A long time ago a guy called Newton did some fancy maths, essentially telling us that what goes up will come down. Strongly correlated to his three laws we can add a fourth – perhaps called the “Law of Extreme Sports”: simply put, thrills are always and everywhere accompanied by spills. If you jump off a sheer cliff face enough times, you’ll probably get hurt along the way. For most of us mere mortals, Newton’s fourth law is enough to keep our two feet firmly planted on the good earth. For certain people, though, it’s nothing less than an insult that can’t go unanswered.
And answer they do. Watching an extreme athlete in action is beyond breath-taking, so we’ve put together a list of the best extreme sports doccies available on Showmax. But don’t take this lightly; it is an unnerving and surreal world where your sense of “the possible” will face insurmountable challenges.
First up, some binge prep work. Get your mind in the game by sitting quietly for at least 10 minutes. Focus is key, so clear your thoughts and concentrate on images of extreme athletes, in stunningly beautiful environments, giving gravity the finger. Next up, get your partner to give you some encouraging words. These should work: “You got this, superstar”, “Show no mercy”, and “Can I get you another energy drink?”
You’re doing well, but for a true binge you’ll need a few more hours of prime viewing to end off with. Here is our selection of the best to choose from:
A newbie to the extreme scene, speedriding is a high-speed, high-stakes mountain sport that fuses two favourites – skiing and parasailing. Renowned Jon DeVore sets out with an elite team to conquer the demanding ranges of Alaska. Watch now »
This doccie pushes the limits of freeride mountain biking and showcases the mad skills that made Semenuk one of the most explosive riders on the planet. Watch now »
Exploring the diverse forms of mountain biking, Where the Trail Ends chronicles the quest to find terrains never traversed by bikes before. Watch now »
1 planet, 3 storms, 10 sailors… 1 champion – these were the ingredients for the world’s most challenging windsurfing competition ever. Watch now »
One of the world’s foremost trails riders, Danny MacAskill puts his skills to the test by creatively riding the ruins of a town that spent 25 years submerged under water. Watch now »
Four decades after the original On Any Sunday, this new chapter shows that the passion for pushing motorcycles to their limit is as strong as ever. Watch now »
Top diver Orlando Duque displays his astounding athleticism in this moving documentary about a profoundly unnerving period of his life. Watch now »
When you make it through, you’ll be faced with just one question: are you ready to become an extreme sports athlete, or have you been called to extreme binge some more? Either way it’s a win!