This week our post comes from our managing director : Yaz, who chooses to celebrate the end of 2011 with a rundown of some of the crazy ways people have decided to see in the new year.
Yaz’s Post
We all know the time of year, good food, good drink, good company (although you can’t choose your family, someone once said to me – luckily ours are great and late nights drinking and chatting were a regular pastime of the festive season – sorry I digress).
Anyway we have looked at some crazy people who instead of counting down the 10 seconds, with such accuracy there are hundreds of uniquely timed new years celebrations, each with the same result of kissing, cuddling, singing (pretty badly) and cheering, have done the more alternatives.
1. Well Tina Turner in 88 decided wading out into sea at night was the way forward but the freezing ocean on the south coast would not have been anywhere as glamourous…
2. In Barcelona in Spain they thought a 10k run would be a great way of warming up for the nights celebrations…….
Thanks to runningcrazyltd for that.
Red Bull however win the biscuit for extreme following these two link will show you a record breaker and some of the craziest jumps you may have seen in the whole of 2011 but surely for all of 2012 so far….
Have a great year everyone and send us anything Superfun if you think others would enjoy it too!!!!
In keeping with the festive spirit, for our top 5 this week we were challenged to bring you a post with a Christmassy connection. Now, if you read last weeks blog you will have seen a feature about the Liverpool Santa Dash (where over 8000 people dressed up as santa), this got us wondering, and we decided what we would do is bring you images and videos of the top 5 extreme and adrenalin sport santas. These are all individuals and groups of men and women who have gone beyond the call of duty to celebrate Christmas whilst undertaking their favourite sport or activity and we salute them.
5. Santa goes Paintballing
The most common santa meets adrenalin activity we could find was paintballing. We found lots of images and some videos, of both men and women dressed as jolly St Nick whilst pelting those around them with paint, but our favourite santa comes from the Hampden Paintball Park in Maine, who created a fun scenario for their players which involved protecting santa from some rebelling elves. You can find out more with the video below
Video uploaded by SocialPaintballer
The video itself is 20 minutes long, but read the description or watch the opening for the gist of the game. Full marks for creativity!
4. Santa Snowboarding
Another of the common sports to take part in wearing a santa costume. It makes a lot of sense after all snow, winter and christmas are all interlinked. Still we were impressed by the short video below. This santa has some skill!
Thanks to MattDesmond for uploading this
3. Santa on a Zip Wire
This fantastic video to promote the Catalina Island Zip Wire shows santa travelling at speeds so fast, it literally causes his beard hair to fall out! Catalina Island, which is just off the West Coast off the U.S.A near L.A, offers a 1,100 feet long zip, and this short holiday film makes our top 3 not just because of the santa costume but also the breathtaking scenery.
Video uploaded by Santacatalinaisland
2. Santa Go-Karting
Not his usual choice of transport, but this video shows that santa does in fact know how to control a kart, albeit at quite low speeds. Filmed at Redline Indoor Karting in Caernarfon in Wales.
Video uploaded by TheHumph1977
1. Santa Skydiving
Following on from our last top 5 which you can find here, this video shows a number of santas skydiving, and still managing to keep their costumes which is quite impressive. In fairness this was close to making the skydiving list, but here it is our number 1. You can enjoy the video below
Thanks to MrtheNRJ for the upload
If you think we missed any, please feel free to leave us a comment with a link to pictures and video below.
That is all from us until 2012. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at Super Fun Days Out.
Remember if you want to write for us, you can submit your own blog post at www.superfundaysout.com/submit-a-blog-post . We would love to hear from you, particularly if you attend any of the events we posted last year!
Christmas is once again just around the corner and whether you have been counting down the days by eating poor quality chocolate, or by gradually reducing the size of the list of presents still to be bought, the simple fact is, Christmas is now just a few weeks away.
And for those of you still in denial, see below.
Each year, we like to embrace the festive spirit by providing you with a seasonally themed blog. This year we thought we would investigate the different Christmas themed sporting events that are happening around the country. Unfortunately, despite being Christmas themed it seems that most of them occurred either last weekend or late in November, but we thought we would provide you with a guide to them anyway.
Remember this blog for 2012, when all these events will roll round again!
Here are our top 3 favourite Christmas themed events.
Mince Pie Eating Contest (Big Eat) - Wookey Hole: Somerset
When: 2011 : 22 November. 2012: TBA
The Annual Wookey Hole Big Eat challenges competitors to eat as many mince pies as possible. Each competitor is provided with a jig of water and a pile of delicious mince pies ( as you can see in the image ) The challenge is then to eat as many as possible in 10 minutes, with the individual who can eat the most walking away with a cash prize of £1000.
The event which started back in 2006, attracts competitors from all over the globe, and in fact the first competition was one by an American woman by the name of Sonya Thomas who managed an incredible 46 mince pies, a very impressive 5 a minute!
The mince pies themselves are cooked by a local bakery, and are also suitable for vegetarians. Spectators are also welcome to the event, which is presided over by a compere to provide extra entertainment. Spectators also get free entry to the caves along with free tickets to the big eat, so it can great for a fantastic fun day out. This years event was won jointly by two men, Michael Doggrell and Lee Palmer, both of whom managed 19 pies apiece. who both netted £500 each for their trouble.
If you think this is something you would like to have a go at, and scoff at the thought of a mere 19 mince pies, then keep an eye on the wookey hole website, for information on how you can get involved with the Big Eat in 2012.
Liverpool Santa Dash – Liverpool
When: 2011: 4th December 2012 : TBA
Usually taking place on the first or second weekend in December the Santa Dash is a 5k fun run with a difference, which hopefully you have already guessed. Dressed in Red and Blue (I’ll explain that later) Santa outfits competitors race through the streets of Liverpool City Centre, with finishers getting a santa themed medal as a reward.
The run which commences at Pier Head on Canada Boulevard, was narrowly beaten by Las Vegas for the first time this year in the race for the title of the largest santa run in the world, but still managed to attract over 7,500 competitors. Many competitors use the run as a means to raise money for charity, and this year for the first time, the organisers linked up with JustGiving, to allow users a quick and easy way to raise money for their chosen charity.
This year the race also presented a rather odd scene, (odder than usual) as many Santa’s were dressed in blue, rather than red. The reason for this it was revealed was down to footballing allegiances, with Everton football club themselves, actually providing blue coloured suits for their fans who took part. You can see a fantastic video that shows this below:
Video posted by JMU Journalism:
I have to admit my favourite bit is the santas standing around portaloos, it just makes a strange scene even more surreal!
If the Liverpool Santa Dash sounds of interest to you, get yourself over to the Official Website run by RunLiverpool for all the information you will need. Entries for 2012 have not opened yet, but your keep on their site for the latest information. All competitors are issued with a santa suit, whether you are a Liverpool or Everton fan!
