Latest news with #NaturalSelection
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nico Porteous will not defend Olympic halfpipe title, will remain active in skiing
Nico Porteous, one of two New Zealand athletes to win a Winter Olympic gold medal, will not defend his ski halfpipe title from 2022 at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games as he focuses on other parts of his skiing career. 'I've loved representing New Zealand. Wearing the fern and competing for my country has been the most incredible experience and I'm so proud of what I've achieved," Porteous, 23, said in press release. "This wasn't an easy decision to make, but I'm excited to do something new, and I feel like the time is right for me to look for a new challenge and new opportunities.' Advertisement Porteous plans to stay active in skiing through filming, product development and other competitions outside of the halfpipe, such as Natural Selection. "I still love skiing, and I want to keep skiing to the best of my abilities and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the sport," he said. "Ultimately, I'm ready for something new. What that looks like I'm not exactly sure, but over the past few seasons I've enjoyed filming and producing videos, as well as working on gear and product design." In 2018, Porteous took halfpipe bronze in his Olympic debut, becoming at 16 the youngest skier to win an Olympic medal and the youngest New Zealand athlete to win a Winter or Summer Olympic medal. In 2022, he landed back-to-back double cork 1620s on his first of three runs in the Olympic final. His 93-point score held up to take gold over Americans David Wise and Alex Ferreira, who had gone one-two in 2018. Advertisement Earlier in the 2022 Games, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott became the first New Zealand athlete to win a Winter Olympic gold medal, taking the women's snowboard slopestyle event. Porteous last competed at a September 2024 World Cup in New Zealand, placing 31st. He also won X Games Aspen titles in 2021 and 2022 and the World Championships in 2021, also in Aspen. Another man from New Zealand won the world title in ski halfpipe this past March — 18-year-old Finley Melville Ives — ahead of Americans Nick Goepper and Ferreira. FREESTYLE SKIING-CHN David Wise, after two gold medals, gears up for one last Olympic halfpipe bid Two-time Olympic gold medalist David Wise is competing in his last Olympic cycle before retirement.
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Nico Porteous will not defend Olympic halfpipe title, will remain active in skiing
Nico Porteous, one of two New Zealand athletes to win a Winter Olympic gold medal, will not defend his ski halfpipe title from 2022 at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games as he focuses on other parts of his skiing career. 'I've loved representing New Zealand. Wearing the fern and competing for my country has been the most incredible experience and I'm so proud of what I've achieved,' Porteous, 23, said in press release. 'This wasn't an easy decision to make, but I'm excited to do something new, and I feel like the time is right for me to look for a new challenge and new opportunities.' Porteous plans to stay active in skiing through filming, product development and other competitions outside of the halfpipe, such as Natural Selection. 'I still love skiing, and I want to keep skiing to the best of my abilities and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the sport,' he said. 'Ultimately, I'm ready for something new. What that looks like I'm not exactly sure, but over the past few seasons I've enjoyed filming and producing videos, as well as working on gear and product design.' In 2018, Porteous took halfpipe bronze in his Olympic debut, becoming at 16 the youngest skier to win an Olympic medal and the youngest New Zealand athlete to win a Winter or Summer Olympic medal. In 2022, he landed back-to-back double cork 1620s on his first of three runs in the Olympic final. His 93-point score held up to take gold over Americans David Wise and Alex Ferreira, who had gone one-two in 2018. Earlier in the 2022 Games, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott became the first New Zealand athlete to win a Winter Olympic gold medal, taking the women's snowboard slopestyle event. Porteous last competed at a September 2024 World Cup in New Zealand, placing 31st. He also won X Games Aspen titles in 2021 and 2022 and the World Championships in 2021, also in Aspen. Another man from New Zealand won the world title in ski halfpipe this past March — 18-year-old Finley Melville Ives — ahead of Americans Nick Goepper and Ferreira. Nick Zaccardi,
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE SmackDown results: Alexa Bliss steals victory from Charlotte Flair to reach Queen of the Ring semi-final
