Event: Red Bull Holy Ride 2014 – Kyoto
Photographer: Jeffrey Johnston
Camera: Nikon D200 DSLR
Lens: Nikon 28-70mm & 80-200mm f/2.8
Flash: Nikon SB-800 Speedlite
Editing: Lightroom 5 & Photoshop CS6
Red Bull Holy Ride 2014 took place in Kyoto, Japan, and was held on the historic Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine, which was built to enshrine Hachiman, the God of War. Seemed to be a fitting location, especially when you saw the carnage that ensued… Japan’s top MTB racers took to the shrine’s pathways in an all-out day of pure downhill MTB racing.
This 4th edition of Red Bull Holy Ride Japan ran down the long 396 steps of stairs, combined with tight corners and slick granite stone and you’ve got the perfect storm for a crash-filled urban downhill race. Add the Autumn filled rainy weather of Japan, which made it very painful for some riders. The race format was a four-cross style set-up, so there’s only one outcome. Crashes. Lots of crashes.