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Most Dangerous Sports in the World – List of Top 10

Last Updated : 21 Mar, 2024
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Most Dangerous Sports in the World: The ten most dangerous sports in the world include activities like base jumping, big wave surfing, bull riding, cave diving, highlining, motorcycle racing, street luge, wingsuit flying, bull running, and high-altitude climbing.

Sports have always been a source of thrill and excitement for people around the world. From football to basketball to cricket, there are numerous sports that people engage in for the love of competition and physical activity. However, there are some sports that take danger to a whole new level. These sports push athletes to their limits and require immense skill, bravery, and physical strength. In this article, we will take a closer look at the top 10 most dangerous sports in the world.

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List of Top 10 Most Dangerous Sports in the World

Sports have always been a thrilling pursuit, but some take adrenaline to extreme levels. From high-speed collisions to death-defying stunts, these sports push athletes to their limits and beyond. Here’s a look at the top 10 most dangerous sports in the world:

Rank

Sport

Description

1

Bull Riding

Riders mount a bucking bull and attempt to stay on for as long as possible.

2

Big Wave Surfing

Surfers tackle enormous waves, risking Wipeouts, and being held underwater for minutes.

3

Base Jumping

Participants leap from fixed objects, such as building or cliffs, with a parachute.

4

Cave Diving

Divers explore underwater cave, navigating tight passages and risking equipment.

5

Heli- Skiing

Skiers are dropped onto remote, unmarked mountain slopes via helicopter, facing avalanche risks.

6

Street Luge

Riders lie on a lie board and race downhill on roads, reaching speeds over 70mph.

7

Motorcycle Racing

Whether on the track or off- road, motorcycle racing involves high speeds and frequent crashes.

8

Wingsuit Flying

Participants wear specialized suits and glide through the air at breathtaking speeds.

9

Bull Running

Runners sprint through narrow streets while being chased by bulls during festivals.

10

Highlining

Slackline walking at extreme heights, often without safety harnesses, over canyons or cliffs.

Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Bull Riding

Bull riding is a rodeo sport where a person tries to stay on top of a bucking bull. The goal is to last as long as possible without falling off. It might sound easy, but it takes a lot of strength and bravery. The rider could get hurt badly, like breaking bones or getting a concussion, or even worse.

  • Bull riding is a big part of rodeo, where cowboys compete in different events like riding bareback, riding saddle broncs, and riding bulls.
  • The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) group started in 1992, and now it’s super popular all around the world. They put on more than 300 shows every year, and millions of people are fans.
  • The highest score ever in bull riding is 96 points, and a guy named J.B. Mauney got that in 2013.
  • Bull riding has its own rules. One important one is that riders can’t touch the bull with their hand or anything else during the ride. If they do, they’re out.
  • Bulls for bull riding are special. They’re bred just for this sport and are called “bucking bulls.” These bulls are trained to try to throw off the riders, and they can be worth a lot of money.

Second Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Big Wave Surfing

Big wave surfing means riding really, really big waves, like ones taller than a building, up to 80 feet high. Surfers who do this face tough challenges: strong currents, weather that can change suddenly, and the danger of drowning or getting hurt by the huge waves.

  • Riding huge waves, like ones taller than buildings, needs a lot: strength, mental prep, and skills.
  • Big wave surfing is way different from regular surfing. These waves are massive, up to 100 feet tall, and zoom super fast, over 50 miles per hour. They’re so powerful that they’re really dangerous for surfers.
  • Sadly, big wave surfing has caused some deaths over the years, even for experienced surfers. Just in 2019, six surfers died in big wave accidents. The waves are so huge and the ocean changes so fast that it’s always risky.
  • But even with the danger, big wave surfers stick together. They’re like a family, all loving the sport and respecting the ocean.

Third Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Base Jumping

Base jumping is when people jump off things like buildings or cliffs with a parachute or special suit called a wingsuit. It’s super risky because things can go wrong, like the parachute might not work right.

