to enjoy getting up to go to school Don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions if you want to become a wind tunnel instructor If you are interested in becoming a tunnel instructor, the next course is at Empuriabrava, Spain, 18-30 September 2023, more information here Check out other articles aimed to help you work in your chosen area of the sport Babylon gave a strong and singular identity to the Burning Spring Festival artistic creation and Burning Man’s spirit.  Inspired by the « Burning Man » an annual festival that takes place in the Nevada desert the fourth edition of this outstanding event took place in Empuriabrava The Burning Spring goes behond a classic skydiving event The spirit of this meeting finds its source in the Burning Man sharing our love and passion for the sport without ego is the main drive of it all.  The event begins way before the arrival of the participants with the construction of the Man the buiding of the village which takes shape step by step until the last day.  more and more volunteers come to give a hand to the organisers creating a spirit of creative sharing.  The region also support and  gives a helping hand to the event a huge scene and created the « Burning Spring TV » show  they play the game with more imagination each year crazy costumes and a spirit connected to the event Weather has been changeable and windy so we’ve had some « Stand-by » The participants could take part of different alternative activities proposed Circus acrobatic coaching with Hugo from the Cirque du Soleil some skydivers would rather party late and come to jump the day after in the afternoon  While the early birds were filling up the loads in the mornings… Burning Spring is not a skills camp and we want everybody to enjoy their time That’s why loadmasters schedule are organised in morning and afternoon shifts with the  « Correfocs » Band and their fireworks and Olav our Indian chief… and last but not least the Man being burned down on the last day of the event We have various levels among the participants and thanks to the many load organisers available everybody has the chance to jump according to their skills and wishes The sharing spirit gives us the opportunity to mix levels into groups safely.  We also organise three Tunnel Jam sessions for all the Burners interested The Burning Spring is also open to non-skydivers: family and friends can attend and enjoy their holidays with us Burning Spring: a festival where you can jump Burning Spring is a real special event on « planet Skydive » it’s exactly a place where you get what you put in Creativity and eccentricity are definitely a must spending the last 10 years on boogies and camps; I know what I’m talking about A sound system that could make jealous any huge free party food trucks that rock (Laeti… it’s been yummy!!!) a both professional and nutty video team and last but not least all the ingredients gathered to make an outstanding week That was my fourth Burning Spring and I can’t wait for the 5th edition we got an original line-up featuring some Freefly Gurus who have been developing the discipline for over 20 years Jasper Van Der Meer… Concerning the Wingsuit part the event has been driven by a staff that showed admirable involvement and energy.  I’d like to express a huge gratitude to them all It’s been a privilege for me to work with such a team Stefan Knaus is a skydiver and a stone carver He realised for the Burning Spring an incredible sculpture called « Freestyle » He came on the site one week before the event to prepare the gigantic granite block everyone was invited to try the tools on the stone block That’s how a lot of people gave their contribution to the work of art « The block won’t move until next year the carving of the sculpture will continue in 2020! » « After the first « bungee jumps » test from a wingsuit a few days before Vincent Descols proposed us to do this stunt during the Burning Spring.  Stephane Fardel says after enjoying the experience: « Last year Vincent offered us a wingsuit rope swing jump he came back with an innovation. »  The lucky passengers during the Burning Spring were Stéphane Fardel, Domi Kiger, Aldo Comas and Cathy Bouette. More about the WS bungee here Tora Tora organized this party that began early during a windy day… no time to loose at Burning Spring « The belly flop contest has been won by Noë Pottier who came back with the reddest belly… Thanks to his back flips! » The opening and closing ceremonies were hosted by the « Correfoc » band show (fire devils) with their firecrackers and fireworks accompanied by a big group of musician percussionists playing at the same time driving the public to run into firecrackers like mad « It’s a traditional Catalan show that fits perfectly with the Burning Spring vibes» Windoor are excited about The Wind Games 2024 Here are the details about this thrilling event that promises to be a real adrenaline rush for tunnel flyers After a forced break in 2020 due to the pandemic this indoor skydiving competition marks a significant milestone as The Wind Games celebrate their tenth anniversary We invite you to discover everything about this epic event that will take place on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 February 2024 demonstrating their talent and determination to claim gold in the 6 disciplines featured this year The Wind Games has traditionally attracted the best flyers in the world Get ready to witness the top athletes of indoor skydiving at The WindGames 2024 Flyers from around the world will come together to compete in these disciplines: the Windoor Empuriabrava wind tunnel will host this grand event which normally attracts over 500 million online views and appearances on media channels worldwide broadcast globally so everyone can follow this epic showdown Two days of thrilling competition will culminate in a sensational closing ceremony that is sure to leave everyone in awe To enter, complete the online registration at this form you will receive a confirmation email with payment instructions The prices for each discipline are as