WINNER OF THE TIMES BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS In the 1930s, as the world hurtled towards terrible global conflict, speed was all the rage. It was described by Aldous Huxley as 'the one genuinely modern pleasure', and one of the fastest and most thrilling ways to attain it was through the new sport of bobsledding. Exotic, exciting and above all dangerous, it was by far the most popular event at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. It required an abundance of skill and bravery. And the four men who triumphed at those Games lived the most extraordinary lives. Billy Fiske was an infamous daredevil, blessed with a natural talent for driving. He would later become the first American airman to die in the war - flying for the RAF. Clifford Gray was a notorious playboy and a player on both Broadway and Hollywood. Or was he? His identity was a mystery for decades. Jay O'Brien was a gambler and a rogue who, according to one ex-wife, forced women to marry him at gunpoint. And Eddie Eagan, a heavyweight boxer and brilliant lawyer, remains the only man to win gold at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This is their story, of loose living, risk-taking and hell-raising in an age of decadence, and of their race against the odds to become the fastest men on ice. We will never see their like again. Especially after the world did descend into that second, terrible global conflict.

Incredible jumps, spectacular crashes, amazing wins and crushing defeats -- these are the ups and downs of the pro snowboarders life. Meet some of the best Canadian riders to ever carve a turn in this look at one of the hottest extreme sports.

Meet Chris and Marty-a married couple working on their careers, raising their only child, and chasing big adventures. At midlife, they suddenly find themselves weighing the responsibility of parenthood against the possibility of one more grand adventure, before their aging bodies and the warming continent of Antarctica further degrade. They ultimately decide it's time to pursue their biggest dream: Ski 570 miles from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole. With no guide or resupply. From the lush Pacific Northwest to the barren landscape of Antarctica, Chris and Marty embark on one of the hardest challenges on the planet. After three years of intense planning and training, including meticulous preparations for the care of their twelve-year-old son, they are ready. Experience a boundless white wonderland like no other on earth. Encounter life-threatening dangers lurking in the bitter cold. Feel the intensity of 220-pound sleds, relentless wind, 40-below temperatures, and mind-numbing isolation. This is not an average couples getaway. Chris and Marty go where few others have dared on the way to making history-stretching their bodies, minds, and marriage to the limit in the process. Riveting and inspiring, The Expedition is about the power of family and community, the adventurous spirit that dwells within us all, and breaking through to feel fully alive.

In diesem Buch geht es um Mentales Training und die Anwendung auf eine bestimmte Sportart: das Snowboarden. Sportpsychologen forschen heutzutage an mentalen Trainingsprogrammen, die zur Verbesserung der sportlichen Leistung beitragen k nnen. So zum Beispiel das mentale Trainingsprogramm von Thomas Schack, das mit Hilfe eines Tests ermittelt, inwieweit die Faktoren Angst, Wille und Stress die Leistung beeinflussen. Die von den Forschern entwickelten Methoden zum mentalen Training wurden u.a. mit der Weltelite im Windsurfen und in Zusammenarbeit mit der deutschen Juniorennationalmannschaft im Frauenvolleyball erprobt. Dieses Buch soll interessierten Lesern einen berblick und eine Anleitung geben, wie das mentale Training im Snowboardsport angewandt werden kann und gegebenenfalls dazu anregen, Resultate zu erzielen und Vorgehensweisen zu berpr fen und weiter zu entwickeln.

Skilaufen mit Leichtigkeit selbst lernen - hier wird es m glich - Das Buch beschreibt einen ganzheitlichen Weg f r Anf nger und Fortgeschrittene zum kurzen und langen Schwingen. Das zu er-fahrende Gel nde wahrzunehmen, um die Balance auf der Gew hlten Spur zu halten, ist der zu erlernende Tanz. Ein in Raum und Zeit bestimmter Rhythmus, eine Formbewegung, ein definiertes Timing, das jeder f r sich entwickeln kann. Sie ist Erinnerung an das, was wir sind: Wesen im Einklang mit der Natur. Audio-visuell liegt das Programm auch als CD-RoM/DVD und VHS vor(s. www.definiertes-timing.de ).