We’re moving to our new domain!!!
July 9, 2009So exciting, we have finally matured from a blog to a website! I feel so grown-up! Please don’t desert us, follow this link and we’ll continue where we left off…
Spanish kite surfing championships in Lanzarote
July 9, 2009When we originally started this blog it was kite surfing that was our initial inspiration. Having dipped our toes into the world of extreme sports we realised that the subject encompassed so much more than just kite surfing.
And although we say ‘just’ kite surfing this extreme sport still holds a soft spot in our minds – it is without doubt one of the more ‘beautiful’ of the extreme sports. Not only does it look spectacular, is practiced by some very lovely people – both in mind and physical appearance – but we also really appreciate the fact that it is an extreme activity that requires little more than the earth’s natural elements – water and wind.
So it is with pleasure that we announce the that the Spanish Kitesurfing Championship started today in Lanzarote and runs through to the 12th July.
And for those of you who don’t know Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands situated approximately 100 miles off the west coast of Africa and 800 miles south of Spain in the Atlantic.
Kite surfing has been regularly practised by enthusiasts at the beach in Famara, on the north west coast of the island, which will also be the location for the Spanish Championships and will combine board-riding with parascending. Impressive aerial acrobatics will be evident above the waves.
The five day tournament will cover Freestyle, Race and Wave categories and has been opened for the first time to include Veterans or Masters at the sport. Participants compete within their group, according to age and gender, with prizes also due to be awarded to the best amateurs and Canarian competitors.
For your further enjoyment we are pleased to present this very cool kite surfing action from OutdoorAction – with big Atlantic surf and some strong consistent winds the action in Lanzarote is going to be just as hot!
In praise of Chris Sharma – one of climbing’s most extreme talents
July 6, 2009“I’m still a bit confused over the grade. It’s definitely harder than Papichulo and all the other F9a+ routes I’ve done in Spain but I’m not sure if it’s F9b… the resistant style of climbing on the route isn’t quite the best style for me and I can imagine other people being better suited… For now I’d say it’s hard F9a+”
Chris Sharma
I love rock climbing, and I love writing about it. Today I thought I’d draw your attention to, if you don’t already know, a really extreme rock climber – CHRIS SHARMA.
Here’s a weird upside-down video of a veritable spiderman redpointing La Rambla, brought to us by ezsraism
Sharma started rock climbing when he was 12 years old. At age 14 he won the Bouldering nationals. A year later, he completed a 5.14c climb, which was the highest-rated climb in the American rating system at the time. He has since established or completed a few routes thought to be 5.15, including La Rambla and Es Pontas (a deep water soloing project in Mallorca). In 2008 Sharma climbed the 250 ft line, Jumbo Love, at Clark Mountain in California, claiming 5.15b for the grade. He has just completed a new 9a+/5.15a project in Oliana, Spain called Pachamama.
Picking projects at your physical and mental limits means constant exposure to the reality of failure. But failure is a word that has no place in Sharma’s vocabulary.
In professional climbing talent burns hot and fast and a decade is a long time. The physical damage to the body can be huge – ankles snap, shoulders pop from sockets and fingers calcify. And if nagging injuries weren’t enough, climbers often falter beneath the mental pressure. But not Chris Sharma.
At 26, he is an athlete endowed with unparalleled physical strength and mental tenacity, dominating world sport climbing and bouldering for the last dozen years.
In his own words, Chris Sharma about himself (bigupproductions)
From one extreme to another in the rock climbing world…
July 4, 2009Funny video this from SaasssLove, though my heart goes out to poor Steve!
And from one extreme to another:
If you can’t be out there doing it this weekend, dream of going to Tuscany to climb and indulge yourself in watching this video from robiclimb1. No need to shout “move that right foot Steve!”
Have a good weekend …
Another rock climbing mecca – Clark Mountain near Vegas
July 3, 2009I’m on a roll…
Here’s another climbing site admirably suited to our extreme sports blog, Clark Mountain, 40 miles south of Las Vegas and 235 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The climbing here is about 300-500 feet high and about a mile long.
Clark Mountain is the high point of Mojave National Preserve and is a refreshing climb out of the desert. It is sport climbing in an alpine environment.
