List of Outdoor Extreme Sports A-Z
Outdoor extreme sports refer to any sport that primarily takes place outdoors, is thrilling in nature, and provides a viewing experience that is typically exciting. These sports generally pose a level of risk for participants, adding to the adrenaline rush that participants receive. Outdoor extreme sports contain activities familiar to some, such as bungee jumping, BMX, and even whitewater rafting. While not all disciplines of extreme outdoor sports are well known, many have been around for years. Bungee jumping was first created in 1979 in Bristol, England, and gained popularity in the US over the rest of the 1980’s. The first unofficial motocross race, another popular extreme outdoor sport, took place in 1924 and was initially called a "scramble."
Today, the face of outdoor extreme sports varies depending on the sport. Still, some of the most well-known athletes are Kelly Sildaru, an 18-year freeskier who won her first X-Games gold medal at age 13, and Travis Pastrana, who holds 11 X-Games medals over his motocross career. Another household name, Shaun White, was the face of X Games and Olympic snowboarding for many years. He is currently one of the winningest X Games athletes to date, with 23 total and 15 of those being gold.
Outdoor Extreme Sports List A to Z
- Abseiling
- Aid Climbing
- All-Terrain Boarding
- Banger Racing
- Banzai Skydiving
- Base Jumping
- BMX
- Bouldering
- Bungee Jumping
- Canyoning
- Cliff Diving
- Cluster Ballooning
- Coasteering
- Creeking
- Deep-Water Soloing
- Demolition Derby
- Downhill Mountain Biking
- Drifting
- Extreme Canoe Slalom
- Extreme Ironing
- Free Running
- Free Skiing
- Freestyle BMX
- Freestyle Motocross
- Hang Gliding
- Ice Climbing
- Ice Cross Downhill
- Kitesurfing (Kiteboarding)
- Mixed Climbing
- Motoball
- Motocross
- Motogp
- Motorcycle Racing
- Mountain Unicycling
- Mountainboarding
- Mountaineering
- Off-Road Racing
- Offshore Powerboat Racing
- Para-Climbing
- Parachuting
- Parasailing
- Powerboat Racing
- Powerbocking
- Rafting
- Sand Surfing
- Ski Flying
- Sandboarding
- Skydiving
- Skyrunning
- Snocross
- Snowboarding
- Squirt Boating
- Street Racing
- Surf Fishing
- Surfboat Rowing
- Touring Car Racing
- Track Racing
- Tt Racing
- Underwater Ice Hockey
- Water Skiing
- Wheelstand Competition
- Whitewater Kayaking
- Whitewater Rafting
- Whitewater Slalom
- Wild-Water Racing
- Wingsuit Flying
FAQ
What are outdoor extreme sports?
Outdoor extreme sports typically include any outdoor competitive activity or event that focuses on pushing yourself to the limit, experiencing some intense thrills, and usually holding some degree of danger for the participant. Each sport within outdoor extreme sports tends to utilize specific gear made for each sports' respective needs. The rules and scoring also change depending on which event you are focusing on; for example, bungee jumping has no goal other than completion, while in track racing, you are trying to win a race.
What outdoor extreme sports are in the X Games?
The X-Games has long been the home for outdoor extreme sports enthusiasts, hosting a summer competition, founded in 1995, and a winter variation that was founded in 1997. The summer games include various sports such as motocross, mountain biking, and BMX, with different events within each category. The winter games follow a similar format, and their primary type of events are skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Former events no longer held include bungee jumping and ice climbing.
What are the most dangerous outdoor extreme sports?
Many extreme outdoor sports pose a risk and or danger to yourself, but a few stand out from the rest when it comes to most dangerous. BASE jumping has been taking the lives of its participants for years with its razor-thin margin for error and lack of backup equipment available once in the air. Big-wave surfing also poses extreme danger, with the risks of drowning and getting crushed under waves that can be as much as 80-100 feet tall.
What are the most popular outdoor extreme sports?
When it comes to the title of most popular, BMX has long stood above the pack. This sport has steadily gained in popularity since the 1970s and is a derivative of motocross. The non-motorized bikes used in BMX dramatically decreased the risk of injury for athletes while not decreasing the daring feats of athleticism seen by spectators. The sport has been a part of the Summer Olympics since 2008 and has long been a recurring category in the Summer X-Games, with five different events held.