follows: registered participants can get pre-training tunnel time at a discounted rate of 505€ per hour This is the perfect opportunity to fine-tune your skills and techniques before the Wind Games 2024 Let yourself be captivated by the unique and exciting experience awaiting you at the Wind Games 2024 For any inquiries or additional information, reach out to Van López, Proflyers Manager at Windoor Empuriabrava. Email: van@windoor-realfly.com Phone: +34 661 111 149 Drawings and models of it have been circulating for years embedding it in the pantheon of possible futures almost imperceptibly slowly: a growth spurt here so that whenever an architect passes through Barcelona – Winy Maas I first encountered the model seven years ago at the São Paulo Biennale and assumed that But things don’t always transpire as you imagine them Having flown to Barcelona and driven an hour and a half north to Empuriabrava The owner of Villa Nurbs will not let me onto the property I spent this morning in Barcelona with the house’s architect has recently built an office block in the city a lime green high-tech structure with a facade of ETFE pillows filled with smoke It looks like the Eden Centre being fed through a grinder that Ruiz-Geli is determined to test unconventional ideas the practice is entirely structured around it Cloud 9 makes most of its money by producing patents that it shares with a small group of investor clients It’s an ingenious model for an architect’s business and places Ruiz-Geli in the romantic role of the inventor-architect a latter-day Buckminster Fuller – he even has one of Bucky’s own patents framed on the office wall is a product of what he calls “the Olympics factory” taught by the generation that revived Barcelona in 1992 But he was always somewhat ambivalent about architecture he was only one month into Columbia University’s Advanced Design Studio when he dropped out and went to work for the legendary theatre director Robert Wilson This background in stage design is key to understanding Ruiz-Geli’s work He wants to translate the “black box” of the theatre – a world of atmospheric effects instantly transformed by light and smoke – into architecture The irony is that eight years into the Villa Nurbs commission his experimental approach has taken architecture’s inherent slowness to extremes The beginnings were not promising: some restaurateur friends of Ruiz-Geli’s mother wanted a new house Since Ruiz-Geli was only interested in international competitions he hoped to deter his potential clients by showing up with a series of photographs of melting ice blocks and asking them to choose which one they wanted to use as a model Clients (pointing to a cluster of ice nodules) We want that one.Architect (to himself) Is this crazy The original idea was for a series of separate pavilions but as the design evolved these were all amalgamated into one structure organised around a central swimming pool It has a heavy concrete base but it gets lighter as it rises towards a roof of ETFE pillows These employ a system of opening and closing layers that insulate the interior – just one of the six Cloud 9 patents embedded in the house along with a translucent concrete that allows you to text message your guests on the front door everything in this house is bespoke: the cable system holding together the concrete structure Therein lies the particular dream that this house represents: a future of mass-customised living Now that everything can be cut and shaped on CNC milling machines all you have to do is send your digital files off to their respective workshops That’s why the windows alone took nearly two years to manufacture while the glass walls around the pool – each of which is unique and has an awkward double curvature – broke several times before successfully being installed Critic How will you achieve speed without standardisationArchitect The machines can do it Maybe we can do factories that make buildings But we have to do one building first.Critic Did you know when you started how much trouble you were making for yourself?Architect For sure Villa Nurbs was one of the first of the digital houses in the same generation as Greg Lynn’s blobs of the late 1990s Even the name references that bygone thrill with digital tools and their potential to generate form: a NURBS (or non-uniform rational Bezier spline) is the most complex kind of smooth surface you can create in computer modelling The form is almost prosaic by 
the standard of today’s digiterati Villa Nurbs is scaleless since it has no outward relationship to the human body I have to go on photographs and drawings – is more or less a continuous space but rather the seamless flow of surfaces that was Antoni Gaudi’s bequest to Catalan architecture The only walls are the curvaceous glass ones around the central pool Etched with a blue dye by artist Vicky Colombet The interior continues down into the geological concrete legs where there are two cave-like spaces that will be especially useful in the heat of summer in conjunction with the dramatic 26m cantilever intended as the roof of an outdoor room perhaps the perfect interpretation of the future suburban life More than anything it reminds me of Frederick Kiesler’s Endless House of the 1950s Kiesler was another architect turned stage designer Both he and Ruiz-Geli treat the house like a theatre: a protective womb in which a family can play out life’s daily dramas and rituals Critic How will a family with teenage kids cope with one fluid space?Architect It’s fine Inside this sanctum will be a world of ubiquitous technology Ruiz-Geli removed all the machinery that permeates the modern home into a solar-powered shed in the garden the kitchen extractor fan and even the vacuum cleaner will be housed in that shed connected to the house by underground pipes With the “hardware” removed to this centralised engine room There won’t even be any light switches Ruiz-Geli likens the shed to the astronaut’s backpack a life-support system removing the whir of technology to preserve the silence of space.As in the theatre gadgetry clears the stage for the smooth performance of everyday life All of this has the ring of a Jacques Tati film like the ludicrous modern house in Mon Oncle It’s almost nostalgic for bygone futures Think of Suuronen’s Futuro House or Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House and their dreams of space age living Ruiz Geli describes Villa Nurbs as “a bridge between car and boat” Perhaps it’s because designing 