Christmas Pudding Race – Covent Garden – London
When: 2011: 3rd December . 2012: TBA
Combining the traditional christmas dessert and an Its A Knockout style assault course , this fun filled day involves competitors racing through an obstacle course, whilst balancing their Christmas pud safely on a cardboard plate. The duration of the event is around 3 hours in all, including qualifying heats to determine the top racers.
The race which has been taking place since 1980, was thought up by the Cancer Research Aid Committee, and has been a huge success ever since, raising around £15,000 a year for the charity.
Entry is not cheap with each team expected to raise a minimum of £600 per team (with 6 on each team) and a fee of £25 per competitor, but it does go to a good cause and you can guaranteed a great laugh on the day. Spectators are also welcome, and due to the location, many take a break from their christmas shopping to watch the event unfold.
Fancy dress is encouraged with all the usual Christmas themed costumes, including Santa’s, Reindeer and even one year a patomine horse! Competitors are also penalised for any damage to their puds during the race and the winner is the fastest team to complete the course, whilst keeping their pudding intact.
Another race has also now been started in Brighton which uses a similar format. To find out more about either race and to look into entering next year, visit their official website.
If you more information about events for the holidays, why not see our blog last year about what you can do on Boxing Day. (although the Malden Mud Race has now been moved to April 29th 2012.)
Here at Super Fun Days Out we keep our eyes and ears open for the most extreme experiences available, not just in the U.K but around the world. You may have caught a recent video from BBC”s click which explored the most realistic flying simulations available, which revealed to us a rather unique combat experience, which we thought we would investigate further (If you are interested in seeing the click presenters try this activity you will need to skip the video to around about 5:40)
The line between video games and reality is certainly blurring, but if microsoft flight simulator and the Ace Combat Series, just don’t quite seem real enough for you, then maybe you should get yourself over to the U.S.A for an experience that will trump anything Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo have to offer!
What is involved?
Based in sunny California, Air Combat USA has been running since 1988 and offers individuals and groups the chance to take part in simulated dogfights across the skies. The unusual thing about this simulation, is that you actually fly real planes, under the guidance of trained experienced pilots, with only the combat itself actually being simulated. Offered to individuals and groups (corporate / stags) alike, a variety of different combat experiences are available ranging from a length of around 2 hours to a full day’s combat flying. We have to say this is one of the most expensive stag or corporate activity ideas we have ever come across, with prices starting at a cool $1,395 per wannabe fighter pilot!
Flying in Italian Marchetti planes, the aim is to land a hit on your opponent, who will also be a amateur like yourself. Whilst flying the plane and trying to avoid the attentions of your opponent, you have to get the targeted centred over their plane, at which point, fire! The planes use oboard cameras and a state of the art tracking system to really make you feel like you are involved in a real battle, the use of smoke machines attached to the tails of each plane, also adds to the feeling of immersion. With each pilot getting a minimum of 5-6 dogfights you have plenty of time to perfect your technique and ensure you come out on top.
If you want to get a better idea of what is involved, you can see a video of someone undertaking the experience below.
video from kelvinc34:
If you want to find out more about this amazing experience, please take a look at the Air Combat USA Website. Alternatively, if you want to try your hand at flying a plane, why not take a look at our map to see where you can try flying in the U.K.
This week our blog comes from a guest writer in the form our manging director, Yaz. Yaz following the theme of crazy sports looked into the activity of wife carrying. You can find his take below.
Yaz’s Post
Now stop me if you have heard of this sport….Wife Carrying!!!!
First started in Finland, the sport where men carry women over a demanding course has since spread around the world. The objective is for the male to carry the female through an obstacle course in the fastest time although, not in the most glam of positions and I imagine to the detriment of the backs of both teammates. Major competitions are reported to be held in Sonkajarvi, Finland, Monona, Wisconsin and in Marquette, Michigan.
When I mentioned it to my wife, the suggestion was that my incapability of running without twisting my ankles on my own was a concern. This is a fair comment considering some of the courses demand running through muddy water (a key concern of someone who likes to see his feet making contact with the ground). Imagine if you will a fall in the position pictured below and the impact on my beautiful wife’s face and my pride concurrently could push someone’s relationship over the edge! Good luck to any that try but I am sure a superfun weekend would be had by almost all participants! I can assure you all (and my wife) here is one thing I will not be trying!
If you are looking for a more unusual and challenging sporting experience this weekend, why not check out the real ale wobble. This post will tell you all you need to know about this event, as well as where to go and how to take part.
What does it involve?
Arguably the muddiest pub crawl in Britain and certainly one of the most challenging, the real ale wobble involves competitors cycling through the Cambrian Mountains in Wales. Cycling on courses especially designed by mountain bikers, offering hills, narrow paths, arduous challenging climbs, forests and even a small stream to navigate, this is not for the faint hearted. The twist, if you had not guessed already, was that instead of water at 2 checkpoints (3 for those braving the longer course) you get a choice of locally brewed real ale. There are three different routes for bikers of different levels, with a reasonable length and challenging 15 mile course, and also a 25 and 35 mile route for those who want to test their biking and drinking skills to the limit.
Overall it makes for a great day out, particularly if you are a fan of real ale, and there is the chance to enjoy live music and stronger ale in the evening after the cycling itself.
The wobble, was the brainchild of Gordon Green (the same man behind the bog snorkelling championships, which is also held in Llanwrtyd) and forms part of the Mid Wales Beer Festivals, one of the longest beer festivals in Britain. If mountain biking is not for you, there is also a Real Ale Ramble, which takes place next week.
How do I get involved?
To join the Real Ale Wobble you will first need register. Registration points are open from 7-9pm tonight, and 7-9am on both Saturday and Sunday morning. Alternatively you can register online. (details provided below) The cost for entrants is £16 for 1 day, or £22 for both Saturday and Sunday. There is also a surcharge for of £4 for registering on the day.
The actual event itself begins at 10 a.m on both Saturday and Sunday, with a briefing provided beforehand. Its not a race and you can go entirely at your own pace.
It goes without saying that it helps to have some mountain biking ability, as well a bike which can handle off-road and varied conditions. (although you can hire a bike) Similarly it makes sense to wear sensible clothing for cycling, which you also don’t mind getting muddy and many competitors do in fact bring a change of clothing with them on the wobble, having said that competitors in the past have sometimes turned up in costume, although this is not advised, this is after all a 15 / 25 / 35 mile cycle across mountains. Helmets are of course compulsory.
If you do go along, we would love to hear of your experience, so email us at sfdoteam@superfundaysout.com to submit your article and to win 2 tickets to the U.K’s longest zip wire.
