ATHLETA MAGAZINE - ISSUE 13
Athleta Magazine Issue 13, a new chapter for our independent publication
“The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” – Mihály Csíkszentmihályi
Athleta Magazine Issue 13 continues to explore the territory that has always defined our editorial vision. A territory not far removed from the notion of flow articulated by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi: where athletic endeavour becomes something larger than performance alone, where physical effort and intellectual curiosity converge, and where the pursuit of excellence opens pathways to culture, beauty and meaning. This issue is built around that pursuit.
Its cover story, ‘Chavoso,’ dives into the football-saturated world of Brazil’s barberias, where club crests, player portraits and improvised iconography transform neighbourhood barbershops into shrines to the Beautiful Game. Through Jeff Pedroso’s lens, these spaces reveal a deeper truth about Brazil: a country whose devotion to football remains as emotional as it is enduring. Across the Atlantic, RiseUp Duo travels through the Welsh Valleys for ‘Up&Under,’ an exploration of rugby as something far greater than a sport. In this rugged corner of Britain, rugby functions as inheritance, social glue and collective memory: a living expression of community identity. Matteo Berrettini takes centre stage in ‘More Myself,’ a special production created in partnership with BOSS and photographed by Yoann Guerini. Returning to the Roman tennis club where his journey began, Berrettini reflects on turning thirty, revisiting the places that shaped him while opening a rare dialogue between the athlete the world knows and the person behind the public image. High above sea level, ‘Lunar Asylum’ unfolds as a dreamlike visual narrative. Styled by Elena Bertacchini and photographed by Andrea Casagrande, the story inhabits a suspended landscape where fashion and altitude merge into a singular atmosphere. From alpine stillness we move to the kinetic energy of Dakar’s Corniche Ouest. In ‘Rust and Grit,’ Max Manavi-Huber documents the rhythms of everyday sport in Senegal’s capital, capturing the movement and collective spirit that animate its coastline. The pursuit of excellence defines ‘Architecture of Running,’ developed in collaboration with ASICS and photographed by RiseUp Duo. Here, Nadia Battocletti traces the relationship between her evolution as an athlete and the mountains of Trentino that continue to shape her understanding of endurance and possibility. From elite sport to subculture, ‘Piñón Fijo’ turns its attention to New York’s fixed-gear scene. Through José A. Alvarado Jr.’s multifaceted investigation, the project examines a world where speed, style and urban mythology remain inseparable. Timelessness takes on another form in ‘A Timeless Heritage.’ Granted access to FILA’s archives, we developed a fashion editorial that explores the brand’s enduring influence on sport and style. Styled by our Fashion Editor Silvia Ortombina | Tiny Idols and photographed by Riccardo Romani, the project revisits a legacy that continues to resonate across generations. Snowboarding becomes a visual language in ‘Resonance,’ where Daniel Nedierkofler’s imagery reveals unexpected connections between distant geographies. From Japan to Norway, the board becomes a shared medium through which feelings find common ground. The issue closes with ‘This Was Never Planned,’ Sean Hardy’s remarkable photographic study of contemporary professional cycling. Produced while following Lidl-Trek throughout the season, the series offers an intimate perspective on one of sport’s most visually compelling worlds.
Athleta Magazine Issue 13 is ready. The only thing left to do is step inside.
