At the end of the 20th century, an amazing sport arose that combines both sports and somewhat children’s entertainment, but at the same time remains very dangerous, for which it received the status of extreme.
Zorbing consists in descending a person from a mountain, crossing a body of water, or simply running inside a round transparent zorb ball called a zorb.
Zorb ball is a transparent thermoplastic polyurethane sphere with a diameter of 3.2 meters and a volume of 13 cubic meters with a chamber for a zorbonaut passenger, which is fixed on special suspension systems inside the ball.
Since the zorb is equipped with two spheres, connecting slings are made between them, which ensures uniformity of the load when the ball moves. The space between the spheres is filled with air.
Water zorbs have a slightly different device. These are also transparent balls, but they consist of one sphere with a diameter of up to 2.2 m and a thickness of up to 1.2 mm. Water zorbs weigh about 15 kg and inflate faster than those intended for use on land.
The safety harness of the zorbonaut, installed inside the zorb, is made of shock-absorbing material, sheathed in a special fabric, and is also equipped with especially strong seat belts and climbing self-resetting carbines.
Zorb is designed to roll down hills, mountains, and other hills.
- Zorb weighs 70 kilograms
- The diameter of the outer sphere is 3.2 meters
- The inner diameter is 1.8
- The distance between the spheres is 70cm
- The diameter of the entrance gateway is 60 cm
Such a system absorbs very well and smooths out the bumps in the track. If a ball with a person inside hits an obstacle, then the air gap on the one hand, and the tension of the lines, on the other hand, will protect the person from impact like a shock absorber.
The history of Zorbing
The history of zorbing began in 1973. It was then that the first zorbs appeared thanks to Gilles Ebersolt, who was afraid to go down the slope, not on a skateboard but passionately dreamed of experiencing such extreme sensations and an adrenaline rush.
Then Gilles Ebersolt came up with the idea it could be wonderful to put a person in a transparent sphere that would prevent injury and let the person fully experience the extreme descent from the mountain.
In the 1990s, two New Zealand enthusiasts, Edrew Akers and Duane Van Der Sluys, improved the zorb ball to its modern look.
Is zorbing dangerous?
Despite the fact that zorbing is positioned as a sport and entertainment for people of all ages, it was called extreme for a reason.
First of all, in the zorb ball, there is no possibility for self-evacuation and if the sphere suddenly breaks, the zorbonaut will not have a chance to get out of the ball on his own.
There is also a risk of suffocation because in a calm state a person can stay in the zorb for only 30 minutes, and with active running – only 10 minutes.
Contrary to popular belief, the zorb does not cushion the impact of hitting hard objects, so there is a risk of injury when descending.
There is a known case when, when descending from a slope, a zorb changed its trajectory of movement and people rolled straight into the abyss, so in the USA they even wanted to ban the exploitation of zorbs.
Why zorbing is so popular?
First of all, zorb is a way to experience new, unusual, bright, powerful sensations. And everything from a simple rotation of a person in a large transparent ball rolling down a hillside.
Emotions are the result (meaning) of zorbing. Any extreme entertainment aims to evoke vivid emotions in a person, dizzying sensations that tear them out of the routine of everyday life.
Most of us need extreme sports like a breath of fresh air in a musty room, like overclocking a processor, like a car tuning..
Zorb opens the door to the world of safe extreme sports and does not require special training.