You cannot open a newspaper nowadays without noticing further portents of doom and gloom: prices rising, world governments in crisis, and a downturn which shows no sign of ending. We are all having to cut back on luxuries and watch what we spend, but that does not mean you cannot have a great stag weekend, a last night of freedom to remember. This post will suggest a few ways to bring the costs down, but still ensure you give your mate the best send off possible, before the big day. Here are our five top tips.
1. Drop the two nighter down to one – It is pretty traditional that a weekend away involves you arriving on Friday night and departing sometime on Sunday, but for a stag weekend it is not always necessary. Travel to your destination on Saturday morning, do the activities in the afternoon, and still have plenty of time for boozing, clubbing and partying on the Saturday night. This not only reduces the accommodation cost, but also the cost of 2 nights out when really quite often 1 will suffice. After all, when you have an action packed day full of activities planned on the Saturday, the last thing you want to be is hungover.
2. Think outside the box when it comes to activities – Of the traditional stag weekend activities of quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, karting and paintballing, it is only the latter that really works for a stag on a budget. Activities account for most of your money spent, so why not consider some different activities to make the money go further, and the day last longer. Prices obviously vary from place to place, but why not consider activities such as raft building, blindfold 4×4 driving or canoeing. All are great activities to share in, and you certainly get your moneys worth.
3. Leave the city behind and head for the hills – This option is certainly not for everyone, but why not consider having your stag weekend out in the country. Locations such as the lake district, the welsh borders and devon, offer great alternative destinations. Here you can stay keep the accommodation and activity cost down, and still have a great weekend. Sure, they may not be able to offer a host of strip clubs, casinoes and nighclubs, but you guarantee they have a great local, where you can spend the night with your mates, and isn’t good company ultimately what it is all about? See below for some of the amazing deals you can get if you consider a weekend out in the country.
4. Get as many as your mates along as you can – Again, this is not something every stag will want to do, but from a purely cost basis, the more you have, the cheaper things are likely to get. Hotels and activity providers alike are more likely to offer a discount if there are a lot of you, and in some cases will give you exclusive use of their facilities. It is no surprise the more money you bring them, the more they want to keep you happy, so bring a load of your mates, and you are sure to reap the benefits.
5. Get us to help you – Super Fun offers a completely bespoke stag weekend service. What this means is: you tell us exactly what you want, and we do the rest. We have years of experience in dealing with providers and hotels across the U.K, and will find you the best deal for your budget. We also handle all the preparations so all you need to do is turn up on the day. We can also advise on all the above, to find the right solution for you and your group.
5a. Book an existing package with Super Fun Stag Weekends
Below are just some of the stag weekend packages we can offer for under £100 per person. For more information, click the links.
Ben’s Outdoor Stag Weekend – Half a day Paintballing (200 paints), Half a day Canoeing and a nights accommodation in Shropshire. Just £70 per person
Charlies Target Shooting Package – Rifle Shooting, Archery and Clay Pigeon Shooting, and a night in the lake district. £80 per person
Daniel’s Torquay Stag Weekend – Pick 2 from: Coasteering, Abseiling, Caving, Rock Climbing, Canoeing, Gorge Walking and more. With 1 nights bed and breakfast accommodation in centre of Torquay, this comes in at £80 per person
Kyle’s Wet Birmingham Weekend - Windsurfing and Kayaking, as well as a night in the centre or Birmingham for £85 per person
So there you go, our guide to a cheap but memorable stag weekend.
At Super Fun Limited we regularly check our sources of search traffic. In the last few weeks we have noticed a massive marked increase in the number of people looking for “Hope Howell Skydiving” . As a source for places to skydive in the U.K, we are naturally showing up in the search results.
For those of you who do not know, Hope Howell was made infamous by this stunt (Please note clicking this link will take you to an external site), which also lost her and her fellow skydiver, their jobs. Now while we do not condone this unusual method of joining the mile high club, it got us thinking and we set out to find videos of the crazy things people do whilst skydiving. Here is a run-down of our top 5, complete with videos. Some, really do have to be seen, to be believed.
5. Skydiving with An Inflatable Shark
Okay, this is just a bit of harmless fun, but who thought up the idea in the first place? Certainly a lot less dangerous than skydiving with a real shark, why not consider bringing a huge inflatable on your next skydive!
Video from Joust75:
4. Skydiving in a 100 person formation
This is just awesome. This video which shows 100 skydivers in a canopy formation broke the world record back in 2007. For anyone who has been skydiving, you can understand how difficult and dangerous this was to pull off.
Video from Zmusico
3. Skydiving in a kayak
Kayaking and Skydiving, not two sports you would usually associate together. But apparently Kayaking and Skydiving (sometimes referred to as skyaking) is more popular than you might think. This video, which shows the skyaking champion Miles Daisher performing tricks blew us away and shows the potential for more extreme videos in the future. Certainly less dangerous than our number 1!
Video from MilesD101
2. Skydiving and Ironing
Our first (and last) U.K entry here from the crazy sport of extreme ironing. Requiring two mad participants this video shows a guy trying to get creases out of his shirt at 30,000 feet. We understand it is a long way down, and there is not a lot to do up there, but this video is only just pipped at the post, as one of the craziest things to do whilst skydiving. We do have to give these guys a lot of credit though for a very inventive approach to one of the most boring of chores.
Video from infiniteskydiving
1. Skydiving in a Car (Yes, a Car!)
What can be said about this last video, which is without question our number 1 craziest thing to do whilst skydiving, and definitely something you should not try at home. The participants seem relaxed enough as they plummet towards the ground. You almost have to doubt the validity of such a stunt, but here it is for your viewing pleasure. As we said at the beginning, it has to be seen, to be believed, and even then you have to ask yourself, “Did they really do that?”
Video from Rufasalooney
So there we have it our top 5 crazy things you can do whilst skydiving. If you think you have found something crazier or would like to share your views on any of our top 5 please feel free to leave us a comment below.
Also we have now got a blogger account, if you prefer to read and follow us there. The posts will be identical, so you will not miss out on any content if you do prefer to visit us at blogger. You can find us at http://adrenabloguk.blogspot.com/
Super Fun is delighted to announce that after spending several months in development their new website Super Fun Stag Weekends is now live and can be found at www.superfunstagweekends.com. This post will take you briefly through the new features of this exciting new website.
The new site will replace the stag weekend pages on Super Fun Days Out, providing instead a purpose designed platform for potential stags to find their perfect stag weekend in a simple and easy way. Filled with information on potential activities, locations and evening entertainment, the new site is the only necessary stop for adrenalin seeking stags.
