Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:00:00 UTC
A perfect mix for Swedish sailing photographer Oskar Kihlborg. The world-class mountaineer and sailor (sailing photographer) is now ready for yet another big challenge, as the official photographer for the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race.
He has climbed Mount Everest, crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice and been involved in many adventure projects. Now Oskar Kihlborg is preparing for his second Volvo Ocean Race, this time as the official photographer.
“My job is to show the world what the Volvo Ocean Race is all about. It’s not just the competition between the boats; it’s also about happiness and sorrow, sweat and tears, high tech and mother nature. I want to cover all of that”, Kihlborg says.
During the last Volvo Ocean Race, Oskar Kihlborg was involved with Sweden’s SEB project, as their photographer during two years of preparation and racing. During the next race he will be responsible for covering all projects, and everything that surrounds the massive event.
“I gained a lot of experience from working with the Volvo Baltic Race 2003 and 2004, especially when it comes to being an objective photographer,” he says. “That’s not as easy as it sounds, but it is extremely important. Even if the magazines and newspapers cry for pictures of the winning boat, the boat that loses its mast, the boat that runs aground or the all-female boat, you still have to take pictures of all boats, and all competitors.”
Being a sailing enthusiast, Oskar Kihlborg has always loved working with major sailing events. And the Volvo Ocean Race is, of course, a big challenge even if Oskar’s not sailing it himself.
“The Volvo Ocean Race is the classic in offshore racing. Together with the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race is the biggest thing you can do as a sailor. I don’t think people realise what kind of hardship it is to compete in the race. Even if they’ve seen pictures and video clips from the Southern Ocean, it’s hard to imagine how tough it is. I want to show them that the race really is the worst, or best thing you can ever do.”
Oskar Kihlborg has always been an adventurer himself. He started out as a mountaineer, but has always loved adventure in any form, be it scuba diving, sailing or climbing. During his last school holiday he rode a bike from Rome to Stockholm, a distance of over 2000 kilometers. During the late ‘80s and the early ‘90s Oskar Kihlborg became famous in Sweden for his achievements as a mountaineer.
On the 11th of May 1990 Oskar Kihlborg, together with Mikael Reuterswärd, became the first Swedes ever to reach the top of Mount Everest.
“It was an enormous feeling to be all alone on top of the world. I took a photo of myself on the top, and being a photographer I have to say that it wasn’t my best shot ever. Was it sharp? No, not really”, Kihlborg says and laughs.
After Mount Everest Oskar Kihlborg climbed K2 in 1992, and in the same year he became the first Scandinavian to reach the top of Lhotse,8501 meters, also in Nepal. The adventures were also the way into photography for Oskar Kihlborg. When no-one else wanted to take photos during the projects, Oskar was the one who was chosen to be the photographer.
“I had no thoughts about being a photographer. But I took some pictures when we were climbing, and realised how much fun it was. I have always wanted to show other people what I’ve been up to, and photography is the perfect way of doing that,” he explains.
Nowadays, Kihlborg puts more energy into his work as a photographer than into his own projects as an adventurer. But still he has thoughts of a lot of future projects.
Next summer I’ve promised to take my seven year old son, Max, up to the top of Kebnekajse, the highest mountain in Sweden”, Kihlborg says.
What about climbing Mount Everest again?
“Well, Ocean Race sailors Richard Bouzaid and Jeff Scott are always asking me to take them to Mount Everest. I don’t think they’ve ever tried climbing before, but I’ve promised to take them to the top”, Oskar says, half-serious.
But back to the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race.
As the official photographer Oskar Kihlborg will also count on the contribution from the crews onboard the boats. The Volvo Open 70s will not be able to carry any photographers onboard during the race, so it will be all up to the team members to contribute with pictures and video clips.
“Their job is extremely important. They are the only ones who can show the world what is like to be racing in the Southern Ocean. They are there when things happen”, Kihlborg says.
“I have never been in the Southern Ocean myself, but I know what it is like to sail in tough conditions. When breaking the Atlantic record on Nicorette there was 85 knots in the gusts. I know the feeling when one minute you scream for joy, and the next cry for fear. I think that’s important for me to know, and I hope I’ll be able to put those feelings into my pictures”.
Some people would say that being a sailing photographer, travelling around the globe covering major sailing events, is a dream job. And Oskar Kihlborg can’t deny that.
“Yeah, it’s great. I am not a good enough sailor, so no-one would ask me to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race, but I really love to work with it as a photographer. I like the unusual pictures you get, where you can see the sunburned skin and the flash and the passion in the eye of the sailor. And then, of course, you have those massive pictures taken from helicopter that can be so cool”, Kihlborg says.
NAME Oskar Kihlborg
BORN 1964, 40 years old
NATIONALITY SWEDISH
MARRIED TO Åsa, children, Max, 7, and Anna, 5
RESIDENCE Saltsjöbaden, outside Stockholm, Sweden
INTEREST Photography, sailing, diving, climbing, sailing, building things with concrete, driving motorboats
Started climbing as a boy and grew up to be one of Sweden’s best mountaineers. Climbed in Peru in 1987 and Alaska in 1988 before taking on Mount Everest in 1990. Became the second Swede to reach the top of Mount Everest on May 11th 1990. Climbed K2 and Lhotse in 1992.
Started working with sailing as a photographer in 1993 and sailed with Nicorette during the Cape Town to Rio Race in 1996 and with the record-breaking new Nicorette boat across the Atlantic Ocean in 1997. Worked with the SEB team during the last Volvo Ocean Race, and was the official photographer of the 2003 and 2004 Volvo Baltic Race.