12. Gender Equalization: Kiteboarding started out as a male dominated sport as so many other extreme sports have in the past. Until the advent of the Bow/SLE kites kiting was generally difficult to master. Recent kites and lesson techniques have made the kiting less muscle and more finesse. From my observations, women are not only taking more lessons but are also making there presence known on the water.

11. Kiteboarding Families: Father and son, husband and wife; brothers,sisters, mom’s and dad’s all taking lessons together, traveling together and moreover riding together. Simular to going on a snowboard or ski vacation, more families are making their plans around the windy spots.

10. Kite Kiddies: As with families, dad wants to see junior riding. As teaching techniques improve, more and more kids are making and appearance in the water. Safety, always a number one concern, kids equipment will be modified for their smaller frames.

9. Safety: Safety is the ever evolving process that keeps the sport more user friendly. Better quick releases, universal color coding, and kite depower modifications are leading the way to a safer operation.

8. Cost: The reality is, kites are cheap. Most manufactured in Asia, for pennies on the dollar. Kites are getting cheaper to manufacture, and that cost savings will be passed on the consumer. On the other hand, in the next couple of years there are going to be the release of the first super high-end kite. Made from super materials.

7. Materials: There will always be ripstop nylon. But, kites may follow the trends of sailboat and windsurfer sails. Mylar, cubin, aramid for the sails, and better spectra and dyneema for the lines. Board construction, runs the gamut from pvc all the way to snowboard style sandwich construction. On the other hand, few companies have jumped aboard the green wave that is beginning to take root in the surfing industry. Bamboo and hemp on one end and all recycled materials rounding it out.

6. Progression: In the past couple of years, a new generation of tricks have found there way to water. Gone are the days, of one footers and dead man’s. Sliders, mega moves and multiple tricks are becoming common place due to combination of snowboard and wakeboarding. Surf style continues to gain ground and more spots are being kitesurfed.

5. Kiteboarding Space: On one hand, more and more kitespots are in jeopardy due to litigation, user competition and environmental impact. Yet, many more spots open up each year. Similarly, kiters are welcomed as an economic boost to many communities. In the future, some areas will be closed, while a new trend of more kiteboarding parks will arise (Real Kiteboarding)You’ll pay for full amenities, patrol, lessons, exclusive features (sliders, kickers, etc.)Also, destination kiteboarding spots, like Tavarua in the surf world, are ready to be found. Luxury meets isolation.

4. Micro Forecasting; This the trend that most interests me. Anyone can open a computer, go to ten thousand different forecasts, weather reports, and make a decent prediction. My trend is a live daily report right from the beach. With, new cell technology, I am going to do a daily report telling you first hand how it is. If you browse kitebeach cam like I do, you’ll notice 90% of the action isn’t focused on the beach or the water…it’s following people on the beach…creepy!

3. The Great Divide: This trend follows many different directions. Boots to wakestyle, strapless to strapped, twin-tip to mutant. Each of these are getting farther apart with more “specialists”. Yet, the generalist seems to have the most fun when they can do them all.

2. Mass Media: Kiteboarding is going to be in the X-games or some other extreme sports event soon. Kiteboarding is very spectator friendly and is a couple years away from being a media darling.

1. Olympics: Kiteboard racing will be in the 2016 Olympics! Most likely as a trial sport, there is a great chance this will come true. It is slowly gaining recognition from the sailing community and the rest of the world.

Maui Kitebeach Report

Monday, December 7, 2009

12 Future Trends in Kiteboarding

To say who actually invented the sport of snowboarding would be impossible because people have always loved to slide down a snow-covered hill. Soaring through the snow on some kind of seat or board is nothing new. The ways to enjoy the snow are numerous, and people have devised ways to turn garbage can lids and cardboard into “snow boards” to enjoy an afternoon frolic outdoors. The various ways to glide through snow have become more sophisticated and have evolved into using polished boards or skis in much the same manner as a surfboarder would ride a wave.

There have been many attempts at developing a modern snowboard. In 1965, the “Snurfer” (a word play on ‘snow’ and ‘surfer’) was developed as a child’s toy. Two skis were bound together and a rope was placed at the front end to afford control and stability. Over 500,000 “Snurfers” were sold in 1966 but they were never seen as more than a child’s plaything even though organized competitions began to take place. The year 1969 brought a slightly more sophisticated snowboard based on the principles of skiing combined with surfboard styling.

The “Flying Yellow Banana” was developed in 1977. This was nothing more than a plastic shell covered with a top surface like that of a skateboard, but at the time it was considered a major advance in the little known sport of snowboarding. The first national snowboard race was held in the area outside Woodstock and was known as “The Suicide Six.” The race consisted of a steep downhill run called The Face in which the main goal was probably mere survival.

Snowboarding continued to increase in popularity over the next several years. In 1985 the first magazine dedicated specifically to snowboarding hit the news stands with huge success and furthered the popularity of this exciting sport. Hoards of fans began to organize regional events and pretty soon snowboarding events were held in all parts of the world. In the year 1994 snowboarding was finally declared an Olympic event, much to the delight of fans. The not-so-new sport of snowboarding was finally recognized and meant a huge victory for serious snowboarders across the globe.

A collection of snowboarding tricks and stunts was released on video in 1996. Filmed in Alaska, the breathtaking beauty and captivating snowboarding techniques featured in the video exposed snowboarding to a new generation, and by 1998 snowboarding constituted almost 50% of all winter activity. Today, nearly all ski resorts accept snowboarders. There are still a few holding on to the past but this is unlikely to continue as the number of snowboarders continually increases.

From the first crudely built snowboards to the advanced and specialized models available today, snowboarders have carried a “bad boy” image. This rebel reputation is still common today in spite of the fact that snowboarding appeals to men, women, and children of all nationalities and social groups. At most major ski resorts you can find snowboarding gear, information, and lessons. Olympic and world wide snowboarding events are among the most popular of winter sports and the competition to be the best is fierce.

Retailers nation wide and around the world carry many types of snowboards, and the choice in specially made snowboarding gear is immense. Snowboarders have participated in the X Games and even charity events such as Boarding for Breast Cancer. From its early meager beginnings snowboarding has progressed into a fully recognized sport, and large numbers of people are turning to snowboarding for adventure, fun, and professional recognition.

You may not have heard of Roxy snowboards unless you’re a girl. And that is pretty rare among snowboard companies. You see, Roxy is a snowboard line dedicated entirely to the ladies. While every company out there makes boards for women, they don’t dedicate an entire brand line to it. Rome, Burton, K2, all these big companies offer women’s boards. Roxy sets itself apart by offering nothing else. But does this rare specialization mean a legit go-to company for girls or is it just an overpriced gimmick trying to pull in buyers with cutesy graphics?

In order to figure that out, you’ll have to delve into the history of Roxy a little. As a fashion line from Quiksilver, Roxy has definitely made its name in sports apparel. Two years after its launch, Roxy started making gear for snow sports. In 2003, they started putting out snowboards, all very similarly styled to their clothing line. It was a surprise for many people in the industry to see a company devote itself entirely to one gender, but their style and manufacturing credits, more on that in a bit, earned them enough buyers to keep going. Now, they have become entrenched in the marketplace and offer a full line from entry boards to boards pros would shred on.

But first, back to that manufacturing thing. Roxy isn’t a cheap brand churned out by the warehouse-load. They are made by Mervin Manufacturing, the same guys who give us some of the incredible technology behind hyper-popular boards like the Lib Tech Banana and top-end GNU boards. And the Roxy snowboard is getting the full treatment with all the Magne Traction technology that other boards produced by Mervin are getting. Of course, Mervin Manufacturing is doing this because they are owned by Quiksilver, a deal made back in the 90’s.

