ACE CAFE RADIO

    mardi 19 mai 2015

    W A R by El Solitario

    Some might find this release anachronistic, but for ESMC this film constitutes a milestone and we can’t but celebrate. Countless tough decisions, bruised prides and forgotten regrets set it above the rest. It was 18 months ago, when we engaged in the realization of our most ambitious visual adventure. Best hopes were in place but thy justice is not for the novice. Three cameras, in hands of good spirited cubs, frantically lost in a mare magnum of drunks and freaks. Little survival chance our crew had, if not steered by the whip of the always immaculate but merciless “Peliqueiros". Said to be the oldest documented carnival on the planet, "O Entroido de Laza" with os “Peliqueiros" at the helm is one of the wildest, darkest and most beautiful ceremonies we ever had the chance to watch. The “Peliqueiro", totem and tabu of the Lazan Carnival, pushes the villagers with their runs and whips to an ancestral catharsis worth fighting for. It is said that by such, they open a bridge between our world and the next, incarnating the dead they purify the pagans, becoming sacred, untouchables! They are the real stars of this piece and they behaved as such from start to end. 18 months took us to be able to release something we could live with. Endless nights, and not few fights, trying to organize hours of powerful as fuck and beyond the fantastic, all screwed up footage. 
    Only one minute eighteen seconds survived the burn, blood and tears but will certainly leave no one in state of indifference. 
    To them, and to those that gave us their precious time we shout fist in the air: - Let there be the light!@#$ -

    W A R from El Solitario on Vimeo.

    WRC Portugal ; Drivers get first sight of northern stages – and approve


    At the end of the first day of the recce for this year’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal, the drivers seem to like the stages that will form the completely new route for the vast majority of crews competing this year. 
    Last used in 2001, the northern stages differ from those in the southern Algarve region significantly. 
    According to the drivers, this year’s roads are more open and flowing and those which make up the first day of the event appear to use a softer, sandier base. 
    Explaining, Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT driver and Rally Argentina winner, Kris Meeke, said; “The stages look really nice – really good condition. Some are deceptive – they have a hard base and could be bumpy but generally, very nice. In the south, there are a lot of blind crests and corners but here, it is more simple and if you don't have so much experience, it could be a little more enjoyable, as you can see where the road goes more.”
    M-Sport WRT’s Elfyn Evans echoed Meeke’s feeling but added a word of caution; “The stages are very nice and have a really mixed character. I think it will be interesting to see how the surface holds up. It looks good but I think it could get rougher for the second pass, as the roads aren't long repaired.” He mentioned the recent re-grading of the roads in preparation for the rally, after the wet winter. 
    Hyundai Motorsport’s Thierry Neuville was impressed with the scenery in the region of Friday’s stages, close to the Lima river north if Oporto. “The stages are looking really nice – it is beautiful on top of the hills. I’m looking forward to seeing the more southern stages tomorrow [Wednesday].”
    Two of the competitors in WRC2 – Nasser Al-Attiyah and Esapekka Lappi, driving the brand-new Skoda Fabia R5 – were also mindful of the possibility of changing road conditions as the event progresses. 
    Lappi said; “The stages are faster generally but the surface is a little soft, so I don’t know how it will survive. The second run through will be rougher, I think”
    Al-Attiyah also predicted a challenging event; “I think it will be a tough rally, not an easy one. But I am very happy to be here. I have never been in the north of the country and the roads are very nice – completely different from the south but the same for everyone.” 
    Tomorrow (Wednesday) sees the crews complete the second of the two recce days, this time the five separate stretches of road to the east of Oporto that form the third and fourth days of the event. 
    At the end of the first day of the recce for this year’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal, the drivers seem to like the stages that will form the completely new route for the vast majority of crews competing this year. 
    Last used in 2001, the northern stages differ from those in the southern Algarve region significantly. 
    According to the drivers, this year’s roads are more open and flowing and those which make up the first day of the event appear to use a softer, sandier base. 
    Explaining, Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT driver and Rally Argentina winner, Kris Meeke, said; “The stages look really nice – really good condition. Some are deceptive – they have a hard base and could be bumpy but generally, very nice. In the south, there are a lot of blind crests and corners but here, it is more simple and if you don't have so much experience, it could be a little more enjoyable, as you can see where the road goes more.”
    M-Sport WRT’s Elfyn Evans echoed Meeke’s feeling but added a word of caution; “The stages are very nice and have a really mixed character. I think it will be interesting to see how the surface holds up. It looks good but I think it could get rougher for the second pass, as the roads aren't long repaired.” He mentioned the recent re-grading of the roads in preparation for the rally, after the wet winter. 
    Hyundai Motorsport’s Thierry Neuville was impressed with the scenery in the region of Friday’s stages, close to the Lima river north if Oporto. “The stages are looking really nice – it is beautiful on top of the hills. I’m looking forward to seeing the more southern stages tomorrow [Wednesday].”
    Two of the competitors in WRC2 – Nasser Al-Attiyah and Esapekka Lappi, driving the brand-new Skoda Fabia R5 – were also mindful of the possibility of changing road conditions as the event progresses. 
    Lappi said; “The stages are faster generally but the surface is a little soft, so I don’t know how it will survive. The second run through will be rougher, I think”
    Al-Attiyah also predicted a challenging event; “I think it will be a tough rally, not an easy one. But I am very happy to be here. I have never been in the north of the country and the roads are very nice – completely different from the south but the same for everyone.” 
    Tomorrow (Wednesday) sees the crews complete the second of the two recce days, this time the five separate stretches of road to the east of Oporto that form the third and fourth days of the event. 


