Surfing is one of the most loved sports in the world. In fact, it’s not only a sport, but also a way of life for so many people. All year round there are many competitions organized around the world where you can witness the surfing phenomenon at its best. Just like the many, recently there was a completion called Von Zipper Trials, where Ryan Callinan made the best of every situation and wave to earn the top honors for himself in Von Zipper Trials.

He mastered every sea wave at Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach to earn a spot in the main event of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships fueled by Monster Energy, which is the world’s most prestigious junior surfing tournament. Here he will be joined by Cabarita’s Brent Savage and the USA’s Cody Thompson. A special appearance was also made by World number two Joel Parkinson also made a special appearance at Narrabeen. Parkinson is the last Aussie to have won the Billabong World Junior Championships. You can watch the championships live via the webcast at www.billabongpro.com.

Via: Surfing Life

At least that is what Nasr Al Niyadi and his trainer Omar Al Hegelan did by jumping 2,205ft from the 160th floor of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai. But, the only difference was that these two gentlemen are expert sky divers. So, don’t even try anything remotely stupid, even if it was jumping from 2nd floor of the building unless under experts. This expert sky driver has set a new world record by base jumping from an astounding height. Well, if I say jumping, then it wasn’t the only thing, both Nasr and his trainer made a descent at the approximate speed of 137 mph in under one and a half minute and to top it all they both made a flawless landing. Wow, just the thought gives me an immense adrenaline rush, imagine these dudes, they must have loved it.
P.S. there is a video for you at the end of this, so that you can catch the missing action.

Al Niyadi was also one of the fifteen base jumpers who set the world record in base jumping off the Petronas Towers. He goes on to describe his this experience as the best ever.

He says, “When we were at the top of the building I was thinking this is crazy. I was a little nervous but I wanted to jump from the highest tower in the world to record an achievement for my family and for my country. As soon as we reached the ground I looked up and just thought wow. I have completed over 2,700 jumps but this was the most amazing”.

Via: Daily Mail

A number of surf camps offer bespoke lessons for beginners.

Situated West of Spain, Portugal has a very mild Mediterranean climate. The country receives swells from the North, West and South at a variety of consistencies.

Accommodation in Portugal is cheap. For instance Portugal Villa Renters offers a number of apartments and villas that are as affordable as €100 per week. The site puts you directly in contact with the property owner thereby cutting out the middle man and saving as much as 40%.

Climbers normally head to the summit of Mont Blanc for the awesome views. Guess what these folks are heading up there for? A recent expedition to the summit carried a jacuzzi kit with them to party it up on the top of the Mont Blanc: probably one of the highest bath tub parties or you can call it high altitude craziness.

Besides the regular climbing gear like backpack, sleeping bag and mattress and rest of the hardware, one Mont Blanc team headed up for the top with jacuzzi setup gear as well. Although the summit of a 4810 meter mountain is no place to goof around, these folks proved otherwise. They have proved the fact that jacuzzi events are meant to be at exceptional places.

In the oxygen deprived summit of Mont Blanc, a dip in the hot jacuzzi is almost like getting back to life. By the time you get to the top you are wasted, with every bit of your energy is spend and you are just in time for a hot bath.

It took the team about a whole year to make the jacuzzi system efficient, reliable and yet light weight. How light? Well, try 45 pounds. So, the team had to find enough people who could top out (reach the summit) by morning light with 45 pounds of jacuzzi and get it ready for the morning bath. I think the idea is insane. After extreme ironing ideas( taking iron board to new heights), jacuzzi is the next best thing. Although, I think it’s sort of a disrespect for the mountain.

Image Credits: Jacuzzi[1],[2]

Highway Huns are on roll once again, the adrenaline of rallyists is pumping out of the veins, high time is here again! Country’s most adventurous and arduous motor sport event Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is round the corner and the rallyists are all geared up to meet the challenges and feel like what death really means.

The event is conducted in two segments, namely Reliability and Extreme versions. To begin with, Raid de Himalaya will be flagged off from Shimla on October 2. Two days later, a mountain terrain biking event will take off from the same venue and finally, a pre-World Cup paragliding event will be held at Bir-Billing in Kangra.

The race has received 141 entries, 93 in the four-wheeler category and 48 in the two-wheeler category. Passing through the five mountain passes (Kunjum, Baralacha, Nakee La and Lachu Langa), the event will test the endurance of the vehicles and the driving skills of the participants. Three new dirt stretches (Gumma Umpldwar, Narkanda-Kelodhar-Chhattri and Shuwad-Khanag) have been added this year for the first day of the competition.

