Most Challenging Events Only for Daredevils and Fitness Champions

Disciplines like snowboarding and bungee jumping are just the tip of the extreme sports iceberg. Outside of the well-known and mapped arenas, lies a landscape full of mind-blowing adventures. There, we see some events that most people would assume are too crazy to even exit.

Yet, daring individuals do not shy away from taking part in them, putting their psychical and mental limits to an ultimate test.  They push forward even when their bodies beg for mercy and common sense suggests dropping out. So, here are some of the most death-defying events that restless humans have come up with.

Antarctic Ice marathon

First on the list of extremely challenging events is the world’s southernmost marathon. As you may imagine, it is also one of the most chilling outdoor experiences you can undergo. Many courageous adventurers head to the bottom of the world in order to run through the Antarctic interior, just few hundred miles from the South Pole.

The average temperature there, by the way, is almost –49°C. To make it worse, brutal weather also includes fierce, 20mph winds that show no mercy. The fact that you run at 2,000 feet altitude comes as an icing on the cake.  

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

Patron of all sorts of hazardous activities, Red Bull outdid itself with this one. The World Series takes place in a different location each year and previously, it involved far-flung destinations like Wales, Azores, Thailand, etc. Cliff divers make it all look so easy, but do not get fooled.

Participants usually descent from heights between 85-92 feet and on the way down, they perform a series of acrobatics.  Did I mention that they also reach speeds up to 53 mph? Well, taking a plunge in such a fashion calls for peerless concentration, sublime precision, and tons of skill.

UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour

For people who do not find rock climbing challenging enough, a vertical wall of ice is the way to go. The main difference here, of course, is that there is no friction to help you move up. To navigate the slippery and sleek surface, climbers can use only a pair of ice axes and crampons.

For now, there are speed and lead competitions that attract thrill-seekers from across the globe. But, we expect to see ice climbing gaining traction, as it was introduced to the public as a demonstration at Winter Olympics in 2014. It would be nice to see it become an official discipline as well.

IGSA World Championship in Street Luge

Born on the steep urban slopes of the Southern California, street luge quickly captured the imagination of many people. It showed that trading in all the skills associated with skateboarding is worth it if you can accomplish one thing: greater speed.

In order to maximize it, participants have to literally lie on their boards, mimicking what the lugers do. The world record when it comes to max speed is staggering— 101.90 mph. Note that IGSA World Championship is the biggest event promoting this novelty, gravity-powered sport.

Spartan Ultra Beast

This extreme endeavor is only for the most ambitious and accomplished athletes. Namely, Spartan Ultra Beast is a full marathon (26.2 miles) mixed with obstacle course racing. There are over sixty obstacles and it is hard to pick the most challenging one: rope climb, wall climb, barbed wire climb, fire jump, tire flip, etc.

If you fail to complete any of these, you need to do 60 burpees as a penalty. The greatest test is I guess is resisting the temptation to throw in the towel before making it to the end. I am sure that the Ancient Spartans would approve of these extreme trials and tribulations.

Patagonian Expedition Race

This taxing, 10-day event takes place on a different course every year, but its trademark is incredibly difficult terrain.  One barely has the time to marvel the breathtaking scenery of Patagonia while biking, kayaking, climbing, and tracking.

Apart from nearly impassable terrain, you also face unpredictable weather and desolate stretches of land, where no other living soul dares to venture. All of this has earned Patagonian Expedition Race the title of the most difficult adventure race on the face of the earth. Not surprisingly, the rate of completion is barely 50%.

Race Across America

As a non-stop biking race across the American continent, this event is unique in the world of extreme sports. In fact, it is deemed the toughest bike race there is. In a nutshell, participants need to engage in a coast-to-coast, 3000-miles exploit.

There is a time limit of 12 days to cross the finish line. Just to put things into perspective, this race is 30% longer than Tour de France and lasts only half the time. So, taking these factors into account, bikers rarely sleep more than a few hours per night. And those who want to have any chances of winning do not go for more than 90 minutes of shuteye time.

Quicksilver (In Memory of Eddie Aikau)

The shore of Waimea Bay, Ohau, is famous (or notorious?) for massive winters waves that entice professional surfers and adrenaline junkies.  Here, Quicksilver occurs. It is a big-wave event that claimed the life of a lifeguard and participant in 1984.

Since then, his memory is cherished by fellow surfers. For a competition to happen, conditions have to be perfect, which is why there is never a set date in advance. After all, big-wave surfing is a great physical feat requires peak psychical condition and impeccable mental stability.  Besides, you only have a board to save you from the crushing ocean.

Faster, stronger, crazier

It is in human nature to constantly strive to expand the horizons, sometimes in quite a risky manner. That is how some grueling events were born, extreme sports that challenge participants in many different ways. They appropriately put you in harsh environments and throw numerous obstacles at you.

Watching from the distance, you might be filled with foolhardy confidence, but be advised. These adrenaline-pumping activities attract mostly freaks of nature, fitness paragons, and people immune to fear. Lesser mortals can just stand by in awe and applaud.