“ON SKATES, YOU HAVE
“ON SKATES, YOU HAVE MORE INSTANT CONTROL. BUT BEHIND THE WHEEL, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO RELAX AND LET THE MOMENTUM TAKE YOU” TAMARA KAJAH
ICE ACADEMY DOWNHILL ICE CROSS RACING THE FASTEST SPORT ON SKATES EXPLAINED Athletes must race against each other to the bottom of an ice track featuring hairpin turns, jumps and vertical drops at speeds of up to 50 mph. What began as a few one-off events has now grown into the Red Bull Crashed Ice world tour, which stops at locations around the globe and draws thousands of spectators, all eager to find out who will become world champion in the men’s, women’s and junior competitions TRACK 1: THE SLALOM First up, Jan and Andre show their pupils how it’s done. Mirko sits in the passenger seat of the F-PACE as Jan effortlessly maneuvers the car between the cones of a 300-meter slalom track. “Power, lift off, turn, then correct and on the gas again,” he explains. Seems easy. But, as Mirko soon discovers, ice has a mind of its own – “Two hands!” Jan reminds him on several occasions. After a few laps, though, he improves quickly and is soon confidently speeding through the cones. Watching on, Tamara is impressed. “Now the pressure’s on,” she remarks. Is that the athletic pride speaking? “Definitely. I hate not being good at something.” Initially more cautious than Mirko, she too proves a very fast learner. “Totally exhilarating!” she exclaims with a grin as she pulls the car to a halt after a couple of laps. Asked if her expertise on ice is a help behind the wheel, Tamara thinks for a few seconds before replying: “On skates, you have much more instant control on the ice. But behind the wheel you have to try to relax and let the momentum take you at certain points.” It may sound obvious , but driving on ice is very different from normal conditions, as Andre explains: “It requires a lot less steering and more control via the accelerator and brake pedals.” TRACK 2: THE LARGE CIRCLE Having gained a feel for how the Jaguar vehicles handle sharp turns and changes of pace, we head to the large circle – a 200-meter diameter oval designed purely for drifting. Again, the two instructors lead the way, kicking up snow behind them as they smoothly propel the cars at an almost 90-degree angle around the track in an impressive display of controlled speed. Despite some initial spins, Tamara and Mirko are quick to adapt. “I’m very impressed, but not too surprised,” says Jan as he watches Tamara master the oval track. “Athletes usually have very good hand-eye coordination and are adept at applying new skills. Although, maybe I just cursed her...!” he adds as she drifts into a snow bank – a reminder of how fine the margins are and something to dwell on as dusk falls across the lake, bringing day one of their two-day course to a close. The F-TYPE SVR (top) and F-PACE S (bottom left) each provide different experiences on the ice: the former is fast and aggressive around corners; the latter strikes more of a balance between speed and comfort TRACK 3: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Day two begins in glorious conditions. The ice glistens in the sun, beautifully framed by a deep blue sky and snow-covered hills. But at -13° F, it’s bitterly cold. As my pen soon falls victim to the arctic weather, I join Mirko and Jan in the F-PACE as they set out around the third track. Compact and winding with a mix of tight and sweeping corners, it forces the drivers to put into practice the different elements they learned the day before. This is a test of concentration and patience as much as skill: precision steering, combined with just the right amount of throttle and the ability to pick the right line into bends. Moments of hesitation and over- or understeering remain, but it’s clear that Mirko and European models shown: Jaguar F-PACE and F-TYPE with special protective bumpers added. THE JAGUAR 53