It doesn’t hurt Roxy that their pro riders aren’t too shabby either. Torah Bright is the premier name you might recognize. Her new Bright Series is just one of the lines that Roxy is expanding into. Alongside Torah are riders Sarah Burke, a two times X-Games Gold Medalist and Kjersti Buaas, an Olympic snowboarder. These girls have shredded parks and pipes that would have most guys shaking in their snowboarding boots. Whether or not you still doubt if Roxy is legit, you can’t argue that the girls who ride them certainly are. And it is always vital to a company to have great riders, because the feedback they provide can help the company really take it to the next level.

But the bottom line with snowboards, any company or line, is that it is the rider who determines whether or not the board is any good. You can make the argument that almost any snowboard company is good so long as they make boards that fit their niche. Roxy’s niche is the lady boarder looking for a quality board, maybe one with some appealing graphics. If you like the look, you have to ride one. That’s the only way you can really know if the board works for you. A Roxy snowboard is just like any other snowboard, you can fall off it or you can fall in love with it. Sometimes it’s both.

Skateboarding and the birth of the skateboard have been around since the 1920’s: where it all began. Skateboarding was slow to begin; but, when it did, it spread like wild flowers. Throughout the time span of 1920’s to 2012 the skateboarding industry and has made comebacks. Each time the industry came back, it became more extreme. Now it’s time for the new generation to come in.

The first known skateboard was in the 1920’s. Between the 1920’s and 1930’s created was a three wheeled metal device. By the 1940’s, the first four wheeled aluminum skateboard were made. In the 1950’s skaters were putting the wheels and trucks onto a plank of wood: homemade. In the 1960’s was the introduction of the first manufactured skateboard. Southern California’s surf shop; Val Surf, began making its own complete skateboards: the first known retail shop to sell skateboards. Kids began referring to skating as “sidewalk surfing.” The sidewalk surfing influenced everything from maneuvers and style to fashion and attitude. The era really kicked off. Skateboarding becomes wide spread and very popular: companies struggle to keep up with the demand. Skateboarding magazines were popping up such as: Surf magazine and SKATEBOARDER magazine. During the 60’s the first known organized contest, sponsored by Makaha, was held in Hermosa, California. The first pro model skateboard ever produced (Makaha) was the fibreflex: first laminated board created for skaters. During this time Anaheim, California had the first skateboard shoe factory and the first known Skate Park. There was also a craze in Montreal, Quebec. Even though skateboarding was very popular all over, many people did not like it and was trying to ban it.

When the 1970’s hit, skateboarding had exploded. The first urethane wheels were made exclusively for skateboarding: Cadillac Wheels, by Frank Nasworthy. Two years later, Road Rider skateboard wheels came out with their first skateboarding wheels that used precision bearings; and that was the end of the Cadillac Wheels. The first skateboard trucks we made specifically for skateboarding: Bennett Trucks, by Ron Bennett. Many more skateboard hardware was created: Gull Wing Trucks, Stoker Trucks (for downhill skating), and Tunnel Products. The first safety gear was designed, special for skateboarders. There were also a few skateboard companies that rose: Sims Skateboards and Dogtown Skates. Skateboard teams began to form: Zephyr Skateboard Team – Santa Monica, California, and Associations associated with skateboarding began to form as well: U.S. Skateboard Association (USSA), and World Skateboard Association (WSA). The formation of teams and associations had the idea it would bring skaters together, and they were right. During the 1980’s a few more skateboarding magazines had developed: Thrasher and Trans-World Skateboarding. Even the industry of clothing for skateboarders had emerged: Vision Street Wear. Skateboard tricks had become highly technical and more difficult making it harder for the beginner to do.

