Latest news: Royal Ascot announces, that it will be part of the second phase of the Government’s Events Research Programme! Hurrah, that means that race events in 2021 will go ahead, even though with limited numbers. At least, we can look forward to be able to enjoy some good racing this year, and that means a lot under the given circumstances, keeping the tradition of the event and the sport alive.
It was thereby confirmed that 12.000 people will be admitted each day during Royal Ascot. However, precise details of what the trial looks like on a daily basis and what requirements are expected from visitors to the racecourse will be announced on their website, as and when news come through from the Department fro Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as well as input from Public Health England and Ascot’s own Safety Advisory Group.
This also means that those rolled-over bookings from 2020 can now be accommodated too, which is just wonderful. We’ve all eagerly waited for this moment to arrive, so tickets at the ready, pls do get in touch with Royal Ascot directly, once general tickets will go on sale on Friday, the 28th of May. Something great to look forward to then in 2021 – our hats are already laid out, yours too?
Ascot – Everything You Need to Know
Located in the small town of Ascot in Berkshire, England, sits a dual-purpose racecourse famous for the annual Royal Ascot event. Hosting 600,000 people per year, 26 days of racing, and the Royal Meeting held every June, Royal Ascot is permanently cemented into the British social calendar. The prestigious venue is set to host their most coveted event, Royal Ascot, this June under social distancing guidelines, with only a few thousand racegoers permitted each day. In preparation, TA-DAH.TV have given the low down on everything you need to know about the historic racecourse, famous racing events and its royal ties.
Royal Ascot – A very Royal Racecourse
Ascot, as we all have come to know, is famous for their main event Royal Ascot. Hosted in June, this famous social calendar event evolved from the first four-day race meeting held at Ascot in 1768. A 5-day event with the Gold Cup race at its feature on the third day, sees crowds draw in for their busiest and most prestigious event of the year. The 179-acre racecourse is leased from the Crown Estate and only 6 miles from Windsor Castle, so it is no surprise Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attends Ascot more than once a year. The Royal Meeting, however, is central to the racecourse’s ties with the British Royal Family, seeing a Royal procession each day of the event at 2pm. Here, you can catch a glimpse of the Queen and members of her family arrive down the straight to the sound of the National Anthem – no less. The 5 days of Royal Ascot are abuzz with visitors of high society, fabulous fashion, elegance, and the best millinery creations your eyes will ever see. Hosting some of the world’s finest racehorses, all in an effort to compete for the grand prize money of more than £6m!
Races and Events at Ascot
Over the course of a year 26 race days are held at the racecourse. The flat season is held between April and October and includes famous, well-known races such as, the Commonwealth Cup, Kings Stand Stakers, and The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes. Over the many years Ascot has been hosting these flat races, numerous famous horses have taken to the straights such as Frankel, Sagaro, and Dancing Brave. The jumps season then takes over in October until March, where Ascot hosts 8 days of jumps racing. This starts with one of their family race days. Just like the flats, Ascot has welcomed many a famous jumps horse including, Arkle, Sprinter Sacre, and Desert Orchid.
On top of the riveting, fast-paced races, the events at Ascot are also considered huge societal and fashion events. Royal Ascot, as just one example, has become more than just horseracing. Upheld by a strict dress code, the event is a major annual fashion event for visitors. Women and Men are expected to adhere to dress code policy, depending upon their enclosure. The Royal Enclosure requests guests to respect the dress code by adhering to modest, formal daywear. This includes the desire for hats to be worn. Allowing for some spectacular, eye-catching head pieces on display. You will find a flurry of household designer names like Rachel Trevor-Morgan and Philip Treacy OBE.