Alexa Bliss is moving on to the Queen of the Ring semi-final, and she did it in dramatic fashion. On the June 13 episode of WWE SmackDown at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Bliss pinned Candice LeRae to grab the win, right in front of Charlotte Flair, who had the match under control just seconds before. The match originally featured Charlotte Flair, Candice LeRae, Alexa Bliss, and Chelsea Green, but before the bell, Green was replaced by Alba Fyre. All four women got their moments, and the match quickly turned into a chaotic showcase of counters, near falls, and broken pins. Flair looked dominant at several points. She landed her signature chops, a Natural Selection, and even locked in the Figure Eight on Bliss. But Candice LeRae broke it up with a perfectly-timed Quebrada. Then Alba Fyre nearly stole the match with a KLR Bomb before Bliss landed a DDT on her to stay alive. Alexa Bliss outsmarts Flair as tensions boil over .@AlexaBliss_WWE is heading to the Queen of the Ring Semifinals! 🔥#SmackDown The real story, though, was between Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. For weeks now, the two have been caught in a cold rivalry. It began when Bliss proposed teaming up, only for Flair to turn her down. Since then, things have only heated up. Bliss went on to win her Money in the Bank qualifier, while Charlotte failed to qualify in a different match where Giulia punched her ticket instead. During this fatal four-way, Flair looked set to finally get a win. She had Alba Fyre locked in a Figure Eight, who looked just seconds away from making her tap. But Bliss saw her chance and made her move. With Charlotte busy holding the submission, Bliss hit the Sister Abigail DDT on Candice and stole the pin before Flair could react. Bliss now moves into the semi-final of the Queen of the Ring tournament, but the bigger story may be what happens next between her and Charlotte. Flair looked stunned after the finish, and the way Bliss smirked at her on the way out said it all. This rivalry has taken a very personal turn, and fans are already asking, Where is it headed? Whatever comes next, Alexa Bliss is now just one step away from a shot at the crown. And if she meets Charlotte soon, the stakes will be much higher.
The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
Want to experience the world's oldest desert? This how to do it
Dry waves crest and fall in an ever-shifting landscape, ebbing and flowing without water for the past 80 million years. Several trillion grains of sand extend for more than 2,000km along the coast of Namibia and into Angola, minuscule flecks forming an arid landmass larger than Scotland. At ground level, it's impossible to comprehend the size of the Namiba, the world 's oldest desert. The only way to appreciate its scale and magnificence is from the skies. Staring down from the window of a private plane, my gaze is a blur of shapes and shadows. Uninterrupted by any developments, raw wilderness stretches for hours. A popular road trip destination, one of Africa's least populated countries is increasingly being explored by light aircraft. I've joined an air adventure with Natural Selection, joining the dots between some of the country's most remote areas while enjoying the ever-changing landscapes which lie between. Taking off from Namibian capital and international entry point Windhoek, our six-seater flew 350km south to reach our first destination: the cayenne pepper-red dunes of Sossusvlei. One of only two lodges located in the private NamibRand Nature Reserve, Kwessi Dunes is our base for the next two nights. Recent rains – the first in five years – have carpeted sands with a bed of fine grasses and wildflowers. So vast and seemingly inhospitable, it's a miracle anything can live here. But driving towards the lodge we encounter a scattering of muscular-legged ostrich. On the horizon, a parade of hardy oryx marches in single file like soldiers heading into battle, their curved dagger-sharp horns piercing the falling sun. Connected by wooden walkways, 12 canvas and thatched air-conditioned chalets fan out around the base of dunes at Kwessi. An outdoor star bed provides an opportunity to drift off with a view of far-off galaxies. In the morning, trails and tracks criss-cross the sands, sketching out a report of the night's activity. Jackals, snakes, dung beetles and hairy-footed gerbils have all left their marks, while prey-seeking white dancing spiders have been busy weaving silk trapdoors in the sands. It's a 60-minute drive to reach some of the world's tallest dunes at Sossusvlei, but the benefits of sleeping far from the busy huddle of most tourist lodges far outweighs any journey time. More than 80% of staff at Kwessi come from the local community, including our guide Papa-G. Leading us on an hour-long hike along a lower slope of the biggest dune Big Daddy, he explains the geology of a dynamic landscape shaped by winds, river flows and time. Sliding down shifting slopes, we end in Deadvlei – a brilliant white silt pan dotted with the skeletons decaying trees. Estimating their age, Papa-G suggests they could be 1,000 years old. In a place where life and death happens slowly, it's likely they'll be here for 1,000 years more. Flying between destinations is a faster and more convenient than travelling by road. It's also a better way to understand the environment. Returning to our plane, we head north towards the ephemeral riverbeds of the Hoanib Valley. Below us, the land is pock-marked by a hundreds of unexplained depressions known as 'fairy circles'. Theories range from remnants of poisonous plant forests to the intervention of aliens. The most plausible explanation to date is a survival technique used by grasses to create an open area for allowing rains to soak into the ground and feed their roots. As we continue our journey, colours fade from burning reds to glowing golds and