The Women’s UCI World Cup overall title has come to its mid season break after an exciting race in Leogang, Austria, which saw Manon Carpenter (GBR) become the first rider this year to win her second race. Continue Reading →
Category Archives: News
Latest news in the action sports world
Maria Puts Britain First on the Polar Map
Adventurer Maria Leijerstam’s world-first achievement for Britain has landed her in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Maria, 35, from the Vale of Glamorgan, pedalled 650 kilometres across the icy wilderness of Antarctica last Christmas to claim the title of the first person in the world to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the continent – a mission she completed ahead of an American and Spanish rival last December.
Conceptualised by Maria and her team, a unique polar cycle was then designed and manufactured by Cornish firm Inspired Cycle Engineering, and since her success their sales have rocketed.
In the same week, the University of Plymouth – where Maria gained a Pure Mathematics degree in 2000 – has awarded her Honorary Sporting Colours for Distinction in Sporting Activities, which she will be collecting in late September.
Maria has managed to carve out an incredible career path around her adventures. She began her career as a rocket scientist, and later as a Business Improvement Director for well-known multi-national organisations around the world. In 2010 she founded Multisport Limited and the popular Burn Series of family adventure days, as a way of combining her love of sport and adventure with business acumen.
In 2007 she became the first Welsh woman to complete the world-renowned Sahara Marathon, where she battled against extreme high temperatures to run six marathons in seven days. At the other end of the temperature scale, in 2012 she became the first woman to complete the Siberian Black Ice Race cycling across Lake Baikal, the longest and deepest frozen freshwater lake in the world.
Maria continues to work every day to raise money for her chosen charity, the Alzheimer’s Society. She shares her story of determination through lectures and talks with the world to help engage and inspire the youth of today, as well as established business people who like to hear about the courage and determination it took to achieve her goal.
Although Britain was unable to secure the world-first record of reaching the South Pole in the great polar days of the battle between Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, Great Britain has now claimed a world-first for cycling to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent.
Not a Walk in the Park
TrekFest, an endurance charity hike that happens twice a year at the Brecon Beacons and the Peak District, took place this weekend with over 700 people taking part.
On Saturday morning the hikers woke to the sound of thunder and torrential rain, but luckily the storm had finished before the start of the race.
Many of the major charities, such as Cancer Research, Air Ambulance and Hope House, were represented at the trek, and tens of thousands of pounds had been raised for charity.
Hosted by Global Adventure Challenges, participants can either choose to walk 29 miles in 12-hours or 54 miles in 24-hours for a charity of their choice.
Trekfest is not a walk in the park. Many hikers had blisters and cuts from walking for over 12 hours and all had to endure showers and strong winds.
John Murphy, who was taking part in the 29 miles trek tweeted “I am soaking wet, I have been soaking wet for hours.”
Some participants such as Jane Ball have had to overcome some major obstacles to take part in TrekFest.
“16 months ago I was so overweight that I couldn’t even walk round Sainsburys without my back feeling like it was going to break so am I proud of myself? Hell yeah.” Ball said on Facebook.
The next TrekFest is due to take place on 6th-7th September in the Peak District. If you would like to take part click here.
2014 Summer X Games Round-Up
After four days of Skateboarding, BMXing, Motocrossing, Rallycross and Super Trucks, the 2014 Summer X Games in Austin, Texas is once again finished for another year. Continue Reading →
Surf Snowdonia Gets Planning Permission
An artificial wave garden has been given the go-ahead in the Conwy Valley. At a council meeting on April 30, planning permission was officially granted to Surf Snowdonia. Continue Reading →
Best Costumes from the World Ski and Snowboard Festival
The World Ski and Snowboard Festival marks the official end to the winter season in Whistler and to celebrate many of the seasonairs took to the slope in costumes here are some of the best. Continue Reading →
Highlights from the World Ski and Snowboard Festival
The World Ski and Snowboard Festival has come to an end, and with it the official end to the winter season, though Blackcomb will stay open until May 26th.
The weather varied from snow to sun, to rain, to wind, to fog, and the conditions where typical for spring. The slopes were full of shredders getting their final ride in of the season and with seasonairs partying it up in fancy dress.
Credit: Cat Hughes
The World Ski Invitational took place with slopestyle and the big air. The crowd packed-out skier’s plaza to watch the world’s best freestyle skiers, including Britain’s James “Woodsy” Woods, pull of some hair-razing tricks of a 65 foot jump.
The top spot went to Sweden’s Jesper Tjader, who, on his second run, scored a 90.00 with a Right Double 1620 mute grab. America’s Bobby Brown came in at a close second, with a score of 89.00. He threw down a Switch Double Misty 1260 mute. In third place, flying the flag for Canada, was Vincent Gagnier, with a score of 87.60. Woodsy came in at a respectable fifth with a score of 83.60.
