Red Bull UK Hardline

Red Bull has built its energy drinks brand identity around interactive ground breaking extreme sports events, with TESS contracted as their creative safety partner since 2010.

The adventure with Red Bull UK began for us at the highly publicised X-Fighter bike event at London’s Battersea Power Station. Following planning consultancy and overseeing the build TESS director Simon James was on site for event, which saw a significant crash on its first lap! Simon stayed calm amidst the panic and ensured the event continued, safely. That ability to remain calm cemented a relationship that exists to this day.

Red Bull pushes the envelope when it comes to finding spectacular extreme sports events, such as cliff diving off remote Welsh cliffs, audience participation events such as Flugtag’s home-made flying machines in Leeds, or the 30 Clubs on the London Eye, with live DJ’s in every gondola, with other memorable events including London’s Soap Box at Alexandra Palace.

The unconventional locations of many Red Bull events means that they often present a unique challenge to the safe realisation of Red Bull’s vision. At Hardline, this challenge is no different; set in the Dyfi Valley of North Wales, the Hardline course is renowned as one of the hardest downhill mountain biking tracks in the world. Through onsite visits and ongoing discussion with key stakeholders, TESS worked with Red Bull to assess the suitability of site and the unique risks it presents.

Starting at the peak of mountain, the challenge starts with ensuring adequate access to the start line for Red Bull and their contractors. Ensuring all stakeholders are briefed on the terrain of the event site and on the conditions of the environment they’ll be working in, TESS support the event in ensuring that temporary structures are safely sited and vendors are appropriately prepared.

Red Bull pushes the envelope when it comes to organising spectacular extreme sports events such as Hardline, attracting audiences with their ability to push athletes to their extremes. Whilst the Hardline riders throw themselves into the challenge in front of them, it’s down to TESS to control the risks and protect the Red Bull brand. We remain attentive to safeguarding the health and well-being of the athletes, enabling their endurance and adventure, whilst safely siting the audience in great vantage points across the mountains as close as possible to the action.

Red Bull UK continues to come up with new ideas that challenge TESS to find creative safety solutions. Luckily, we love a challenge.