a house like a car dooms it to rapid obsolescence What if we want to change the fridge or the vacuum cleaner The French philosopher Paul Virilio has written an essay about Villa Nurbs in which he describes it as a “cyber bunker” Enric emailed it to me – in Spanish – but I can guess what it says: that this house is an incubator a life-support machine for keeping humanity alive through the dirty-bomb fallout of the consummated War on Terror but it was crucial to experience the context in which it sits The house’s impact on the surroundings hits you like a groin shot best known for Ferran Adria’s El Bulli restaurant The former wetland has been turned into a Disneyworld of pastiche hacienda-style houses with towers each with its own yacht or speedboat moored on its adjacent canal “But we are not interested in dream environments we are interested in doing architecture as a positive virus in a perverse Disney context Our strategy here is: we are Tim Burton and you are Disney; we come to you to create monsters inside your system.” Futurists today talk about contaminating and infecting To Buckminster Fuller we were all astronauts Nurbs plays the outsider with aloof ugliness like the bastard child of a fly and a Fabergé egg incubated in the floating space of the computer screen but those black ceramic tiles give it a distinctly Spanish sensibility It seems ironic that the craft aspect contributes more to the building’s monstrousness than its alien-style digital modelling it is the house that seems sane and the conformity around it that is monstrous Everything about this project is incongruous has folksy timbered ceilings and quaint wooden tables They do not seem like patrons of futuristic architecture display the bloody-mindedness it takes to be a client of the avant-garde Wandering into what is clearly a tense relationship played by the clients against their architect’s desire to publish his work Two years is a long time to wait for windows and they are clearly tiring of the constant interest in their unfinished house Critic But I flew all the way from London.Client We’re crazy Critic They didn’t let me in.Architect I know The house is organised around an open swimming pool with ETFE pillows for a roof He hoped to deter his potential clients by showing up with a series of photographs of melting ice blocks Get quality reporting directly into your inbox The arrest occurred on Monday, during a routine border check in La Jonquera, a municipality in Catalonia located next to the border with France. According to La Vanguardia authorities had been following him from Empuriabrava where he was tracked down through his girlfriend Police said Zavialov worked for Russian organized crime groups specializing in trafficking arms and explosives worldwide was travelling with a fake Belgian passport that was detected by the border authorities He was taken to a police station where his true identity was revealed along with an alert indicating he was armed and dangerous who remains in custody pending an extradition hearing Support from readers like you helps OCCRP expose organized crime and corruption around the world you’ll be directly supporting investigative journalism as a public good You’ll also gain access to exclusive insights and benefits A veteran figure of Mexico’s ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was arrested in December for diverting public.. Colombian police captured 17 suspected members of an international cocaine trafficking gang Investigative files shed new light on the dangerous dealings of a German police informant whose life was cut short by a.. L’Àgora reopens in Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences as the ninth CaixaForum in Spain after an intervention carried out by the Catalan architect Enric Ruiz-Geli (Cloud 9) The ‘living cells’ that give the construction content feature two exhibition halls Fundación la Caixa has invested 19 million euros for the reuse of the building which has floor space of 10,000 square meters and whose metal structure rises 80 meters The inaugural exhibition is ‘Pharaoh: King of Egypt,’ organized in collaboration with the British Museum SINGAPORE – Singapore’s teenage indoor skydiver Kyra Poh was crowned World’s Fastest Flyer during the recent Windgames an international indoor skydiving competition held in Empuriabrava Singapore's indoor skydiving athlete Kyra Poh bagged two gold medals for her performance in the Solo Freestyle and Dynamic Solo Speed open categories beating competitors from countries such as Poland Kyra had to perform two compulsory rounds of 60 seconds each and two musical free routines Scores were given by a panel of judges and free flyers were judged based on a set of criteria such as good body form maintained throughout all moves variety of orientations shown and moves performed without loss of balance The Dynamic Solo Speed category consisted of eight rounds and in each round participants had to perform a routine comprising a number of compulsory sequences and random sequences drawn officially cementing herself as the “World’s Fastest Flyer” Kyra took home a silver medal for her participation in the 4-way Speed category Her latest triumphs at the competition adds to her recent achievement at the 2nd Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Cup of Indoor Skydiving in October last year where Kyra won the gold medal in the Junior Freestyle category Todayonline.com and Today Online domains and apps are now part of 'Channelnewsasia.com' domain We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with TODAY to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? 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