Not content with entering the Guinness Book of World Records at the age of 85 as the oldest person on top of an aircraft that looped the loop, widower Tom Lackey, now 93 has broken his own record by becoming the world’s oldest wing walker.
Strapped to the plane’s wing, it took the dare-devil granddad just one hour and 21 minutes to cross the Irish Sea this morning. The former builder from the West Midlands was tied to the top of a 1943 Boeing Stearman biplane which flew at around 1,000ft from Castle Kennedy, near Stranraer, in Scotland to Londonderry. Tom completed his first wing walk 13 years ago after the death of his wife, Isobel who had served in the Royal Air Force. But this latest feat was the most challenging yet, he said. Since his wife’s death Mr Lackey, who was greeted by his daughter and granddaughter in Derry, has raised more than £1m for charity.
It just goes to show that you’re never too old to try something daring! If you’re thinking of such dizzy heights and want the security of insurance, call 0800 1313 417 or view the full list of activities we cover.
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Filed under: Extreme sports
Article tags: wing walker, world record
This year’s European Slalom Skateboarding Championships were held close to home this year at Redbridge Cycling Centre in London, better known as Hog Hill. From 2-4 August, the three day competition attracted a total 95 amateur and professional competitors from all over the world. Racing downhill at speeds of up to 35mph, slalom skateboarding is a skillful and risky sport. In fact, it’s one of the original skateboard disciplines, along with freestyle and downhill, dating back to the 1970s. Competitors must weave between a line of scattered cones, sometimes riding solo and sometimes in a head-to-head duel.
Four riders notched up hat-trick victories in their respective classes: Henrik Wadsten took the Overall Masters title, Kathrin Sehl won the Women’s, Sebi Vorhölter the Amateur and a great performance from Petr Matous earned him the Junior Crown.
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Article tags: skateboarding
Everyone’s heard of snowboarding right? Many of us have even ditched our skis and given the single board a go on the piste. But have you ever dreamed it would be possible to careen down the slopes of an active volcano on your snowboard?! Well, one of the first to try the unusual sport of volcano boarding back in 2004 is adventure-seeker, like Joshua Berman, co-author of the Moon Nicaragua travel guide.
Berman, and his team have just completed their most recent challenge of boarding down Cerro Negro in Nicaragua, which has erupted more than 20 times over the years and is known as “the youngest, most active volcano in the hemisphere,” says Berman, 40. Funny enough, the steep 45-minute climb to the top is the physically demanding part. Getting down is a breeze. Berman says he slid down the volcano snowboarder style, but he went slower than you might think. “The boards bogged down in the sand and ash, but the wind blowing the dust behind us gave the illusion of great speed in the photos,” he says. Very few people have yet to try this unique sport – will you be one of them?
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Filed under: Extreme sports
Article tags: boarding, snowboarding
