Tag Archives: Extreme Sports

Tandem Skydiving World Record Attempt By 101 Year Old

SkydiveSkydiving is not for the faint hearted as jumping from a plane at heights of several thousand feet could prove stressful for some people. Well, at the tender age of 101, that does not appear to concern Bryson William Verndun Hayes who likes to be called Verndun.

This brave Second World war veteran plans to do a tandem skydive on the 13th May at Skydive Buzz near Honiton in Devon. Supporting him and making the jump will be several members of his family as well as his doctor.

Apparently, he had wanted to skydive when he was 90 but his family persuaded him otherwise. However, this is not the first time that he has been skydiving as Verdun currently holds the British record for the oldest person to do a tandem skydive from 10,000 feet which he achieved in 2016 when he was 100 years of age and thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling experience. If he is successful on the 13th May he will hold the world record for being the world’s oldest tandem skydiver jumping from 10,000 feet taking the record from a Canadian who was a few days younger than Verndun when setting the record in 2013.Tandem Skydiving

No doubt our many skydiving clients will join us here at AIB Insurance in wishing Verndun good luck for his very special day and that he has a wonderful experience and a safe landing.

Any monies raised by Verndum are for the benefit of the Royal British Legion.

If you do participate in skydiving or another extreme airsport then why not get in touch with us on 02380 268 351 to discuss your insurance requirements without any obligation. We have many years experience in arranging such tailored cover from an extensive panel of insurers for a competitive premium. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hang Glider Survives Terrifying Fall

A number of you that participate in one or more extreme sports may well have attended Norway’s extreme sports week that recently took place. If you did, you may have witnessed a champion aerobatic hang glider getting into difficulty but, fortunately, surviving a dramatic descent to earth whilst he was performing in the event.HanggliderJul16_large

Jon Gjerde who is 51 years of age can be seen enjoying what he has no doubt done on numerous occasions in the past. The initial film footage provides an idea of how wonderful this sport can be. However, part of the way through the flight, things went dramatically wrong as the hang glider broke up.

The footage shows Mr Gjerde descending initially out of control and one cannot help but wonder if the outcome is going to end in tragic circumstances. However, no doubt helped by the fact that he is an experienced hang glider, he is able to keep calm and release a parachute that slows his fall. He was able to come to earth in a lake where there was a boat crew on hand to help him. Fortunately, he only suffered minor injuries.

Hang GliderThis event just goes to show how dangerous this sport can be even when carried out by people with years of experience. We would like to hear from any of our valued customers who have had a “hair-raising” experience whilst hang gliding or any other extreme sport for that matter.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have been arranging suitable cover through our extensive panel of insurance companies for a variety of extreme sports for many years. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with a knowledgeable, friendly member of our team about your insurance requirements who will gladly obtain a competitive quotation on your behalf without any obligation on your part.

20 Adventure Holidays That Were Not Available Twenty Years Ago

Easy JetTo celebrate 20 years of offering their budget airline service, easyJet has produced a list of twenty adventure holidays that they say were not available to do when they first took to the air all that time ago. Below we highlight the top 10: –

1. Stand-up paddle boarding – this involves propelling yourself along using a paddle from a canoe whilst standing on a surfboard. It has grown in popularity over the years and can be enjoyed on the sunny Algarve in Portugal.

2. Zip-lining – this thrilling adventure is now firmly established and can be enjoyed at many places around the world including the UK. However, for the ultimate adrenaline rush you could try the one in southern Italy that runs between the villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano in the mountains at an altitude of up to 1,018m during which you can reach a top speed of 120km per hour.

3. Swimming in the presence of sharks – you don’t need to travel far for this one. You can scuba dive, snorkel or swim with basking sharks off the west coast of Scotland near Oban.

4. Volcano trekking – Close to Reykjavik in Iceland, you can go into the dormant Thrihnukagigur volcano to a depth of 120 metres.

5. Biking in Balkan – Cycling has witnessed an increase in popularity in recent years following the success of British cyclists at the Tour de France. The Balkan region of Croatia has proved a popular destination with the most delightful countryside to explore.

6. Wild swimming – Obviously, as the title would indicate, we are not talking about swimming at your local leisure centre. Wild swimming involves taking to the water in the sea, rivers and lakes with the islands off Sardinia’s Emerald coast in Italy being a favoured destination.

7. Kite-surfing – this thrilling activity has been around for some years now. You stand on a board and are pulled along either on the sand or sea by a kite that catches the wind. Larnaca in Cyprus is a popular venue.

8. Extreme assault courses – there are many assault courses dotted around the world often used by corporate clients for team-building purposes. Check out one offered by Tough Mudder in Wassertrudingen in Germany that covers 18 to 20 kms.

9. E-biking – this is an electrically powered bicycle making biking that little bit easier. Where better place to enjoy the experience than the beautiful Alpine foothills in Switzerland.

Fly Boarding10. Flyboarding – using a board/boots “powered” by jet-propelled water, you are able to hover several feet above the surface of the water and dive beneath the water’s surface. This can be enjoyed in a variety of places such as Tenerife but closer to hand at the National Diving and Activity Centre near Chepstow in Gloucestershire.

The other 10 adventure holidays are snowshoeing, electric mountain biking, bungee jumping, desert biking, sea kayaking, “Make like Tarzan”, caving, two-wheeled trekking, walking in Portugal and cycling in Cyprus.

Many of our customers enjoy adventure holidays and come to us to help them arrange suitable travel insurance. So, why not get in touch with a member of our team on 02380 268 351 to discuss your requirements and obtain a quotation.