In addition we have also included a list of packages that we have designed for previous stags who have come via Super Fun. These packages were all purposely designed for the group in question, but we have posted them up as we realise that what may suit one stag group, may also appeal to another, all be it with a few changes. We have therefore provided you a really easy way of enquiring about previous packages, with the chance to tell us exactly what you want to change, to ensure that our weekends are right for you and your mates.
Our new pages on activities, have drawn from our expert knowledge in running Super Fun Days Out, and will allow you to get to grips with the basics of each activity, as well its suitability for your stag weekend. If at any point you like what you see, you can add it to your enquiry form with a simple click of the add to form button.
The pages on evening entertainment, are there to give you a few ideas on what you could do. Of course there is always the traditional chance to get wasted at pubs and clubs, but we have also provided a few alternative ideas such as a visit to a casino or theatre.
Finally, the new location pages, will provide you all the information you will need about our top 20 Stag Weekend locations, including cities such as London, Birmingham and Bournemouth, as well as Country Locations if you are after a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If none of these suit your requirements, don’t worry, we are happy to build a stag weekend anywhere in the U.K, whether it be Penzance or Aberdeen!
Once you have got the information you need, your next step is our enquiry form. This has been designed to ensure a quick and simple enquiry process, which should take you no more than a few minutes. Fill in the boxes and click submit, its that easy!
So there you go, your quick guide to Super Fun Stag Weekends. With websites for both hens and corporate entertainment also in the pipeline, this is an exciting time for the Super Fun family.
The Drambuie Pursuit is an adventure-race of a lifetime, following the trail of Bonnie Prince Charlie across the Scottish Highlands during his exile from the British throne. Over three days the teams will travel from the Isle of Skye to Inverness competing in various adrenaline fuelled events. From archery to kayaking, rock-climbing to rage buggies, white-water rafting to the final city run, there truly is something for everyone.
And attempting to make it into the top 6 teams to gain entry to the 2011 race are a team from the University of Winchester Department of Sports Studies: The Win Team. The team consists of physiologists Helen Ryan & James Wright, and coach development specialist Richard Cheetham. Having competed in previous adventure challenges, it is The Win Team’s aim to try and ‘nail’ the Drambuie Pursuit working alongside one of their students. They are holding a competition for one of their students to ‘win’ their place on The Win Team, and experience the highs and lows as part of a team – a truly unforgettable challenge and experience for all.
But in order to ensure they gain entry to the Drambuie Pursuit they need your vote. They are currently involved in the official voting process run by the Pursuit website, and need to finish in the top 6 teams by 16th March to guarantee their place in the race. Currently sitting 7th, every vote counts! And the very top team at the end of the Pursuit voting process wins £2500 for their charity. In keeping with the Winchester theme The Win Team’s charity, Winchester-based Naomi House, provides support to children and young adults, with life-limiting conditions, and their families from across the Central South. Even if they don’t finish top, but still gain their place in the race, they plan to fund-raise so they can still contribute to their amazing cause.
To give you an idea of just why The Win Team should make it into the race watch their video:
It has been a busy few months for all of us here at Super Fun Days Out. But now, a little behind schedule we have got together and picked our competition winners, all of whom will receive 2 Free Arrive and Drive Passes to Daytona venues of their choice.
We received some fantastic photos and competition was fierce. It was a really challenge to pick out the best photo and our favourite entries will appear in our Super Fun Days Out gallery as well as in a special gallery on the facebook. So without futher ado, here are the top three entries.
In 3rd Place – Lorraine Gaw, Grimsby.
We loved this action shot from Lorraine, of a kart at full speed. She wins 2 Arrive and Drive passes to Daytona Milton Keynes. Congratulations!
2nd Place – Rose Pearson, Cornwall
A brilliant action shot which really fits with the fun days out vibe. Well done to Rose who wins two Daytona Arrive and Drive passes.
1st Place – Rob Morris, Somerset
We simply loved this shot of Rob in a Kayak, surrounded by white water on all sides. A brilliant photo encapsulating the extreme elements of the sport. Congratulations to Rob who wins Arrive and Drive Daytona passes!
Thank you for all entries. We will be announcing a series of smaller competitions sooner with zip wire, arrive and drive passes and more prizes up for grabs. Keep an eye out at www.facebook.com/sfdoz or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/sfdo for the latest offers and info.
We can try denying it, or we can celebrate it, but Christmas is now only a week away. The streets are teeming with people looking for last minute gifts and bargains and it seems we may even welcome in a white Christmas this year. Remember if you are looking for last minute gifts without the hassle of the high street check out our Super Fun Days Out vouchers, which you can receive by email right up until Christmas Eve!
Boxing day! The food has been eaten, the relatives have left and the presents have been opened. In our family, this is the time for the annual visit to Watford Football Club, as we take in one of the matches from the full program of nationwide football matches available. For many others, boxing day signals the start of the sales and a chance to spend some of their Christmas money. But if you are one of those individuals who struggles for ideas or just want something different to do this year, check out our alternate ways to spend boxing day below!
Albert Dock Boxing Day Dip!
Where: Albert Dock, Liverpool
Many of us will enjoy a nice lie in on boxing day and perhaps deal with eating the leftovers from the day before. But in Liverpool, every year hundreds of swimmers take part in the annual boxing day swim. A £5 entry fee will gain you the chance to join in with this unusual ritual as well as a hot drink and some soup. All proceeds also go to charity, so it is for a great cause.
You can also swim on Christmas Day in Jersey, Brighton and Exmouth, and on Boxing Day at Sunderland, Carmathenshire . On New Years, a nice cool swim is the perfect hangover cure in the Isle of Man and Edinburgh!
The Matlock Raft Race is a 4 mile race down the river Derwent, beginning at Cawdor Quarry and ending at Cromford Meadows, passing through the town of Matlock. The aim is to build a riverworthy structure which will transport the participants safely and quickly down the river to the finishing line. The entries are separated into the racing rafts, with a chance of winning, and the comedy entries, whose sole aim is to complete the course in the most ridiculous structure and costumes they can imagine. Fun for spectators and entrants alike, the race provides an excellent day out, including river obstacles, combat between entrants and even a 30 foot drop! All proceeds from entrants go to the Royal Lifeboat Foundation.
Mud and Racing is quite a common and popular combination for wacky sports. The Maldon mud race is a wonderful event both to take part in and to spectate on. Attracting over 250 entrants, entry is unfortunately now closed, but with spectators sometimes totalling 10,000 and the addition of duck and balloon races, there really is something for everyone. The distance of 400m may not sound very far, but includes the estuary at low tide and imagine being at the back after over 100 people having already passed across the mud. The event is enhanced by live commentary provided by Ray Clarke, of BBC Essex and a mystery celebrity also takes place.
If you want to find out more, have a look at the official site
That is all from us until 2011. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at Super Fun Days Out.