Geologically speaking, Clark is part of a long chain of limestone outcroppings that stretch through the Great Basin from Nevada and Utah into Wyoming and Montana.
This is Third Tier – “the most amazing wall in the USA” says Joey Kinder. Sheer white limestone for hundreds of feet, but it is hardly developed. Third Tier, also known as The Monastery, has 34 routes including Jumbo Pumping Hate and Tusk. It is some of the best limestone in the country.
Randy Leavitt originally opened up this area having scoped it for years from the highway. It took him, with help from Jorge Vissar, Ed Worsman, and Glen Svenson, 4 years to establish over 80 routes in the four areas of Clark Mountain all the while keeping their activities quiet so they could enjoy the solitude and the magnificent climbs before others moved in.
Jumbo Pumping Hate, a Randy Leavitt route, is a 5.14a climb. It’s long, involved and really exposed with juggy sequences and dynos.
Chris Sharma on Jumbo Pumping Love F9b
UKC Articles, Dec 2008
© Boone Speed / Aurora Photos
As Randy Leavitt says: “The finest limestone on the planet can be found here. You’ll have to work to get to it though.” However, he continues, “the quality of rock more than repays your effort. Expect your legs to gain muscle weight from the hike in, but get ready for the most spectacular sport climbing this side of the Mississippi.”
The rock quality is exceptional. Features are not limited to one type. You’ll find it all — pockets, edges, slopers, pinches, underclings, and cracks. The climbing is always interesting. Each route is distinctive. The climbing doesn’t get repetitive or boring. But be careful – help is a long way away.
The climbing of Clark Mountain began in 1992 and Hole In The Wall was the first route established on the First Tier. Read My Lips was the first route on the 2nd Tier and Religious Man on the Third Tier or The Monastery.
Randy Leavitt and Mike Booth on Jumbo Pumping Hate 5.13d (8b) at the Monastery.
UKC News
© Jorge Visser
The climbing area is 9 miles off Interstate 15 and 5 miles south of the Nevada border.
Most of the climbing is on the East Face of Clark Mountain. There is also one developed crag on the South Face known as the Baily Road Crag.
This is sport climbing bar none…
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Maple Canyon – a unique rock climbing area in Utah
July 2, 2009Summer is well and truly here, so if you’re a rock climber and looking for somewhere to go, we highly recommend Maple Canyon in Central Utah. It is one of the nation’s most unique rock climbing areas and offers some truly spectacular, and spectacularly extreme, rock climbing.
With 140 bolted routes, this is a climber’s mecca. The routes are easily accessed from the road or various hiking trails, and range between 5.4 – 5.14c (Yosemite decimal system) in degree of difficulty. A 60 m rope and 16 draws will be plenty for the area. A guide book is available though sometimes difficult to find.
The walls range from less then ten feet high to hundreds of feet, and for those more advanced climbers there are several large over hangs. Something for everyone.
This canyon is rated one of the top locations in the world for rock climbing.
You always know that a place must be pretty special when climbers from around the world come to test their skills there. But it’s not only the best of the best who climb at Maple Canyon… on any given weekend climbers of all abilities, ranging from novice to expert, can be seen testing their skills.
The rock in Maple Canyon is unique. The cliffs are embedded with thousands of cobblestones, or rounded rocks, ranging from the size of a pingpong ball to that of a watermelon. Every cobble will be a different hold and you never know whether it’ll be a crimp, a sloper or a sinker jug. The choice with every move is vast and you will have to feel several cobbles before making your decision. You will require endurance.
If you’re confused about my description of the canyon walls, watch this video from toddhambone, which couldn’t give you a more clear idea of the uniqueness of this rock.
And if you’ve had your fill of climbing for the day, you can always do some bushwacking, but be careful, these mountains are also filled with Mountain Lion – and remember this is their territory not yours!
The US Forest Service operates a small campground within the canyon. The amenities are basic and include pit toilets, picnic tables and campfire rings. There are 13 sites for tents or small trailers (no pull-through sites) and they fill up quickly on the weekends in the summer months. The sites are generally well shaded and against the canyon walls. All sites are within walking distance to the climbing areas.
For all you rock climbers who fancy something a little different and a little extreme, this is the place…
Indiana ladies triumph in collegiate division of air race
July 1, 2009Indiana State University pilots Jessica Campbell and Victoria Dunbar returned to campus victorious after capturing top collegiate honors in the annual Air Race Classic, a transcontinental air race for women.
The pair of pilots competed against 34 teams, winning first place in the collegiate category and finishing second overall. The race across the mid-section of the U.S. covered 2,715 miles, starting June 23 at Centennial Airport near Denver and ending June 26 in Atlantic, Iowa. The ISU aviators flew in a Diamond DA40 plane, owned by Dixie Chopper Air based at Putnam County Airport.
“Our goal going into this was to take home the collegiate trophy, so to win second place is just icing on the cake,” Campbell said.
Strategy was a major factor throughout the race. Each plane was assigned a handicap speed, with the goal to have the actual ground speed as far over the handicap speed as possible. That meant judging weather patterns, wind speeds and other elements in order to make the most of each day’s flight.
Two students in Purdue University’s Department of Aviation Technology also competed in the 33rd annual all-female Air Race Classic. Juliana Lindner, a senior from Hanover Park, Ill., was captain of the team, and Lauren Steele, a junior from Lapel, Ind., was co-pilot. Purdue University presented this video of their hopes and aspirations.
It was without doubt a great race presenting many different challenges to all the competitors.
“The biggest challenge was figuring out when to fly and when not to fly,” Dunbar said, “The altitude starting out in Denver was different from anything I was used to,” she said. “That’s something they teach you in class, but something I have a lot more respect for now that I’ve experienced it.”
Women’s air racing starting in 1929 with the first Women’s Air Derby. Since then the race has served as a way to for women in the aviation industry to connect with one another and expand their skill sets.
There is no doubt that all the participants learnt a great deal from their experience.
Below: Jessica Campbell (left) and Victoria Dunbar stand next to the Diamond DA40 airplane with their trophy after winning top honors in the collegiate division of the Air Race Classic
Nissan Outdoor Extreme Games 2009
June 30, 2009We normally keep a close eye on the Nissan Extreme Games, but were obviously so busy writing on other things that Interlaken 2009 slipped by with no comment from us for which we apologise. However, it’s never too late to make up for past omissions and show you the high quality of both competitors and film producers… following this teaser from OutdoorGamesTV.
Nissan have been innovative in the extreme sports world and were the first to realise that an original event concept was needed in this growing sector of the market.
Because extreme sports have become more and more fashionable over the past few years, the event organisers came up with a concept like no other – 5 teams, 5 sports and a 5-minute film.
The task for the five teams is challenging: to produce a five-minute short film in seven days including five outdoor sports in the Interlaken region.
Rather than pushing the limits in outdoor sports, the Nissan Outdoor Games again reveals that certain subjects can be addressed within a sports film. The themes represented in the 2009 films go from the meaning of life and death, profound feelings as well as harmony with nature.
Extreme sports challenges have been taking place in Interlaken now for 5 years. The Games are an important event for adventure sports and film making. For a week, the best kayakers, mountain-bikers, climbers, paragliders and base jumpers combine with film makers and photographers to share their adventure in the mountains and to battle it out for prize money of Swiss Francs 70,000.
Jean-Pierre Diernaz, General Manager of Nissan’s Marketing Communications in Europe, says “The Nissan Outdoor Games allow athletes to express themselves in the most awe-inspiring way, whilst thrilling the public by capturing their exploits in a five minute film. Nissan is once again proud to be supporting the Outdoor Games and together we are working to increase participation in an active outdoor lifestyle and a sustainable engagement with the natural environment.“
Enjoy these incredible hang gliding sequences filmed by Austrian film team ‘Argon’ (orleyflo)
Marvel at Anthony Green’s 10-second death defying misting by the falls (acrotwinz).
Enjoy Swiss Team, NBFlyer’s, film for which they received the Jury’s Special Award as well as the Best Sports Sequence for its climbing scene with Cyril Albasini. (OutdoorGamesTV)
And we end with the winning film from Team Golgoht of Finland who received the Golden Peak Award.
The Finn, Petri Kovalainen from the Golgoht team, won the Best Photographer award as well as the Game of Light Award by Julbo.
Extreme Sports 