Have you ever stopped to think what makes an extreme sport extreme, you may be surprised to learn that extreme sports are actually defined as such by their counter-cultural status. Rugby could quite easily be termed as an extreme sport, but is it extreme in the sense that it is new, edgy, participated in by kids? No. That is what makes an extreme sport, the element of danger however is also crucial. The extreme sports genre is marketed with its adrenaline rush at the forefront, and for this reason, the more dangerous the sport, the more extreme it is considered to be.
So what takes the title for the most extreme sport? Snowboarding originally comes to mind as THE extreme sport but in practice, it is actually quite safe. Snowboarding is in actual fact a very safe sport, boarders wear protective gear and medics are on hand if disaster strikes. In fact it is so safe, boarders can just wear beanies without any head protection.
Down hill lugging is an example of a sport more dangerous than snowboarding, speeds are faster and impacts more significant. This is clearly a lot more dangerous, that is more likely to result in injury than snowboarding, but it doesn’t have the same place in counter-culture. Something BMX bikes certainly are, yet like snowboarding, riding them isn’t particularly dangerous.
When I think an extreme sport, images of someone leaping to what seems like certain death are conjured up. In my opinion, the sport of cliff diving is far more extreme than anything else around, it gives tv viewers an adrenaline rush, let alone the participants themselves? Mens knitwear would certainly be the lats thing on your mind as you leapt into the ether, not knowing the outcome. For me free diving is the ultimate extreme sport – dangerous, exhilarating and part of a thriving sub culture challenging norms and breaking barriers.