Remember if you want to write for us, you can submit your own blog post at www.superfundaysout.com/submit-a-blog-post . We would love to hear from you, particularly if you attend any of the above events!
This week our article is provided by guest blogger and Super Fun Day Out fan, Anastasia Hadjivasiliou. She wins two tickets to the longest Zip Wire in the U.K. If you want to write for us check out our blog submission page. Remember, all blogs which are in fitting with Super Fun Days Out will be published, and all published bloggers win Zip Wire tickets. So get writing!
Anastasia’s Experience
In the past I have undertaken the sport of banana boating, which for those of you that don’t know involves sitting on a massive floating plastic banana shaped object in the sea which usually sits around eight to ten people and is pulled along by a high speed boat. The aim of the experience is to stay on for as long as you can whilst the person driving the boat tries his upmost to throw you all off. This may involve sudden stops or random changes in the direction you are going in. The ride eventually finishes when everyone has been thrown off into the sea and left to splash around and watch as the others fall one by one.
The whole experience was mainly on impulse as it was done when we had relatives visiting us in Cyprus and they were keen to participate in the experience that they had done in the past. As they advised us it is usually better to have less people on the banana to ensure it bounces on the waves as much as possible whilst at the same time having the heaviest member of the party sitting at the back to make sure you don’t overturn as easily. (in this case my brother!)
The highlight of the experience is definitely being catapulted into the deep blue sea which luckily for us was quite hot in the summer. Another couple of words of advice is that wearing googles is not the best of ideas as you end up not seeing much either due to them steaming up or due to the water spraying from the boat ahead obscuring your vision. Also be warned that once you fall off you are expected to be able to climb back on which sounds easier than it seems, given the banana boat is very wet and slippery, leading to you needing strong upper muscle power to use the ropes you hang on to during the ride as a way back on.
If I was given the chance I would gladly jump on the opportunity to take part in this activity again although preferably in a group of people I know as it is not for the faint hearted and I would need someone to pull me back on like last time.
I unfortunately have no pictures of myself taking part in this activity, so the image above is from the place I did it, and the video should give you a good idea of what it involves. Thanks to Fhelmortho for posting this!
At the Super Fun Days Out base in Hampshire we are still covered in a blanket of snow. If like us you have made the most of this, you have probably built a snowman, sledded down a nearby hill and thrown snowballs at your closest mates. For those of us in the U.K, the snow day is a magical thing, a rare opportunity to take advantage of piles of white stuff.
But in colder countries that get snow more regularly and routinely a snowball fighting is organised and competitive. Began in Japan, Yukigassen roughly translates as “snow battle.” Started in 1989, in Sobetsu, Hokkaido – Japan, Yukigassen regularly attracts up to 150 teams, and over 28,000 spectators. The sport is so popular that there are now tournaments in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Canada and the USA and more surprisingly, Australia.
What does it involve?
Two teams of 7 compete with a last one standing way of determining the winner. Unlike dodgeball, each competitor must be hit 3 times (women-5 times) to be eliminated. Each team is provided with 90 snowballs each. As you will see from the video below, competitors regularly wear team costumes, with teams of mafia, pirates and samurai common! The snow itself is pre prepared so as to provide the ultimate snow balls for fighting. In the words of the official website, the “snowballs….. are made with a specifically designed octopus dumpling-style snowball maker.” Barriers are provided for competitors to hide behind, but various strategies are employed with the aim of victory. Note the under-arm lob technique in the video below
How do I get involved?
Tournaments in Europe vary from year to year. But if you want to be at the place where it all began. The 23rd annual Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen Festival will be on the 26th and 27th February 2011! If you want to hold your own competition or just find out more about this wonderful sport visit the official site.
Check out the video below, for a typical Yukigassen contest!
Activity vouchers are a brilliant gift for all occasions and allow you to gift someone an experience they will never forget. Our vouchers are redeemable on all products and packages listed on the site, and with our low prices, you are sure to get more for your money.
How do I buy?
Buying a Super Fun Days Out voucher is easy. Simply email sfdoteam@superfundaysout.com or call 07535839265 to pre-order yours today.
Please specify your name, a contact email address and phone number, as well as the amount for the voucher you wish to purchase. We will then be in contact within 48 hours to confirm the details.
The Perfect Christmas Gift..
Unlike many of our competitors at Super Fun Days Out, you do not have to buy a specific experience, but a doorway to many. A Super Fun Days Out voucher gives you access to over 50 different activity options nationwide, including karting, paintball, tank driving, helicopter rides, stag weekends, hen weekends and much much more. There really is something for everyone.
You can purchase vouchers for £15 (see above), £30, £50, £75, £100 and £150. All Vouchers can be sent by email or for the small added cost of £2 be mailed in a Christmas Card, to an address of your choice
We are currently developing pay on site technology, but don’t want you to miss out on the chance to get your vouchers now! All payments can be handled through paypal, so rest assured your money is safe with us.
There will not be the scheduled celebrity blog entry today as we are all hard at work finalising and testing the new version of Super Fun Days Out, which we will launch later this weekend.
Instead there will be a special post on Tuesday which will take you through the new features and provide you the perfect guide to the new Super Fun Days Out site which will give you more chances to get involved and share your favourite stories with friends.
Also dont forget to keep your photos coming in. We have had some excellent entries so far but there are loads of great prizes to be won as well as chance for your photo to become part of our exciting new voucher scheme.
Have a great weekend, and if you are at a loss for what to do, check out our A-Z for loads of great activities you can get involved with!
Go-Karting, Karting and SpeedKarts are all different ways of naming the activity of racing around a small tracks on small karts at various speeds (aptly named, as almost anyone can go!).
Karts vary widely in speed with some reaching speeds in excess of 160 miles per hour while most go-karts intended for the general public in amusement parks may be limited to speeds of no more than 15 miles per hour which actually does feel plenty fast enough given the small track and up to 12 other drivers on the circuit. A KF1 kart, with a 125 cc engine and an overall weight including the driver of 150 kilograms has a top speed of 85 miles per hour (137 km/h). It takes a little more than 3 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph with a 125 cc shifter kart (6 gears), with a top speed of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h) on long circuits.
I have been karting loads of times on peoples birthdays or stag do’s but the thrill for most is the race itself, the banter with your friends and the fact that someone will always get what they describe as the ‘dud’ kart. Now if others have information on whether this myth is indeed a myth or if dud can exist, then please feel free to comment. My take on this, is that they are making excuses for poor driving or a lack of skills, however, weight must surely effect it – which may have been my excuse once or twice before :-). Although, watching this clip of Lewis Hamilton shows that he had quality from day one, yet part of the clip did show a ‘dud’ with Hamilton walking behind it and therefore started the final from the back of the grid – fascinating!
