Ball with a person inside name. What is zorbing

The frantic rhythm of today's life pushes people to search for new sensations. Fans of extreme entertainment are looking for a fun, interesting and entertaining holiday. And now, one of the popular entertainments that has won the hearts of all recreation lovers is zorbing.

What is this kind of entertainment?

Zorbing is a sport where it is based on descending from a mountain in a special ball. The design of the ball is transparent, it is called a zorb. The one who is inside the ball is called a zorbonaut. This sport is truly extreme, because the person inside gets an unforgettable thrill and a powerful adrenaline rush. Among its varieties there is also running, when a person can run inside the ball itself.

Many people think that zorbing is just a fun pastime. But not everything is so simple, this sport unites many federations and associations around the world. It is not necessary to have the title of master of sports; desire is enough for the first try. The first descent is especially memorable, because a person feels an indescribable range of emotions. You will definitely want to repeat this vacation.

The sport's popularity

This sport has become popular recently. Gilles Hebersault was the first to try it in 1793. He was lucky enough to patent his creation. The first Zorb was designed as a descent from a snow-covered mountain. In the nineties, the ball became similar to the modern one. It has been improved, adjusted in size and the material of construction has been thought out. This was done by Dwayne van der Sluis and Andrew Akers from New Zealand. In modern days, the ball has not changed much, only being selected for a certain type of zorbing.

This type of sports entertainment surprises with its variety of types.

• Hill zorbing– descent from the selected hill. an amateur who wants to ride sits in a ball and begins his descent from the mountain. With such a descent, the Zorb picks up speed. Judging by the parameters of people’s readiness, this species is divided into subspecies:
• Riding with fasteners. The person is secured with mandatory fastenings; some devices even have a chair. Injuries with this protection are minimal.
• Riding without bindings. The person in the ball is not attached to anything. You can move inside the zorb. Only trained people can ride this way, as the risk of injury is high.
• Running in a ball from a hill. A person, moving in a zorb, moves actively. Only experienced zorbonauts can ride like this.
• Hydro zorbing. Descent from a hill, but in the ball there is water besides the person. This species is also divided into exactly the same subspecies as in the first version.
• Aqua zorbing. If a person is tired of sliding down the slides, he is offered an alternative - water riding. In this form, the zorb has only one sphere. A person is seated there, and the void is filled with air. Then the ball is launched into the water. In this type of recreation, you can not only walk or run on the water surface, but also attach the ball to the boat on a special cable. The boat pulls the load along the water surface, and the person has fun.
• Night zorbing. Night skiing is not only extreme, but also beautiful. Elements that glow are built into the ball, and you get a real show program.

How dangerous is this sport?

There are several other types of skiing - from snowy peaks and aerozorbing, but it is so dangerous that only athletes can do such activities.

People who are interested in this type of recreation should adhere to safety precautions, because it is very easy to get injured. Only if all safety rules are followed, the zorbonaut will not be in any danger. The main danger of such entertainment is the inability to control the ball. Although there is danger, the amateur will get sharp sensations. A person feels weightlessness, flight, spinning, as if in a wheel. It’s worth trying at least once and the memory will last a lifetime.

Although there is quite little competition in bowls now, this recreation has gained great popularity. Varieties of zorbing suggest choosing the type to suit your taste or even comparing two varieties. When running in a zorb, you can use various physical exercises and even wrestling, which is especially interesting.

So, modern entertainment is gaining more and more popularity and winning the hearts of many. Take a ride and get unforgettable pleasure!

Zorbing (eng. zorbing - “descent from a slope on a zorb”) is a sport and extreme recreation in which a round transparent ball (zorb) is used to move on a flat or inclined surface.

Zorb (from the English z-orbit - “unknown orbit”) is a polyvinyl chloride ball with a volume of about 13 cubic meters. It weighs 70-80 kg, and consists of two spheres: internal (diameter - 1.8 m) and external (diameter - 3.2 m), the distance between which is about 70 cm. In the internal sphere there is a zorbonaut (a person engaged in zorbing), either secured in a special safety system (“suspension”, English harness), or having complete freedom of action.

You can get into the zorb through the entrance hole connecting the outer sphere with the inner one and having a diameter of 60 cm. In some cases, this hole is closed with a special valve.