ATHLETA MAGAZINE - ISSUE 12
“Culture is not the daughter of labor, but of sport. The highest form of human existence is sport itself,” wrote the philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. Athleta Magazine Issue 12 carries that conviction forward, opening a new printed chapter in our ongoing exploration of the sporting imagination
Sporting aesthetics evolve alongside sporting culture, a premise embodied by our cover, shaped through the eclectic visual language of Geoff Lowe: a manifesto of his singular compositions, expanded in the feature ‘Sporting Density.’ A different form of density, one made of epic narrative and motor-driven avant-garde, defines ‘Università Rossa,’ a Ferrari-inspired journey into the 24 Hours of Spa, told through the lens of Albi Cantu. Excellence takes on yet another meaning in the off-the-pitch synergy between Juventus and Giorgio Armani. Framed by Alessandro “Zuek” Simonetti, ‘A Stage of Excellence’ elevates the timeless class and elegance shared by two pillars of Italian heritage. Simonetti’s documentary and anthropological eye also drives ‘If You Don’t Aim Big, What’s The Point?,’ produced in collaboration with Champion: an ode to the new wave rising in the ring, and to the illuminating boxing of Tiah-Mai Ayton. From the future to the past, whose presence still permeates and gives meaning to the now, ‘Long Walk Home’ by Robbie Lawrence uncovers the cultural value and global echoes of Scotland’s traditional games. Heritage breathes too in ‘Real Football,’ an immersion into the historic football of Chiddingstone, filtered through the aesthetic of Nick Bannehr. Another kind of immersion takes shape through the sporting art of Arnaud Jerald, France’s multi-world-record freediver, who invites us into his lyrical underwater sphere through Achille Mauri’s photography in the K-Way collaboration ‘Le Grand Bleu.’ Not the sea, but the frigid pulse of the Atlantic shapes ‘Baptism,’ João Lutz’s observation of a ritual linking New York’s frantic rhythms to the calm of open currents. Remaining in America, we enter the thunderous chaos of SMX and the Mud Fest, two motor-driven cultural phenomena portrayed respectively in ‘Up North Trip’ by Geoffrey Knott and in ‘Louisiana Mud Fest,’ a visceral gallery by Joe Hart. A continent away, chaos becomes sacred in Siena’s legendary Palio, captured by Edward Aked in ‘Oddio, s’è vinto il Palio!.’ From one kinetic marvel to another, ‘A Primal Emotion’ presents a visual study of the singular world of short track speed skating. RiseUp Duo’s images gather the hypnotic interplay of blades, ice, and velocity, together with the finest Italian athletes of the discipline. A multidimensional interpreter of fencing, Enzo Lefort opens a portal onto his dialogue with the fashion universe, and onto beauty as a mental state born from athletic expression. The editorial ‘Allez Lefort!,’ with portraits by Yoann Guerini and styling by Tiny Idols, reveals the natural resonance between foil and haute couture. Finally, we ascend toward higher, and other, altitudes with ‘Sky Pirates,’ Luke Hall’s ode to the aerial exploration of paragliding.
Athleta Magazine Issue 12 awaits: over 200 pages of sublime sporting ecstasy and culture. Click here to order your copy.
ATHLETA MAGAZINE ISSUE 11
Sports imagery evolves, and so do we. Athleta Magazine Issue 11 takes you on a visual and editorial journey that begins in codified violence turned social revolution: from the impact of Dublin’s Muay Thai Academy, where young fighters search for a greater purpose than what darker corners have to offer. Neil Gavin captures this transformation on our cover with a striking image of a young fighter, which leads us into the story ‘Changing Narratives’. From the Celtic island to the heart of Europe, we touch down in Sankt Moritz, where ‘White Parade’ tells the tale when alpine elegance collides with raw power at the annual White Turf —an extraordinary horse race amidst snowy peaks and cosmopolitan luxury, expressed through the lens of RiseUp Duo. Not far from there, we dive into the dynamic synergy of twins Asia and Alice D’Amato—leading figures in Italian gymnastics. In ‘Power of Two,’ Carolina Amoretti captures their elegance, resilience, and seamless harmony, with styling by Athleta’s Fashion Editor, Tiny Idols, offering us an intimate glimpse into their extraordinary connection. Then we sail across the open sea with Ambrogio Beccaria in ‘How Far You Can Go,’ where his solitary connection to the ocean is brought to life by RiseUp Duo’s evocative photography. From the waves to the track, we pay homage to running legend Stefano Baldini. Twenty years after his historic Olympic win in Athens, Marco P. Valli’s ‘For Better or Worse’ delves into Baldini’s unshakeable love for the sport—guiding the next generation as a