Anyone interested in getting involved in the sport as Lewis Hamilton did should get involved at a circuit near them
Many of us like the occasional swim, but would balk at the thought of swimming in the sea once it starts to turn colder. Imagine instead, submerging yourself in water at sub zero temperatures and competing against other individuals. Welcome to the world of Winter Swimming. We asked Jack Bright, a leading winter swimmer in the Czech Republic to provide us a small insight:
Jack: Winter swimming isn’t only crazy people taking a short dip at Christmas time. It is an exciting,exhilarating and extreme sport and provided you follow a few guidelines almost any healthy person can participate. You see once you have acclimatised and can understand not only your own body but the power of nature a little more, it really is all down to the personal psyche of the individual. When you know what it feels like to swim in near freezing water there is a certain amount of will required to get into the water each time, particularly when also facing sub zero air temperatures.
Luckily here in the Czech Republic winter swimming is highly organised, with weekly races and an ongoing cup competition that starts in October and finshes in April. The complicated yet excellent rules are the foundation for the tremendous organisation of the sport.
Take a look at my website www.extremewinterswimming.com there is an excellent article that talks about tried and tested ways of starting with this sport.
The main things to remember are respect your own body as well as nature, take things step by step and finally less is better rather than trying to take on too much at once.
Winter Swimming is a tough and challenging sport and it is important that if you want to try it you understand the risks and the training necessary. Keep an eye out in the future for an exclusive article on body conditioning and the requirements if you want to give winter swimming a go.
Jack has also produced an excellent promotional trailer for the sport which you can find here:
It has so far been an exciting year for us. We have developed the site from its humble roots as an online directory, to offer you the chance to book activities directly with a host of different providers across the U.K. We are proud to be able to add to this every week offering the chance to book activities ranging from gorge scrambling to paintball at the prices offered by the providers themselves.
In addition we now have the facilities and ability to offer bespoke activity packages, whether they are for stag groups, hen groups, corporations or simply groups of friends. This has been an exciting development for us and it has delighted us to be able to provide you with action packed packages.
You will also notice a host of changes across the site in the coming weeks, including an improved search function, better social media integration and the chance for you to become more involved and to tell us your stories. But enough about that, on to the competition!
The Competition
At the start of 2011 we will be launching our new Super Fun Days Out vouchers, redeemable on any booked activity or package on the site. The voucher will include three separate extreme sport pictures and this is where you come in. We want your photos!
Photos must be representative of a Super Fun Day Out! To get you started, below are some possible ideas:
A picture of you or a friend trying an extreme sport for the first time
An action shot – perhaps a kart at full speed or a skydiver in freefall!
An artistic shot of your favourite activity or even its equipment!
Anything fun relating to any of the 80 activities on the site
The only rule is that all photos must have been taken by the submitter and they must have the right to distribute the photo. Any entrant breaking these rules will be disqualified. We will also disqualify photos which we feel are unsuitable for publication on our site. Please do bear in mind that your photo will appear on a voucher used by people of all ages and this will influence our decision!
The best 3 entries will be used on our vouchers throughout 2011 as well as winning 2 Arrive and Drive Adult Karting Passes each, redeemable at 7 of the U.K’s top racing venues. (Kent, Manchester, Sandown, Milton Keynes, Letchworth, Birmingham and Reading)
7 Lucky runners up will win 2 tickets to the jumps on U.K’s longest zipwire in Cornwall.
All photos which will adhere to the rules will appear in our final competition gallery on both the facebook page and the site.
To submit your photos, simply email them to sfdoteam@superfundaysout.com along with your name, email address, home address and a contact telephone number. Please also indicate your preferred location for the arrive and drive passes.
The Closing Date is Friday 17th December, so get snapping!
Over the past year and a half Adrenablog has brought you the stories that matter to you, more than a few laughs and information about sports you may not have ever heard of in the past. This has been in no small part due to the commitment and imagination of Bex Lewis, who has maintained a steady stream of excellent stories and information which has kept you informed. Bex is now unfortunately leaving Super Fun Day Out to pursue other projects and we would like to wish her all the best in the future. Bex will continue to follow the company and occasionally provide us with stories of her extreme exploits and you can be sure to see at least a few blogs with Bex’s stamp on over the coming months.
So what now for Adrenablog? Well put simply we are all going to pitch in to ensure that Adrenablog maintains the high standard produced in the past. Expect to see blogs and updates from Yaz El Hakim, Dominic Northcott and myself, Anthony March. I will be the one in control of deciding which stories to bring you and for producing most of the entries.
The new Adrenablog will also be structured, giving you, the reader more time to read the posts that interest you. Beginning in November we will bring you a feature article each Saturday morning, with a different topic for each weekend in the month. We will continue to bring you shorter posts on any current developments or if we come across something we feel you just have to see, but our main focus will be on the Saturday morning article. To explain in a little more detail:
First Saturday of the month: Wacky Sports – There are some crazy sports out there which people compete in. Among our favourites we have brought you in the past are cheese rolling, underwater hockey and this unnamed insane activity. Check out this post for more ridiculous and wonderful sports and activities from around the world.
Second Saturday of the month: What is.. Sport Focus: This feature will look at a particular sport and what is involved and needed. You can request the sports you wish to see reviewed and provide your own experiences which we will post up.
Third Saturday of the month: Events Feature: In this article we will bring you the latest information on an upcoming event. From wife-carrying races to the highland games, this will tell you how to get involved or where to just go along and watch!
Last Saturday of the month: Celebrity Feature: Interviews with Extreme Sport Stars and Famous enthusiasts. Check here for our latest exclusives from around the globe.
In addition to these entries I am delighted to announce we will soon be launching the first Big Super Fun Days Out competition. The details are currently being kept under wrap and will be explained in a special post early next week. We have multiple prizes to be won and we are really excited in anticipation of your entries.
I would also like to point you back to My Extreme Dream, My First Go.. and Extreme Enthusiast. We have always been keen to hear from you about your experiences and stories and what you feel embodies Super Fun Days Out. We will soon provide you with a simple means by which to submit your blog posts but for now if you are interested, email your ideas to anthony@superfundaysout.com. We will publish every blog post which we feel is in keeping with the Adrenablog philosophy and as an extra incentive and reward, all successful bloggers will receive two tickets to jump on the U.K’s longest zipwire at Adrenalin Quarry.
Phew, that was a long post. And now I shall end it with a super squirrel, courtesy of the BBC and Storyteller Media.
Water and myself are two words, that not often get put together, not because I do not like the water, but because I am more of a land person myself. Give me a snow covered piste and I would be there with no hesitation. So when in Cuba for my honeymoon, I thought I would try something new. I went swimming with the fish. My first experience of snorkelling was in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, not a bad first place to try this snorkelling out.
