Ailsa Harvey
Underwater hockey, also referred to as Octopush, is essentially a game of hockey played on the floor of a swimming pool. Two teams go head-to-head to move a move across the bottom of a pool with a hockey stick; the aim being to get the puck in the opposing team’s goal.
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.
Ailsa Harvey
Fleet Racing is the most common form of competitive sailing. This form of racing comes in two formats; one-design racing and handicap racing. One-design races involve boats of the same design while handicap competitions allow for different types of boats in the same race. To ensure the result is fair, the slower boats begin the race before the faster models. Alternatively, the boats are all given a rating and these ratings are used in calculating the final result instead of the time alone.
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.
Ailsa Harvey
Skimboarding is a board sport which involves gliding along the water’s surface while standing on a board. A skimboard is smaller than a surfboard and has no fins.
In skimboarding competitions, competitors ride out towards the breaking waves, and turn to ride the wave back to shore. Wave-riding skimboarders perform a range of different manoeuvres on the water surface and in the air to gain points. In order to ride out to the breaking waves, the rider needs to be travelling with as much speed as possible to continue skimming in the deeper water. To do this they need to run fast on the beach before jumping onto the board.
Ailsa Harvey
You may have encountered water skiing in its recreational form, but have you ever seen a water ski competition?
Water skiing is a surface water sport involving an individual being pulled at high speeds behind a boat, whilst on one or two skis. The skier needs good balance and great upper body strength to stay upright on the water.
Ailsa Harvey
Phoebe Strachan moved from Edinburgh to Thurso with a dream to one day hold the title of ‘Scottish Women’s Surfing Champion’. In April of this year the 22-year-old did exactly that.
After striving for this result for five years and securing the position of runner-up in the previous year, Phoebe’s victory at the Scottish National Surfing Championships definitely qualifies as her proudest moment to date.
“It felt absolutely awesome if a little surreal.” she says. “I had wanted it for so long so I think to finally win it I felt like I had achieved my goal. When I was standing on the podium I was actually just worrying that they would make me do a speech and I really couldn’t think of what I’d say.”
Completely spam free, opt out any time.
This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
© 2024 PACE News
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