coach, passing on not just skills, but the spirit of the track. Our journey continues overseas in Argentina, immersed in the fever-pitch of Boca Juniors’ Bombonera stadium, thanks to Pancho Monti’s ‘La Mitad Más Uno’. The roar of the crowd and the soul of football bring the Xeneizes spirit to life. Back in Italy, Alessandro Zuek Simonetti captures the essence of Alessandro Cannata, a blind Paralympic sprinter and national multi-record holder, in ‘Blurred’—where vision transcends sight. Issue 11 breaks the 200-page mark, diving deeper into the mosaic of sports and culture than ever before. We explore the cultural roots of pelota mixteca, an ancient sport kept alive by Mexican-American communities, lyrically narrated by Fabien Scotti in ‘Nuestra Historia.’ From ancient games to a distinctly different tradition: the vibrant guinguettes, Parisian dance halls that embody the timeless spirit of joy. Mathieu Richer Mamousse’s ‘Te Souviens-Tu?’ walks us through their enduring charm. We then turn to Africathletics, a project Athleta is proud to support. In ‘A Future Made of Sounds’, Erika Serio highlights women’s rugby in Malawi, where education and sport are mutually empowering, lighting a path for the future. From grass fields, we move to asphalt, where Pepe’s old-school skateboarding philosophy unfolds in ‘Cowboys Do Cry’. Riccardo Romani portrays his multifaceted approach to skate and art. ‘La Grande Bellezza’ transports us to the tartan track of the Olympic Stadium and the 2024 European Athletics Championships, depicted in all its majesty by our Team. Our journey comes to close on the roads of Sierra Leone, amidst the Lunsar Cycling Tour. ‘Riding Noise’, shot by Matt Grayson, is not just a story about cycling; it’s an anthropological glimpse into perseverance and community, punctuated by the challenges of physical exertion. With every issue, Athleta Magazine pushes the boundaries of sports storytelling, inspired by the muse of movement. Let Issue 11 inspire you—flip through its pages and discover stories that showcase the transformative power of sports.
Clic the link here to Shop Athleta Magazine Issue 11
ATHLETA MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
Our journey into the imagery of sports culture has reached its tenth iconic chapter. To celebrate the historic milestone of Athleta Magazine Issue 10, we have dedicated our cover to a legend, Mike Tyson, and the fine lens that followed him, Lori Grinker. The dialogue between photography and sports continues in Alex F. Webb’s contemporary aesthetic and its evocative relationship with climbing, as well as in Alexander Aguiar’s shots on tennis, dedicated to the vibrant rhythms of the US Open. The journey stops over to pay homage to a decisive event in Italian football history, the Napoli Scudetto, portrayed in all its folkloric glory by Luca Santese and Marco P. Valli, and with the universe of glitter and athletic sensation of NCAA artistic gymnastics, depicted by Regina Koko. A special editorial, produced in collaboration with Woolrich amongst the frosty Icelandic waves, and a report focusing on the fusion of running and mythology on the Faroe Islands take us up north, thanks to the images of Rise Up Duo. We then touch down in another continent, Africa, to explore the evocative tradition of fire-eaters in Ghana with Tom Ringsby, and we conclude our globetrot by admiring the aerial dance of the Ponte Brolla divers through Tom Farmer’s visuals. Here at Athleta Magazine, we’re always game to take you on a journey where sports, art, and culture intersect, to a printed oasis where photographic ecstasy becomes the medium for examining society, athletic beauty and timeless stories. All you have to do is give in to the muse.
GET YOUR ATHLETA MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
The Ninth Issue
Athleta Magazine Issue 9 is a new celebration of the sports muse, its social value, its infinite narrative power, and its relationship with contemporary photography. For the first time, our print journey begins with two different covers. The first is the work of Nils Ericson, while the lens of Rich Wade decorates the second. ‘Game on’, the traditions and rites of passage of American high school football, on one side, and ‘It’s all fake, right?’, the brutal marvel of deathmatch wrestling on the other, are both gateways to this new chapter of our independent publication. Sacrifice, redemption, and resilience accompany us inside the Eastern New York Correctional Facility, where Joseph Rodriguez’s legendary camera captures an unusual yet startlingly relevant bodybuilding contest among inmates. The statuesque bodies of the ‘Forced Reps’ reportage echo an ocean away in the centuries-old, mystical ritual of Iranian wrestling, described in ‘Zurkhaneh, the House of Strength’ by Konstantin Novakovic.