Despite the dangers associated with the sport, it is counted among the top motor sport events in the country and has even attained the global recognition. I wish good luck to the competitors!

Images [1][2][3][4]

Source: One India

Well, I wonder out of how many teenagers across all the continent, sailing all alone around the world would be an ideal idea for a long holiday. Yes, I know its no child’s play but the a 16-year-old lad from Los Angeles is just on his way to make it a reality. Zac Sunderland from US hopes to break the record of solo sailing around the world, earlier set by David Dicks from Australia (he was 18 years, 41 day old then). Zac is all set to pull the ropes today from Marina Del Rey, California and make the yearlong journey in his private 36ft boat, which he bought with his own savings and become the youngest person to sail alone around the world. The young voyager’s route has been chalked out, beginning from Marina Del Rey, his first stop will be the Marshall Islands, 4,000 miles (6,437km) away. Then Zac would take the challenging 40,000-mile (64,400-km) route across the Pacific to Papua New Guinea and Australia and from there across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius and Madagascar. On completion of this stage, Zac would find himself routing around the Cape of Good Hope to the South Atlantic ocean and then finally steering through the Panama Canal and heading north back to California. Phew!

Like every intelligent navigator, Zac too knows every inch of his boat and also that ‘if you fall in, you’re pretty much gone’. His only companion on his voyage would be an iridium phone that will allow him to speak to his friends and family and send e-mails. A High School student, Zac will sleep in a narrow bunk, in case of stormy seas and will survive on freeze-dried food and fish he catches on the way. Born to a sailor’s family, with his parents already cruised the Pacific for three years with their young family, fully support their son’s dream without any doubts about any kind of mishappening. He is expected to returns before January 2010 to beat the current record. We wish him all the luck. Bon Voyage!

Via: BBC

Figuring where on earth that is, perhaps even I’m wondering...but what I think, this sure makes for a perfectly daring holiday destination. Why daring...? Stick your head further down.

Got your heart in your mouth...yeah, but still some of the brave hearts who are already packing their stuff, it is ridiculously important to note, please don’t carry any booze on you.

I guess you got the hint - it’s already too high to get high :-)

Image Credit

Here, have a peek

Dare to check the gallery below!

Credit: Tutztutz

It’s natural people expect their soul to ‘rest in peace’ at least in their death. But whether that truly happens or not is another question. If you happen to visit the Cliffs of Sagada in Phillipines you will be surprised to see to what extent people go to ensure that their souls rest in peace.

You will find hundreds of coffins hanging down the cliffs or jutting out of a rock and these have been around since 2,000 years when you scan the higher areas of the cliff. People carved their own coffins before death and the corpses were smoked to preserve it throughout the 5-day pre-burial feast.

Why did they do this? People probably believed that higher your body is laid the close they are to ‘heaven’ and mountains were held in high esteem those days. Another reason might be to protect the bodies that could have destroyed because of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.

If you just have a look at the surrounding area, you will wonder how they managed to get bring the corpse through such an unpopulated area and manage to settle these coffins that high even when they grieved the loss of their loved one. They probably used ropes to lower the coffins down the cliff or used timber scaffolding to raise the coffin high up.

Have a look at this video of the cliffs and you’ll know that death is really an adventure!

Via: Deputy Dog

Are you an adventure sports enthusiast, who loves surfing on the high waves of the tumultuous sea? It might not be possible for you to be present on the beach every weekend. If you are a Londoner, then wait only for three more years to see your dreams become a reality in sometime in 2011. The surfers and curious onlookers will flock to east London to surf on the waves of the world’s first outdoor surfing machine.

Skiing on indoor ice replicating the Alpine slopes, have become a passe with even shopping malls sporting one these days. The new attraction now lies on replicating the sea with artificial waves. The ₤20 million Venture Xtreme project will come up on an abandoned dock at Silvertown Quays in east London. There will be a complete seaside ambiance with an artificial beach dotted with palm trees, boardwalks, and even barbecues.

It will cost ₤30 for an hour of riding on 10 waves. After all, this is the difference between surfing on the real waves and on artificial waves, with the former not allowing you to manipulate its swelling water. Cynics might find this artificial surfing a far cry from the real thing. But for the not so brave surfers, you are safe from the rocks and sharks of the sea.

Source: daily mail