Hospitality and Facilities at Ascot
Available at all 26 races days on Ascot’s annual calendar is the option to book fine dining hospitality packages. Choose from a deliciously designed à la carte menu by a top-class Michelin starred chef at Royal Ascot. Or treat you, your family, and friends to a three-course menu at any of Ascot’s other 21 race days. For an added sense of luxury and exclusivity, Ascot allow for the booking of private boxes across their race days, allowing guests to be at the heart of the action whilst enjoying impeccable service. – vey cool! With a choice of packages, guests can select the level of experience they desire from a day at Ascot. Boxes range from 10 seater to 72 seater, so large groups of families and friends or corporate bookings are catered for. Forever incorporating luxury into everything they do, the platinum package includes champagne and canapes on arrival, as well as a 4-course set lunch menu – what more could you want from a day at the races!
Enclosures
There are several different enclosures designed to cater for all needs of visiting racegoers, from top-end hospitality to basic viewing options. All within various prices points with differing facilities.
As expected, the Royal enclosure can be accessed by invite only – during Royal Ascot this area will be used by the British Royal Family. Those entering the royal enclosure are restricted to a strict dress code. This is a high-end experience with the absolute best views of the races and an absolute favourite with celebrities and famous faces, who have close ties with the Royals.
The Windsor enclosure is the perfect alternative for those looking for a premium experience of Ascot without the premium prices. It is also well known for the best views of the royal procession at the Royal Meeting.
For younger racegoers, the newer village enclosure offers the perfect “festival feel” environment. The dress code is more relaxed. Situated in the middle of the track, it offers a new party experience of Royal Ascot, with pop-up bars and dining, there are many options here to enjoy.
With luxurious dining, Royal experiences, high-end race viewing and very British picnics – Ascot is the place to be.
London’s Southbank is a huge hub for art & the performing arts, and the Tate Modern is the jewel in the crown. We love walking along the Thames, checking out book stalls, going for endless coffees and ending up at the Tate Modern’s iconic building, with the infamous ‘wobbly bridge’ right in front of it. Make a point of visiting to take in the sights when you’re in town next as Londoners just love this space.
London’s Tate Modern
Housed in London’s former Bankside Power Station, resides London’s famous Tate Modern. Part of the Tate network of galleries in England, it is not only one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world, but also one of the most visited art museums in the world. The Tate Modern’s large lay-out allows for the creation of vast exhibition spaces, displaying contemporary pieces dating from 1900 to the modern day.
This space also provides the room for temporary exhibitions, such as the current favourite and one on many bucket lists – Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms. TA-DAH.TV reports, that this showcase will run until 27 March 2022, so plenty of time for you to transport yourself into Kusama’s unique vision of endless reflections. We recommend you booking your tickets soon, as this popular exhibition quickly sells out.
Tate Modern’s Exhibitions
The Turbine Hall, originally used to house the generators of the old power station, provides a grand space for specially commissioned works by contemporary artists. Works are displayed between October and March each year. Notably Ai Weiwei’s ground-breaking Sunflower Seeds filled the space of The Turbine Hall in 2010, which saw life-sized sunflower seed husks, intricately hand-crafted in porcelain, poured into the space.
Other works like The Weather Project and EMBANKMENT have also been displayed here. During the period of the year when The Turbine Hall is not exhibiting large pieces, smaller occasional events and exhibitions are held here, such as Damien Hirst’s For The Love of God.
Across other areas of the vast building, temporary exhibitions take over spaces for several months, drawing in crowds of art lovers and tourists.
Some of the current exhibitions at the Tate Modern include:
Hyundai Commission: Anicka Yi
Sophie Taeuber-Arp
Beuys’ Acorns
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms
Surrealism Beyond Borders
Lubaina Himid
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is the oldest within the galleries of the Tate network, found on Millbank in the City of Westminster. Opened in 1897 this gallery houses a substantial collection of works from the Tudor-period. With a range of pieces from J.M.W. Turner, it is traditionally named the National Gallery of British Art, and was quickly nicknamed the Tate Gallery after its founder Sir Henry Tate. In 1932 the gallery adopted this name, to be known as it is today.
