Taking pictures of the fastest sport event on the planet is just so much more than a challenge. In the Red Bull Air Race pilots race against the clock as they try to navigate their racing planes as fast as possible through a challenging low-altitude slalom course filled with Air Gate obstacles. The pilots reach speeds of up to 370 kilometers per hour and endure forces of up to 10Gs in the tight turns on courses.
The fourth race in 2014 sees the World Championship took place in Gdynia, in Poland. The city’s beach, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, is one of the most beautiful on the Polish coast, with the Seaside Boulevard a popular place for watching the world go by – which, in the last weekend of July, included some extremely talented aerobatic pilots!
Gdynia is one of Poland’s youngest cities, originally founded in 1926. That makes it an infant of a metropolis by European standards. It gives Gdynia a uniquely contemporary flavor, exemplified in the city’s vibrant contemporary arts scene. Gdynia revolves around a sprawling waterfront marina, as does the weekend’s air race.
With a strong maritime heritage, Gdynia is home to a bustling marina as well as Naval ships, that serve as museums. Also renowned for its contemporary music, theatre and film festivals, Gdynia is well suited to host the dynamic Red Bull Air Race with the sea providing a striking backdrop to the action.
Austria’s Hannes Arch widened his lead at the top of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship to 13 points with a brilliant victory in front of 130,000 spectators in Gdynia, picking up his third straight win in Europe with some smart flying on the challenging track set up on the Baltic Sea. Britain’s Nigel Lamb was second while Matt Hall of Australia got his second straight third place as the two pilots flying the MXS-R planes once again put in stellar performances in the world’s fastest motorsport series to the delight of the crowd watching from the nearby beaches at the first-ever race in Poland.