Zorb was invented in 1973, but became widespread in the 90s of the last century. Types of zorbing.
. Descent from the hills or “hill zorbing” (English: hill zorbing, from hill - “hill”). Moreover, the passenger (or passengers) can either be secured inside the zorb - then this is “harness-zorbing” (English: harness hill zorbing, from harness - “suspension system”), or stay in a ball without fastenings (English: free hill zorbing, from free - “free”);
. Riding in a zorb on a flat surface, and the ball is set in motion by the passenger himself, who runs in the inner sphere (eng. run zorbing from run - “running”). Descent in the same way from hills is called hill run zorbing;
. “Hydrozorbing” (English hydro zorbing from the Greek hydor - “water”) - the zorb is filled with water, which holds the person in a certain position, so the zorbonaut is not fixed. However, if fastenings do take place, this is a hydro zorbing harness. If an unattached zorbonaut runs inside a sphere of water, this is called run hydro zorbing;
. Zorbing on the surface of the water or “water zorbing” (English aqua (water) zorbing from the Latin aqua (English water) - “water”), and in the ball you can do not only walking or running, but also various exercises. A variation of “water zorbing” is harness aqua zorbing (a zorb with a zorbonaut attached inside it is tied to a boat and moves along the surface of the water);
. “Snow zorbing” (English snow zorbing, from snow - “snow”) - descent on a zorb from hills covered with snow and ice. If the passenger is secured - this is harness snow hill zorbing, if there are no fastenings - free snow hill zorbing. If a zorbonaut runs inside a ball moving through the snow, this activity is called run snow zorbing, and running away from snowy elephants is called snow hill run zorbing;
. “Aerozorbing” (English aero zorbing from the Greek aer - “air”) - riding in a zorb inside a wind tunnel (a device created for parachutist training and creating a powerful upward air flow, while in which a person experiences the feeling of free fall, without risking crash).

Zorbonaut competitions are not yet held. Wrong opinion. In the post-Soviet countries these days, Zorb is just a means of entertainment. And in Europe and America, competitions have been held for a long time in descending in zorbs (without any fastenings) along the slopes of hills. Interestingly, competitions of this kind began to be held after a bet made between Andrew Akers and one of his American friends. Akers proposed a condition - if the American ran in a Zorb from the top of the hill to its foot and never fell, he would receive a Porsche car belonging to Andrew. He agreed and covered almost the entire distance, losing his balance only a couple of meters before the finish. Since then, competitions have been regularly held in which the main task of the athlete is to run as far as possible inside the ball, and this is not so easy, since he has to fight the centrifugal force (the main opponent of the zorbonaut), which tends to press him against the wall of the ball.

Zorb was created by Andrew Akers. No, the first ball of this kind was invented in 1973 by engineer Gilles Ebersol (France) and called “a sphere with a cradle” (“La Ballule”). At first, Gilles created a small sphere, then he constructed a larger ball (diameter - 6 m) and tested it himself, first rolling down from a waterfall 10 m high, and then descending the slopes of Mount Fuji (Japan). But this invention did not gain much popularity.

A similar design was created in the mid-90s of the last century by New Zealanders Andrew Akers (former businessman) and Dwayne van der Sluis (one of the scientists at the defense research institute). The inventors claim that to create the original version of the ball, they used a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” drawing. At first, zorbs resembled ordinary huge tin cans, and a person who dared to ride in such a projectile experienced a lot of unpleasant sensations. However, staying in the Zorb became much more comfortable when Andrew came up with the idea of ​​​​connecting 2 spheres (a larger one, created by himself, and a slightly smaller one, proposed by Dwayne) into a structure, between the walls of which there was a layer of air, minimizing any overloads. In a static state, the zorb was supported by special spring-slings, stretched between the walls of the spheres and serving as something like spokes in a wheel.

In the late 80s, another sphere of this kind was created, called the “ultraball”. Its creator, Joseph Schweitzer (Germany), used a frame made of triangles (instead of the current sling springs). This strange means of transportation also did not receive universal approval. Only a few years ago, the Evento company (New Zealand) designed the Buzzball (English: “noisy (ringing) ball”), which looks like Schweitzer’s creation. However, the above-mentioned design is much more complex and is a ball assembled from 12 impact-resistant plastic elements consisting of triangles with polycarbonate windows. Inside the ball, in a special shockproof design, there is a soft chair with fastenings for a person who decides to ride the “noisy ball”. The chair is equipped with wheels that allow it to be in the same position regardless of the direction of movement and the speed of the ball (however, sometimes the chair can still “tumble,” especially during sharp turns or starts) and safety belts. A passenger who climbs into the Buzzball through a special hatch, which is then firmly closed, can control the movement using two handles. In addition, a person does not have to make any effort to move, since the ball is equipped with a battery that sets it in motion.