    La saison WorldSBK 2015 se poursuit à Donington Park / WorldSBK crosses the channel for Round 6


    La sixième manche de la saison a lieu ce week-end en Grande-Bretagne.

    Le légendaire circuit de Donington Park accueille cette semaine la sixième manche du Championnat du Monde eni FIM Superbike. Situé dans les East Midlands, à 20 kilomètres de Derby et 30 kilomètres de Leicester, Donington Park fut inauguré en 1931 et devint un circuit permanent deux ans plus tard.
    Donington occupe une place particulière dans l'histoire du WorldSBK puisque le circuit avait accueilli l'épreuve d'ouverture de la première édition du championnat en 1988. Le Britannique Roger Burnett avait alors décroché sa première, et finalement unique, pole position avant que les Italiens Davide Tardozzi et Marco Lucchinelli ne remportent les deux courses. Les résultats avaient à l'époque été combinés pour qu'il n'y ait qu'un seul vainqueur, qui fut Lucchinelli. Le championnat adopta dès la manche suivante son traditionnel format à deux courses aux résultats séparés, encore en vigueur aujourd'hui.
    Quatre Britanniques mènent le classement WorldSBK 2015 avant l'épreuve de ce week-end mais seuls deux d'entre eux ont déjà gagné à Donington. Tom Sykes est après Carl Fogarty l'un des pilotes avec le meilleur palmarès sur le circuit et y avait remporté le doublé en 2013 comme en 2014. Le Champion du Monde 2013 avait aussi impressionné en 2008, lorsqu'il avait fini deuxième en wildcard derrière Troy Bayliss.
    Le pilote phare de la saison 2015 est cependant son coéquipier Jonathan Rea, qui avait remporté la seconde course de Donington en 2012 suite à ce que Leon Haslam et Marco Melandri, alors sur BMW, se soient percutés dans le dernier virage. Haslam souhaitera évidemment éviter un tel scénario ce week-end et espèrera se relancer à Donington après les épreuves d'Aragón, d'Assen et d'Imola, qui sont parmi les circuits qui lui réussissent le moins, et surtout après avoir subi l'une des plus grosses chutes de sa carrière lors de la seconde course en Italie. Le pilote Aprilia a l'intention de revenir dans la course au titre et de le faire dès ce week-end, devant ses fans, ses amis et sa famille.
    Son coéquipier Jordi Torres est devenu à Imola le premier Espagnol à monter sur le podium en WorldSBK depuis l'illustre Carlos Checa. Il sera de nouveau sur un circuit où il n'a jamais couru ce week-end tandis que Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing-Ducati SBK Team) sera déterminé à marquer un maximum de points après deux coûteux abandons à Imola. En pole position et sur le podium dès son retour à la compétition, son coéquipier Davide Giugliano aura l'occasion de confirmer ses excellentes performances réalisées en Italie, où il avait fini troisième et quatrième de ce qui était en fait son premier week-end de courses de l'année.
    L'épreuve anglaise pourrait être cruciale pour le Pata Honda World Superbike Team et Voltcom Crescent Suzuki. Les deux équipes recherchent davantage de régularité après un début de saison globalement en dessous de leurs attentes. Le team Suzuki, basé à Dorset, a considérablement augmenté sa charge de travail en changeant de package électronique lors du week-end d'Aragón. Alex Lowes avait fini sur le podium à Donington l'an dernier tandis que son coéquipier Randy de Puniet retrouvera un circuit où il n'a plus couru depuis 2009. Le Français avait alors signé le deuxième de ses deux podiums en MotoGP en prenant la troisième place d'une course affectée par la pluie.
    Chez Honda, le Champion en titre Sylvain Guintoli a enregistré à Imola son second abandon de la saison 2015, après celui qui avait mis fin à la plus longue série de courses finies dans les points de l'histoire du WorldSBK. Michael van der Mark a aussi eu un week-end difficile en Italie après son double podium d'Assen et sera lui aussi en quête de progrès.
    Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) était monté sur le podium de Donington en 2011, lorsqu'il courait aux côtés de Max Biaggi chez Aprilia. Le pilote anglais avait fait ses débuts en WorldSBK sur le même circuit deux ans plus tôt, en wildcard avec l'Airwaves Yamaha Team, avec lequel il avait remporté le titre 2009 du British Superbike.
    Remplacé par Michel Fabrizio à Imola, Nico Terol (Althea Racing) devrait être de retour ce week-end, sur un circuit où il a déjà couru en Grand Prix. Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) et Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven) seront eux aussi en quête d'un bon résultat, tout comme le rookie français Christophe Ponsson, qui avait rejoint le Team Pedercini juste avant l'épreuve d'Imola et qui s'est classé dans les points trois fois depuis le début de la saison.
    La première séance d'essais WorldSBK de la semaine commence vendredi à 10h, heure locale.