  • The first BASE jump happened in 1978 when Carl Boenish leaped off El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
  • BASE stands for Building, Antenna, Span (like bridges), and Earth (like cliffs). Carl Boenish thought of this name because those were the common things people jumped from.
  • About 1 out of every 60 BASE jumpers don’t make it back safely.
  • Norway is where modern BASE jumping started. People jump from the super tall Kjerag cliff, which is about 3,228 feet high.
  • The highest BASE jump ever was done by Valery Rozov from Mount Everest, at a crazy 23,688 feet high.
  • BASE jumping is against the law in many countries, including the United States, because it’s risky and could hurt others.

Fourth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Cave Diving

Cave diving is a super adventurous sport where people explore underwater caves with special diving gear. You need to be really good at diving and know a lot about it to do it safely. You go through tight spaces and dark tunnels underwater. It’s super risky because you could get stuck, your gear might stop working, or you could run out of air.

  • Cave diving started in the late 1950s in Florida, USA, when scuba divers wanted to explore underwater caves.
  • The longest underwater cave system is in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It’s called Sistema Sac Actun and stretches over 215 miles.
  • The deepest underwater cave is the Kavak Cave in Iran, reaching down 1,640 feet.
  • Before you try cave diving, you need lots of training and certification. Organizations like the National Speleological Society and the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers offer courses.
  • Cave diving is super risky. On average, cave divers only do it for about 10 years because it’s so dangerous. But with the right training and safety precautions, it can be safer.

Fifth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Heli- Skiing

Heli-skiing is a variant of skiing that involves skiing in remote and inaccessible areas using a helicopter to reach the top of the mountain. This sport is popular among thrill-seekers, but it comes with its fair share of risks. The unpredictable weather conditions, avalanches, and steep terrain make heli-skiing a dangerous sport that requires proper training and safety measures.

  • The first heli skiing started in 1965 in Canada.
  • A week of heli skiing can cost from $7,000 to $12,000 on average.
  • Heli skiing helicopters are made to work in really high places, super cold weather, and bad weather.
  • Heli skiing happens in some of the most isolated and untouched mountains in places like Alaska, Canada, Switzerland, and New Zealand.
  • They thought about adding heli- skiing to the Winter Olympics in 2014, but they decided not to because it might not be safe enough.

Sixth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Street Luge

Extreme sports are all about getting your heart racing, and there are lots of crazy things you can try. Street luge is one of them. It’s like racing down roads really fast lying on a tiny board. It’s super dangerous but lots of people love it for the thrill.

  • The fastest speed ever in street luge is 98.6 mph. Dusan Drastic from Slovenia set this record in 2010.
  • Street luge racing started officially in the United States in 1995 at Signal Hill, California. Over 40 people joined the first race.
  • Street luge became a part of the X Games in 1997 and has been in the event ever since.
  • In 2007, the TV show “MythBusters” tested if a person could survive crashing into a hay bale at high speeds while street luging.
  • Street luge has different styles: buttboarding (sitting up), stand-up luge (standing), and classic luge (lying down).

Seventh Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Motorcycle Racing

Motorcycle racing has been around for a long time. It’s when riders race on special motorcycles, going super fast and doing risky moves on different tracks. But it’s not a sport for those who scare easily. It’s actually one of the most dangerous sports out there, with a big chance of getting hurt badly or even dying.

  • The very first motorcycle race happened in France in 1894. The winner rode a steam-powered motorcycle.
  • The fastest motorcycle race ever was in Utah in 2011. A racer named Bill Warner went a crazy 311 mph!
  • The Isle of Man TT is one of the riskiest motorcycle races. Since it started in 1907, over 250 people have died doing it.
  • In MotoGP, which is like the top level of motorcycle racing, the average rider weighs around 160 lbs. But the fastest ones are lighter, around 135 lbs.
  • The best MotoGP racer ever is Valentino Rossi from Italy. He’s won the world championship nine times and has won 115 races!

