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Tag: extreme sport

British Freediving: Knowing your Limits

Ailsa Harvey

 

For many, breathing is an essential component in their method for remaining calm. But how do you keep composed when deep underwater with no oxygen, for up to seven minutes? How do you push yourself to your limit without going too far?

Freediving is a form of diving without the use of any breathing apparatus. Competitors can specialise in a range of disciplines in both deep diving and pool diving. I caught up with five British freedivers to find out why they chose this underwater sport and learn how they value safety in the sport.

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Down to Earth: Sport of the Day

Ailsa Harvey

 

Falling through the sky from a plane, at an average speed of 120mph, skydiving is unsurprisingly considered an extreme sport. The sport involves freefalling; gradually accelerating to reach terminal velocity. A parachute is deployed when closer to the ground and in cases of World Record attempts this requires great cognitive strength and quick thinking.

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Taking the Leap: Sport of the Day

Ailsa Harvey

 

The extreme sport of BASE jumping derives from skydiving and involves jumping from fixed objects as opposed to jumping from a plane, high in the sky. This element makes the sport even more dangerous as there is less time to complete the jump from the lower altitude.

Participants in this sport leap from their chosen structure, and free-fall to the ground below. They aim to deploy their safety parachute at the last possible moment. With the high risk involved and the small margin for error, it is clear to see how the sport has earned its extreme sport title. B.A.S.E is an acronym, standing for the four categories of fixed objects BASE jumpers can use:

B- Buildings
A- Antennas
S- Spans (bridges)
E- Earth (cliffs)

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Risky Rafting: Sport of the Day

Ailsa Harvey

 

White water rafting is a team sport, involving the navigation of an inflatable raft down the fast, white water of a river. The sport can include risky areas of white water, with different rivers graded with levels of difficulty. Teamwork is essential in balancing and manoeuvring the raft, ensuring the fastest route is taken, and done so safely.

It is an extreme sport when carried out in technical rivers, and mistakes can be fatal. The classes of white water range from the lowest difficulty rating, class 1, with very small rough areas requiring slight manoeuvring to class 6. Class 6 rapids are considered so dangerous that they are ‘not navigable on a reliably safe basis’. Huge waves, large rocks and drops can be expected on these rapids and have proved extremely dangerous in comparison to the lower classes.

 

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Cutting Edge Action: Timbersports World Championships 2018

Matthew Moffatt

 

 This Friday and Saturday (19th-20th October), the Echo Arena in Liverpool will play host to the Stihl Timbersports World Championships. Described as “the most exciting sport you’ve never heard of”, it is the major league of lumberjack sports.

The World Championships are being held here in the UK for the very first time this month. The sport celebrates pioneer skills and has grown in popularity since the official Stihl Timbersports series was launched in 1985. It has a massive global fan-base, who follow the original extreme sport around the world. Their next stop: Liverpool.

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Sport of the Day – Sandboarding

Ailsa Harvey

 
Imagine snowboarding…on sand! Sandboarding is an extreme sport, very similar to snowboarding, minus one component; the snow. The sport involves riding down, or across, sand dunes whilst standing on a board. It is most popular in desert and coastal areas, where beach dunes are found.
 
One of the reasons in which sandboarding is not as popular as snowboarding is due to the difficulty in being able to build a ski lift mechanism in the sand. Therefore, dune riders are required to walk up the dunes or use a dune buggy. However, a relatively small sand mountain called Monte Kaolino in Hirschau, Germany is equipped with a lift (the only sand lift in the world). The mountain reaches up to 120m and has hosted many of the annual Sandboarding World Championships.

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Shannon Scovel- An Ironwoman

Matthew Moffatt

A swim, cycle and marathon run all combined into one event; the ultimate test of endurance and mental strength. With the Ironman World Championships just around the corner, USA athlete Shannon Scovel gave us an exclusive insight into the world of Ironman and discussed her love of the sport and her preparation for the world championships.

The idyllic Hawaiian city of Kailua plays host to the 40th Ironman World Championships this year on the 13th of October. Athletes will swim, cycle and run their way around the picturesque setting facing high temperatures and strong winds. Labelled as ‘the most prestigious endurance race in the world’, Shannon is looking forward to taking part and is excited by “the thrill and honour of representing her country.”

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