At the beginning of 1990; the complete skateboard industry was deeply affected by a world-wide recession. Skaters had rediscovered their roots in street skating and the companies began to re-evaluate the industry. By mid-90’s, skateboarding had re-emerged. This sport began to gain a great deal of exposure at the “Extreme Games” and now known as the X-Games. The old school skaters re-surfaced and skateboarding remains a street-orientated style. 2000 had a lot of impact of media coverage. It has moved for an underground sport to a more mainstream spectator sport. By the year 2004, there has been more than 2000 skate parks built. 2010 had World Speed Records for downhill boarding clocked at speeds up to almost 81 mph compared to the speed of 6.6 mph in the 1920’s. 2011 in Southern California, were skateboarding was born, had banned downhill boarding because of this, it put skateboarding in jeopardy in that area. This sport has not made it into the Olympics as of yet, maybe it will make it in 2016.

The new generations of skateboarders are coming in and times are changing. Skateboarding is still a very strong sport and will only continue to rise. History has shown the ups and downs. Every-time it comes back it is stronger. So, let’s welcome the new generation to this awesome sport. Cheers!

As far as anyone can remember, riding a bicycle has been part of everyone’s childhood. Remember that first time you had a go on one; it felt like a mountain of an achievement. Now that you have the power and the limbs for a more enhanced kind of cycling, that mountain is now actually a part of it. It is an entirely different kind of adventure as you traverse through challenging trails and breeze through sublime and captivating nature preserves. But where did this popular sport come from? Who are the individuals that have attributed to the sport’s popularity? Here are 10 facts to captivate your interest.

1. The history of this extreme sport goes way back to 1970 in California, USA. It was on Mount Tamalpais that made that mark of being the origin of mountain biking. Founding fathers of this sport were considered to be Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, Keith Bontrager, Charlie Cunningham and Tom Ritchie. Using coaster brakes on converted cruisers, the first prototype of mountain bikes were all downhill purposed. Meaning they never rode their bikes uphill, they had to transport them up to the starting point and ride them downhill. These 5 individuals had to improvise a lot, things such as installing balloon tires that could adapt to any road conditions, and repacking improvised coaster brakes with grease because they had the tendency to overheat. Later on these 5 founding fathers further developed the bikes and opened a shop.
2. Bart Jen Brentjens of the Netherlands won the first mountain biking event at the Atlanta Olympics.
3. The different variations of the sport are; cross country, winter downhill, free ride, endurance and extreme. These different disciplines of mountain biking provide a wide variety and possibilities to tailor fit an activity to a riders specific adventure and adrenalin rush requirements.
4. In 1995 downhill was introduced to the first ever Extreme Games.
5. In 1997 during the Winter X-Games, it was also one of the featured extreme sports.
6. Braking in this sport requires the use of your head. No it doesn’t really “use your head” per se. It means that braking is a skill that is developed through the proper knowledge of techniques that are applied to the art of safe stopping, and braking to avoid crashes and other possible risky scenarios.
7. The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). A non-profit organization that was formed in 1988 is an advocate in the enhancement and preservation of trails for bikers all over the world. To date, IMBA is affiliated with associations worldwide with Australia having one of the most memberships. IBMA educates on trail care, trail building and planning. It has been one of the most reliable sources of trail recreation.
8. The World’s Highest Trans Himalayan Mountain Bike Race is held in the Tibetan part of Mount Everest which has an altitude of 17,160ft.
9. The longest mountain bike race in the world was a ride from Canada to Mexico. With 2700 miles over the continental divide in the Rockies.
10. Sam Hill, an Australian professional mountain biker (downhill competition) is the youngest Australian to ever win a world championship title. He won his first championship title at the age of 16 coming third at the Vail World Championships in 2001.

The style and clothing centered around Southern California has changed drastically. From surf to skate and now to motocross and off road; the culture associated with Southern California has changed drastically. The changes not only to the youth but to the mindset of contemporary culture in Southern California. All of this has shaped and developed what the “Bro” culture is. From driving lifted trucks and partying nightly, to getting tattoos and piercings; all of this has shaped the “Bro” culture. Helping to build and develop a clothing niche as well as a lifestyle.

