| Extreme sports have traditionally been the | | | | wheelbarrow and the celebrated extreme |
| preserve of only the maddest, baddest and | | | | ironing. Skateboarding and snowboarding, or |
| most dangerous to know, and of course | | | | 'snurfing' as it was originally called, have |
| rebellious teenagers keen to worry their | | | | been popular since their inception in the |
| mums. However, as with any trend worth its | | | | 1950s and 60s, while kite surfing can trace |
| salt, the history and variety of 'extreme' | | | | its origins back to thirteenth-century China |
| activities - also known as action, adventure | | | | when kites were used, just like sails on |
| or dangerous sports - are more interesting | | | | boats, to harness the power of the wind and |
| than many people realise, and there are | | | | allow streamlined, one-man canoes to go much |
| well-established organisations which can help | | | | faster for practical reasons, not just fun! |
| make delving into their adrenaline-pumping | | | | |
| world almost as safe as any other hobby. | | | | With so much choice and interest in these |
| | | | previously niche activities, it's |
| The phrase 'extreme sports' only came into | | | | unsurprising that an industry is springing up |
| use in the 1990s, probably thanks to the | | | | around extreme sports instruction and |
| first television coverage of organised events | | | | adventure holidays, where novices can learn |
| like the X Games. Many enthusiasts actually | | | | the basics of a sport and then let loose |
| dislike the term, arguing that most typical | | | | their adventurous spirits in a supervised |
| activities such as bungee jumping, hang | | | | environment. These experiences could be the |
| gliding and ice climbing are not 'sports' in | | | | ideal gift for the 'person who has |
| the sense of competing against others to win | | | | everything'; don't you know someone who'd |
| something, and the 'extreme' tag just smacks | | | | rather spend their honeymoon in a cage in the |
| of mid-90s advertising hype. | | | | Indian Ocean baiting great white sharks, than |
| | | | admiring their new toaster? Don't we all?! |
| Whatever you prefer to call it, extreme | | | | How about bouncing down a hill in a |
| sports is a loose and ill-defined category | | | | three-metre, transparent PVC ball, with or |
| which can include fairly mainstream pastimes | | | | without the optional water, and other people, |
| like inline skating, BMX biking and | | | | inside it? It's called zorbing, and it's |
| snowboarding, (activities which can all | | | | seriously taking off as the latest way to |
| involve elaborate spins, stunts and tricks) | | | | spend a fun weekend, from New Zealand to |
| as well as more 'out-there' pursuits such as | | | | Bournemouth. |
| BASE jumping, freediving, zorbing, swooping, | | | | |
| kite landboarding, volcano gliding, shark | | | | Bear in mind that some activities should not |
| diving, octopus wrestling, nude parasailing, | | | | be attempted by absolute beginners; the BASE |
| mafioso cuckolding (alright, that one's not | | | | jumping academy will only admit 'students' |
| real). | | | | who have completed 200 skydives, and |
| | | | swooping, or 'extreme skydiving', is similar. |
| Just as some of these fall out of fashion - | | | | As long as you're clued up about such |
| for instance, octopus wrestling is now | | | | regulations, got any necessary equipment, and |
| considered cruel - new sports and clubs are | | | | perhaps made sure your life insurance is up |
| growing up all the time, although several are | | | | to date, though, why not explore a new |
| tongue-in-cheek parodies such as extreme | | | | activity today - the sky really is the limit! |