The zorb can burst at high speed, resulting in injury to the zorbonaut. Wrong opinion. Firstly, the riding speed is usually about 15 km/h (the safe speed of this vehicle is 20-50 km/h, and the maximum possible speed is 113 km/h). Secondly, even if for some reason the outer shell of the ball is damaged, it will not burst, but will begin to deflate (since the pressure in the space between the spheres is low) and will immediately slow down and stop. This is proven by the results of crash tests: the Zorb, which moved at a speed of 50 km/h, had to overcome various types of obstacles (sharp objects, walls, a car) and successfully completed the task. It bounced off the walls, rolled over the car, and sharp objects left only small scratches on the walls of the ball. In this case, the mannequin secured inside the zorb did not receive any damage. In addition, according to statistics, not a single accident has been recorded among Zorbonauts in 10 years.

In a zorb, you can jump off a 100-meter cliff and remain unharmed. Unfortunately, this is not possible - the Zorb is not designed for jumping from heights exceeding several meters. The ball itself will not be harmed, but the person in it will most likely receive injuries incompatible with life. The footage of various kinds of films, when the main character remains alive after this kind of trick, is simply a montage.

Water zorbing and hydro-zorbing are the same thing. Completely wrong opinion! Hydrozorbing is a descent down a slope (ramp) in a zorb that is not equipped with attachments for a zorbonaut. In addition, a certain amount of water is poured into the inner sphere, sometimes with the addition of soap suds. It is this that holds a person in a certain position, regardless of how exactly the zorb moves. Water zorbing is moving along the surface of a reservoir either in a regular zorb or in a so-called “water ball”, which was invented by engineer Hong Jung (Japan). Such a ball consists of one sphere (and not two, like a zorb, used for going down slopes), the diameter of which is about 2 m, the wall thickness is 0.8 m, and the weight is 17 kg. To use it, it is first slightly inflated, after a person enters, the balloon is finally filled with air, and hermetically sealed. You can stay in such a ball for about 25 minutes, after which you should refresh the air inside the sphere using some kind of device for pumping air. The advantage of the above-described ball is its completely transparent walls, through which a person can not only admire the surrounding landscape and water surface, but also observe the bottom of the reservoir.

While doing hydrozorbing, you can choke. No, according to the designers, this is completely impossible, although sometimes water splashes the zorbonaut from head to toe. But it is very possible to get wet to the skin, therefore, when doing this type of zorbing, it is very advisable to stock up on a towel.

The Zorb is designed for only one passenger. This is not so - there are Zorbs for two passengers, but in this case they are not round, but cylindrical.

All zorbs have one entrance. No, there are zorbs with both one and two entrances. Moreover, these entrances (with a diameter of 60 cm to 1 m) can either remain open or be closed with a special fastener.

In order to ride a Zorb, you will either have to travel outside the city, to where there are gentle hills, or visit the shore of the nearest body of water. Not necessary. You can ride zorbs from a specially designed ramp (slide), either inflatable or made of metal. The ramp can be installed both on city streets or squares, and indoors. And going down the stairs in the city center on a Zorb is not a problem.

Zorbs are not resistant to cold. This is wrong. Zorbs are divided into summer and frost-resistant, withstanding temperatures of -20°C. And representatives of the Zorb Event Company claim that their product can withstand temperatures from -70º to +60°C.

All zorbs are the same size - about 3 meters. Basically this is true. However, there are also children's zorbs of a slightly smaller size (the diameter of the outer sphere is 2.2 m, the inner one is 1.2 m) and huge balls, the diameter of which can range from 6 to 12 meters. The latter are not used for skating, but serve only as eye-stoppers, i.e. a way to attract spectators (or potential buyers) during public events of various kinds.

Zorb may drown. Wrong opinion. According to the designers, in order for the Zorb to sink, it will need to be loaded with a weight of at least 13 tons.

