When you 'take it to the limit', sometimes the limit bites back . . .

I've posted about base jumping before, notably a video of wing-suit base jumpers leaping off Norwegian mountains, and a nasty accident involving parachute base-jumpers leaping from a bridge.

One of the leading lights of 'extreme sports' was Shane McConkey. He won many competitions, and was renowned among his peers.




He combined mountain skiing with base-jumping, and was well-known for pushing the limits of both sports. This video shows him in action.

Sadly, we learn that Mr. McConkey died in Italy last week. According to The Inquisitr:

McConkey experienced problems in the air after launching off a cliff with the expectation of deploying his parachute canopy and then gliding down to the ground. A witness said a ski failed to come off in the air, causing McConkey to spin out of control, preventing him from deploying his parachute.

McConkey is survived by his wife, Sherry, and their 3½-year-old daughter Ayla.

That's the terribly sad thing about such sports. I accept that anyone has the right to indulge in them, and enjoy them, and even make a living from them: but are the risks, and the enjoyment, and the rewards, worth leaving a young wife a widow, and a young girl an orphan?

I hope you'll join me in offering a prayer for Mr. McConkey's soul, and for his wife and daughter.

Peter