First thing was a 2 hour journey to get the lagoon where we would be snorkelling; a nice 6:45 start time on my honeymoon not what I had expected. Once there we were suited and booted into our equipment and given a 10 minute tutorial and then that was it, slowly submerge myself into the Caribbean Sea. Thankfully the water was lovely and warm so no major shock to the system, and I could just concentrate on trying to breathe with my face in the water.
The view of the sea bed was something I will never forget, the clear blue water and the colours of all the fish swimming around you were so picturesque and bright it was like watch Finding Nemo in the flesh. I also managed to swim along with a smallish barracuda for at least 3 seconds, but then it was gone.
Snorkelling may not be at the top of peoples most adrenaline filled activities, but if you want to see some amazing scenery and some strange looking fish, then it just maybe a day out for you. Certainly one I will never forget.
In 1954, “Underwater Hockey” was created with the name ‘Octopush’ by British SCUBA divers looking to stay in shape during the winter months. The puck is named the “squid”, and is pushed around by 2 x 6-player teams (no goalie), who have a “pusher” (1 foot stick), fins, mask, snorkel & a protective glove… it must slide along the bottom of the pool or be subject to a foul. Players have to judge when to bob up and down to the bottom of the pool, how to make best use of their breathing, so unlike many sports, smaller players tend to have an advantage.
“X in the City is still on but we have moved to a new date of Easter 2011
Since the launch of X in the City at the start of the year, the event has grown in complexity and scope, growing from 15 to 31 participating sport…s and from 6,000 m² to 17,000m² to become the largest participation action sports event in the world.
We have created something very special and we are determined to do it justice. We feel that in order to deliver the level of visitor experience required the best course of action is to move the dates.
With the increased size and numbers of the competitions and the increasing size and complexity of the key activity structures such as the Wake Park, Ski Slope and Free Running course, we are creating some unique content, and we want to make sure we get it exactly right.
Additionally as the show profile has increased, we have been presented with a number of other attractions and sports for inclusion in the event and we want to find a way to include them. As a consequence we would rather re-schedule so that we can make the event even better.
All tickets for the event will be refunded and to say thanks for the support, all those people who booked will get complimentary entry to X in the City next April. The refund process will be handled by our Box Office Partner The Ticket Factory. We will close the Box Office temporarily while we do this.
We will have some exciting news to tell you about the new developments in a couple of weeks so watch for updates.”
Check out the website for up to date information, check out the Ski & Snowboard Show happening the same weekend – check out the comments in X in the City, as the Ski & Snowboard Show are giving away 100 tickets!
I recently thought ‘why not try my hand at Coasteering’. In my younger years, at Praa Sands in Cornwall we called it cliff jumping and it was just very exciting at that age. No thoughts of slipping, pain or death, but years on I had a very different experience and in some ways, way better. As Adrenalin Quarry were one of our founding companies on the website (and have just started doing coasteering in the quarry) I thought why not. So after getting kitted up in a wetsuit and life jacket, we were shown the correct technique and safety signals. Then our group (approx 15) spent 2.5 hours doing jumps of increasing heights and varying situations, until we reached the the highest of about 12 jumps ranging from 8 feet all the way up to 45 feet (my wife was pleased to hear the tallest jump was called the ‘widow maker’ – see the jump below) ;-). I must say it feels mighty high when you are up there and the climb is pretty challenging too, but the rush just before and immediately after is superb – such a high, you just want to do it again! Anyhoo off to bedfordshire so hope you all like the post and thanks again to all at AQ, you were wicked hosts and it was great to visit you all again a year on.
Adios, Yaz (ps although this clearly isn’t my footage, I used it so you can see the height – imagine the quarryface soaking wet from driving rain! No waterproof camcorder yet…. watch this space!)
“A winter series of public lectures in Bristol the theme of which is world-wide adventure. The lecturers for this series are well known explorers, mountaineers, travel writers, TV personalities, adventure sports personalities or anyone who has an epic story to tell and can enthral our audience with a rattling good yarn. The talks are invariably illustrated with slides and/or film.”
Next Speaker: Tomorrow: 6th October: Tori James and Maria Leijerstam
“In 2005, The Pink Lady PoleCats became the first ever all-female team to complete The Polar Challenge, a gruelling 360 mile race to the Magnetic North Pole. Two years later, at the age of 25, one of their members, Tori James, became the first ever Welsh woman to climb Mount Everest. The BBC documentary ‘On Top of the World’ was produced using the video footage which she shot whilst climbing the mountain. Maria Leijerstam is a British adventure racer and the first Welsh woman to have completed the Marathon Des Sables, a 151 mile foot race across the Sahara desert in temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius. In May 2010 Maria launched Multisport Wales. Tori and Maria are two of the founders of Cardiff Explorers which is featured on our blog.”
Need more information?
Read more and book tickets on the ‘Wilderness Lectures‘ blog, I think I need to go to one one day!!
Email John Freeman to enter the race in Winchester (Hampshire, UK) this Sunday (26th September). I would tell you more, but the site appears to have fallen over, hopefully it’ll come back up soon and you’ll be able to read all about Dragon Boat Racing.
Take some (fake?) snow, some ramps, some projection materials, some skiers and a lot of creativity… plus one or two other ingredients… and see what you get! Brilliant!
We’d love to hear about your plans to partake in a particular (or several ) extreme/adrenalin sports, to inspire the many readers of our blog… if you’d like to blog about your journey towards your dream, we’d love to hear from you too. Please feel free to answer those questions that interest you, leave others, or add other information in as you see fit, this is just to start you thinking!
What sport would you really love to have a go at? Why? To faces fears? Just for fun?
Do you realistically expect to undertake this sport in your lifetime? Where? With Who? When?
Would you tell us afterwards what it was like when you achieved it?
Please email responses (and preferably a web-friendly photo of you) to bex@superfundaysout.com
We’d love to hear about your experiences in partaking in a particular (or several ) extreme/adrenalin sports to share with the thousands of readers on our blog. Please feel free to answer those questions that interest you, leave others, or add other information in as you see fit, this is just to start you thinking!
What sport is it that you love? How long have you been doing this sport? How did you first get into it?
Can you remember your first go at the sport? Was it scary or fun? What made you continue?
Describe your best day with this sport.
What kind of people would you recommend to try the sport? Are there celebrities associated with the sport?
Where do you consider the best place in the UK to practice this sport? What about in the world?
Please email responses (and a photo of you undertaking the sport would be awesome) to bex@superfundaysout.com
We’d love to hear about your experiences (recent or otherwise) as you remember them, of when you first undertook a particular (or several ) extreme/adrenalin sports, to share the stories with other readers of this blog (of which there are several thousand). Please feel free to answer those questions that interest you, leave others, or add other information in as you see fit, this is just to start you thinking!
