Here we have some of the most thrilling, hazardous, and deadly sports around.
Some of them may surprise you!
Big Wave Surfing
With how common surfing is, it’s surprising this sport made it on the list.To count as big wave surfing, the wave should be at least 20 feet tall!
There are so many hazards to this sport that you may not think of.
First off, waves this big are extremely powerful. In a big wipeout, surfers can be pushed 20 to 50 feet (6.2 to 15.5 m) below the surface.On top of that, it’s easy to get disoriented under the water from a wave that powerful, and it’s imperative that they can regain their equilibrium quickly – and get to the surface before the next wave comes, usually less than 20 seconds later.
The waves are the biggest risk to surfers, due to being held down by the waves.
Surviving one wave is challenging enough, and surviving three is almost unheard of.
Apart from just drowning, there’s also the factor of the ocean floor.
No matter what it is – sand, rocks, or coral, it can all be hazardous to the surfer.
When it comes to big wave surfing, all waves are strong enough to make even a sandy ocean floor feel like concrete.
Rocks are a no brainer. Getting pummeled into a rock surface will almost definitely injure you.
Finally, coral will cut you like razors, and even leave broken pieces in your skin that could potentially become infected afterwards.
Big Wave Surfing World Record
Tallest wave ever surfed – 78-foot tall wave in Portugal was surfed Garrett McNamara in 2011.
Base Jumping
If skydiving isn’t intense enough for you, BASE jumping is about as extreme as you can get, and arguably the most dangerous sport in the world.
BASE itself is an acronym for Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges), and Earth (cliffs) – AKA, the structures you jump off of.This insane sport consists of jumping off a fixed structure, as described in the name of the sport, and either parachuting or wing suit flying to reach the ground.
While you may not be falling as far as you would if you were to skydive, you have significantly less time to deploy your parachute and a nearly invisible margin for error.
BASE jumping has been growing in popularity since 1978, even with its high mortality rate of 1 in 60.
Due to the dangerous nature of this sport, it is illegal in most places of the world, with few exceptions.
In the United States, Perrine Bridge located in Idaho, is the only man-made place where BASE jumping is legal year-round without a permit.
Everywhere else, jumpers will likely face arrest.
Due to the legality, many pro BASE jumpers keep their jumps secretive so as not to be caught by officials.
BASE Jumping World Record
Highest BASE Jump – 25,262 feet (7,700 m) in the Himalayas by Valery Rozov in 2016.
No comments