Southern California in itself has always been looked at as both the place to be and the place to spot emerging fashion trends. Southern California’s multiple regions though have each spawned upon themselves different trends and styles. The style which has emerged more predominantly as of recent has been what is known as the “Bro” style. With an emphasis on the flashy life style of Hollywood celebrities while keeping solid the roots of extreme sport enthusiasts. The further up rise of this movement was driven by the resurgence and popularity of punk and rock music. With budding main stream acceptance and driving force behind it such as Travis Barker of Blink 182, whom is the creator of “Bro” brand Famous Stars and Straps, as well as infamous So Cal artists Kotton Mouth Kings of SRH; the culture has grown by leaps and bounds.

With mainstream acceptance by the youth of Southern California, the style quickly began to evolve and grow. Further perpetuating this evolution was the increasing popularity of the X Games and its spotlight on motocross and freestyle motocross. With new brands coming about such as SRH, Famous Stars and Straps, Hart & Huntington, and Metal Mulisha as well as Hustler. The common thread between all these brands are there roots in extreme sports, particularly motor cross and freestyle motorcross. Many of these brands flaunt the extreme life style but also exude a flashy almost gaudy excess. The driving mindset behind this movement was and still is work hard play hard. Many of the pioneers of this clothing movement have come from nothing and built themselves upon hard work. People such as Brian Deegan, who is the head behind Metal Mulisha, or Carey Hart, owner and designer for Hart & Huntington, are the driving force behind some of these brands. Both of these men have come from rough childhoods to build not only careers in extreme sports but also build and develop careers in the clothing industry.

The driving brands which have build this “Bro” style have come from several different corners of California. From down south near San Diego, to Orange County, even to the Inland Empire; there are brands which have shaped this genre. From down toward San Diego brands like SRH Productions and Silver Star have shaped the lifestyle side of this culture. Brands coming out of the Inland Empire like Fatal, Hostility, and more have perpetuated and given forward drive into this culture and its niche. Even looking inward toward Orange County which hosts brands such as Metal Mulisha, Outlaw Threadz, and even Tapout shows how much this culture has taken Southern California by storm. Even other brands such as So Cal, No Fear, Fearless, Skin, and Sullen have made names for themselves in these industries.

With all of this, the culture and life style of what is popular in Southern California has grown and evolved beyond what anyone could have thought of. This is what this culture and lifestyle consists of. Hard driven clothing designed by hard working individuals. These brands represent and show the mentality of those that are part of this culture. Characterized generally by skulls, surreal art, and much edgier graphics; the clothing of this niche usually tends to show the rougher nature of the culture. Fighting and riding, all the way to going to jail – the niche encompasses this and the clothing reflects that. With more and more being represented by different other brands that arise amongst other more established brands.

From barrier breaking auto-racing to the calm and peaceful game of golf, the world of games and sports has always been exciting. While the masses enjoy commonly watched sports such as tennis and soccer, there are many people who are involved in sports that do not have much fan following. Yet, even those sports are enough to fascinate the athletes and audience alike. For instance, kayaking is not a very common sport yet you can find a lot of shops with Kayak accessories and kayak hardware.

There is one kind of sport that is although very popular but only few people are courageous enough to be a part of it as a professional athlete – the extreme sports. The true definition of extreme sports is hard to find, yet it can simply be categorized as a sports or activities that are associated with the adrenaline rush that is felt by the athletes and the audience as well.

Extreme sports are also referred to as action sports or adventure sports because they mostly fulfill the thirst for thrill and adventure. These sports can take participants to the edge of their physical and psychological extreme. Also, these sports involve a very high risk of fatal injury. However, every sport that involves a high risk of injury might not be extreme.

The term extreme sports is said to be coined by the highly publicized TV event, The X games. However, the origin of such games links back to simple games and sports. The extreme enthusiasts usually add new and risky techniques and maneuvers in existing sports to make it more thrilling for them and exciting for the audience.

