Two legends, one lake
When Red Bull invites the two Scots, Danny MacAskill and Kriss Kyle, one thing is clear: it’s not about winning. It’s about ideas that any sensible person would immediately dismiss.
This time, the course builders constructed a floating obstacle course in the middle of the lake at Eastnor Castle (England), featuring tree trunks, balance beams, drops and a treacherous scaffolding pole as the final skinny. Neither of them had more than a rough idea of what lay ahead. The finished course remained a secret until the first attempt.
Instead of MacAskill’s trial bike or Kyle’s BMX, they both opted for mountain bikes. Same equipment, same chances.
Almost.
Exciting: Kriss tackled his runs at high speed. Danny, on the other hand, took his time and tried his luck at a walking pace.
The problem was called ‘scaffolding pole’
The course began with a spectacular drop, yet one that was relatively tame for these Superchecers. But with every metre, the course became narrower, more unstable and more treacherous. At the end, a wobbly scaffolding pole awaited them above the water – a balancing act that pushed even the professionals to their limits.
Numerous British mountain bikers tried their luck. Among them were Matt and Jono Jones, Josh Brycleand, Bernard Kerr, Loose Dog and others.
They all ended up in the lake.
Only Danny MacAskill stayed dry.
INTERVIEW | Kriss Kyle
BIKE: Did you have any idea what Red Bull was building there?
Kriss Kyle: Not at all. We weren’t even allowed to have a look at the course whilst it was being built. That element of surprise made the whole thing even more exciting.
BIKE: When did it become clear that it wasn’t going to work out?
Kyle: Really? When I saw that last scaffolding pole, I knew straight away: there’s no way I’m getting over that. The first half was doable, but the final bit? That’s Danny’s territory.
BIKE: Was ambition a factor?
Kyle: Of course. If I’d managed it before Danny, I’d never have let him forget it. But let’s be honest: it would have been embarrassing if he hadn’t beaten me on a track like that.
BIKE: Would it have been possible if there’d been more time?
Kyle: Maybe. Give me two or three days. The problem wasn’t the technology, but the fact that everything was moving.
BIKE: And what about the wetsuit?
Kyle: What a disaster. I took it off because I thought I wouldn’t fall in anyway. Ten seconds later, I was in the water. Freezing cold. It felt like it took the rescue crew an age.
INTERVIEW | Danny MacAskill
BIKE: Were you feeling confident?
Danny MacAskill: Not in the slightest. The first half looked good. The last few balance beams, on the other hand, were brutal.
BIKE: Why a mountain bike rather than a trial bike?
MacAskill: That levelled the playing field between Kriss, the other riders and me.
BIKE: Was that a race?
MacAskill: Not really. We were more in the business of cheering each other on. We both wanted to see how far the other would get.
BIKE: When did you realise you could do it?
MacAskill: I knew I had to stay as dry as possible. That’s why I rode much more carefully than usual. It might not have been particularly spectacular – but someone had to make it to the finish line, after all.
BIKE: And what about the wetsuit?
MacAskill: Five millimetres of neoprene is brilliant – as long as you’re in the water. On a bike, though, it quickly turns into a mobile sauna.
Who are we?
Kriss Kyle
At the age of ten, Kyle took up BMX in Stranraer, a backwater in south-west Scotland. As a teenager, he moved straight into Unit 23 – Scotland’s largest indoor skate park. Since then, he’s used a helicopter to help him descend onto the roof of a skyscraper in Dubai, attached a BMX bowl to a hot-air balloon, and ridden his way through a psychedelic dream world. For the past few years, he’s been appearing more and more on a mountain bike – always in his own unique style, usually with three dogs in tow.
Danny MacAskill
April 2009: MacAskill’s flatmate uploads a five-minute video – Danny cycling through Edinburgh. Within hours, it goes viral. The trained bicycle mechanic from the Isle of Skye becomes the world’s most-watched cyclist. ‘Cascadia’: 117 million views. ‘Imaginate’: a fantasy world of oversized children’s toys, 18 months in production, 95 million views. ‘The Ridge’: MacAskill cycles along the razor-sharp Cuillin Ridge on his home island. Each project is a different world – yet the same signature style: technically unrivalled, cinematically masterful, emotionally spot-on.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor