Zorbing
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Zorbing is a recreational activity developed in the 1990s that consists of rolling downhill inside of a usually transparent, double-hulled sphere called a zorb, made from PVC.
Zorbing originated in New Zealand as the brainchild of Dwane van der Sluis and Andrew Akers. In 1967 they conceived the idea of the spheres in Rotorua, New Zealand. The inside of the original zorb has several straps to keep the rider in place. Variations include strapless hydro zorbs where water is added for an experience somewhat like a water chute. The latter variation can be ridden with two or three other zorbonauts.
Zorbing has spread to Dorchester, Dorset, in England, the mountains of Norway, the Gold Coast in Australia, and to China and Argentina.
At least one USA location has zorbing: in Michigan, the Mt. Brighton Ski Area used its grassy hill in summer 2006.
Zorbing has been shown in episodes of Wildboyz, Celebrity Fit Club, Road Rules, The Amazing Race, and Globe Trekker, as well as the Jackie Chan film Armour of God II: Operation Condor. It has even been presented in animation for the telefilm Race Across New Zealand. One of the contestants on an episode of Jeopardy! mentioned Zorbing as a pasttime.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Zorb Rotorua - The original NZ Zorb location
- Zorb South - The UK Zorb operator