Across the beautiful period building , with it’s modern tract created by world-famous architects Herzog & de Meuron, you will find historic and famous pieces of British art, including whole rooms dedicated to particular artists such as Tracey Emin, John Latham, Douglas Gordon and more. Often these rooms are subject to change and rotation overtime. Tate Britain also notably hosts the annual Turner Prize exhibition.
Tate Liverpool
Based on Liverpool’s waterfront within the Albert Dock, this branch of the Tate gallery was first opened in an event hosted by Prince Charles in 1988. The Liverpudlian space houses pieces from the Tate Collection which overtime has grown to feature a wide range of British art dated from 1500 to modern day.
Like other venues of the Tate network, Tate Liverpool also hosts many temporary exhibitions and until 2003 this gallery was the largest of modern art in the UK to be found outside of London.
Current exhibitions at the Tate Liverpool:
Lucian Freud: Real Lives
Don McCullin
Louise Bourgeois in Focus
Aliza Nisenbaum
Tate St. Ives
Amongst one of the most visited attractions in the UK, The Tate St. Ives in beaurtiful Cornwall is the youngest addition to the organisation. Built between 1988 and 1993 it is located on the site of an old gasworks looking over Porthmeor Beach. Since its major refurbishment in 2015, which saw the gallery close until 2017, the Tate St. Ives has hosted a number of stunning art exhibitions including:
Rebecca Warren All That Heaven Allows, 14 October 2017 – 7 January 2018
Virginia Woolf: An Exhibition Inspired by Her Writings, 10 February – 29 April 2018
Rosalind Nashashibi and Lucy Skaer, Thinking through other artists 20 October 2018 – 6 January 2019
One famous exhibition was held there in 1999, with the aim of celebrating the solar eclipse. Hosting an exhibition called As Dark as Light, with work from collaborating artists and local school children, it was a great success! St. Ives is always worth a visit with its ‘mediterranean weather’ and a stroll around the Tate there makes it even sweeter.
Woah, this guys is nuts – which some think is a slight understatement! Watching the Spanish Champion in Snowboarding Slopestyle, Jaime Castro, train and prepare for his next championship was insane. He is a FIS (International Ski Federation), as well as FADI (Andalusian Federation of Winter Sports), and so we hooked up with him in Livigno/ Italy, where one Europe’s best SB training parks is situated: Mottolino Fun Mountain!
The park was open to athletes and their coaches during this winter season, who came from all over the world, including countries like the UK, Germany, Argentina, Chile, Czech Republic and many more, other than native athletes from Italy and Spain. It was important for training to resume, as European championships and tournaments (carried out in their respective bubbles) were still taking place. The jumps at Mottolino are of Olympic standard, which is why we are not surprised that this sleepy, pretty little village will be hosting some of the ski and snowboard disciplines at the Winter Olympics in 2026! Exciting stuff…
Jaime’s home turf is actually the Sierra Nevada. He’s from Granada, the fabulous Spanish city steeped in history, situated in Andalusia and home to the world-famous Alhambra. So, popping up the hill to the Sulayr Snowpark is easy pickings for him. Watch him fly, twist and turn there, as there’s nothing safe from getting the ‘Jaime treatment’. Hence, when the heaviest snowfall in 40 years hit Madrid, Jaime hit the road. Board in the boot, he made his way to the Spanish capital, and delivered snowboarding performances the city has never seen before. You have to see it to believe it…you may peel your chin off the floor after!
Back at the Mottolino Fun Park, the new generation wasn’t sleeping though: junior athletes (also FADI members) were hard at work, training for the Campeonato de España Snowboarding Slopestyle, which was scheduled for the end of March. Bad weather moved to to the 10-11 April, and we can only congratulate Teiva Hamaini, Aida Castro & Kai Hamaini to have made it onto the podium in their respective categories – very well done, guys! But, it’s time to hit that start button now and see them perform…have fun 🙂
Gawd, were we pumped to find out that this brand new event has actually managed to pull off it’s first edition during covid-times and travel restrictions! And even more amazing was to see how committed these 23 athletes were to make it down to Southern Spain just before the new year – many of them having having competed at the SuperFoil Fortaleza in Brazil just a few weeks before!
