Excellent video sent in by Alex Ferrato in Ohio for the blog. He's pioneering a great new extreme sport called free sledding. Find a sled, put in some knees pads and rip it up. Good work fella. Think how Jack Burton started.

This is great. I want to go snowboarding. Right now!

Poor old Paul the octopus. Now Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian leader has got it in for the eight legged football match predictor. The president accused Paul of spreading 'western propaganda and superstition' according to The Daily Telegraph. Paul was unavailable for comment. 

Had loads of interest in this set of photos from Urbexforums after one of their members posted a link in the forum. Check out the gallery by clicking on the picture above.

After having raced to the Magnetic North Pole we put our feet up at the finish and waited for the rest of the teams to arrive. The Isaschen Weather Station was right on our doorstep and was one of the most isolated and desolate places I've ever been to. It was abandoned in 1978 and was left exactly as it was then. Coffee cups sat on tables, a 1978 calender was pinned to a wall and various lumps of Arctic hardware littered the camp.

In this exclusive interview, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button give a behind the scenes preview of the German Grand Prix this weekend.

The two drivers take time out from their hectic training schedules to give their thoughts ahead of the German Grand Prix. Lewis also reflects on his podium finish at Silverstone, while Jenson ponders the possibility of a shootout with his teammate as both British drivers sit on the top of the driver’s championship.

Get behind the wheel with Lewis and Jenson as they give the 'Inside Track' ahead of the German Grand Prix.

What is the Virgin GB Row?

It’s 2,010 miles non-stop and unassisted rowing around Great Britain in some of the most dangerous tides on the globe, in the busiest shipping lanes and with some of the most unpredictable summer weather anywhere.

Together all those hazards make this officially the toughest rowing race in the world - tougher even than rowing the Pacific or the Atlantic.

In 2010, two teams of four rowers - one all-male team and a team of women - are competing for a possible first prize of £45,000 and to become the first ever winners of the Virgin Trophy, donated by Virgin’s adventure-hungry chairman, Sir Richard Branson.

The teams are also rowing to raise £250,000 for Help for Heroes and a place in the annals of rowing.

Only one other crew has ever before successfully completed a non-stop, unassisted row around Britain.

In 2005 a crew (pictured) , led by Lt William de Laszlo, completed the circumnavigation of Britain, from and to Tower Bridge in London, in 26 days 21 hours and 14 minutes, to set a world record.

Will de Laszlo is now the President of the Anglo American Boat Club who are staging this first-ever Virgin GB Row challenge.

The aims of the race are to:

• Raise money for worthwhile charities. The 2005 row raised £277,530 for charity.

• To inspire young people to do extraordinary things. We believe inside everybody is the ability to be extraordinary.

• To complete a personal challenge in extremely adverse conditions and to achieve this aim by successfully managing and overcoming real and perceived dangers, while learning new individual and team skills.

• And, above all, to try and set a new world record for rowing non-stop around Britain’s unique coastline.

Kazak Bookmakers are joining the Argentines and the Germans in wanting to make Paul the world cup oracle Octopus into sushi. The bookies have claimed that Paul severely dented their profits when punters went with the eight legged cephalopod rather than following their own instinct. Click through the pic to read more or visit The Daily Telegraph. 

Run Rampage is an exciting and ground breaking 10K extreme cross country - multi terrain event which is to be held on the Sunday 16th January 2011.

The venue is the MOD's Bagshot barracks on the D1 and D2 alpine sites, home to the army’s vehicle testing tracks which are very, VERY steep! There’s also a wealth of uneven terrain, grade one and two hills, chilling water and thick muddy bogs.

This event is only for runners who like it tough and due to its testing nature is open to people aged 16 +.

Enter as an individual or gather your mates to compete as a team and share a day that you will never forget. There will be prizes for the top three runners in each category and for the best costumes.

How tough do you think you are? How much can your body take? Are you mentally robust enough to cope? Click through the picture above and check out Run Rampage?

Interesting blog from Katie Williams AKA Healthy Nutrition Expert. Food for thought.

Click through the pic to read.

If you're thinking of booking your annual sojourn to the mountains then it's not only about the skiing. Here are five of the best things to do in Whistler. The article first appeared in Adventure Travel Magazine. Click through the picture above for all to be revealed.

Nice simple video featuring Marko Grilic demostrating a board slide. The perfect trick to be practicing on the rail in your local snowdome. Short and sweet.

The Lifestyles Festival in Hunstanton has rapidly become the eastern region’s biggest extreme sports festival.

Since first launching in 2005, the event has attracted tens of thousands of visitors, all wanting to soak up the festival atmosphere, watch the expert BMX, in-line skating, and skateboarding demonstrations, or follow the competitors in the British Kite Surfing Association’s grand prix competition.

The Victorian coastal resort of Hunstanton offers the perfect location for this event.  The striking red and white striped cliffs provide the backdrop, whilst the shallow waters off the Hunstanton Coast present ideal conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing. At the heart of the festival is the opportunity for anyone to have a go at the activities on offer.  Hundreds of people have participated in specially-designed workshops – an element which is being developed further for the 2010 festival.

In the evening the pace slows down, and the activity moves to the marquee with live bands playing into the night, long after the sun has set over the sea.

LONDON, FRIDAY 2 JULY: Mark Webber and his Red Bull Racing Team created history on Friday morning by performing the first ever Formula 1 pit stop in the streets of London. 

As Big Ben struck 6am, Webber showed he’s made a full recovery after last Sunday’s crash in Valencia by roaring up to the gates of the Houses of Parliament in his Red Bull Racing F1 car, where his pit crew were waiting to practice a full Formula 1 pit stop. 

With less than a week to go until the British Grand Prix rolls into Silverstone, Webber and the full Red Bull pit team stunned onlookers and commuters on Parliament Square as they warmed up for next week’s championship showdown. 

This year has seen the scrapping of refuelling during pit stops, allowing only for tyre changes during the race. 

Webber, who last weekend in Valencia walked away unscathed from one of the most horrific crashes in recent years, jumped at the chance to show off his driving skills to the unsuspecting British public.

Lifeboat Tea is a lovely full-flavoured, family-owned tea that has been created to provide sustainable funding for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) - the charity that saves lives at sea.

For every pack of this deliciously refreshing tea sold through Waitrose and RNLI shops, 7 pence will go direct to the RNLI.

But it’s not just the RNLI that benefits, this pure Kenyan black tea is also grown on farms that are Fairtrade certified and approved by the Rainforest Alliance, which works tirelessly to conserve biodiversity and protect the rights and welfare of workers, families and communities. It’s also 100% natural and made using the freshest tips, just the bud and the two top leaves.

So drink Lifeboat for a truly good cup of tea!

For information on the full Williamson Tea range of fine quality teas, please visit:www.williamsontea.com

As Red Bull Stratos grows increasingly near to realisation, the mission’s aeronautics experts today announce encouraging results from the latest high-altitude test jumps and step-off procedure tests. Mission pilot Felix Baumgartner himself acknowledges feelings of both satisfaction and apprehension while the team prepares to move into a new phase of testing. 

During the last week in May 2010, the Red Bull Stratos team conducted three important tests: 

Capsule step-off: At Sage Cheshire Aerospace in Lancaster, California, the capsule dangled from a 40,000-tonne crane to simulate its suspension from the balloon flight train, with Baumgartner practicing his movements inside, exiting and stepping off. The purpose was to determine how the vessel reacts to Baumgartner’s motion, and whether those reactions could compromise his descent. Even a relatively gentle tumble created by imprecise step-off could not only hinder Baumgartner’s ability to break the sound barrier but also suddenly devolve into a dangerously rapid “flat spin” once he encounters a level of increased air density. 