Passion and athletic goals are ageless in ‘Mastering Time,’ our ode to the heroes of World Masters Athletics, and priceless in ‘Fairway Tertulia,’ Joseph Fox’s visual gallery focused on the popular and democratic golfing greens of the Madrid neighborhood of Fuencarral-El Pardo. Lucia Elen Ayari’s ‘Young, Noble Art’ takes us to the fraught suburbs of Catania, where boxing can become a tool for emancipation and hope. From scorching Sicily to freezing Wisconsin: the land of lakes allowed MT Kosobucki to discover and analyze the fascinating sport that combines wind, sails, and sub-zero racing in ‘Ice Sailors’. Finally, the editorial ‘Back in the Days’ that explores breaking, underground Milanese culture and Tommy Biagetti’s photographic flow, is the final piece of our ninth issue, the first with a double face.
The Eighth Issue
The relationship between man and nature, man and community, man and his own sensory individuality. All framed by sports cultural imagery. Introducing Athleta Magazine Issue 8. The cover painted by Achille Mauri’s lens is followed by the first story ‘I Want To Live In Real Madrid,’ a journey by Alessandro Simonetti through the boiling dunes of Fuerteventura, which have become a football center for African migrants. Dunes that become an inner landscape in Giuliano Pugolotti’s ’Inner Dunes,’ an evocative visual essay dedicated to desert ultratrail. Natural element that also returns in ‘Una Inmensa Stepa Verde,’ where Achille Mauri’s contemporary photographic poetry is exalted in the outdoor context. Two wheels are sublimated in multiple ways in the double reportage ‘Ice & Fire’ by Eric Scaggiante/Niccolò Varanini and ‘No Temas, Somos Los Chilangos’ by Jeoffrey Guillemard: on the one hand we observe the fascinating sporting pain of cyclocross, on the other we investigate the social value of the Chilangos Lowbike Club México, a community that uses the connection between art and cycling to eradicate the scourge of local crime. From community to community, from Mexico City to Venice Beach, where women’s empowerment is amplified on the ‘There Is No “I” In Grl’ skateboards, portrayed by Giulia Fassina. We then converse with Charlie Dark and Sanchia Legister, a pair of London-based creatives who in running and yoga have found the tools to change their own and others’ lives, and with Virgil Dey, an internationally renowned b-boy and performer with an anthropological and cultural view of breakdancing. The Julien Da Costa’s editorial shaped by the crossover between American football and Parisian fashion ‘Easy To Pick Up, Hard To Put Down’ is the final piece in this new Athleta Magazine chapter: the only place where sport is art and culture.
The Seventh Issue
Muscles and thoughts, quick and endless journeys, sports poems. Athleta is here again, with a brand new look and the usual desire to penetrate the imagery of sporting culture. The cover signed by Neil Gavin introduces Athleta Magazine Issue 07 and the New York ‘Stomping Grounds’, urban cathedrals consumed by hands and muscle-ups. The same hands that embrace the Basque boulders of Harri Jasotzea: a tradition that merges, an ocean away, with the divers of Acapulco, ‘Los Clavadistas’. From history to history, from tradition to tradition. The feeble levers of the Kenyan runners of ‘Home of Champions’ move as fast as the ruined metal sheets of the Demolition Derbies, messy sanctuaries where rural America finds its paradise. The ‘Atlas Race’ is another rural paradise, an exterior and interior journey through the evocative Moroccan desert: a sensory itinerary recreated, thanks to the artistic power of skateboards and basketball, in the urban slides of ‘Riding the Floating City’ and ‘Ballin Somewhere’. Issue 07 also takes a leap into the future, into the engineering marvel of Rizoma, the atelier of motors, the place that combines high-tech and elegance. Enjoy the ride.
The Sixth Issue
We’re excited to present our Sixth Issue! Athleta Magazine Issue 06 is available now on www.newsstand.co.uk for international customers, on www.athletamagshop.com/shop for Italian customers, and in select stores next week.