They arrived from 9 different countries, including Switzerland (which was half the podium for each of the girls and the boys), France, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and even Brazil. Amongst them 2 Foil World champions and the Swiss First Couple of Wingfoiling: Balz Mueller & Eva Wyss (watch our exclusive interview with Balz as well). Sunday, the 27th of December was a gorgeous sunny day with bright blue skies, and the city of Tarifa, as well as the event’s organisers, were ready for them to arrive on Balneario Beach, a super spot for this kind of waterspouts tournament. The camaraderie amongst the crowd was ever present, many of them having known each other, and competed against each other, for years. All the athletes, event organisers and press had a PCR test before entering the event bubble, so that everything was above board regarding covid regulations.
Once competition rules were explained to everybody on the first day, it was straight to business in the afternoon. The tournament was to be competed in three categories: Surf Race, Freestyle and the Expression Session. These kind of competitions are always depending on wind directions on the day, so more often than not, it’s wait and see! A strong Poniente wind coming from the Atlantic was most desirable, and as expected on day 1, the Levante wind of the morning changed to Poniente in the afternoon. That meant the heats were on – excellent!
Day 2 was a different ballgame altogether, so for the Freestyle part of the event, it meant to decamp the athletes to Playa Chica on the Mediterranean side of Tarifa, in less than comfortable conditions: a Southern wind of 35 knots bringing hefty waves, rain came too and it was properly cold. Hat off to all the guys who were just fierce out on the water. It was spectacular to see those backflips, jumps, spins and turns by a determined team of athletes, who were just not going to give in.
Day 3 saw the wind change yet again, so all back to Balneario Beach for what was a perfect day of Poniente wind and seriously choppy waters. Order of the day: the surf race and expression sessions were to be fought out. 19 Athletes took part in the surf race in total, amongst them Olivia Piana for the girls. She is literally fearless – competing against the guys, she managed to overcome landing in the water and actually finished 8th! Olivia, we salute you 🙂 The action on the water continues with the expression sessions. Heats out of the way, Titouan Galea and Olivia Piana shone the brightest and walked home with the 1st prize. Unbelievable what was these two pulled off out on the water, landing on the top spot of the podium for their relevant sexes in both the surf race and the expression session categories.
Day 4, and it’s time for the prize giving! The relief on the athletes’ faces was completely visible and so everybody was just totally pumped to pick up their trophy and celebrate into the New Year with friends and family, as well as a great sense of achievement. Congrats and a very well done to all the athletes who took part so impressively! The event organisers and the city of Tarifa produced a brilliant tournament, about which Jaime Herraiz, the man in charge, said, that there will be many to follow. And we cannot wait…see you in Tarifa next time round!
27 July – 1 Aug: Fuerteventura/ESP, Surf-Freestyle & Freefly-Slalom
20 – 25 Oct: Abi Dhabi/UAE, Freefly-Slalom
5 – 13 Nov: Ibiraquera/BRA – Wave
16 – 22 Nov: Taiba/BRA – Surf-Freestyle
7 – 10 Dec: Jericoacoara/BRA – Surf-Freestyle
Wingfoiling: The Latest in Board Sports
Wingfoiling, also known as windfoiling, is a brand-new sport and has to be one of the coolest surface water sports ever! It consists of a wing, that is not attached to a Hydrofoil board, being carried or held by the rider, whilst having to maintain their balance, steering the board with the wing. It is an exciting and demanding sport, requiring strength and stability. Although it can be practised on either land or water, not much wind is required for this sport, therefore its popularity has grown massively.
