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Looking to add some excitement to your vacation? We've searched the planet to locate some of the coolest extreme sports that offer prime spectator action, from watching adrenaline junkies leave it to the last minute before opening their chutes to getting up close to the world's most hard-core urban mountain-bike event. With some notable exceptions, such as the X Games, organized, audience-attended events were once the very antithesis of what extreme sports were about. But times have changed, with big bucks sponsorship and global media interest opening up that world for spectators. That means you can get in on the action without shelling out for expensive gear, arranging special insurance, or flying home in traction. And if the heart-pumping excitement inspires you to get involved, that's great. Wear a helmet, have a blast, but remember—we're not picking up any of your medical bills, dude.
Published June 2011. Pictured: BASE jumping, Bridge Day, New River Gorge, Fayetteville, West Virginia.
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