You can fall out of the rotating zorb. No, It is Immpossible. The Zorbonaut is securely fastened inside the ball, while gaining freedom of movement. And the centrifugal force presses it against the walls of the zorb, again preventing it from flying out. If the person inside the zorb is not secured, the entrance is closed with a special membrane.

During the movement of the zorb, the person inside may experience bouts of nausea. Wrong opinion. The ball does not rotate that fast - it makes a full rotation in 10 meters. However, novice zorbonauts are advised to ski on gentle slopes, and only then move on to steeper slopes. In addition, according to the rules, you cannot ride in a Zorb while intoxicated or after a hearty lunch.

Zogbing is expensive. Indeed, if you intend to purchase your own Zorb, you will have to fork out several thousand dollars. A domestic ball, manufactured using the technology of Russian engineers, costs about $7,000, a New Zealand one is slightly more expensive. But you can still ride the above-mentioned vehicle. To do this, you should visit sports complexes or the banks of reservoirs, where anyone can ride a Zorb for a very reasonable amount - from $11 to $16. Moving in a hydrozorb costs a little more - $50-70.

The length of the zorbing track is no more than 300 meters. Most often this is true. However, Ireland has one of the longest slopes - a gentle hill that is 750 meters long.

Zorb is an extremely bulky structure, so transporting it from place to place is difficult. And to inflate it you will need to spend a lot of time and effort. Yes, when inflated, the balloon takes up quite a lot of space, and moving it to the top of the hill will require the coordinated efforts of at least two people. However, if all the air is released, the Zorb can easily be placed in the trunk of a car. This structure is inflated in just 7-10 minutes using a special pump.

If the Zorb's shell is damaged by a sharp object, it can only be restored in the factory. A completely wrong opinion. Firstly, Zorb riding takes place from hills that have been previously cleared of various sharp objects that could damage the ball. Secondly, according to the crack tests carried out, the shell is not so easy to damage even with sharp objects. And finally, if the outer shell of the zorb is damaged, it can be easily restored by simply sealing it with special glue. And after three minutes the ball will be ready for use again.

Anyone can ride in a zorb, there are no restrictions. This is wrong. Since a person experiences some stress while moving in a zorb, restrictions still exist. Riding in the above-mentioned ball is not recommended for pregnant women, people with diseases of the brain, heart, injuries of the musculoskeletal system, hypertensive or hypotensive patients, as well as those suffering from osteoporosis and epilepsy. In addition, the zorbonaut must not have piercing or cutting objects with him, or any things in his hands (phone, photo or video equipment, etc.), his shoe laces must be tied, his belts fastened, his pockets closed (and preferably empty). Skiing in heavy boots (skiing, mountain) is prohibited; for zorbing, shoes that wrap around the heel and shin (moccasins, sandals, sneakers) are best suited. However, it is recommended to wear shoe covers on any shoes - this helps to easily maintain the cleanliness of the inner surface of the ball.

There are height and weight restrictions in zorbing. Such restrictions occur only in rare cases - after all, for children, for example, a children's zorb is ideal, and overweight people can easily ride in a ball designed for two zorbonauts. In fact, zorbing can be practiced by citizens of any size; the only more or less serious limitation is the size of the entrance to the ball. It should also be taken into account that the greater the weight of the zorbonaut, the higher the ball’s jumps (inevitable when it hits the slightest uneven ground) and the rolling speed.

You cannot ride on sand or asphalt in a Zorb. It is possible, but it is better not to do this, since particles of sand and dust settle on the surface of the zorb, it loses its transparency and, as a result, its attractiveness. Therefore, if the route is created, for example, on a beach (asphalt site), it is recommended to cover it with a special coating to protect it from pollution.

In a zorb you can move around the sea. No, for organizing zorbing it is preferable to use small bodies of water (lakes or rivers with a gentle current), since a sudden storm can turn the entertainment into a rather complex rescue operation.

Zorb can only be inflated through a special valve. This is true. However, there is another way - pumping through a hermetic zipper. It is slightly unfastened, the pump nozzle is inserted inside, and the ball is inflated. Afterwards the pump is removed and the zipper is quickly fastened. This method speeds up pumping somewhat, but you shouldn’t use it often, since the hermetic zipper will wear out faster in this case. By the way, inflating the zorb with air should be carried out in the absence of precipitation (snow, rain) and strong wind (more than 7 km/h).

