2019-20 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
105 Foreign Travel ( Newspapers,Travel Magazines,Travel Coverage in General Magazines,Travel Audio-Radio,Travel Audio-Podcasts and Guides)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Kim Cross Entry Title: Noel + Leon Entry Credit: Kim Cross Judge Comment: Noel and Leon “soldier down an unpaved Soviet road that never seems to bend.” And so, Kim Cross takes the readers down an equal path of incredible story-telling. Beyond superb writing, what sets this story apart is that it’s not written by either rider, but instead by Cross 10 years later. Their story unfolds as we meet two men who transformed from who they were when first they started pedaling and who they are today. It’s more like a Rudyard Kipling tale from the exotic east.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Chris Colin Entry Title: Road Tennis Is the Coolest Sport You’ve Never Heard Of Entry Credit: Chris Colin Judge Comment: Who’s ever heard of road tennis? Really. Chris Colin describes this janky unofficial national sport as a hybrid of regular tennis and Ping-Pong, often played with crude plywood paddles. This most unusual topic was explored with strong writing, entertaining anecdotes, respect for the history and the residents of Barbados, and just enough allure to lure a reader to a street game.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Sebastian Modak Entry Title: "In Uzbekistan, Encounters With a Dead Goat. But in a Good Way" Entry Credit: Sebastian Modak Judge Comment: “You are there” writing brings an incredible sport to life. In its own right, kopkari is amazing, but Sebastian Modak manages to grab on to the history and culture of the community and the traditions of the sport, including contributing to the betting pool. “When my teeth hit each other, I can feel the crunch of fine dust in my mouth,” writes Modak as he succeeds in taking the reader with him into the scrum of horses.