Step-off technique bungee jumps: Next, the scene turned surreal as a group of pre-eminent aerospace experts and test pilots – including Joe Kittinger, who holds the records Baumgartner will try to break – gathered in a deserted Palmdale fairground to witness something they’d never seen during all their combined years of experience: a bungee jump in a pressurised space suit and helmet. After multiple jumps from a crane basket suspended 200 feet above the ground, Baumgartner’s exit technique had evolved into something that one team member described as “perfect.”

High altitude skydives: The finale to the week of testing was a series of skydives over the desert in Perris, California, reaching approximately 26,000 feet. This test, conducted on May 27, 2010, was the first in a fully pressurised suit and was a follow-up to a similar day of flights in early spring. Baumgartner had been frustrated by the awkwardness of his equipment, especially by the way his chest pack – a vital technology hub for the descent – jammed his helmet and inhibited movement on descent and blocked his vision while landing. Objectives were to get a clean step-off from the rear-exit airplane; assess controllability and various body positions in the fully pressurised suit; experience suit deflation upon descent; and test a new chest pack system that allows one side to move out of Baumgartner’s line of sight so he can spot his landing. Baumgartner’s technique and the improved equipment worked so harmoniously that the team was able to accomplish all objectives.

Extreme Tennis anybody?

Click on the picture for the story.

British Airways is giving away flights in order to help Britons further their careers. Jamie Barrow is a young snowboarder who has been shortlisted, now all he needs is your vote in order to win. 

Vote for him here

http://www.greatbritons.ba.com/users/20959

They don't do things by halves in the States and here's a perfect example. Why leap out of a little plane like a Cessna when you can hurl yourself out of a DC9 jet? I had this pleasure when I attended the World Free Fall Convention at Rantoul in Illinois a few years back. This week long jamboree of sky diving madness sees people from all over the world come together to jump out of a bewildering array of flying machines from helicopters to hot air balloons.

The DC9 belongs to Perris Valley Dropzone, California and I must say it was one of the most surreal experiences I've ever had. You get on like a normal commercial plane, you sit down, put your seat belt on and then everybody jumps out. The jet is doing something like 200 mph at exit (I think) so you kind of get sucked out and spewed into the air.

This video was shot by the wonderfully talented Dave Littlechild and if you're interested that's me at about 3.00min (green and red rig) being followed by Mr Littlechild himself.

I wouldn't want Ryanir to see this video because I'm sure it would give them ideas. Why pay all that landing tax when you can fling the passengers out above the city in question! 

X in the City is going to be an entirely new way to experience extreme and urban sports. Running for three days from October 22nd to 24th October 2010 at London's Excel it promises to showcase a whole host of activities in an innovative and exciting way. Watch this space or visit www.xinthecity.co.uk for more information.

In this exclusive interview, McLaren’s Jenson Button gives a behind the scenes preview of the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.

With the Canadian GP being absent from the 2009 season, Jenson reveals why he is confident of a strong performance in Montreal now that it has returned to the F1 schedule while also giving his thoughts on receiving an MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace earlier this month.

Get behind the wheel with Jenson as he gives the 'Inside Track' ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Following on from yesterday's blog about my talk to Loughborough Beacon Rotary Club I received an email from their president elect Bryan Woodward. Bryan had told me about Rotary International's twenty five year bid to eradicate polio throughout the world whilst we had dinner on Tuesday evening. However it wasn't until I came home and did a little research about the project that I realised how incredible the initiative has been. This is what Bryan said in his email;

'Your web-site report is very generous to Rotary and we much appreciate your comments as it is good publicity for our organisation.  In case you did not pick up all the details, Rotary International has now raised around $800 million to eradicate polio throughout the world.  This has been a 25-year program.  In 1985, polio was endemic in well over 100 countries and there were many thousands of cases a year (I can't remember all the figures).  Now, the disease is endemic in just four countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria, and there have been only a handfull of cases reported this year.  It is a truly staggering achievement, done not by governments but orchestrated by Rotary in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO. Bill Gates has contributed $355 million and we have to match this with $200 million by 30 June 2012 - our Olympic Challenge!'

The video is from Rotary International's website and it gives a little more information about how they are striving to achieve a polio free world.

I had the good fortune to give a talk to the Rotary Club of Loughborough Beacon on Tuesday 8th June at Longcliffe Golf Club in Leicestershire. First and foremost what a thoroughly inspiring bunch of individuals - these people have committed themselves to not only raising huge amounts of money for charity but also putting on trips and events for those in need. 

Rotary International has over 1.2 million members selflessly carrying on this charitable work all over the globe. This worldwide band of Rotarians is in the process of raising several hundred millions of dollars to match a donation made by the Gates Foundation to eradicate polio. And they do it all in their spare time and are unpaid. A worthy cause indeed.

Then at local level there are a huge number of fund raising activities going on. At Loughborough Beacon there's everything from plant sales to 10K running races to get yet more funds in the coffers. Many thanks to Bryan Woodward for inviting me and to everybody else for listening to me.

If you're interested in getting involved then visit www.rotary.org which is brimming with information about this wonderful organisation.

According to The Daily Telegraph silver surfers, skiers and mountaineers are making 20% of all action sport insurance claims even though they only make up 5 % of all policy holders. It seems that pensioners are shunning indoor bowls in favour of activities like diving, motorcycle touring and long distance cycling. Well as we like to say on this blog - Life's for Living, not spectating. 

Gee Atherton in race mode. Pic by Sven Martin

British rider Gee Atherton took first place in the Men’s Downhill following a tremendous show of power and control as the world’s top mountain biking stars wowed huge crowds gathered at the Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup today.

Gee’s win marks his first at Fort William. Celebrating, he said: “I’m the most excited I’ve ever been about winning an event. It’s always been a massive goal of mine to win on home soil. The crowd played a huge role for me today. I shredded a huge amount of time from my final stage to take the win because I could hear them cheering me on.”

Gee’s sister Rachel Atherton also had an impressive weekend. Although she could not match her emphatic win from the last round out in Maribor (Slovenia) where she beat her nearest rival by an incredible 9. 73 seconds, she still came a very close second. She said she was disappointed but enjoyed the course: “I qualified fast but that meant there was lots of pressure for the final. I still really enjoy racing here - the track was rad!”

180° SOUTH is the story of one of the most unique and prolific environmentalists of our time -Yvon Chouinard. Rather than re-living Yvon's story through old photos and his life's work with pie charts, 180° SOUTH weaves Chouinard's tale through a modern day expedition. This expedition was inspired by the rumor of a legendary trip in 1968 and the proof that came with it when the lost cans of film that documented the trip were recently discovered. The old footage captures Chouinard and best friend Doug Tompkins in 1968 as they explore untouched mountain ranges and un-surfed coastline on a 5000 mile expedition from California to deep Patagonia. For the two men, the original '68 adventure still stands as "the trip of our lives."

A young American adventurer named Jeff Johnson happened upon the footage in 1990 and spent the next ten years of his life dreaming of following their footsteps south. In 2007, Jeff dropped everything to finally fulfill his dream. He set out to follow Chouinard's classic route on what became a six month traverse of North and South America. His hope is simply to find unclimbed mountains and un-ridden waves in the spirit of his heroes. However, as he travels, his eyes open up to the see environmental disasters that threaten these places as well as the human triumphs that are working to save them.

Jonathon Trappe attached to 54 helium balloons

On Friday 21st May 2010 in a scene reminiscent of the film Up, adventurer Jonathan Trappe soared into the sky above the white cliffs of Dover tied to 54 helium filled balloons. He then wafted gently across the world's busiest shipping channel before coming down to rest in a farmer's field in Dunkirk. As he touched the ground he became the first cluster balloonist to cross the Channel. Throughout the flight he reached heights of 7,500 feet and said of the experience, "The flight was just an exceptional, quiet, peaceful experience. It was tremendously peaceful and tremendously quiet, but it was a hell of a landing!" 

I first happened across this video a couple of years a go and without doubt this pastime takes more bottle then a Coca Cola factory! But it seems to involve jumping off very high cliffs and landing in a big heap in the snow. The last guy jumps a mammoth 245 feet, spins in the air and appears to land on his head! Bonkers.

If anybody ever asks you to be tied onto a quad by a huge piece of elastic I suggest that you watch this before you say yes!

Perhaps this is how NASA subject their astronauts to G force since all the budget cuts.

As his Red Bull Stratos freefall from the edge of space looms ever nearer, mission pilot Felix Baumgartner conceded for the first time that he does experience moments of anxiety. 

However, the 41-year-old Austrian finds reassurance in the kind of engineering details shared today at Sage Cheshire Aerospace, where the Red Bull Stratos science team introduced prototype technology aimed at taking him to the edge of space at 120,000 feet, and bringing him back to Earth – hopefully as a new record holder, but most importantly, safe and sound.

Besides Baumgartner's “second skin” space suit, the components necessary to safely complete a freefall from 120,000 feet include: a mammoth helium balloon; a pressurised capsule; a chest pack with monitoring, tracking and communications capabilities; and a personal parachute system unlike any other in existence.

Video compilation of various loonies doing daft things. Check out the guy in the wingsuit at the beginning. That's some bad ass flying he's doing there.

Extreme Free Climbing

Check out the one finger / full body weight move halfway through the video.

If you think the sea is still cold in the UK then check out this film. Beautifully shot and nicely edited. 

Five world-class surfers. Thirty-two days. One destination: the Arctic Circle. How far would you go to find a wave no one has ever ridden?

Promoting a healthy lifestyle through extreme sports

Supporting charities that promote the well-being and safety of kids

Promoting and supporting unrecognised talent.

Get Spiked

Latest news on Kevin Pearce from The Salt Lake Tribune.

Get well soon Kevin.

This is mighty fine. Not only for the acrobatic and skateboarding skills of Damien Walters and Yannick but also because the whole thing was filmed on a Koday Playsport HD video camera. This isn't some top of the range piece of industry kit but a small hand held, waterproof camera that retails at £129. Top new media blogger Adam Westbrook recently wrote about how the Kodak Zi8 could be the tool to change video journalism. The Kodak Playsport could do the same for action sport reporting. Watch this space as I'll be trying one out on my next couple of assignments.

Vertigo is a giant descender fan bolted onto the side of the Bodyflight Wind Tunnel in Bedfordshire. You strap yourself on and leap off and it's ace. Check out the gallery and the video.

There's nothing more to say.

Oakley Jib Vid 2010 2nd place

Oakley Jib Vid 1st Place

For the other videos in the competition visit www.jib-vid.com

Check out Cornish based surf mag Carve. Brimming with news, views, features and loads of stunning pics.

In the backcountry surrounding Pemberton in the Canadian Rockies is one the most welcoming mountain huts that you'll ever have the good fortune to visit. Erected as a memorial to to Keith Flavelle, a local mountaineer who perished in the an avalanche on Mount Hogan, the hut welcomes people looking for shelter all the year round. I went there after a day's hike on a split snowboard and spent a warm and comfortable night with about a dozen others. Click on the image to view the picture gallery of my trip.

For coordinates and more information about Keith's Hut visit www.bivouac.com

I interviewed Ray Mears last week and he told me about his love of tracking animals both in the UK and abroad. Click through the picture above to read the article in The Daily Telegraph.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a couple of days in the South West coasteering and mountain biking with Breathing Space and The Mount Batten Centre. The weather was wet but it didn't dampen my spirits.

My report was made into a video and published in The Daly Telegraph.

I joined forces with Insight to Impact and Kukimedia today to address the Chartered Institute of Marketing at a special web clinic designed to make marketeers take a fresh look at their website design, development and marketing. I was talking about the need for compelling and effective copy to push websites up search engines page rankings. I used my own site to show how I have achieved first page status on Google searches for 'Extreme Sports Blogs' and for 'Gary King'.

Duncan Bradford and Jason Watkins from Kukimedia

Andy Scothern and Emma Lowe from Insight to Impact.

Gavin Whittaker.

Gary King and Gavin Whittaker

John leaping from a rock.

Spot Gary King!

Picture by Casch52

At the University of Plymouth the Degree in Surf Science and Technology is far more than just lounging around on a beach.

Click on the picture to read the story. 

How cool is this pooch? I've just seen him kicking back at a mountain hut on the Glacier de Chiaupe in the French Alps.

China and Nepal have at last agreed on the height of Mount Everest. Or is it that they agree to disagree? As reported in The Daily Telegraph.

Read about his decision to do so on his personal journal.

As reported on Explorers Web 

Ben said over the weekend, “Two plastic five-litre fuel containers in the back of my sledge broke, at some point on Wednesday [March 24], contaminating nearly all of my food bags with Coleman fuel.” He has started on March 22. 

He is back in Resolute Bay after the pilots had to wait some time at Eureka for the weather to clear before they could pick him up. 

Ben said he had two options, “to have an airdrop of more food and fuel, a decision that would mean my expedition would become “supported”, a fundamental compromise that I was unwilling to make on this trip, or to be picked up and to restart the expedition at a later point.” 

He continued with his options now, “The earliest I can go again from the north coast is on Tuesday (30th March), a date that is at the absolute end of the safe window for starting from the Canadian coastline, and that coincides with the full moon, the highest and lowest tides, and therefore the highest chance of dangerous ice conditions at the outset of the journey.” 

“And with gale-force winds forecast in Resolute in the next 24 hours, it’s likely that my drop-off flight could be punted into early April. None of these factors bode well for success.” 

“The other option is to postpone by forty-nine or so weeks and come back stronger, wiser and better-equipped in 2011, but this leaves me a year to second-guess my decision, stewing in regret (the attached photo is a self-portrait taken at the end of my retreat back to land, bitterly disappointed) and the chance of even worse ice conditions next year.” 

“It’s the toughest decision I’ve had in yonks.”

Australian Stuart Kennedy beat Brazilian Wiggolly Dantas to take top spot at the O’Neill Cold Water Classic in Tasmania.

Kennedy’s two wave final total of 18 out of a possible 20 was the highest of the event and he won the final emphatically with Brazilian Wiggolly Dantas a distant second on 12.57.

Stuart Kennedy in action. 

Awesome!!!!

"My grandmother bought me my first bike second-hand when I was 13," says Mark Webb. "It was a terrible bike really when you look back, but at the time it was the best thing I had ever seen. A beautiful chrome BMX."

Eleven years on Webb, 24, is one of the best freestyle riders in the country and has won numerous events across the world, including the BMX Masters 2008 in Germany.

In competition, Freestyle BMX is performed over ramps and rails, with each rider judged on the complexity and execution of a series of tricks.

When Webb is in full flow his performance is astounding; as man and machine twist, twirl and spin it's like watching two-wheeled aerial ballet, albeit with a loud soundtrack.

He started riding at his local skate park in Southsea in Hampshire and it wasn't long before his talent shone.

"A guy was filming some pro riders in the park," Webb explains. "He asked me if I would do a couple of tricks so that he could video them."

The film-maker, Steve Bartholomew, was so impressed he invited Webb to join his BMX team, propelling him into pro riding. When performed correctly, his seamless stream of jumps and turns is spellbinding. But there's a vast amount of practice that goes into creating this fluidity.

"I've broken my wrists, collar bone, legs and knocked myself out. In 2007 I broke my back," Webb says.

With injuries like this it shows mettle to get back on your bike. Webb has the same attitude when competing: "Rather than trying to simply do a trick better than somebody else I try to push the boundaries."

Webb, who has a huge following, offers sage advice for youngsters: "Ride for the right reasons and keep it fun. It's not about getting a sponsor, it's about enjoyment. And keep practising until you feel at one with your bike and then the tricks will come."

Don't let the lack of a good bike put you off either. If you haven't got one, you could ask your grandmother.

Mark Webb in action

Peetu Piiroinen celebrating his historic win. Pic by Laura Austin

Fin Rider Peetu Piiroinen has carved his name into the history book of snowboarding by becoming the first snowboarder ever to win two consecutive Swatch TTR World Champion titles. As if re-claiming the most prestigious award in snowboarding was not enough, he also secured it a week before the last 6Star event, the Burton US Open. Piiroinen took an unassailable lead in the TTR World Ranking List with a win in the slopestyle at the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge in Norway, Oslo on March 8th, 2010. Along with the title, the 22-year old Fin has earned himself another $50,000 USD and automatic invites to all major TTR events for the 2010/2011 season.

Pippin and Gary King. Pic by Rii Schroer

Click on the picture to see the article in The Daily Telegraph

JD Webb pulling a 360 nosepress. Pic: Sim Bradley

The first ever Wakestock in Abu Dhabi has drawn to a close and was deemed to be a huge success. The annual Abersoch wakeboarding festival was exported to the United Arab Emirates and attracted the best riders in the world for the first stop of the WWA Wakeboard World Series. Although the first two days of action were hampered by strong winds normal order was restored on Saturday when 16 year old Harley Cliff set the standard by laying down a peerless run. The young Australian took away the $10,000 prize in the men's event and became the youngest person to take the title.

Harley Clifford in top spot action. Pic: Sim Bradley

After a fantastic twelve months Finnish snowboarder Peetu Piiroinen rode to glory at the Oakley Arctic Challenge in Norway. Taking his 3rd 6Star event this season his lead at the top of the table has become uncatchable meaning that he will crowned TTR World Snowboard Champion at the Burton US Open in Stratton / Vermont next weekend. 

I've just done a talk at Middleton Primary School's morning assembly in Nottingham and showed a few pictures from my various trips. What a great bunch of children. They listened, asked pertinent questions and were particularly taken by the picture I took of an orangutan in Sumatra. At the end, Deputy Head Mrs Sadler Penn asked them if any of them fancied a bit of bungee jumping and sky diving. Judging by the show of hands I reckon we've got a right bunch of budding adrenaline junkies in the making. Thanks for having me Middleton.

So what he's basically doing here is jumping out of the plane without a parachute, having a bit of a fly around and then being strapped into a tandem rig with another skydiver. Technically there are many skydivers who could do this as it's basically about manoeuvrability in the sky. But you're putting a lot of faith in a lot of people. Bonkers. Truly bonkers.

Animal Pro Rider Kate Foster showing how it should be done

Jumping Kickers at Animal Snowcamp.

Andy Dempsey from Scotland in the Snowpark

This week it's all about Snowcamp - 1 week of snowboarding tuition from the guys and girls from Animal in the mountains of Austria. Very good is it too.

With only two days to go until Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, The Snow Leopard takes part in the Slalom at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver here's the latest dispatch from the Ghanaian Ski Team.

From The Ghana Ski Team in Vancouver

Ghana’s Snow Leopard is looking for a fairytale end to an incredible journey when he races in the Slalom on Saturday 27th Feb 2010.

After an incredible rollercoaster ride of a journey from novice skier to Olympian in a little over 6 years Ghana’s Snow Leopard is looking to beat a few smaller nations to achieve ‘Middle Dog’ status. 

Training has been going well with the Ghana Ski Team training alongside ski racers from Greece, Uzbekistan and Ireland. Given the slow start to the season with only a little over a month in Val Di Fiemme, Italy and a week on Mount Washington, Vancouver Island this training time has been essential. The Snow Leopard feels he is ready and commented, “Training has been a very nice experience, as skiing on ice has been very different from the usual ski slopes I have trained on, the icy slopes of Whistler have been a real confidence booster. The last time I skied on ice like this was in the World Champs in France and its nice to have some practice on such slopes before the big day. So we as a team are waiting for Saturday and our chance to make our own Olympic history”. 

Ghana Ski Team Coach Denis Grigorev added ”Training has been going well and Kwame’s confidence is high and he will be ready for the race.”

Kwame was disappointed not to be racing the Giant Slalom having originally been sent the forms and told he was allowed to do it. Watching it he said, ”I would really have liked to race the GS, it is an event I really enjoy”. 

The Snow Leopard has become a phenomenon attracting the attention of the world media and fans across the planet. 

This is all part of a much bigger plan to create a future Ghana Ski Team and athlete development programme and Kwame says, “I am a guinea pig and I want to show the world what we have achieved in a little over 6 years. With funding, government support and resources then Ghana and African nations could provide serious competition to the bigger nations.”

The world will be watching and fans have been expressing their words of support via the Paddy Power Kwame’s Army on facebook. Kwame has called for his fans to follow his lead and come to support Ghana with their faces painted with Ghana Flags or as Snow Leopards.

Richard Harpham, team manager says, “We may not be the biggest team, and skiing is new to Ghana but our Kwame’s Army fans have done us proud.”

Ever fancied running a marathon? Ever considered what you might need to know before embarking upon a training programme? The Ultimate Guide to Marathon Running (£7-99, www.magbooks.com) is jam-packed with information and is split into individual sections on Getting Started, Kit, Training Goals, Nutrition, Technique, Injury Prevention all building up to Race Day.

It's aimed at all levels from beginners to semi-pros and this is reflected in the spectrum of information it contains. For the novices there are the basics like how to stretch properly and for the more advanced tips on how to tweak your posture and increase your stride frequency. The other sections are comprehensive, informative and follow on from one another in a logical manner that reflects how you might undertake your own marathon training.

They say that the hardest thing about doing any kind of exercise is putting your running shoes on in the first place. This might be just the book to get you tying those laces.

Amy Williams won Great Britain's first women's Winter Olympic gold for 58 years with a fearless show of skeleton expertise on the fastest ice track in the world. The former sprinter maintained her overnight lead and executed two clean runs that saw her take top spot by a substantial lead of 0.56 seconds. There were grumblings and even an official complaint, led by the Americans, that her helmet design gave her an unfair aerodynamic advantage. This protest was thrown out by officials.

The bath daredevil has slid into the annals of British Winter Olympic history and deserves every ounce of praise that she is guaranteed to get. 

Ones to tick off before you? Or perhaps die trying.

Anybody done any of these?

1 Mount Everest. Successfully descended by Frenchman Marco Siffredi in 2001. He attempted it again in 2002 and was never seen again.

2 The Spearhead Traverse, Canadian Rockies. Backcountry expedition that takes in 14 glaciers over three days.

3 The Couloir Bellevarde, Val D'Isere. Fantastic off piste fun favoured by Olympian Lesley Mckenna.

4 Mount Cook, New Zealand. In 2008 British snowboarder Johno Verity nearly perished in a huge avalanche whilst boarding this region. Not only did he live to tell the tale but he captured it on film as well.

5 The Wall, Avoriaz, France. A technically challenging course that features an array of humps, bumps and dips recommended by Jenny Jones.

6 Peak 7601, Alaska. Unspeakably steep pinnacle of snow and rock first negotiated by snowboard legend Terje Haakonsen in 2005.

7 The Valle Blanche, France. Europe's longest uninterrupted off-piste run littered with crevasses and hidden snow bridges.

8 Sache Valley to Les Brevieres in Tigne, France. Precipitous cliffs and avalanche risk make this a truly testing run.

9 The Haute Route. Classic seven day tour between Chamonix and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.

10 North Face of the Aiguille Midi in France. Treacherously steep run in the shadow of Mont Blanc.

Halfpipe supremo Shaun White won gold in the Vancouver Winter Olympics with an unprecedented piece of snowboard magic. This is his second Olympic gold in a row after clinching top spot in Turin 2006.

White effectively won the competition on his first run scoring an impressive 46.8 with Finland's Peetu Piiroinen getting silver and American Scott Lago taking bronze. However with the gold in the bag, White pulled out all of the stops with a combination of a double cork, a 1080 and then his infamous Double Mctwist for a second run that blew the judges away. He scored an impressive 9.7 out of 10.

What now for the 24 year old? Roll on Sochi 2014.

Swiss Freediver Peter Colat has held his breath underwater for a staggering 19 minutes and 21 seconds breaking the oxygen assisted world record. Prior to his dive, the rules dictate that he was allowed to inhale pure oxygen for ten minutes.

Think of what it's possible to do in 19 minutes and 21 seconds - Paula Radcliffe could run nearly four miles, you could soft boil 6 eggs in quick succession or watch a quarter of a rugby union match.

Count to three and hold your breath.

You can breath again in 1162 seconds* if you want to be a record breaker.

* Don't try this at home.

The eyes of the world will soon be focused on British Columbia in Canada now that the Winter Olympics 2010 have got underway. Vancouver will play host to the world’s top winter sports athletes as they vie for glory across a multitude of sporting disciplines. Whistler is the venue for many of the ski and snowboard events including the slalom, downhill and halfpipe. As well as being home to a fantastic skiing area there are numerous other activities to do in the town.

I picked my top five for Adventure Travel Mag.

TTR rider, Iouri Podladtchikov, takes first place in the 5Star Burton Canadian Open 2010 Halfpipe competition, helping him maintain second spot in the much coveted TTR World Snowboard Tour rankings.

After a solid performance the ever outstanding Iouri improves his ranking, closing the gap between himself and the current tour champion, Peetu Piiroinen.

Story in The Daily Telegraph

Click the image for the link

Pic by Action Images

Tignes Lake

The high pitched buzzing of a chainsaw echoes across the lake. The noise stops and I watch as the heavy boot kicks the circular block so that it bobs downwards leaving a cobalt blue hole vivid against the ice. The chainsaw goes to work again, this time cutting a four foot by three foot rectangle.

“Are you ready to dive?” The thick French accent bubbles with enthusiasm. “If it’s a beautiful day on the surface it is even more beautiful under the ice.”

“Eeh ooh, c’est un Telly Tubby,” says Alban

as he joins me fully suited.

I’m in Tigne in the French Alps where I’ve come to go ice diving. The setting is stunning with steep sloops rising up to snow covered peaks. Well manicured pistes dotted with skiers wind into the valley and the sun burns brightly in the clear blue sky. It is a perfect alpine day.

Cutting a whole in the ice

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say although my reply is lost as the chainsaw’s teeth tear into the ice for a third time. The lake is completely frozen and has been visible throughout my descent by snowboard into the valley from the neighbouring resort of Val D’Isere.

 “Good, in that case we’ll get ready,” says David Monmarche who is one of my instructors. He leads me to a small wooden hut that acts as both changing room and office. Various certificates of qualification hang at odd angles from the wooden walls. I give them a cursory once over and am reassured that they all seem to be in date. We are joined by my second instructor, Alban Michon who runs the ice diving school in Tigne.

After going through some essentials such as signals and use of equipment I’m soon ready to get changed. The dive is open to anybody from complete novices through to seasoned professionals; more time is spent on the introduction depending upon the diver’s level of experience.

“You only need to take off your jacket and shoes,” says Alban as I step into the dry suit which is just as well because the temperature is just above freezing according to the hut’s thermometer. My breath comes in short wispy puffs as I struggle to pull the suit’s rubber hood over my head. David appears with a bottle of talcum powder.

“Here, try this,” he says and coats the rubber with a thin dusting of talc. The resistance, although somewhat reduced still drags and I emerge with a bright red face and snow white ears. David then proceeds to push my hands into some thick blue gloves and screws them into place onto a plastic coupling that fits on the end of the arms.

The only way is down

I shuffle out of the hut, down the steps and stand in the snow.

“Eeh ooh, c’est un Telly Tubby,” laughs Alban as he joins me fully suited. This dispels any previous thoughts that I’d had about how decidedly 007 it was to snowboard down a mountain and then plunge straight into an icy expanse of water.

We follow David who pulls a sled that is laden down with air canisters, respirators and masks. The diving area is marked out on the lake with red fencing and all three of us stop by the rectangular hole.

“It is very important that we cordon off where we dive because it could be very dangerous if anybody strayed onto the ice and fell through one of the holes,” says Alban, “the holes always freeze over each night but you can never be too careful.”

The sub aquatic atmosphere

has an ethereal calming quality.

I am instructed to sit on the ice and a pair of giant yellow flippers are attached to my feet, an air canister is strapped to my back and an unfeasibly large weight belt is slung around my waist. I then dangle my feet in the hole and David pulls on my mask and respirator.

He then clips me onto a harness and I slowly lower myself in until I’m completely submerged. One of the instructors is always on the surface throughout the dive, in this case its David whilst Alban waits for me below. The transition from bright sunlight to the inky depths is surreal and it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust. Alban is directly in front of me with both thumbs up; I reciprocate the signal assuring him that I’m fine.

Getting ready to dive

It is truly beautiful. If there is a colour known as serene blue then this is surely it. The sub aquatic atmosphere has an ethereal calming quality. The other end of my harness is attached to a rope that is stretched between the ice holes. We float a couple of metres below the surface and slowly edge along the rope; the bubbles from our respirators surge upwards and gather under the silver ice like mercury in shimmering pools. Small cracks and fissures show the irregularity of the ice pack and a few tiny fish dart around our suits.

The disc cut by David’s chainsaw sits under the ice like a giant hockey puck adjacent to its hole. Alban gives it a gentle nudge and it slides away. Again, we trade thumbs up signals and I experiment by spinning through 360 degrees and floating up and down. Sunlight streams through one of the ice holes refracting, reflecting and cutting an eerie fan of colour through the blueness.

After thirty minutes Alban steers me to one of the circular exit points, as I emerge into the crisp alpine air David pulls me onto the ice and in one movement has me sitting upright and has removed my mask and respirator.

“How did you find it Gary? Isn’t it beautiful?”

For a few seconds I am silent as I struggle to find the words.

“C’est magnifique, David, c’est magnifique,” I eventually reply.

Going down

The Best.

Click to Play.

Gary King getting to grips with wakeboarding. Pic by Clara Molden 

I’m crouched down low in the water, bobbing around with just my head protruding from its surface. My white knuckled hands are clutching the submerged tow rope handle that is drawn close to my hips. The motorboat grumbles into life churning up a rich froth and as it begins to surge forward the rope tightens. I lean back taking the strain and somewhat miraculously rise to find myself rattling across the lake on a small fiberglass board.

I’m at JB Waterski in Chertsey, Surrey having a lesson in the UK’s fastest growing watersport, wakeboarding. I bounce across the choppy water feeling incredibly unstable; imagine being strapped to an ironing board and then being towed across a field by a tractor.

“Bend your knees Gary,” shouts my instructor Jess Hilbery from the stern of the boat, “chest up, relax.” I do as I’m told, straightening my back and squatting slightly. The difference is immediate and the whole experience becomes far more serene. Thumbs up from my teacher.

Hilbery, 27 is one of the country’s top wakeboarders. She has represented Great Britain and has won numerous titles although she’s currently under doctor’s orders after having life saving surgery.