Skateboarding, which is a common and popular activity around the neighborhoods of America, was taken to extremes by performing extraordinary maneuvers at unimaginable heights and dangerous terrains. Similarly, extreme enthusiasts took the typical bike and BMX ride and turned the activity into extreme sports such as dirt biking and extreme BMX.

The scope of going extreme in a sport is not limited to being land but also in the sky and water. Sky diving, paragliding and bungee jumping are some of the most favorite sports of this kind. Plus, hiking is also taken to the next level by climbing the most impossible places such as glaciers and high mountains.

Water gliding, surfing and paragliding are only few of the sports that take the participants to the extremes of their physical and mental endurance. Other water extreme sports include canoeing and rafting against speedy raging rivers.

As apparent in most sports of this kind, these sports do not need any special ground or conditions. Rather, they are played in a natural environment with virtually no or very less safety gear and equipment. Today, there is a new breed of extreme sports that relies totally on human physical capabilities and the ability to transform the body into an extreme machine. A popular example of these activities is free running in which participants jump and run with nearly super-human skills.

Here’s a simple question that may prove challenging and difficult to actually answer: what is skateboarding? Now, we know what a skateboard is, and what the activity of skateboarding looks like. For those who are unaware, a skateboard is a flat piece of wood with wheels affixed to its bottom and skateboarding is the act of moving by shifting your body on the topside of the skateboard deck. Now, that, of course, is a very rudimentary definition of the entire skateboarding package – but hopefully you’ll at least get the drift of it.

Skateboarding can, in fact, be many different things. It all depends on how and what you intend to actually use your skateboard or longboard for. For many skateboard deck professionals and enthusiasts, the act and the usage of a skateboard can have many different variables to it. Let’s take a look at some of the many different ways in which people use a skateboard:

1. As a mode of transportation: This makes the most amount of sense, as a skateboard is designed to allow people the freedom to move about quickly. Many young people are realizing that skateboarding is a great way to navigate through an urban center without worrying about gas prices, locating places to park and about emitting harmful toxins into the environment. Just as more and more people are cycling to work, many people are also now skateboarding to their workplaces – or to wherever they need to go.

2. Skateboarding as an activity: Some people run, some people swim, some people climb mountains and other people decide and choose to skateboard for fun and recreation. Skateboarding is a great way to get in shape and improve your overall body balance, posture and flexibility. Additionally, skateboarding as an activity is relatively inexpensive to begin when compared to other forms of sports, recreations or hobbies.

3. The skateboard as an art form: If you’ve seen some of the tricks and moves that high-level skateboarders can perform on their decks, then you would definitely agree that skateboarding is an art form. The sheer fluidity of how the board moves to the gravity-defying heights that boarders reach to the flips and turns that they can achieve while in mid-air truly makes skateboarding a form of physical performance art. As well, some of the designs on the skateboards themselves are true visual sights to behold.

4. As a profession: Yes, there are professional skateboarders out there who make their living participating in competitions all over the world. From tricks to jumps to races, more and more athletically inclined people are looking to the skateboard as a way to make money. An established part of the X-Games, skateboarding has taken hold in all corners of the world and people realize that skateboarding is, indeed, a profitable and fun way to earn a living. In fact, one might argue that it’s just a matter of time before skateboarding makes its way into the Olympic Games.

So, the next time that you look at a skateboard, don’t just view it as a piece of wood with wheels attached or affixed to it. Consider all its possible definitions and possibilities, and how people are utilizing the skateboard in their everyday lives – both personally as a source of fun and enjoyment, and professionally as a source of income. Since it’s development in the 1940’s, skateboarding has exploded like few cultural activities either before it or since.

When you’re learning a new trick, it usually takes a while to pull it off. It takes a huge amount of practice, and a lot of failed attempts and bailouts before you ultimately land that great new trick, and begin to do the trick on a regular basis.