    Donington Park scene of latest encounter.

    The legendary Donington Park circuit will play host to the sixth round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship this weekend. The English venue is located in the East Midlands, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Derby and 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Leicester. It was inaugurated in 1931 and became a permanent racing circuit two years later.
    Donington is particularly special in World Superbike history, as it hosted the very first race event in 1988. Home rider Roger Burnett picked up his first and what proved to be only pole position before Italians Davide Tardozzi and Marco Lucchinelli triumphed in the two heats, with Lucchinelli coming out the overall winner. This would prove to be the only round split into two heats, with the two-race format known today coming in for the following event.
    Heading to England in 2015, four British riders head up the World Championship, but only two of them have ever won at Donington. Tom Sykes is the second most successful British rider at the track after only Carl Fogarty, having done the double for the last two years. Sykes also impressed in 2008, finished second as a wildcard rider while Troy Bayliss celebrated victory.
    Without doubt, Jonathan Rea is the British rider generating headlines this season. Perhaps his best Donington memory is that of 2012, when he won the second race after the BMWs of Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri came together at the last corner. Haslam will certainly be hoping to avoid such drama this weekend; he heads to Donington off the back of three ‘bogey circuits’ for him in Aragon, Assen and Imola, with his second race in Italy having featured one of the biggest crashes of his racing career. The Aprilia rider is now attempting to put the title attack back on track in front of his many fans, friends and family members at Donington.
    Elsewhere, Jordi Torres has become the first Spanish rider to collect a World Superbike podium trophy since Carlos Checa. However, he has another new track to learn. On the other hand, Chaz Davies will be praying for race finishes and a strong haul of points following two very costly race retirements – both because of matters beyond the rider’s control – last time out. However, team-mate Davide Giugliano took the paddock by storm two weekends ago, dramatically clinching pole position before picking up a Race 1 rostrum finish; all the more impressive considering this was his first round back since his pre-season testing crash.
    The UK Round could be a telling one for the respective Pata Honda World Superbike Team and Voltcom Crescent Suzuki; both are still looking for the consistent rate of success they yearned at the start of the campaign. For the Suzuki outfit, based in Dorset, the learning curve has increased in size since the introduction of a new electronics package from the Aragón Round onwards. Last year, Alex Lowes finished on the podium at Donington.

    Randy de Puniet last raced in Donington Park in 2009, when he clinched the second of his two career MotoGP podium finishes, taking third behind current MotoGP front-runner Andrea Dovizioso and two-time WorldSBK Champion Colin Edwards on a very, very wet day.
    At Honda, memories of the longest ever run of consecutive points finishes are but a distant memory for reigning World Champion Sylvain Guintoli, who at Imola registered a second non-finish of 2015, while Michael van der Mark also had a difficult weekend following the heroics of Assen when the Dutchman clinched top three finishes in both of his home races.
    Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) is another rider with a Donington Park podium to his name, having finished on the rostrum racing alongside Max Biaggi at Aprilia in 2011. The Kent rider had made his World Superbike debut at the circuit two years earlier, as a wildcard with the Airwaves Yamaha Team with which he won the 2009 British Superbike crown.
    Expected to return to action is Nico Terol, who was replaced at Althea Racing by Michel Fabrizio for Imola. Terol had been injured in the previous gathering at Assen and now hopes to be back in action at a circuit he knows from his Grand Prix racing days. Others are looking to back up a strong Imola performance as Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven) strive for success.
    Donington Park’s opening World Superbike practice session commences at 10am local time (GMT +1) on Friday.

    Barber x wild #4

    Barber x wild #4 from Recorderz Prod on Vimeo.