Jess Hilbery doing what she does best. Pic by Clara Molden

“I had a kidney transplant in 2007 and was told to convalesce for a year,” she explains whilst we are taking a break, “which I did but then I decided to compete at Wakestock in 2008 after some persuasion from a close friend. I went along and decided to take it easy by just doing one trick at a time. It kind of worked out.”

Work out it did indeed. She came third in Europe’s biggest annual wakeboarding festival. Wakestock typifies how far the sport has come in a relatively short period of time. It was only in the 1980s that an America surfer called Tony Finn came up with the name skurfing for being towed behind a speedboat on a surfboard. Now twenty years on, it’s estimated that over 3 million people worldwide partake in the sport. Wakestock, now in its tenth year will attract over 30,000 thrill seekers to the town of Abersoch in North Wales with a combination of live music, DJs and of course top level competition.

At competition level, wakeboarding is all about tricks. Competitors do a series of runs; each run is judged in three categories, with points being awarded for  composition, style and intensity. The wakeboarder who performs the most complex set of spins and flips, in the most extreme manner and with the most grace, wins.

Trying to get some air. Pic by Clara Molden

Back on the water my confidence is slowly building after another series of runs up and down the lake. I’ve just watched Jess perform a multitude of gravity and doctor defying loops and turns and now that’s it’s my turn I’m determined to get airborne.

 “Keep the stance,” she shouts whilst gesticulating that I should now come across the back of the boat and use the wake as a launch pad. Just as I hit it, my position falters and I spin round so that I catch the front edge of the board on the water’s surface. In a millisecond all my forward energy is converted into flipping me over into a full blown faceplant. Water shoots up my nose and quite possibly every other facial orifice whilst all of the air is expelled from my lungs.

 “Are you alright?” The boat has pulled leveled and a concerned face is peering over the side.

 Winded, dazed and very much confused I nod in the affirmative.

 “Good. We’re having another go.”

 I’m back up again and although tentative at first I go through the whole routine again. Lean back, come out to the rear of the boat, bend knees, adjust stance and zip back across the wake. Bingo. I launch myself out of the water and land again without wiping out. Fantastic. Granted it wasn’t a double somersault with a backward spin but it was still air.

I wonder if they’re still taking entrants for this year’s Wakestock?

Anyone got a tissue? Pic by Clara Molden

Know the lingo

Tips from Lee Debuse. Pic by Clara Molden

Air: Getting in the air; the amount of space between the rider and the water.

Choppy: Rough water.

Faceplant: A fall where the rider catches their toeside edge causing them to fall very quickly so that their face slaps the water hard.

Eye-Opener: A fall where the rider faceplants so fast that they can't manage to close their eyes before hitting the water.

Kicker: A ramp hit by a wakeboarder  to catch air.

Invert: When the rider goes upside down whilst in the air.

Switchstance: Riding the board backwards from the normal riding stance.

Glass: Smooth water.

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. All pictures taken by Clara Molden.

Ski Men: Candide Thovex FRA

Snowboard Men: Mitch Toelderer AUT

Ski Women: Jess Mc Millan USA

Snowboard Women: Susan Mol USA

Against the beautiful backdrop of the Mont-Blanc the Freeride World Tour 2010 kicked off in perfect weather conditions on the 500 metre “Pentes de l’Hôtel” face at the Brévent ski area in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. The 50 best freeriders on the planet put on an amazing performance, showing the 3000 cheering spectators the top of their game on the committing face and challenging snow conditions. The most impressive run of the day was the clean victory of French freestyle legend Candide Thovex, debuting in freeride contests, announcing a promising future.

Check out the Glen Plake video

The Snow Leopard preparing for Vancouver 2010

“I’m my own coach, doctor, physio and driver when I’m skiing,” says Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, “I sometimes have to sleep in my van and there’s been many a time that I’ve had to come home early from a competition because I’ve run out of money.”

 Nkrumah-Acheampong is the only black African on the international skiing circuit and is set to become Ghana’s first ever athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. Not since Calgary 1988 when Eddie the Eagle flew through the skies and the Jamaican bobsleigh team inspired the film Cool Runnings will there be such furore  surrounding one competitor.

 What makes this story even more compelling is that Nkrumah-Acheampong AKA The Snow Leopard has only been skiing for 6 years. Although the 34 year old was born in Glasgow, he moved back to Ghana as a baby and spent the next 25 years in his homeland where the temperature rarely dips below 80F.

 He returned to the UK in 2000 to attend Westminster University and eventually took a job working on the reception at the Xscape indoor ski slope in Milton Keynes. It was an offer of work that was to change the course of his life for ever.

 “After I’d been there for about a week I had one thirty minute lesson and by the end of that I was able to do a hockey stop.”

 To the uninitiated, this is the snow billowing halt that the pros come to in a dramatic flourish after screaming across a finishing line. Impressive stuff for a man who’s only other contact with the white stuff was when it fluttered onto his head upon arrival in Heathrow a few years before.

From that point he was hooked and within six months he was sliding down rails, doing jumps and basically ripping up the indoor slope. Dave Jacobs, the then junior British coach offered to train him and put him in touch with some ski industry movers and shakers.

 “We made some T shirts that had ‘Ghana Ski Team’ printed on them and we wore them to a ski show in London to do some networking. This man approached us and asked us if we were serious or just having a laugh.”

Again another pivotal moment in Nkrumah-Acheampong’s career because the bemused inquisitor happened to be Fergie Miller, director of the international ski school, Base Camp Group. Miller ended up providing The Ghana Ski Team with an all expenses paid season in Meribel where he was able to hone his skills with professional instructors on a real mountain.

In 2005 he joined the international race circuit. The quantum leap to go from a ski resort to a racing slope is virtually unimaginable; think black ice runs that are as hard as concrete, fearsome jumps and bone rattling corners. What’s more his inclusion is no token offering by the IOC. Nkrumah-Acheampong has got there on his own merits.

“In order to qualify for Vancouver 2010 I need to have an International Ski Federation rating of less than 140. I’ve brought this down from over 1000 in the last 4 years by competing in ISF affiliated races all over the world.”

As well as the racing he has spent the last four seasons in Val Di Fiemme in Italy grinding out the mountain time. When he’s back in Milton Keynes with his wife and young family he can be found pounding the streets at five thirty in the morning or pumping weights in the gym.

With his first Olympic race in less than a month The Snow Leopard, well aware that the world’s eyes will be upon him is in bullish mood.

 “I will give it everything in Vancouver,” he says , “I’m going to do all I can to get up that finishing table and in doing so I hope to inspire a new generation of youngsters to join the Ghana Ski Team. When they step out onto those Olympic slopes in the years to come I’ll be there to cheer them on.”

I bet they’re already sharpening their pencils in Hollywood.

For more information on Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong visit www.ghanaskiteam.com  

This article first in The Daily Telegraph - The Snow Leopard Earns his Spot.

Leap of Faith 

Grip. I need more grip. Chalk, that’s better, only a couple more moves and I’ve done it. The rope feels heavy now as I come to the end of my climb, my movements slow and deliberate. ‘Click’, that relieving sound when I manage to clip in to the next quick draw, each one a small victory as I ascend to the top of the wall, 40ft in the air.

I’m at Redpoint Climbing Centre in Birmingham, a climbers’ paradise all under one roof. I came today looking for a few steady climbs with my climbing buddies, but under the persuasive influence of the centre’s jubilant staff, and the promise of a homemade cake when I get down, I find myself pushing more and more, higher and harder.

The staff at Redpoint are always on hand to offer encouragement, whether it be a pointer to the next move, or simply shouting, “Go on Jay!”, it creates a buzzing atmosphere, I feel like everyone is behind me, driving me up the wall. I’ve been climbing at Redpoint for a little over a year, when I first came here I was a total beginner, I was welcomed into the centre with open arms, and with the excellent relaxed yet professional teaching skills of the staff I quickly progressed to be a accomplished lead climber.

