Ariel+Sports


 * __ Airal Sports-Norway __**
 * For my essay, I picked the topic of Airal Sports. Such as Skydiving, Bungee Jumping, and a New sport involving a “Wingsuite” making it possible for people to fly like birds. Hence the name “birdman.”**


 * Skydiving is the oldest of the three sports. Originally it was used in the military but eventually because a world wide phenomenon. (Now you must pass the AFF test to skydive legally). Jerry (unknown last name), the inspiration for Skyfest, began jumping in 1959 (unknown author). He passes away in 2000 at the age of 65, after 41 years in the business, over 3500 jumps, and he could fly nearly any aircraft. He was the inspiration for the very first Skyfest in 2000 (unknown author).**
 * It is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this June 15th through June 21st. Its being held at Skydive farm in Rockmart, Georgia. Jerry’s goal was to make Skydiving safer and a long term experience for everyone.**


 * There is not a name for the Birdmen’s sport but it is done using a suite designed like a bird enabling humans to fly by jumping off a cliff face. Many people have failed and died attempting to fly over the past hundred years or so. But finally a team of extreme sports athletes** **created the suite. (Aka “Wingsuite”)(**** Anderson) ****. CBS has just done a documentary about them and there unusual sport. Much of it is done in Norway. In this group of Birdmen is JT Holmes, A professional American skier, Julian Boulle, An adrenalin junky from South Africa, and Tom Erik Heiman who is a Norwegian host (**** Anderson ****). Holmes Says, I quote, “You can reach anywhere from 140 to 150 miles an hour wile air born."**** (Anderson ****). That is very impressive if you ask me!**


 * Bungee Jumping is also a somewhat new sport. It was discovered in the 1959’s by David Attenborough on the Pentecostal islands, part of the republic of Vanuatu (**** Pramis) ****. The local men would tie vines to there feet and jump off a ledge. They called it “Land diving” (**** Pramis ****).They do this to prove there man hood to there people, kind of like cliff jumping to the Native Americans. It is possible that this sport may have started hundreds of thousands of years ago but it took many years for the sport to become popular (**** Pramis) ****. AJ Hackett was the first person to create a suitable rope for the sport to become successful**


 * So those are the three high adrenalin sports that are becoming very popular. There is a lot of history behind all of them. I hope to accomplish at least one, if not all three before I die. (Hopefully not anytime soon!)**


 * Anderson, Tom. "Taking Flight With The Birdman." //CNN//. CBS Interactive Inc., 27 Dec. 2009. Web. 16 Apr. 2010. **** <[]>. **


 * Pramis, Joshua. "World's Wildest Bungee Jumping Spots." //Travelandleisure.com//. American Express, Oct. 2009. Web. 11 May 2010. <[]>. **


 * "A Decade of SkyFest." //Dropzone.com//. 3 Mar. 2010. Web. 3 May 2010. <[]>. **