Eighth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Wingsuit Flying

Wingsuit flying is a super daring sport where people wear special suits with wings to glide through the air. It feels like flying, but it’s really risky because even a small mistake can be deadly.

  • The first person to try a wingsuit was an American named Francis Rogallo in 1962.
  • In 2015, Valery Rozov jumped from higher than anyone else in a wingsuit – 25,000 feet!
  • The longest wingsuit flight ever was by Jhonathan Florez in 2012. He flew a crazy 17.83 miles!
  • There are different kinds of wingsuits, like the classic one, the batwing, and the squirrel suit.
  • When you’re flying in a wingsuit, it feels like you’re weightless and flying like a bird.

Ninth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Bull Running

When we talk about sports, we usually think of games like football or basketball. But there are some sports that are super intense and dangerous. One of them is bull running – a tradition that started in Spain but is now famous worldwide. Even though it seems exciting, bull running is actually one of the riskiest sports out there.

  • The most well-known bull running happens during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain. People from all over the world come to join or watch.
  • Bulls used in these events usually weigh around 1,100 pounds, but some can be as heavy as 1,500 pounds!
  • The bulls run at about 15 miles per hour during the event.
  • The first recorded death from bull running was in Pamplona, Spain, back in 1913.
  • There’s a saying linked with bull running – “a las cinco en punto de la tarde,” which means “at five o’clock in the afternoon.” That’s when the bulls are released.
  • In some places in Spain, they have a similar event called ‘el toro embolado,’ where the bulls have balls of fire on their horns. This makes it even more thrilling and dangerous.

Tenth Most Dangerous Sports in the World – Highlining

Highlining is a really daring sport where people walk on a thin line way up high. They use intense focus, balance, and strength. But it’s super risky because they could fall from great heights or if their equipment fails.

  • The longest highline walk ever was by Faith Dickey in 2013 in the Czech Republic. She walked a line that was 2,000 feet long!
  • The highest highline walk happened in 2015 in Canada. Spencer Seabrook walked a line that was nearly 2,000 feet above the ground.
  • Highlines sometimes set up their lines above famous places like the Grand Canyon or the Eiffel Tower.
  • The longest highline walk without any safety gear was done by Dean Potter in 2008. He walked a 200-foot line with no harness or leash at all.

Summary – 10 Most Dangerous Sports in the World

While sports are meant to bring joy and excitement, it is essential to remember that there are certain risks involved, especially in extreme sports. These 10 sports mentioned above are not for the faint-hearted and require proper training, experience, and safety measures to be performed successfully. So, if you are an adrenaline junkie looking for a thrill, make sure to take all necessary precautions before attempting any of these dangerous sports.

FAQs on 10 Most Dangerous Sports in the World

What are the most dangerous sports in the world?

Base jumping, large wave surfing, bull riding, cave diving, highlining, motorcycle racing, street luge, wingsuit flying, bull running and high-altitude mountaineering are among the top 10 riskiest sports in the world.

What makes these sports dangerous?

Extreme heights, fast speeds, unpredictability in the surroundings, and the possibility of equipment failure make these activities extremely risky. There’s always a chance that participants could have fatalities or severe injuries.

Are these sports regulated for safety?

Even though many of these activities have rules and safety precautions in place, there are always risks involved. Even though participants are frequently expected to complete in-depth training and adhere to safety procedures, mishaps can still happen.

How can one stay safe while participating in these sports?

In these activities, staying safe entails receiving the right instruction, utilizing high-quality gear, adhering to safety regulations, and understanding one’s own limitations. It’s critical to be aware of the risks and adopt the appropriate safety measures.

What should one do in case of an emergency while participating in these sports?

It’s important to maintain composure in an emergency situation and to get medical help right away. Participants must to be knowledgeable with basic first aid protocols and have an emergency plan in place.



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