David Arnaud - Thinkliquid.net

I must say the last few months have been hectic! I've been very busy working on various events and projects lately.

It all started last february with the Winter Outdoor Games. After participating in the first three editions of the summer version of this world-reknowned event, this time I was working for the organization. I spent a few days following the teams in the Mont-Blanc area, capturing incredible skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering and speed-flying action.

At work, with the Mont-Blanc in the background. Photo: P. Fragnol / Nissan Outdoor Games by Columbia

I was also lucky enough to fly two times over the Mont-Blanc, to shoot action from the air. An helicopter flight over the Alps is a truely unique experience, and during the flights back to the dropzone the pilots gave us some really radical sensations. I couldn't even imagine what those machines were capable of in terms of maniability. Better have a strong stomach and light lunch!

Antoine Montant, speed-riding. Photo P.Fragnol / Nissan Outdoor Games by Columbia

Wing-suit jump from the helico. Photo P.Fragnol / Nissan Outdoor Games by Columbia

During the end of the week I was in charge of answering the multiple media requests for footage of the event, as well as managing the screenings of the 2 giant screens displayed in downtown Chamonix. With several thousands spectators and all major sponsors in the audience, there was little room for error! In the end it all went well.

Philippe Fragnol, local legend and famous photographer, became a good friend over the week. Photo David Carlier / Nissan Outdoor Games by Columbia

After the Winter Outdoor Games, it was time for some sunny destination. I spent a week in Libya working on an adventure race called the Libyan Challenge. The race is 180km long, and runners only have access to water supplies during the race - which means they have to carry their own equipement and food. The winner of the event completed the distance in about 31hours, while the slowest participants took about 3 days reach the finish line. This was a great experience in a truely unique destination. The Akakus desert offers fantastic scenery, and the Libyans proved to be very helpful and enthusiastic about the race. I am not a runner by any mean, but witnessing the race from A to Z and spending some time with the participants was very rewarding. It takes a lot of focus and determination to enter such a race, and I came to admire many of the racers for their courage and energy in those harsh situations, when you're exhausted and you know you still have 100+ km to the finish.

Proudly posing in the Libyan desert while the sun's rising

After Libya, I was back to the Alps, in Switzerland, for the Verbier Xtreme which was the final stage of the inaugural Freeride World Tour. Just like I did in Chamonix a few weeks earlier, my mission consisted in managing the video content for the organizers as well as the giant screen. Once again I was very happy that I had equiped myself with a high-end HD editing workstation during the winter! My super-fast machine brilliantly edited, encoded and burned hours and hours of video for the various requests we received.

The Freeride World Tour podium in Verbier

Finally it was time for some rest, and time to go paddle as well! But this I will tell in another entry.

David