Double Back Flip

August 9, 2006 4:31 PM

Have extreme sports have reached their pinnacle yet? Apparently not. Travis Pastrana shows how motocross just got a bit more impressive. What's next? Apparently, stupidity and 720's. Watch at about 1:41, and just press mute. Both links: YouTube)
posted by BrodieShadeTree (22 comments total)

I know lots of you hate Youtube, but I don't have cable and this just made my jaw drop. Hanging on thru the second video till the end might make someone who has delicate sensibilites wince. Be forewarded.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 4:34 PM on August 9, 2006

well, it's no cat flushing a toilet, but it's not bad.
posted by boo_radley at 4:36 PM on August 9, 2006 [2 favorites]

I saw a show on discovery where a guy skydived then landed in a shark cage while a feeding frenzy was happening. Just figured I'd mention that.
posted by bob sarabia at 4:37 PM on August 9, 2006

Jesus. Not to be a buzzkill but the guy Colin Winkleman that jumped the bike off the moving ramp and crashed? His injuries gave him chronic pain that lasted for a couple years and a few months ago he committed suicide.
posted by mathowie at 4:57 PM on August 9, 2006

I had no idea. Awful to hear.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 5:03 PM on August 9, 2006

Not to be a buzzkill but...

I think you failed in that effort.
posted by delmoi at 5:12 PM on August 9, 2006

Yes 'moving van ramp' was a very, very bad idea.
posted by uni verse at 5:21 PM on August 9, 2006

I can't believe that Pastrana won the rally in the same games.

That rally race was pretty unbelievable too. The guy who got second was running fast enough to win, but took the last jump a bit off and rolled the car.

The car magically rolled back onto its wheels so he kept going and got second.
posted by flaterik at 5:23 PM on August 9, 2006

Hah, I thought the "Cat flushing a toilet" comment was made-up.
posted by delmoi at 5:34 PM on August 9, 2006

"I got real lucky on the double flip, I got a gift in the last turn in rally car and I was very, very lucky with freestyle,' Pastrana said before limping away to a waiting medical cart after he aggravated a knee injury by tripping on some video cables. "It's been an incredible week.'

source
posted by dontoine at 5:38 PM on August 9, 2006

full video of subaru doing part of a motocross rally race, awesome drifting.
posted by uni verse at 5:46 PM on August 9, 2006

In fact, that knee injury was pretty entertaining to watch live, on ABC. He hurt it between the 1st and 2nd run of the freestyle (that he won anyways). He just couldn't get over how it happened there considering all the risky stuff he'd done. He was grinning ear to ear.

During the X-Games, they showed a clip of him jumping off a ramp into the Grand Canyon, ditching the bike, and then parachuting to a landing. Yikes.
posted by smackfu at 5:46 PM on August 9, 2006

Colin McRae is The Man - not, the guy. I would venture to guess that Pastrana worships at his feet.
posted by rotifer at 6:07 PM on August 9, 2006

Rotifer: he did say something to the effect of "This man is a god. He rolled his car.. and I don't even think he lost time!" after the race.

He looked pretty dumbfounded to have won.
posted by flaterik at 6:27 PM on August 9, 2006

Sorry, buzzkill again, but I wanted to put more than a "." for CW.

Colin Winkleman - an awesome rider from my hometown, Columbus, Ohio. I think it was not just losing his ability to ride - "...my main problems now are a chunk of bone on the bottom of my right foot that makes it feel like I'm standing on a piece of gravel, and the lack of flexibility in my left one. I'm doin' good enough now to walk without people wondering...What's he got stuck up his ass? That is, just without limping. hehe. But it'll still be a while before I can ride properly." - but also his girlfriend leaving that pushed him over the edge.

It was almost one year ago exactly - 8/11/2005.
posted by Liosliath at 7:14 PM on August 9, 2006

Ah, extreme sports: proving that if Darwin Awards were official, they'd have willing contestants.
posted by Mitrovarr at 7:36 PM on August 9, 2006

From Today's Playground, July 16, 2006, Extreme Sports = Extreme Danger?:

...socio-cultural explanation for the extreme sports craze is based on the substantial media coverage it receives. ESPN’s X-Games, the Gravity Games in Providence, R. I., and the almost non-stop advertising for extreme sports all impact the psychological motivations for engaging in these sports. Consumer theories suggest that teens involved in these sports may not necessarily be motivated by the physical aspect of the activity, but rather by the appearance of a high-risk life style.

Despite the presence of various explanations as to why teens are more and more interested in this type of play, the fear of potential injuries takes precedence over its value. Risk perception is a problem with all injuries. In general, humans are not very good at perceiving risk for things they control; teens, due to their relative inexperience, are especially poor at it. MRI and PET scan research has shown that adolescent brains are more similar to those of children than adults. Based on this finding, a dominant belief is that this age group may not yet be capable of avoiding experiences that put them at risk of serious injury. Hospital records are used as data supporting this notion.

Skateboarding injuries have increased in direct proportionality with the increase in popularity of the sport. Ankle and wrist fractures, sprains, soft tissue injury and concussions are the most commonly reported physical injuries. Sports and recreational activities are the number one and three leading causes of injuries in teens—bicycles, skates and scooters are implicated in nearly a quarter of all recreational injuries for the early adolescent age group. The group at highest risk for sport and recreation injury leading to an emergency room visit is 10-14 year old boys.

Some Kidz may never grow up.
posted by cenoxo at 8:12 PM on August 9, 2006

Have extreme sports have reached their pinnacle yet?

Yes, they have, and they have passed it. In fact, the shark that they jumped died the other year of old age.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:10 PM on August 9, 2006

That was some fantastic video. I haven't watched the X-Games in YEARS (doesn't help that they're much harder to find on TV since I moved to Ireland) but shit like that double backflip is amazing. I remember when the first single backflip happened.
posted by antifuse at 1:25 AM on August 10, 2006

Thanks for the links. My coworker was at the bar, watching when the backflip happened. I was working the front counter, so I missed it, but he told me (since he knows I ride). I'm glad I got to see it, but I'm still nervous if my front wheel comes off the pavement (except maybe crossing railroad tracks).
posted by Eideteker at 2:37 AM on August 10, 2006

The other big new trick at this X-Games was the double flair on BMX.
posted by smackfu at 6:37 AM on August 10, 2006

I have to agree with the reporter at the end of the second clip, "these guys are meat-heads". Cool visuals, but really reckless. I think any of those failed stunts should qualify for an honorary Darwin Award.
posted by Dark Messiah at 7:52 AM on August 10, 2006