Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
A lot of my work photographing and filming athletes revolves around speed. These past few weeks, I have photographed Olympic cyclists – current and emerging cycling stars, and superbikes with some of the best in the world, through to up-and-comers who are certain to shake up the global ranks in the near future.
The quest for speed intrigues me. As you get to the very top of that narrow band of excellence, every little thing makes a difference, and though each advantage may be tiny, it adds another layer of self-belief to the athlete's mindset.
In cycling, that's mostly training, fueling and preparation. In superbikes, it's all of that plus matching the machine to the rider's style, track and conditions. The tech teams for some of the superbike riders are as big as their mechanic team. They'll tweak power delivery and suspension to suit each corner and section. They also record every bit of data and use that to shave milliseconds off a racer's line choice.
It's seriously cool to see it all in action, but overwhelmingly, the success or failure lands square on the shoulders of the rider. The championship for 2026 came down to the last race of the last round. Two of the top riders, Luca Durning and Rogan Chandler, came into the final round tied on points. The final race saw three riders fighting for the lead, and at one point, Luca wasn't in the picture.
Something must have clicked in his mind, because he suddenly caught the leaders and on the penultimate lap he dug deeper than anyone thought possible to take the lead. He was riding right on that edge that squeezes everything from a machine and a rider. One tiny discrepancy and it is all over. And at speeds reaching 280kmh, that prospect is frightening. Luca won the final race, but Rogan won the Championship.
In motorcycle racing, New Zealand is very well respected on a world stage. We punch well above our weight and, after observing the last two rounds of the NZSBK, I can assure you we have a whole new wave of talent emerging.
See you at the beach, Derek
PS Thanks to everyone for all the print orders that have been coming in these past few weeks. If you are looking for a new piece of art for your home, then we'd love to help. Here's a link to some of my favourites or book an appointment and I can guide you through choosing something from the comfort of my gallery in Dunedin.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: