The Kiwis know all about extreme sport having pretty well invented it, and if not exactly ‘invented’ it – they have certainly spent a lot of time and energy perfecting it.
Here’s a great video to give you a bit of a chuckle this bright and sunny Sunday. Thanks to Woodger for posting it.
Desperate to go ski-ing? Wondering where to go? Look no further – Cardrona in New Zealand has had its best pre-season snow base levels in over a decade, 120 cm on the upper mountain and 80 cm in the base area.
“We’ve had some pretty extreme weather in May bringing heavy snow falls, the mountain is looking amazing, from top to bottom. It’s been great to get such a solid snow base but I know our operations team is grateful this week has brought some settled weather to continue with pre-season preparations,” said Nadia Ellis, sales and marketing manager.
“If these pre-season conditions are anything to go by then winter 2009 is going to be one for the record books. It certainly looks like we’re in for some great skiing and snowboarding from the outset, so long as the cold conditions hold,” said Ellis.
Cardrona is scheduled to open Friday 26 June. For further information, visit the newly relaunched web site at www.cardrona.com.
This picture was taken 3 days ago, 26th May 2009, by Tommy Pyatt.
Not looking too bad is it?!
Falls Creek, on Mt. McKay, Australia, on the other hand, is making snow in preparation for their opening in one week’s time – the Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Conditions are perfect for snow making with the mercury well below zero and the temperature, taking into account the wind chill component, a cool minus 7.6C. It has the country’s blackest runs over 450 hectares of snow covered fields.
But it is Mount Buller which has beaten everyone else to the opening day. 248kms north east of Melbourne (about 3 hours), Mt Buller is the most accessible snow resort in Australia and the closest resort to any international airport.
In a special ‘this-weekend-only’ celebration, Mt Buller is throwing open the resort to the public this Saturday and Sunday to share the amazing 35cm of early snow blanketing the resort.
“This is the earliest we’ve opened a lift and ski run in the history of Mt Buller resort. The closest was 45 years ago when we opened on the 16 May in 1964,” said Laurie Blampied General Manager of Buller Ski Lifts.
However, it looks like it’s be New Zealand stealing the show for the moment.
More fresh snow on Queenstown’s premier ski areas of The Remarkables and Coronet Peak on New Zealand’s South Island is delivering spectacular pre-season conditions, comparable with usual conditions in peak season.
Coronet Peak ski area, scheduled to open on Saturday 6 June, has received 50 – 100 cm of snow in the last four days resulting in an 80 cm base at the top of the mountain and a 50 cm base at the bottom.
Across the valley at The Remarkables, the ski area has received 45 cm of fresh snow in the last 48 hours and has received 150 cm over the last two weeks, resulting in a solid 120 cm base across the mountain.
More snow showers are forecast for Queenstown in the coming days…
Soon now, you, too, in the Southern Hemisphere can get up to these tricks (XTremeVideo):
We trust no one will be upset by cycle polo which from our research would appear to be gathering an increasing number of players, supporters and countries that play the game. Having said that we have not been able to find anything about the 2009 tournaments and so we would be delighted to hear from enthusiasts of the sport of what is happening, when and where, so we can post a blog and keep people informed.
Traditional bicycle polo is played in a rectangular grass field, 150 meters by 100 meters officially, unofficially whatever field is big enough or whatever surface is smooth enough. Moreover, official dimensions can vary between 120 and 150 meters in length on 80 to 100 meters in width.
The game was invented by an Irishman, Richard J. Mecredy, in 1891 and has seen a sharp spike in interest since the turn of this century and new teams are sprouting up across the world.
Today there is organized cycle polo being played in Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.
The 1980s saw the rise of two new powers in cycle polo, India and USA. The Cycle Polo Association of India was officially created in 1966 and the Bicycle Polo Association of America was created in 1994.
International cycle polo matches staged a comeback in the 1990s with the first world championship organized in 1996 in the USA. Teams from India, USA and Canada participated with India winning the title.
Today the game has become more urban and is played on tennis courts and the like where a hard surface presents a fast and exciting game.
See the video below from cleancut62 of some action from a recent game which demonstrates there is more than just a little skill in riding a bike required – the crashes are pretty hard but it looks a lot of fun.
The final installment of this trilogy will be about Segway polo….stay tuned!
We were very sorry this morning to hear of the hang gliding tragedy that resulted in the deaths of two men in a tandem hang glider which crashed near Queenstown earlier today. But it is the danger of this sport which sits along side the beauty of flying a hang glider which is the paradox of this (and we suggest many) extreme sports. Our thanks to Will Hine and Clio Francis of stuff.co.nz for bringing us this story.
‘The fatal flight took off from an area known as The Knoll on the Remarkables this morning and was piloted by an Argentinian Gerardo Bean who was working for the adventure company Skytrek. The passenger was named by police as Andrew Michael Scotland, a volunteer firefighter from Waipu, 41km southeast of Whangarei.
Mr Scotland had been in Queenstown at a fire safety officers’ conference, he had stayed behind in the tourist town after the conference, along with four others, specifically to take part in the morning’s flight. At about 10.15am the hang glider crashed in Kelvin Heights, a southern suburb of Queenstown. Mr Bean died on impact along with his passenger, Mr Scotland.
Skytrek specialises in guided hang-gliding, allowing tourists to fly with an experienced pilot. According to Skytrek’s website, the company was established in 1992 and has flown more than 39,000 customers. A Civil Aviation Authority investigator was on his way to Queenstown to investigate. There were five witnesses to the crash.
CRASH SITE: Police and firefighters prepare to remove the bodies of two people who died in a hang glider crash near Queenstown this morning.
Compare this tragic scene with the fabulous experience demonstrated in the video from Airadventures which shows a promotional video for www.riohanggliding.com of hang gliding at Sao Conrado in Rio de Janeiro which is probably the world’s most beautiful place for hang gliding and has some of the best atmospheric conditions all year round. The take off area is the “Pedra Bonita” (The Pretty Rock), at a height of 1,700 feet (520 meters). The route flies you over a tropical forest called the Tijuca National Park and over the mansions of Rio’s rich and famous before landing on the sand at Sao Conrado’s “Pepino” Beach.
This juxtaposition of the beauty and fear – the paradox – is what seemingly is the great attraction of extreme sports – both for participants who actually experience the adrenaline rush and for spectators who, not surprisingly are watching, waiting and maybe even hoping to see something spectacular. A somewhat macabre thought about the human psyche.
Our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of both Gerardo Bean and Andrew Scotland.
As he enjoyed catching a few waves, experienced surfer Craig Hunter had no fear of becoming the hunted as he shared the waters with a killer whale.
Rather than turning back to shore after paddling out past the breakers he was confronted by a giant dorsal fin, but as the surf was just far too good to miss he stayed in the water.
For the next 45 minutes he bravely shared the waves with the giant Orca and, without realising it, two young calves.
Experienced surfer Craig Hunter shares the waves with a killer whale while surfing off New Zealand’s North Island
The Orca, a regular visitors to the Taranaki coast in New Zealand, paid little attention to the surfers at Stent Rd surf break near Cape Egmont on Saturday.
Hunter, who has been surfing off New Zealand’s North Island for almost 50 years, said: ‘There was no way I was not going in because the waves were too good.’
‘It’s pretty awesome. It’s a pretty special sort of feeling.
‘I was out there on my own for quite a while and the big fella was just cruising. It was really neat.’
Hunter, known to his surfing friends as Billy, said it was not the first time he had surfed with an Orca and added that he was too old to be bothered by the possibility of being attacked.
‘My outlook is they are big enough and quick enough. If they thought I was a seal, I’d be long gone.’
As it turned out his reasoning was sound but we cannot exactly recommend this kind of thinking – only admire it.
Our thanks to sanela who posted this great guide in www.sessionmagazine.com to the top 20 places in the world to bungee jump – so good we could make no improvement but knew we just had to let you have this information.
Bungee jumping – dive from the giddy height of a towering fixed structure while an elastic cord secures you and keeps you suspended just inches above the ground level at the end of the leap. What leaves most people breathless during a bungee venture are the rebounds that occur due to the stretching and snapping of the cord. Bungee jumping was first practiced as a rite of passage for the youths of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu. Since the modern times, several records have been made and broken by bungee-jumpers world over. The Guinness Book of World Records of the highest bungee jump was by AJ Hackett from Macau Tower of China from an altitude of 233 meters.
Below follows a brief guide on the places to bungee jump
Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge, USA – 1053 ft (321 m)
Hanging above the Arkansas River, this suspended bridge is an all-time favorite bungee-jumping spot because of its amazing height. It spans over the Royal Gorge Route Railway and has a wooden plank-way for a breathtaking walk across the river.
Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa – 710 ft (216 m)
This unique highest single span arch bridge adds much to the giddy raptures of bungee jumping. Look ahead to the instructions by the jump experts, the tantalizing countdown before the plunge and the smoothest recoils owing to the pendulum bungee technology that makes it the highest commercial bungee jumping venue internationally.
Verzasca Dam, Val Verzasca, Switzerland – 721 ft (220 m)
Ever since the famous James Bond stunt in the movie ‘Goldeneye’, this high arch hydroelectric dam has been one of the favorite haunts for bungee jumpers. You require an advance reservation, a medical check and of course, the proper height and weight proportions for stepping into the shoes of 007.
Corinth Canal, Greece – 260 ft (79 m)
The Corinth Canal works as a connector between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. If you like to plunge down to the canal’s depth, just take a bungee jump from the bridge. This is a regular weekend sport organized by the Zulu Bungy in the summer months.
Ponte Colossus, Italy – 500 ft (152 m)
You will find this 350 m long bridge awe-inspiring and an inspiring spot for an energetic sport like bungee jumping. It will take you an average of almost 4.5 seconds for the first fall. You need a lot of nerve power to sustain the 100 km/hr vertical velocity of the free fall.
The Pipeline Bungy, New Zealand – 335 ft (102 m)
As you undertake the four seconds of free fall from the longest single span suspension bridge over the raging Shotover River, your heart skips a beat. At the close of these four second, you hang dangerously close to the foamy waters only to be secured in a boat and brought to the shore at the end of the oscillations.
Colorado River, Costa Rica – 279 ft (85 m)
The Colorado River is chiefly the haunt of the hobby fishers though its bridge is an excellent bungee jumping site as well. There are both normal and special all-day long bungee jumping schedules offered by Tropical Bungee to give you diverse ranges of experiences at the highest safety levels.
AltaVila Tower, Brasil/BH – 233 ft (71 m)
The Alta Vila Tower of Nova Lima attracts site seers and bungee jumpers alike since it commands a breathtaking view of the mountain-surrounded Belo Horizonte.
Navajo Bridges, USA – 467 ft (142 m)
Navajo Bridge of Marble Canyon spans across the Colorado River right over the Grand Canyon. The autumnal beauty of its natural setting makes it a lovely bungee jumping spot in late September. The advantage of the superb elevation of the Navajo Bridge is coupled with a unique sense adventure that you associate with bungee jumping.
Macau Tower, China – 764 ft (233 m)
This 338 m tall tower holds the provisions for an observation deck for relaxing as well as for undertaking daring sports like bungee jumping or ‘sky jumping’ as it actually feels like. It counts among one of the giddiest entertainments that Macau has to offer to its visitors and locals.
Nevis Highwire Bungy, New Zealand – 440 ft (134 m)
The jump pod overlooking the roaring Nevis River holds an irresistible attraction for the lovers of bungee jumping. This incredible 8.5 seconds of freefall offers you an exciting scope to span the Nevis Valley. Nevis Highwire Bungy shuttles the jumpers to the glass-paneled jump pod to help them have an unforgettable experience.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – 120 ft ( 37m )
Puerto Vallarta is more than a resort with its countless scopes for adventure sports in its jungles, beaches and cultural getaways. You can accept the allure of the lush-green waters of Banderas Bay by taking a bungee jump from the adjacent cliffs for $55.00 between 10 am to 6 pm. The superior quality of the jumping equipments allows you to enjoy a safe thrill.
Graskop Gorge, South Africa – 197 ft/262 ft (60 m/80 m)
As a potential bungee jumping site, Graskop Gorge offers you a peerless freefall from a height of 18-19 stories of Foefie slide. As you leap off, the cord will take you across the entire width of the gorge in a single sweep. Catch the spectacular beauty of the Graskop Falls as you trail across in the super-fast zipline like a bird.
Pont de Ponsonnas, France – 338 ft (103 m)
If you deem suspension bridges as the most exciting bungee jumping spots, this is something you can positively rave about. The old dilapidated Pont de Ponsonnas Bridge has been now replaced by concrete-built arch Ponsonnas Bridge to give you an even safer bungee jumping experience.
Ledge Urban Bungee, Queenstown NZ – 154 ft ( 47m )
Queenstown offers a perfect combination of wild adventures and serene beauty. The Ledge Urban site is known for its unique runaway jumping style whereby you can catch a glimpse of the nighttime beauty of Queenstown. The bungee harness helps you to adopt any posture during the free fall and enjoy a maddening rush of adrenaline.
Perrine Bridge, USA – 486 ft (148 m)
You do not need a permit for year round bungee jumping from this bridge connecting the Twin Falls area to the Jerome County. You can find several BASE jumping compeers to share the excitement.
The Last Resort, Nepal – 525 ft (160 m)
It gives you a scope to look and jump off from the longest Nepalese suspension bridge across one of the scariest tropical gorges, with the Bhote Kosi River rumbling below. You can remain in air for a long time during your free fall amid the charming valley sights.
Niouc, Switzerland – 623 ft (190 m)
Niouc holds the record for the highest bungee jumping spot in Europe. Discover the wild side of Switzerland as you go for an entire array of holiday activities, with bungee jumping topping the list.
Longqing Gorge Bungee, China – 164 ft ( 50m )
With its green mountains, caves and clear water, Longqing Gorge of northeast Yanqing County is an amazing natural spot for trekking and cruising. However, nothing matches up to bungee jumping. Just gear up some courage and take the plunge. Let your friends capture your action in a camera that you can treasure for a lifetime.
Victoria Falls Bridge, Zambia – 500 ft (152 m)
The Victoria Falls Bridge over Zambezi River connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia is reckoned a perfect spot by bungee jumpers to get a close brush of the spraying falls. Once you jump off, the fall may seem to rush up to you at a maddening pace but you can trust the ankle and body harnesses for their full-proof security.
Wow – sure is quite a list and if you have skalped all of these death deying adrenaline rushes we send you a big shout of respect – must be some kind of world record!
The leading boats in the 2008 Vendee Globe are now passing to the south of New Zealand and heading out into the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
The next land to be seen will no doubt be the sothern tip of South America where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet at Cape Horn which has a fearsome reputation.
And there is still about 12,000 miles to race so there is plenty of time – another 30 to 40 days at sea – for events to unfold. Heading toward the New Zealand gate Michel Desjoyeaux in Foncia has a 60 mile lead over Roland Jourdain in Veolia Environment with Sebastian Josse – BT – a further 100 miles (approximately) behind Veolia Environment and Jean le Cam in VM Materiaux in fourth place.
Of the 30 boats that started the race 12 have now had to retire leaving only eighteen still in the race. For those that don’t know the Vendee Globe is a solo trans global race for open 60s – and what is an open 60? Read on:
Open 60s are one of the fastest boats in sailing — built in carbon fibre using the latest hi-tech structures, they are designed to be as light as possible (for speed) but strong enough to withstand the worst the seas can throw at them.
They are designed from the outset to be sailed by just one person. There are very few comforts aboard, and the skipper will spend most of the time in the ‘crash’ seats in a cuddy that separates the open cockpit and deck from the navigation work station. This is the nerve system, packed with electronics and computer equipment to help navigate, check performance, and communicate.
The boat has a number of different sails to suit various conditions — not as many sails as a boat designed to be sailed by a 12 strong crew, but enough to keep the solo skipper working hard all the time matching sailplan to wind and sea conditions. There are three types of sails — a mainsail, headsails on furlers (rolled up around the stays) and a spinnaker — although alone, the spinnaker is only used in very stable conditions (to be caught in a squall with this huge balloon of sail could mean disaster — end of race).
The boats also have to prove their ability to turn themselves the right way up if they become knocked down or turn upside down. This is part of the latest IMOCA safety rules which require the boat to right without the assistance of waves by the skipper taking some action to turn the boat over.
The video below from yachtpals will give you an idea of what can be expected in the southern oceans – kind of tough.
LA Galaxy and England soccer star David Beckham was dunked in the water when he took a bungee jump off Auckland’s harbour bridge in New Zealand. Becks so enjoyed the jump that he completed the 134 foot plunge twice.
Beckham and his LA Galaxy teamates are in New Zealand on a promotional tour and took some time out for a little leap into the unknown – it was the first time Beckham has tried bungee jumping. Meanwhile his wife Victoria was apparently making an even bigger splash of her own – whilst on a shopping spree in New York!
Thanks to Simon Runting for the photos.
