Zorbing Racing
Zorbing
Zorb or Sphering |
Zorbing or Sphering is one of those wacky extreme activities that could only have come out of New Zealand ! The great thing about it is that you don’t need to do any special training or fitness regimes to participate, though a strong constitution would certainly help!
The Zorb itself is a gigantic inflatable PVC ball standing about three metres in height, which contains another smaller ball that is suspended into position by thousands of nylon strands which act as shock absorbers during the ride.
The Zorb sphere is stood at the top of a hill. The Zorber, or ‘Zorbonaut’, enters the inner chamber through a passage way and can be strapped into a harness. Once secure in the safety harness, the Zorbonaut awaits gravity to take over as the Zorb starts its descent and they are sent rolling head over heels downhill.
Another form of Zorbing involves entering the inner chamber alongside a quantity of water. Once inside, one or more Zorbers are sent careering down the hill un-harnessed. The presence of the water inside the inner chamber acts as a lubricant, and the Zorbers slide and spin around inside the huge ball: Much like a washing machine’s spin cycle, though I’m only guessing at the similarity…
Yep, hills are fairly important in this extreme activity, so if you are from Holland you’ll have to come to the UK to experience this life changing experience. If you’re already in Britain, lucky you - Use the Your Leisure Time Quick Search to find your nearest Zorbing centre in the UK.
Information on Zorbing/Sphering on the Web
The original home of Zorbing - Rotarua, NZ - check the videos !
Scotlands - first Sphering or Zorbing Centre
Dorset based extreme Zorbing - 200 metre descents |