What extreme/adrenalin sport have you just had your first go at?
Why did you decide to try this sport – long term dream or impulse?
Where did you undertake this sport, and who were you with?
What was the highlight of the experience (feel free to let us know the worst bit as well)?
Will you have another go?
Would you recommend it to others?
Please email responses (and photo of you undertaking the sport would be awesome too) to bex@superfundaysout.com
I surf because…. A great series of videos with the team riders for Billabong… and a competition in which you can win great surf experiences, awesome prizes, awesome videos… what more needs to be said!
“Extreme sports competitor Travis Pastrana became the fastest person to reach the summit of Mt. Washington on Wednesday, racing up the auto road in just 6 minutes, 20.47 seconds. Pastrana averaged 72 miles per hour on the 7.6-mile road in a special Subaru Impreza rally car.
The Mt. Washington auto road climbs 4,618 feet with an average gradient of 11.6 percent.”
“And then he began to enumerate the various sections and sub-sections of fools who were by degrees extinguishing themselves out of the universe. There were…the people who made parachute descents, who performed with wild beasts, who dived from bridges and the like.” William Black, 1894
It’s about as extreme as sport can get: in late 2010, Austrian BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner will don a space suit, ascend 120,000 feet under a giant helium balloon, and then jump out. Call it a “space jump”—extreme sports enthusiasts, aerospace engineers, and his sponsor Red Bull® are all excited to see if he’ll survive it.
Not that he’s the first to try. Baumgartner is following in the footsteps of American Joseph Kittinger, who did the same thing in 1960, jumping from 102,800 feet. (Kittinger’s a consultant on the project today.) And believe it or not, the first parachute jump from a balloon was in 1785.
Most extreme sports are older than they might seem. The blog post goes on to highlight four extreme sports (marathon running, skydiving, base jumping, and climbing Mount Everest), complete with their earliest attempts, first known successes, and the odds you’ll be killed attempting it.
If you’re travelling abroad to undertake your adrenalin sports, why not consider whether you can partake in “Stuff YourRucksack“, taking pens, maps, clothes – whatever is needed to the area that you’re going to. A resource designed by travellers for travellers…
“Stuff Your Rucksack is a brilliantly simple and clever idea giving adventurous travellers an opportunity to make a genuinely positive contribution to local communities.”
Extreme Sports Trader market themselves as “an online marketplace for anyone who is already slave to the adrenaline rush or who wants to experience it for the first time.
We aim to increase the profile and popularity of such sports by opening them up to anyone and everyone who wants to have a go. Our goal is to make extreme sports equipment affordable, accessible and easy to trade. We know there is a wealth of great gear out there waiting to be used and we believe it needs to be shared in our extreme sports community. So dig out that snowboard, dust off that BMX, inflate that kite and let the world ride.”
Heather Williams clearly is keen on her adrenalin-powered sports, which fill in some nice spaces in the video (which are otherwise a rather underdressed woman mis-miming!). These include dirt-biking, scuba diving, drag-racing, performance cars and karting! Nice, and beautifully shot!
Free video provided by Greg Lawrence of www.LakeLessons.com (Texas): “Wakeboarding requires knowledge and understanding of the board edges, proper body positioning and feet angles. Learn to wakeboard with tips from a water skiing instructor in this free video on water sports.
Icelandair are promoting Iceland as a destination for extreme sports… looks pretty good to me! Options include White Water Rafting, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, Off Roading in a 4×4, glacier hiking or Snowmobiling. If you’re planning to stay in the UK, check out the options for good deals for extreme sports in the UK!
The numbers partaking in extreme sports are growing rapidly, and media coverage is also growing accordingly.
“What are the reasons for this escalating extreme lifestyle? Are our lifestyles becoming increasingly regulated and stifling and people need to break free from that or is it just that these extreme activities are simply becoming more accessible to ordinary people?. These adrenalin-fuelled activities seem to offer a respite from officialdom, an escape from reality and a level of achievement and self-actualisation that outstrips that of more conventional pursuits.”
“But what makes someone jump out of an aeroplane or flatten the accelerator? Many men and women who engage in extreme or alternative sports maintain that it’s not about the sport, but that it’s about pushing the boundaries and overcoming their own limitations.”
“John Wooden who said : “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do’.”
Read the full story, and check out some options you can do in the UK, including a custom-built day for you and your friends!
Take one crane, some kind of board, a parachute, and someone slightly mad, and you get the above!! Want to find something a little closer to home, and maybe a little less dangerous: check out SFDO’s UK activities.
“Pump up the adrenaline by taking to the air, climbing a mountain, hurtling down one on a bike, or kayaking through turquoise waters in Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. The variety of this area’s active sports is second to none. For vacationers who want to do more than lie by a pool or prop up a bar, this is the essential information
Careening down a winding mountain road in a dolmuş taxi is enough adventure for some visitors to southern Turkey. For others, nothing beats flying down the same road on a mountain bike.”
Sports include:
Paragliding
Microlighting
Sea Kayaking
Mountain Biking
Wind & Kite Surfing
Read full story. Fancy something closer to home: check out the activities that SFDO has to offer.
A Hungarian Catholic priest who spreads God’s word from a skateboard has become an internet sensation
“A video of the Reverend Zoltan Lendvai, 45, in action has attracted almost 170,000 hits on YouTube.
The video, Funny Priest Skateboarding, shows Rev Lendvai, clad in full clerical garb, displaying his moves.
It is not clear whether the reverend has mastered the nose-grind or the kick-flip, but his skills have helped attract young people to his church.
Rev Lendvai, whose first board bore the papal coat of arms, believes skateboarding can pave the way to God for young people.
He says his distinctive method of spreading the word on wheels is inspired by Saint John Bosco. The 19th century Italian priest and teacher dedicated his life to improving the lot of poor young people, using games as part of their education.”
“I wouldn’t consider myself an adrenalin-junky, perhaps just a moderate enthusiast of fun and excitement. While I often prefer to lie on a beach with a good book or explore a museum to learn about the cultural heritage or history of where I am visiting, from time to time I just need to let loose and have some crazy, unpredictable fun.”
“Every adrenalin junky’s needs are covered, whether you choose to go cage diving with great white sharks, try to spot the big five (elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros, and lions) while on safari at Kruger National Park, or watch the Vodacom Stormers partake in a serious contact sport, competing in the South African rugby union’s Super 14.”
Read full story by Candice Malcolm, who chose to skydive from 4000 metres, and outlines the emotions she went through in the experience. If you fancy trying skydiving in the UK, SFDO has over 50 options to choose from (and see photos from Bex’s experience in New Zealand).
