A few oddities in the world
of difficult extreme sports
Marissa Weltmer
There are some extreme sports that are a little strange and difficult at the
same time.
Barefoot Waterskiing requires some strong feet. It is waterskiing without the
skis. It might seem simple but it is a lot more complicated than traditional
waterskiing. The speed of the boat has to be just right.
The rule of thumb, according
to the American Barefoot Club, is divide your weight by 10, then add 20. So,
if you are 120 pounds, the boat’s speed should be 32 mph. There are several
ways to start barefooting.
The easiest way is to water-ski without the binding
on the ski. Try stepping one foot off the ski, and once the ski has slipped away,
place the other foot on the water.
“
Even if you are an experienced water-skier, this sport is hard,” said
Dennis Wright, a barefooter and part of the American Barefoot Club. “It
is worth the time and energy you put into it because the results are so great.
It is so cool to ski on the water with just your feet,”
Another sport, Le Parkour, is more than just an extreme sport, it is a way of
living. Le Parkour followers try to change the negative energy within themselves
or their surrounding area by looking further than the ordinary movements of everyday
life.
Many members of this sport have made their mark in the world through Nike
commercials, like the one where they jump from building to building. It looks
like special effects, but these guys really can do that without the help of a
harness. It is a sport and a philosophy that believes anyone can jump off a 10-story
building and land on an eight-story one if they put their minds to it.
“
I hope it becomes something big in America like it is in Europe,” said
Scott Bartian, a local Le Parkour. “It is so great and it has really
helped me focus. I learned about it while I was in London in the summer and
hung out with a group that was doing it back there.”
Street Luge is an extreme sport born right here in Southern California. It is
basically riding a big skateboard down a giant hill. The first one to get to
the bottom wins. The catch is the riders are lying on their backs the whole time.
The first race was held in 1975 by the United States Skateboarding Association.
Now after 30 years the sport is televised and is being considered as an Olympic
sport.
“
It has come a long way. We used to have to make our own boards, now some of the
[board] shops sell luge boards for cheap,” said Dale Messinger, 52, a retired
luge boarder.
The only disadvantage to luge boarding, according to Messinger, is the difficulty
of finding new and safe places to practice.
“
The best hills are hard to find and now a lot of people will call the cops on
you,” Messinger said.
This column was originally printed in the Daily Titan at Cal State
Fullerton.
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