However, countries with great wind conditions, such as Hawaii, Brasil, Portugal and Spain, have seen the practice of this sport soar to lofty heights. Hence, the GWA (Global Wingsports Association) was born, with the aim to provide a safe and exciting community to globally promote wing sports. TA-DAH.TV sent their team to Southern Spain to cover the GWA’s first ever Tarifa Wing Pro event, staged on the city’s Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar. The prospect of wingfoiling having been included in the Paris Olympics in 2024 promises as super exciting future for this sport on a global level – the only way is up!
Tarifa Wing Pro Event
Tarifa is known as the wind capital of Europe, a fantastic environment for wing sports. So, it is no surprise that the GWA decided to host their first ever Tarifa Wing Pro event on Balneario Beach on the beautiful Costa de la Luz – the first of many to come, they promise.
That the competition was even possible in the first place was utterly awesome, as it also drew a close to the end of a year troubled by many cancellations of sports events in general – and it was the perfect follow-up from the Superfoil Fortaleza 2020, the first event by the GWA Wingfoil World Tour held in Brazil. Riders were arriving from all over Europe (including Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Poland), as well as Brasil, and even the Southern Hemisphere was present with a participant from New Caledonia.
Staged from the 27th and 30th of December, the event was non-stop from day one, consisting of various competitions. With the Covid-19 pandemic having delayed their other events in 2020, this competition took place according to covid-19 guidelines, so all participants and press were asked to take tests before entering the secure bubble of event attendees. The competition saw a turnout of 19 men and 4 women from 9 countries battling it out head-to-head in the water, a turnout the organisers hail a great success, considering all the travel restrictions throughout the year.
Across 3 days, both groups of men and women went out onto the water to compete in the two disciplines of Wingfoiling; Surf-Freestyle and Surf-Race, as well as an additional Expression Session. On day 2, weather conditions were not that great on the Atlantic coast, requiring the organisers to change beach to the Levante side of Tarifa.
There, the strong wind conditions certainly made this event an artistic spectacle, with all athletes giving an exhilarating performance full of tricks, jumps, twists and turns, whilst displaying their ability in the water. Towards the end of the action packed few days the last day was designated for the prize giving. The mood amongst riders was one of total relief, an incredible sense of achievement, and well-earned pride!
It was really impressive to see the commitment by all participants to make it down South and be part of this historic event. The city of Tarifa was certainly an excellent host, committed to staging an unforgettable, but most of all, safe event on the Spanish shores.
Competitors included the current Foil Freestyle World Champions Balz Müller (men) and Eva Wyss (women), as well as Titouan Galea, Maxime Chabloz, Fernando Novaes, Halim Basri, Abel Lago and Francesco Cappuzzo, amongst many others.
Congratulations to all of the winners, as well as to the rest of the riders, who made the competition such an exciting one!
The event was a huge success and great fun for all involved! With the support of the Junta de Andalucia, the Diputacion de Cádiz, the Ayuntamiento de Tarifa, Duotone/Fanatic, Red Bull and Balneario beach Club, Tarifa has once again proved itself to be the perfect host city with a perfect location for wind and water sports. Why not plan your next beach holiday there?
Wing Foil World Tour
2021 was the first tour for international wing foil events and is not to be missed by lovers of wing sports! With 5 of the best locations across the world set in their events calendar, there is a lot to look forward to throughout the new year in this sport. From Portugal to Brazil, the GWA have gone all out in setting up this world tour to be a display of skills from the best pros around the world. They have stated the event is open to the public with limited spaces for pros to register. The event, unfortunately, will be subject to change in relation to the pandemic. We are looking forward to this event, and many others as the success and popularity of wingfoiling continues to grow across the world.
Foiling at the Paris Olympics 2024
Foiling as a branch of windsurfing is growing year on year, and just to prove it, it has been introduced as a new discipline for the Paris 2024 Olympics! Many see this a transition from windsurfing, as foiling beings to explode across Europe. Placing foiling onto a global stage such as the Olympics is a great way for this electrifying sport to be introduced to 100s and 1000s of fascinated young people interested in learning new sports. It will be thrilling for both lovers of wind sports and newbies to see this developing sport take centre stage in Paris.