During operation, the Zorb will have to be constantly pumped up. No, the design of the Zorb allows you to inflate it only once - before you start using it. No additional pumping is required.

In a zorb you can slide down any slope; you just need to remove stones and sharp objects from it. Yes, however, the best angle for zorbing is considered to be an inclination angle of the surface from 15º to 25º, the length of the track is about 150 meters. You really should remove all objects from the slope that could damage the ball in one way or another, but the design of the route does not end there. To minimize the possibility of the ball rolling out of the track, a trench with smooth walls and a bottom is dug along its entire length, the width of which is 3 m and the depth is 1 m. Since rocky or sandy soil will shorten the service life of the zorb, the surface of the gutter is or sowed with lawn grass, or covered with something (durable fabric, artificial grass, etc.). At the beginning of the route, a convenient landing site should be organized (a flat, clean surface of at least 7x7 meters), at the end - a braking element should be installed (inflatable structure, strong braking network, earthen embankment) with a horizontal rollout at the final section of the route. It will prevent the ball from crashing into the installed obstacle at full speed.

Rolling a zorb from the final point of the track to the starting point is not an easy task. Yes it is. After all, the ball does not roll up the slope, but is dragged by a drag, so such a task is beyond the power of one person. On small ramps installed within the city, an electric winch or the coordinated efforts of 2-3 people are used to return the zorb to the start. On the hillsides, ATVs or snowmobiles are used (depending on what time of year the zorbing takes place).

After use, the zorb can be pressed to speed up deflation. To deflate the zorb, you just need to open the valve and wait until the air comes out. And only the remaining air can be squeezed out with your hands, or you can use a special vacuum cleaner. After this, you should close the valve (this will prevent the formation of condensation inside the ball) and put the zorb in a special bag.

After skiing on snowy slopes, the zorb should be completely deflated and then dried. This is not entirely true. It is best to dry the zorb in an inflated state, but if this is not possible, you should open the valve, let the air escape, but do not squeeze out the remains, but transfer the not completely deflated ball to a room where the temperature is approximately 0º C, and leave for a couple of hours . Only after this can the zorb be finally deflated, the valves closed and packed away. When storing the ball, you should avoid overheating the shell - all heating and lighting devices should be at least 1 meter away from the zorb.

Zorb is just an interesting attraction. It all depends on the individual perception of the Zorbonauts. For some, zorbing is an extreme sport, for others it is just a strange structure of unknown purpose, for others it is a form of recreation. And some people even see a deep philosophical meaning in it, arguing that the zorb is a conceptual symbol of four-dimensional thinking, breaking the rigid rationality of the Malevich square. According to some Zorbonauts, riding in this ball can lead to a certain change in worldview and a shift in consciousness.

Zorbing, as one of the popular hobbies of our time, is a common way to increase the level of adrenaline in the blood and at the same time prepare for space flights.

The last saying, of course, is a joke, but every joke has some truth, as we know.

This statement partly makes sense, since inside a zorb a person feels himself in several states at once and this significantly affects his well-being and internal experiences zorbonaut.

Externally, the zorb is an inflatable ball made of durable polyvinyl chloride with a diameter of more than three meters. Inside this ball there is another one, approximately two meters in diameter.

In this case, both balls are fastened together using special cables, and a special hold is provided for the athlete to get inside.

When moving, it is best to fix the position of your body by six pairs of special cables. They attach to the arms and legs, and also secure the shoulders, waist and hips in a stable position, which further increases the safety of the descent.

The first movements of Zorb are not always fast enough, but the beauty of this sport lies precisely in the unpredictability of further actions.

It all depends on many factors, including the nature of the mountain slope and the weight of the person placed inside the zorb. By the way, the maximum permissible weight of a zorbonaut is 90 kg, which blocks the way inside the device for people with a large build.

There is also a minimum height limit, but it is much more gentle and amounts to one meter and fifty centimeters. Agree, it is difficult to find such short people who would love to engage in extreme sports.

If safety precautions are followed, the possibility of injury during zorbing classes is zero. In addition, it is very important that during the descent you can experience three states at once - free fall, weightlessness and chaotic movement inside the structure.

Only in the first seconds of descent can you clearly determine where your feet are - near the ground or turned upside down towards the sky. Subsequently, all states are mixed together, and it becomes quite difficult to distinguish them.

