THRILL-SEEKERS UNITE – GIFTS TO GET YOUR PULSE RACING
Does it seem that everything is X-rated these days – particularly when it comes to X-treme sports?. It seems that people are pushing the boundaries everywhere – going higher and harder than ever before on bicycles, motorbikes, skis, skateboards and surfboards.
The extreme sports industry is huge –and it’s growing. In the US, the surfing industry is burgeoning, posting retail sales of over seven billion dollars in 2008, while snowboarding grew thirty per cent between 1998 and 2004. Paintballing is another growth area, with 63% growth between 1998 and 2004. Other extreme sports such as skydiving, snowboarding, skateboarding, mountainbiking, bungee jumping and base jumping are also reportedly attracting more and more followers.
So what’s driving this growth? Some believe that it’s a reaction to our highly regulated lifestyles which are becoming increasingly formalized and controlled – while others say it’s just the natural course of human nature to try different things. It may be that these extreme sports offer an opportunity for self-actualisation that isn’t possible with more conventional sports, and they provide participants with opportunities to defy ‘officialdom’.
Another perspective is that the industry growth has been an extremely clever media manipulation, with television networks reaping the benefits. Whatever the perspective, the fact remains, that the industry is big. It’s now possible to do a degree in extreme sports management at some universities, multi-billion dollar extreme sports complexes are being constructed, some extreme sports are now included in the Olympic Games, networks cover the Extreme Games and there are dedicated TV channels.
What compels a person to leap from an aeroplane or put their foot flat on an acceletor pedal? Many men and women who engage in extreme or alternative sports maintain that it’s not about the sport, but that it’s about pushing the boundaries and overcoming their own limitations.
Research from Australia found that extreme sportsmen weren’t reckless thrillseekers, but were careful to minimize risks, loved what they did, and that they talked about the power of nature, a sense of humility and a real sense of peace.
If plummeting through the air at over 200 kilometres an hour or flying across the waves at a death-defying 40 knots per hour appeals to you, then you should pack away the golf clubs and go straight to the official holding the indemnity form!. And if you know someone who’d give their eye teeth to do the same, read on.
The growth of extreme sports has spawned the emergence of another industry – experiential gift vouchers which enable recipients to get their own adrenalin rush thanks to cool gifts ideas. Presenting someone with a piece of paper which is their key to their lifelong dream, be it a joy flight, jet boating or kayaking could enable them to unlock a whole new perspective on life.
One company that has seen huge growth in the gift certificate business for extreme sports is gifts Australia specialist, BigThanks, whose online shopping venue is packed to the brim with adrenalin-pumping options such as stunt driving, rally driving, jet boating, surfing and abseiling – which they say appeal to a wide audience from organisations looking for team-building activities, birthdays, wedding and anniversary gift ideas as well as Father’s Day and Mother’s Day outings
Not everyone has the stomach for a skydive or a white water rafting adventure, but it’s worth remembering the words of Thomas Carlyle : Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment’.
Bmx racing ” Inspiration “