This next moves a big reach, I scan the wall for alternative routes, there’s nothing, I’m going to have to dyno. I ask for a little slack on the rope from my partner, steady my feet and prepare to leap, “Go on Jay, it’s just a dyno!”, always playful. “Yeah” I reply sheepishly, “just a dyno”. I spring off with both off my feet, using all the energy I can muster, I feel my fingers grasp the hold, I grip with everything I have, now searching with my feet for the foot hold, desperately trying to take the weight off my hand. I find it, my saviour, adrenaline pumping through me, the next two moves are easy, confidence fills me, I clip in, lean back, and make my decent, victorious.

The centre has over 200 hundred routes, with a wide range of grades, making it ideal for both beginners and experts, it also boasts 2 large bouldering areas capable of straining the skills of even the most technically able climbers, making every visit enjoyable and challenging. You will find yourself quite literally hooked.

For more information about the Redpoint Climbing Centre visit www.redpointclimbingcentre.co.uk.

Jamie Endres on the wall. Pic by Becky Blaymires.

Leaping faithfully. Pic by Becky Blaymires.

The Double McTwist 12 - Shaun White's New Trick in anticipation of the Olympics

Amongst the myriad of problems facing these would-be edge of space jumpers is the need to get through the jet stream in order to get to 120,000+ feet in the first place. This needs to be done by popping through a 'window' that is only available at various times and in certain parts of the world. There's also the issue of the lack of air at this altitude. This is why they need to wear space suits - otherwise they'd quickly succumb to a rather nasty demise.

Somewhat incredibly the record for a jump from this altitude was set nearly fifty years ago by former Air Force pilot Joseph Kittinger on 16th August 1960. This man was really pushing the boundaries of adventure and endeavour as nothing like this had ever been done before. During the descent his glove split making his hand swell to twice its normal size. He landed however and in doing so set a record that still stands today.

Red Bull recently announced that Felix Baumgartner will attempt the jump. Billed as the Red Bull Stratos mission it might see Kittinger's record at last fall.

This is so good just had to share it.

What's it all about?

'Wakestock Abu Dhabi will be the first stop on the 2010 WWA World Wakeboard Series with the richest Prize purse in the sport of $50,000.  As an official stop on the world series event, the competition will contribute points towards the world’s rankings ensuring the best Wakeboarders’ worldwide attendance. 

Already confirmed, huge names are, current WWA World Series Champion Phillip Soven, WWA Wakepark Champion Nick Davies, Us National Champion Adam Errington, current World Champion and King of Wake Champion Aaron Rathy, European Champion and four times Wakestock UK winner Dan Nott, and the legend Parks Bonifay.

John Lickrish, Managing Director, Flash Entertainment said: “We are extremely proud to be hosting Wakestock, the sport’s most illustrious title here in Abu Dhabi and even more so to have had the event formally recognised as the first official stop of the WWA World Pro-Series Tour. Wakestock Abu Dhabi will go a long way to focusing international attention on just how much Abu Dhabi has to offer.” 

Mark Durston, Wakestock Founder and CEO, said“Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, and the Public beach in particular, is without a doubt one of the most amazing urban beaches I have ever seen. From Lulu Island to the backdrop of the city itself, and the beautiful blue waters of the Arabian gulf, I cannot imagine a more perfect setting for this fantastic sport and music event.”

The competition will take place just off Abu Dhabi Public Beach on the Corniche and will feature three massive custom-built floating rails specifically designed for the event.  The use of the rails combined with the calibre of riders already confirmed will provide an awesome and amazing spectacle with some radical and breath taking tricks inspiring residents and visitors into the world’s fastest growing water sport.'

There you go. It's official.

Main Stage at Wakestock 2009

Abu Dhabi or Abersoch? Answers on a postcard?

More pics and news from Wakestock Abu Dhabi to follow.

Ouch!

Raimana Van Bastolaer, tahitian surfing legend, takes the one of the worst falls in surfing history at the infamous break Teahupoo, Tahiti, French Polynesia.

"It promises to be a smorgasbord of extreme and urban sports delights featuring exhibitors, live performances and taster sessions. The showpiece of the event will be the Theatre of Xtreme that will feature some of the world's most talented skaters, mountain bikers and other extreme sports advocates spinning, twisting and zipping their way through a specially choreographed routine."

Looks like that's going to be the case. Check out X in the City for more details. 

This is what they had to say;

"We have seen this and the consensus is that it is a very cleverly edited

piece, with the missing wing belonging to a model, cut with footage of the

full size aircraft - VERY CLEVER STUFF.  There are quite a few aircraft that

have exact replica flying models.

If the wing had come off the aircraft it would have simply spun into the ground

- big mess, lots of tears.  The model is much lighter and so survived - but

very very good flying by the radio controlled guys."

So there it is. It's a FAKE. Albeit a very good one.

Laax, Switzerland – 16th January 2010: It was a perfect sunny day on the Crap Sogn Gion in Laax, Switzerland for the final day of competition at the 6Star Burton European Open. The nail biting last runs of the prestigious halfpipe finals saw yesterday’s slopestyle winner, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), take the lead from fellow Finn Ilkka-Eemeli Laari, who took second place, and Swiss rider Iouri Podladtchikov who finished in third place. The women’s title went to Paulina Ligocka (POL) with Swiss Olympic hopeful Ursina Haller in second and Akiko Miwa (JAP) in third. 

The celebrating Piiroinen, who now has a hefty lead in the Swatch TTR Rankings, commented; “It was hard to imagine that I could win both contests.  I wasn’t that nervous, but I just wanted to have that run so I just decided that I’m going to land it now. Because I had three runs and I had to at least land one of them.” Piiroinen is setting himself up nicely for a shot at  becoming the first ever two-time Swatch TTR World Champion.

For more information visit www.ttrworldtour.com

Peetu Piiroinen on winning form on the halfpipe. Pic by Laemmerhirt.

Laax, Switzerland – 15th January 2010

The Finns took a double victory today at the 6Star Burton European Open in Laax, Switzerland, where the circus-themed event hit full swing with the men’s and women’s slopestyle finals. Thanks to a perfectly executed last run, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) took the title and left Mikkel Bang (NOR) in second and Gjermund Braaten (NOR) in third. On the women’s side, newcomer Enni Rukajärvi (FIN), who recently took the title of the 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam, dominated the competition from the semi finals on and was able to secure first place. Second place went to local Sina Candrian and third to current Swatch TTR Tour leader Sarka Pancochova (CZE).

For more information visit www.ttrworldtour.com

They Go Up, Tiddly, Up, Up.

They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.

What fun. In fact, that's an understatement. It was rip roaringly exciting to be whisked around the sky on top of a Boeing Stearman Bi-Plane. I had the incredibly good fortune to do a wing walking display with Mike Dentith from Wing Walking UK ( see previous blog entry Wing Walking ) flying high above the Essex countryside with The Thames Estuary as a backdrop. It was a day of high octane frivolity that I'll never forget.

Many thanks to Mike and for more information have a look at the pictures in the gallery

WING WALKING or on ACTIVITIES-WING WALKING

A 60 foot catamaran made out of reclaimed plastic bottles is set to sail the pacific with a hand picked crew of aventurers, scientist and creatives. Their mission is 'to beat waste by inspiring sustainable solutions and to highlight the ecological damage being done to the world's oceans.'

Check out the hi-fi version is you have broadband because it's awesome.

www.plastiki.com

This is the same resort that will also be staging the alpine and nordic ski events of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games hosted by Sochi. Sometimes referred to as the "Russian Courchevel," Krasnaya Polyana in the Western Caucasus is the most developed ski resort in Russia.

