Walking - er - Riding On Water!

Photo credit: Highsnobiety.com

Extreme motorbiking is one of the most popular extreme sports in the world. For decades now people have been attempting impossible feats on the back of motorcycles. The X-Games feature more BMX and motorbike riders than really any other sport. Spectators love to watch riders on rugged, dirt courses or racing downhill at impossible speeds. Extreme lovers have a long history with this beloved two-wheeled sport.

What started with Evil Knievel jumping over monuments, buses, and people, has naturally transformed into a sport as freeing and creative as one can imagine. Robbie Maddison definitely takes this excitement to new heights. Maddison has used the riders that came before him as inspiration for guiding his own incredible motorbike career. On the fortieth anniversary of Evil’s jump over the Caesar's Palace fountains in Las Vegas, Robbie jumped from the Paris Hotel’s Arc de Triomphe. This was an homage to the great Evil that came before him and millions loved to watch his jump either in person or on TV from around the world.

Robbie’s career has continued to follow that of Evil’s as he has attempted every insanely dangerous distance jump in the world. Maddison is famous for also jumping across the Corinth Canal in Greece. He described the urge to do so as insatiable, saying that once the idea popped into his head he simply couldn't get it out.

Robbie is the kind of extreme athlete who sets out to break a new world record almost every month. He is also the type of guy who, if he doesn’t break the record with a jump, will immediately turn around and try again and again. After an unsuccessful record breaking feat most athletes will take time to unwind from the adrenaline of the moment and reassess why they didn’t get it right. Robbie, on the other hand, will stay in the saddle and turn right around to attempt the same exact jump within minutes. The craziest part is that this technique has worked incredibly well for him!  

One of Robbie’s most insane feats was his 30 foot high riding of a wave in the famous surf spot, Isla de Todos Santos. No, Robbie doesn’t dabble in surfing as well. He rode this wave on his motorbike! Equipped with some small ski like devices and using the motor and spin of the back wheel, Robbie literally managed to drive on water. His feat, seen in the video below, was captured by Vice News and is one of the only such attempts in history. You can see Maddison riding out into the water in a large fishing boat, checking the quality of the water and winds before deciding when to jump! After being launched from the back of the boat, Robbie careens right into the side of the wave, riding it with as much skill and precision that one would expect from a seasoned surfer.

Robbie claims to always look for new records to break. Even though his successes riding waves seem unbeatable, the one thing we can depend on from Robbie is that he will always find new missions to accomplish, and will always call his fiancee directly afterward to let her know he’s ok!