the forks of dried waterways extend like the elaborate root systems of a dense forest. Sheltered by tall quartz-speckled mountains, the tiny tented Hoanib Valley Camp is a homely human oasis in a place where desert-adapted species have learned to thrive. Due to recent rains, many animals have dispersed. Debris wrapped around the base of thick ana trees indicates the swell of water which recently passed through, strong enough to carry a car away. But during a morning drive, we do run into one of the few lions roaming between here and the ocean, only 42km away. Not seen for four months, a herd of elephants also returns during our stay. Leaving a trail of dust in their wake, these mighty creatures appear even more majestic against shimmering rose-hued peaks. It's not only animals that have found clever ways to live in a desert environment. A 90-minute drive from camp, a small group of Himba people have set up a small village. Natural Selection has forged a relationship with the community, providing them with assistance and resources. As part of the agreement, guests are also welcome to visit. Only the women are at home when we arrive. Covered head-to-toe in a thick ochre paste used as both decoration and a protection against the sun, they all wear slightly different hairstyles and headwear pertaining to their age status. Goat skin skirts hang around their waists and beaded ankle guards protect against snake bites. Powerful and confident, the women take great pride in their appearances, using burning incense as a means of washing in place of water. 'Village visits' can too often feel uncomfortable and contrived. But there are no pained performances during our stay. And when the women sing and dance below a setting moon as we wave goodbye, they laugh with genuine joy. The final stop on our aerial tour is the Skeleton Coast, a beautifully desolate coastline littered with whale bones and the rusting debris of vessels caught off-course by treacherous waters and thick blankets of fog. The appropriately named Shipwreck Lodge pays homage to valiant explorers and seafaring souls. One motto daubed onto the porthole shutters of rooms reads: 'Not all those who wander are lost.' Large windows of the ten cabins gaze out to the Atlantic Ocean. Behind us, amber-tinted dunes roll into infinity. So much of Namibia 's geography is shaped by extremes, pushing any living creature to its limits. Whether by air, sea or land – opportunities for exploration are endless. On every level, it defies imagination, reaching far beyond the boundaries of our human minds.
Travel Weekly
26-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Natural Selection sets date for a Namibia safari camp debut
Natural Selection is developing Nkasa Linyanti, a six-room safari camp set to open in May 2026 in Namibia's Zambezi region, situated within a critical wildlife migration corridor. The property will occupy a private concession on Nkasa Island within Nkasa Rupara National Park, a conservation hot spot central to the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. As the only accommodation on the island, the camp will operate in a region known for supporting significant elephant migration routes and hosting Namibia's largest concentration of buffalo. For the bird-lovers Guest activities will include game drives, night drives, guided walks, mokoro safaris and boating excursions through the wetland ecosystem. The region's status as Namibia's premier birding destination, with more than 430 recorded species, makes it a particular draw for bird enthusiasts. Cultural interactions with local communities will also be offered. The contemporary under-canvas camp will feature six tented suites raised on wooden stilts above the floodplains, connected by pathways to a central lounge and dining area. Each tent will feature canvas walls that open to panoramic views across the wetlands, with both indoor and outdoor showers in the en-suite bathrooms. A vital role in conservation Jennifer Lalley, co-founder and chief impact officer at Natural Selection, said: "This park provides a crucial corridor for regional elephant movement and supports breeding herds of buffalo, the full carnivore guild and an incredible diversity of species within its savannah, riverine and wetland habitats. Its position in the very center of an important transboundary conservation area means that it's protection, or lack of protection, has cascading effects on all surrounding areas. It is for this reason that we are investing here and devoting a significant portion of our conservation funds to support the park's warden and rangers." • Cover story: A safari for every budget Seasonal flooding from Angola creates ecological conditions similar to Botswana's Okavango Delta, transforming the landscape into a network of reed-fringed channels and lagoons. The unfenced nature of the park enables wildlife to move freely across national boundaries. The camp's facilities will include a fire pit, swimming pool and bar area. Solar-powered with water treatment systems, Natural Selection said the camp's operation reflects the company's sustainability commitments. Access options include FlyNamibia connections from Windhoek to Katima Mulilo with light-aircraft transfers; road transfers from Katima Mulilo, Kasane and Victoria Falls; and self-driving to the park entrance followed by a game drive transfer to camp.