Xavier De Le Rue is a French snowboarder and current Freeride World Tour Champion. He's pretty tasty on a board that's for sure. Check out this video of him talking about the tour. There are some great shots in it. 

The event then goes onto Chamonix in France, Squaw Valley in the States and then Verbier in Switzerland.

Answers on a postcard?

Didn't Clarkson try something like that on Top Gear a few weeks ago?

I know it paralyses the country. We're run out of salt, they're turning off the gas, the car's stuck in the drive, etc, etc, etc.

However, think Scotland. Although this was filmed in 2008 I bet it's darn snowy there right now. Just a shame that it would be completely impossible to get there. What with there being no grit!

The Top 10 Worst Crashes

Almost certainly not the worst ever but watch them and wince.

The video goes on a bit but it will give you an idea of the applications.

And here's me jumping off a wind tunnel at Bodyflight in Bedfordshire. It's a fan descender called Vertigo.

See the full film at Lives of the Artists

"In 2008 Kelly Slater may have dominated the Pipeline Masters on a supremely unorthodox sled—a ride he and shaper Al Merrick dubbed “The Deep Six”—but it was hardly the first time (and certainly won’t be the last time) that somebody took a slightly different track and introduced the world to something out of the norm. 

Over the years the famed Banzai reef has played a vital roll in the progressive development of everything from 7’6” pintail stilettos to 5’6” plugs. In the early 1960s when Butch Van Artsdalen and John Peck were first penetrating the lineup, their boards were the biggest barrier to entry. As board sizes started to creep down, and surfers demanded equipment to achieve performance possibilities. Mike Hynson and Dick Brewer explored the down rail concept; Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell were quick to adopt the new shift in design, and tube riding changed seemingly overnight. 

The early 1980’s saw another revolution when Simon Anderson introduced his (then) radical 3-fin Thruster concept – and proceeded to prove its merits by winning the 1981 Pipeline Masters. 

This year the 8 finalists in the Billabong Pipe Masters are as motley a crew as you could have ever predicted: ASP veteran brothers CJ and Damien Hobgood, Coolangatta tube terror Dean Morrison, local Pipe specialist Flynn Novak, consummate competitor Bede Durbidge, Backdoor dynamo Taj Burrow, power prodigy Dane Reynolds, and super-freak Kelly Slater. And their surfboards are as varied as their unique talents. 

Taj Burrow makes no secret of his love affair with Backdoor – especially when he can get it with only one other guy in the line-up. His quiver starts with a 6’1” Firewire but if it gets bigger (as expected for Tuesday) he may opt for 6’5 or 6’7” All his shapes are 18 1/8 X2 1/8 rounded pins with fixed fins. 

Dane Reynolds has been riding a 6-6 proton step up, round pin (his model just made for a little bigger stuff, like Pipe.) The board is single concave and has a lot of curve - kind of an old faithful one from last year. 

On Saturday Kelly was surfing this year’s version of his “Deep Six” model. It’s a design from the board he rode at Pipe last year which by the way was his back up board. In short the board is sort of 2 boards stuck together: a gun tail and a short board nose - 5’11” in length and just normal dimensions for the rest , He creased the new one pretty good in his last heat so it’s on the shed getting fixed. The big difference with the newer version: 4 fins as to the 3 fins from last years. 

When the comp starts back up however, anything could be pulled out of the bag. 

It remains to be seen if Slater’s new-age alternative equipment will have nearly the impact, but it’s a safe bet that as long as people are trying to get deeper in the tube at Pipe they’ll continue to push the limits of the boards they ride."

Watch the action as it resumes Tuesday 15th December at the Billabong Pipeline Masters on www.billabongpro.com

My record is 312.

Reckon you can beat that?

1. Click on the link below

2. Click once on the snowman to activate the penguin

3. Click again on the snowman to hit the penguin as descends down the cliff.

CLICK HERE: SMACK THE PENGUIN

The Rip Curl Pro Search Surf Competition in Portugal has invited women to join this year. Sofia Mulanovich and Sally Fitzgibbons wax lyrical.

World records fell at the AIDA Freediving World Championships 2009 Thursday, December 3, with William Trubridge (NZL) and Natalia Molchanova (RUS) setting new marks in the men's and women's Constant Weight No Fins (CNF) categories at Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas. 

New Zealand's Trubridge competing at the Freediving World Championships

Marko Grilc at the 6 Star Billabong Air & Style 2009. Pic by Carlos Blanchford

The 11th annual Burton European Open (BEO) is just around the corner, with only five weeks to go before the competition kicks off on January 9, 2010 in in LAAX, Switzerland. Don't miss your chance to watch this exciting and thrilling show from riders around the globe. The BEO is the second stop of the 2009/2010 Burton Global Open Series (BGOS) and a Swatch TTR 6Star event. Riders will be competing for a piece of the US$ 125,000 prize purse and a chance to gain valuable points towards the BGOS and Swatch TTR titles.

TOP RIDERS CONFIRMED

The crème de la crème of the snowboarding scene will use this opportunity to ride the LAAX halfpipe in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The slopestyle course looks promising with interesting features that will be ripped up by the riders. Reigning 08/09 Swatch TTR World Champion Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and 08/09 BGOS men's champion Chas Guldemond (USA) have both confirmed that they will compete. They will be joined by first ever Olympic Halfpipe Gold Medalist, Gian Simmen (SUI) and Mathieu Crepel (FRA), 2006 TTR World Champion. On the women's side Cheryl Maas (NED), the 2006 Women's TTR World Champion, will make an appearance. A squad of upcoming riders will use the chance to show off their skills against the champions, among them the 2008 BEO Junior Champion and freestyle.berlin 2009 winner Sebastien Toutant (CAN), 2009 freestyle.berlin Crossover Champ, Elias Elhardt (GER), 2009 halfpipe and slopestyle Junior's champion Patrick Burgener (SUI) and the current women's TTR points leader Sarka Pancochova (CZE).

Hundreds of riders representing 21 countries and 4 continents registered to compete in the halfpipe and slopestyle events. The youngest rider registered is Chloe Kim from the US (9 years old), who placed 5th in the Junior HP last year, and the oldest competitor on the starting list is Japanese rider Chiyo Ishida (37 years), who competed in the BEO in 2008 and 2009.

Patrick Burgenner in action at The Burton 2010 European Open

Sarka Pancochova in 2010

You wouldn't get Jackie Chan pulling such a stunt ...... or would you?

I reckon he could have done it on a BMX.

Thanks Sree for sending this in.

One thing...... how far is that jump from the edge of the slope to the ground??! 

The burning question though.... Is it a fake?

It's set to be one of the most hotly anticipated events on next year's urban sports calender.

For more information visit www.xinthecity.co.uk and check out the video below.

They Go Up, Tiddly, Up, Up.

They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.

What fun. In fact, that's an understatement. It was rip roaringly exciting to be whisked around the sky on top of a Boeing Stearman Bi-Plane. I had the incredibly good fortune to do a wing walking display with Mike Dentith from Wing Walking UK ( see previous blog entry Wing Walking ) flying high above the Essex countryside with The Thames Estuary as a backdrop. It was a day of high octane frivolity that I'll never forget.

Many thanks to Mike and for more information have a look at the pictures in the gallery

WING WALKING or on ACTIVITIES-WING WALKING

It was absolutely excellent

Although it was a bit blowy on the old kisser!

Check this out at www.wingwalkinguk.co.uk.

That's what it's all about on the all NEW Gary King website.

There are galleries, videos, links and numerous and blogs about my life as a writer.

Enjoy

You get strapped in at the top and then as you whizz back down to the bottom you reach speeds of 40mph.

It was absolutely awesome. Thanks to Will and his team for making it such fun. We'll definitely be back for some Cornish wind in our hair.

It's quite a view from the top

The kids loved it!!