When you land a trick for the first time though, the high of adrenaline that you feel is just absolutely phenomenal. I love skateboarding for the adrenaline high. That adrenaline high time while skateboarding is enough to make me want to keep continue to skateboard.

Skateboarding is a very extreme sport and can be very dangerous, and that danger again produces that ultimate adrenaline high for me. Doing the tricks and actually landing them correctly is yet another ultimate adrenaline high I get from skateboarding.

There’s a fantastic feeling that comes with skateboarding, and as you shoot along with the wind rushing through your hair; you pop up into the air, and land back on your skateboard, and the adrenaline rushes right through you. The adrenaline you feel is awesome, and there is no greater feeling in the world than a skateboarding adrenaline rush.

Skateboarding for the adrenaline rush truly is amazing to me. For me mastering a new or complicated trick for the first time is where the best adrenaline rush comes from. It does not matter to me whether I am pulling off a new trick, or rocking out the old ones. If I am skateboarding, the adrenaline will still be pumping through me for minutes after completing or trying to complete a new trick no matter if I land wrong, and for me this is what attracts me to skateboarding.

It takes a lot of time and effort to become a good skateboarder, and to pull off some of the hardest tricks in the sport it still takes years of practice to become a professional skateboarder. Tony Hawk was the biggest influence on me to try skateboarding, ever since the first time I got on deck, the adrenaline was rushing through me and that pushes me to try to become a professional skateboarder. By watching the X-games on ESPN I was instantly hooked on Tony Hawk and since that day I have been trying to become a professional skateboarder myself.

An extreme sport (also known as an action sport) is a general, somewhat hazily-defined term for any of several newer sports involving adrenaline-inducing action. They often feature a combination of speed, height, danger and spectacular stunts. Levels of danger vary widely, but there is always an element – an “extreme” factor – that causes an adrenaline rush which keeps participants loyal to their sport. Some participants termed ‘adrenaline junkies’ develop an obsession with their sport and even claim to be “addicted to adrenaline”. (This is the result of a misnomer, since often the high obtained is a product of increased levels of dopamine endorphins and serotonin).

Extreme sports are most often pursued by young adults who wish to push their own limits of fear and physical ability, and in doing so, also help to push the limits of their sport as a whole. Because of this youthful demographic, extreme sports often attract their own kind of youth culture with associated clothing fashions and music. Indeed, the distinction between an extreme sport and a conventional sport is often as much due to marketing as the level of danger involved or the adrenaline generated. For example, snowboarding has a more extreme image than skiing mainly because it is newer, even though skiing is a faster and at least equally dangerous way of getting down the mountain. Also, only individual sports are generally considered to be extreme, so a sport like Rugby Union, though dangerous and adrenaline-inducing, is disqualified both by its traditional image and because it is a team sport.

The term gained popularity with the advent of the X Games, a made-for-television collection of such events. Advertisers were quick to realise the appeal of the event and competitors and organisers are now flooded with sponsorship. The high profile of extreme sports and the culture surrounding them has also led people to invent jokey parodies, such as Extreme ironing, urban housework, extreme croquet, extreme unicycling, house gymnastics, and extreme wheelbarrow.

Purists often reject the stereotypical “adrenaline junkie” image and enjoy their activities for many diverse reasons. Practitioners might enjoy developing their physical and/or mental skills, seek mastery of inhospitable environments, look to escape from the mundane rigours of day-to-day existence, or simply love the wilderness environment in which many of these sports take place. Bob Drury, a paraglider pilot says:

“We do these things not to escape life, but to prevent life escaping us”.

Or, alternatively, from an anonymous source:

“All who live, die. But not all who die have lived.”

Several extreme sports, including snowboarding, were included in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Some extreme sports have been around for many decades and the proponents span many generations, often including well known personalities. For example rock climbing and ice climbing has spawned such immortal names as Edmund Hillary, Chris Bonington and more recently Joe Simpson. Another example is Surfing, which was originally invented centuries ago by the native inhabitants of Hawaii.