5 of the Most Extreme Sports in the World
1. Volcano Boarding – why surf waves when you can surf volcanoes? Boarders can reach 60mph with just a board and protective suit between them and one of nature’s most terrifying geographical features. The place to head to is Cerro Negro in Nicaragua, a volcano which last erupted in 1999 (for the 20th time!).Train Surfing – this sport was popular in Germany in the 1990s before being forgotten about. Having been rediscovered, this hugely dangerous sport is now very popular in South Africa. Video clips show men dancing on top of moving trains, or hanging off trains trying to touch the ground as they travel. Participants climb on to trains, riding them on the roof, or clambering over the trains as they speed along. A “sport” which proves that it is not only nature that provides people with life-endangering adrenaline rushes.
2. B.A.S.E Jumping – involves jumping off fixed objects with a parachute (which you hope will deploy). Objects you can jump off: Buildings, Antennas, Spans (e.g bridges), Earth (e.g cliffs). While not illegal in itself, getting on to the desired jump spot can be. It is a fairly historic extreme sport because of the invention and development of parachutes; jumps had been made from the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty by 1912. B.A.S.E jumpers don’t travel as quickly or as smoothly through the air as skydivers, the closer proximity of the object you jump from and the ground mean it can be much more dangerous. Beware gusts of wind.
3. Cave Diving – lots of extreme sports involve the participant putting their life in the hands of some of nature’s most extreme forces. In cave diving this force is dark, cold and alien. Using special SCUBA equipment you explore thousands of feet of water-filled caves. You cannot always ascend directly to the surface, and exits may be far away, so standard deep-diving risks apply. On top of this there is the complete darkness and strong currents. You risk becoming disorientated, lost and consequently panicking. Psychological strength is a must.
4. Bull Running – made famous in Pamplona, Spain during the festival of San Fermin, though practised throughout Spain (as well as in Portugal, Mexico and France). This involves people running in front of charging bulls down a remarkably narrow section of streets. Runners, once the bulls catch them, usually have walls on either side of them, and unless they can find a doorway risk being trampled or gored.
1. Volcano Boarding – why surf waves when you can surf volcanoes? Boarders can reach 60mph with just a board and protective suit between them and one of nature’s most terrifying geographical features. The place to head to is Cerro Negro in Nicaragua, a volcano which last erupted in 1999 (for the 20th time!).Train Surfing – this sport was popular in Germany in the 1990s before being forgotten about. Having been rediscovered, this hugely dangerous sport is now very popular in South Africa. Video clips show men dancing on top of moving trains, or hanging off trains trying to touch the ground as they travel. Participants climb on to trains, riding them on the roof, or clambering over the trains as they speed along. A “sport” which proves that it is not only nature that provides people with life-endangering adrenaline rushes.
2. B.A.S.E Jumping – involves jumping off fixed objects with a parachute (which you hope will deploy). Objects you can jump off: Buildings, Antennas, Spans (e.g bridges), Earth (e.g cliffs). While not illegal in itself, getting on to the desired jump spot can be. It is a fairly historic extreme sport because of the invention and development of parachutes; jumps had been made from the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty by 1912. B.A.S.E jumpers don’t travel as quickly or as smoothly through the air as skydivers, the closer proximity of the object you jump from and the ground mean it can be much more dangerous. Beware gusts of wind.
3. Cave Diving – lots of extreme sports involve the participant putting their life in the hands of some of nature’s most extreme forces. In cave diving this force is dark, cold and alien. Using special SCUBA equipment you explore thousands of feet of water-filled caves. You cannot always ascend directly to the surface, and exits may be far away, so standard deep-diving risks apply. On top of this there is the complete darkness and strong currents. You risk becoming disorientated, lost and consequently panicking. Psychological strength is a must.
4. Bull Running – made famous in Pamplona, Spain during the festival of San Fermin, though practised throughout Spain (as well as in Portugal, Mexico and France). This involves people running in front of charging bulls down a remarkably narrow section of streets. Runners, once the bulls catch them, usually have walls on either side of them, and unless they can find a doorway risk being trampled or gored.