Low cloud hampered the slopestyle event as the athletes waited hours on the side of Blackcomb mountain, waiting for it to lift. During a break in the cloud, the girls managed to complete a two-run final, but the boys didn’t manage to ride a final run. Instead, the scores from the semi-finals decided the winner.
Credit: Robert McCrimmon
Canada dominated the women’s competition, with Nikki Blackall from Ontario coming in at first place with a score of 77.67. Second went to Anouk Purnelle-Faniel from Quebec with a score of 67.67, and third went to Cassie Sharpe from British Columbia, who scored 57.50.
Anouk Purnelle, Nikki Blackall and Cassie Sharpe. Credit: Cat Hughes
In the men’s slopestyle, Bobby Brown took another seat at the podium, coming in second with a score of 84.67. Jossi Wells, from New Zealand, came in third. First place went to Canadian Evan McEachran with a score of 87.17. Woodsy came in at 7th place with 76.83.
Bobby Brown, Evan McEachran and Jossi Wells Credit: Cat Hughes
The latest from the World Ski and Snowboard Festival
The World Ski and Snowboard Festival is in full swing in Whistler, British Columbia and the snow conditions are getting better and better. Last weekend under a bluebird sky The Shred Show took place, where some of the best international snowboarders took to the slopes in the slopestyle, big air and boarderstyle – a boardercross-style race with slopestyle features.
USA’s Kyle Mack took the top spot at the snowboarding slopestyle at the Nintendo Terrain Park – with a best out of three runs Mack pulled, amongst others, a switch backside 1260 and a backside double cork 1080 Japan grab and a frontside 360 grab. His score of 86.5 was enough to earn him the $15,000 grand prize. Coming in second Canadian Sebastien Toutant scored 85.22 and Matts Kulisek, also Canadian, picked up third place with a score of 82.33.
Mack also podiumed at the Big Air event that took place at skiers plaza in front of a large crowd. Mack came in at a close second with a score of 93.55. First place went to Max Eberhardt (CAN). Eberhardt threw down a perfect backside triple cork 1440 mute grab on his second run to earn a score of 95.33. Coming in third place was Justin Morgan from the USA.
The boarderstyle a messy but thrilling race were four boarders race each other on a boardercross track but with rails and jumps. What’s not to like. On the track the crazy riders must take on three mandatory features at the start of the course. Ollie over a barrel, Pond Skim and Step up forest- (a step up with a few trees planted which riders must avoid)
After that there is a 15ft step up and a step down before the final 30ft jump with a mandatory spin – many riders were over shooting the jump but then it is hard to gauge speed when you are racing. Four Whistler locals made it to the final, Cody Logan, Chris Rasman, Rube Goldberg and Jon Versteeg. It was Goldberg who came out on top to win the $1,000 prize.
As the snow clouds descend on Whistler for some mid-April flurries the World Ski Invitational will take place on the 18-20 April. The ski slopestyle will see our very own James Woods take to the slopes – the only Brit in the competition.
At the intersection film competition a roster of world class athletes and talented film crew had seven days to make the best ski and snowboarding film they could. The winner was Nate Lav and the Man boys – who with their two minute video (see below) took home the $10,000 prize money.
A special mention went to Zac Moxely a 17-year-old Whistler native who is still in high school. He won the “best-on-the-mic-award” for giving credit to his mum.
Edited by: Farah Lodhawalla
Girls Take Over Selfridges Skatepark
Cooler Magazine hosted a girls only night at the HTC One Indoor Skatepark built by Selfridges. Pro skater Becky Jaques popped down from Nottingham for a ride, and there was a great mix of beginners and seasoned skaters to make everyone feel at home in the park. Continue Reading →
Insect Repellent Hoodie
Sirena Hooded Jacket, Craghoppers
£50
Summer is one of the best times of the year. Long warm nights, beautiful sunsets and the familiar sound of mosquitoes buzzing round you taking away from its perfection. Craghopper have brought out the Sirena Hooded Jacket, a soft cotton jacket with insect repellent technology.
The hoodie is great for tropical climate travel as it light, has UV protection, lets your skin breath and has a system of letting moisture evaporate quickly leaving you feeling fresher.
The Science
So how does it discourage those pesky mossies from attacking? Interwoven into the fabric is a permanent insect-repellent treatment, which should protect you from the tiny gnashes of hungry insects. The technology called Nosilife is non-irritant and non-toxic to humans and animals – it is of course toxic to insects hence why they stay away. It is proven to reduce bug bites by up to 90 %. However, If you are going on a trip to areas where malaria is known to be an issue it’s still a good idea to get those malaria tablets and any other immunisations that maybe needed.