A head for heights: David Beckham doesn’t appear nervous as he gets harnessed up ahead of his jump
Splashdown: Beckham is propelled head-first into the water
Drenched but unbowed: Beckham is hoisted skywards after his soaking
First things first – today is Thanksgiving day in the United States of America so happy Thanksgiving Day to all our US readers – it is a time to give thanks for the harvest, and in general, although this year many Americans will wonder what they should be thankful for. It is also celebrated in Canada, but rather than the 4th Thursday of November the Canadians give thanks on the 2nd Monday of October. And let us not forget the Grenadans, whose Thanksgiving Day is on the 25th October, when they celebrate the removal from office and execution of their Prime Minister Maurice Bishop! Oh well – it takes all sorts, something we should never forget.
And now we turn to Australia – I don’t know about you but its darn cold in the south of France at the moment – snow is forecast – and so we thought it would be good to cheer us up by finding some sunshine – down under here we go, beam me up Scotty!
This sounds fun – have you ever heard of a Tiger Moth? No…..well its an aeroplane – a biplane to be more precise, designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for the Royal Air Force in the 1930s and primarily used as an aircraft for training pilots. It can cruise at about 100mph and is a two seater with an open cockpit – over 8,800 were built and it has been used by airforces in the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, India, Persia, Iraq, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Poland, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Spain, Spanish State, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and Uruguay – they got around a bit as they say.
Well nowadays they are primarily used as air ambulances, aerial advertising, crop dusting, glider tugs and for recreational and aerobatic use. Finally we get there…… for it is this last purpose that would be a lot of fun, kind of extreme, a very nice birthday present perhaps and if you find yourself in Melborne, in the state of Victoria, in southern Australia you have a great opportunity to fly around the city for 30 minutes and even do some gentle loops, rolls and spins – the cost $275 – and I presume thats Aussie dollars.
If you want to find out more go to the companies website which is www.godo.ninemsn.com.au and check it out and watch the video below from schlutorflyer – it makes you want to reach for your goggles, feel the air rush past in the open cockpit, just imagine you are Ralph Fiennes or the beautiful Kristin Scott Thomas – yes this is the plane they used in The English Patient, an extreme classic – have a great Thanksgiving Day wherever you are.
Have you heard of Southern Traverse Ltd?
If you are into extreme sports possibly, if you’re into adventure sports racing probably, but if not then Southern Traverse is a premier international Sport Event Management company which operates and manages elite events around the world including the Adventure Racing World Championship, the AR World Series and New Zealand’s iconic adventure race, the Macpac Southern Traverse – these are all extreme races which will test the skills of the competitors to the very limit.
This weekend (14th – 16th November) two extreme challenges will be held in New Zealand: The Macpac 24 Hours Of Southern Traverse and the 8-hour Adventure Challenge. The Macpac 24 will incorporate run/trekking, kayaking and mountain biking and the area of Lake Wakatipu and the Glenorchy region will be the backdrop for this challenging race.
Glenorchy is an area of spectacular scenery at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand’s South Island. It is only about 45kms from Queenstown. It is famed for its many ‘tramping’ tracks. The local scenery received worldwide attention when it was used as one of the settings for the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’.
Director of Southern Traverse, Geoff Hunt, says that, as is traditional with their courses, no-one will know the route until the midnight start on Friday, “but I can promise competitors some very different terrain and they will be going places they haven’t been before. The overriding thing they will remember about the course is the bush. all the treks are centred round bush rather than open tussock land but there is some spectacular scenery on the way,” he added.
Hunt expects the fastest teams to cross the finish in 14 hours and the slowest in around 20.
The competition is open to teams of two or four persons. The two person catagory can be a mixed team, or single sex. The 4 person team MUST have at least one woman, and each team must have a support crew. It is recommended that team members have first aid certificates and that competitors must know how to swim and have a Grade 2 kayak certificate… The race will cover approximately 150 kilometres and will continue day and night.
A new fun 8 hour race for first timers, individuals and teams, (women and men), will be run on the Saturday 15 November, in conjunction with the Macpac 24hrs of Southern Traverse. This is a new challenge and is an attempt to persuade athletes who traditionally compete in shorter events to test themselves on a longer course. As Hunt says, “the eight hour challenge is also part of our bid to expand adventure sport racing. It is really an off-road Peak to Peak and makes the event more accessible to a wider group of people. We expect it will grow in popularity particularly amongst multi-sporters and triathletes because of the soft introduction it offers to the disciplines of adventure racing.”
Entries for the 8 Hour Challenge will be accepted on Friday 14th November at Queenstown Event Center between 6 – 8 o’clock… so get your running shoes on if you’re interested! The entry to the Macpac 24 is already closed. Prize giving will be on Sunday, 16th November.
Extreme Sports 