In addition to descending from a mountain in a zorb, swimming on the surface of the water in a special polyvinyl chloride device designed for this is currently becoming very popular.

Zorb is also used for going down the waterfall, which definitely gets the adrenaline going. Very popular classes hydrozorbe among young children. However, in this case they are carried out under close adult supervision.

Many for additional beauty and effectiveness of their descent use zorb lighting and come down at night. A lot of flickering multi-colored lights evoke positive emotions and adrenaline not only in the zorbonaut himself, but also in outside observers.

There is also a type of zorbing with an attachment "aero". It's rolling in the device through a special pipe. At the same time, among other things, the number of zigzag changes in the direction of movement increases, which further increases the zorbonaut's heart rate during the descent.

While in the Zorb, there is no need to worry about the presence of air there - it is quite enough for several hours of continuous riding. Believe me, from this you will receive a range of indescribable emotions and you will be speechless from the impressions received much faster.
The only contraindications to zorbing are heart disease and excessive emotionality.

In all other respects, the green light has been given for zorbing!

Zorbing (English zorbing - “descent from a slope on a zorb”) is a sport and extreme recreation in which a round transparent ball (zorb) is used to move on a flat or inclined surface.

Zorb (from the English z-orbit - “unknown orbit”) is a polyvinyl chloride ball with a volume of about 13 cubic meters. It weighs 70-80 kg, and consists of two spheres: internal (diameter - 1.8 m) and external (diameter - 3.2 m), the distance between which is about 70 cm. In the internal sphere there is a zorbonaut (a person engaged in zorbing), either secured in a special safety system (“suspension”, English harness), or having complete freedom of action.

You can get into the zorb through the entrance hole connecting the outer sphere with the inner one and having a diameter of 60 cm. In some cases, this hole is closed with a special valve.

Zorb was invented in 1973, but became widespread in the 90s of the last century. Types of zorbing.
. Descent from the hills or "hill zorbing" (English: hill zorbing, from hill - "hill"). Moreover, the passenger (or passengers) can either be secured inside the zorb - then this is “harness hill zorbing” (English: harness hill zorbing, from harness - “suspension system”), or stay in a ball without fastenings (English: free hill zorbing, from free - “free”);
. Riding in a zorb on a flat surface, and the ball is set in motion by the passenger himself, who runs in the inner sphere (eng. run zorbing from run - “running”). Descent in the same way from hills is called hill run zorbing;
. “Hydrozorbing” (English hydro zorbing from the Greek hydor - “water”) - the zorb is filled with water, which holds the person in a certain position, so the zorbonaut is not fixed. However, if fastenings do take place, it is a hydro zorbing harness. If an unattached zorbonaut runs inside a sphere of water, this is called run hydro zorbing;
. Riding in a zorb on the surface of the water or “water zorbing” (English aqua (water) zorbing from the Latin aqua (English water) - “water”), and in the ball you can do not only walking or running, but also various exercises. A variation of “water zorbing” is harness aqua zorbing (a zorb with a zorbonaut attached inside it is tied to a boat and moves along the surface of the water);
. "Snow zorbing" (English snow zorbing, from snow - "snow") - descent on a zorb from hills covered with snow and ice. If the passenger is secured, this is harness snow hill zorbing, if there are no fastenings - free snow hill zorbing. If a zorbonaut runs inside a ball moving through the snow, this activity is called run snow zorbing, and running away from snowy elephants is called snow hill run zorbing;
. "Aerozorbing" (English aero zorbing from the Greek aer - "air") - riding in a zorb inside a wind tunnel (a device created for parachutist training and creating a powerful upward air flow, while being in which a person experiences the feeling of free fall, without risking crash).

Zorbonaut competitions are not yet held. Wrong opinion. In the post-Soviet countries these days, Zorb is just a means of entertainment. And in Europe and America, competitions have been held for a long time in descending in zorbs (without any fastenings) along the slopes of hills. Interestingly, competitions of this kind began to be held after a bet made between Andrew Akers and one of his American friends. Akers proposed a condition - if the American ran in a Zorb from the top of the hill to the bottom and never fell, he would receive a Porsche car belonging to Andrew. He agreed and covered almost the entire distance, losing his balance only a couple of meters before the finish. Since then, competitions have been regularly held in which the main task of the athlete is to run as far as possible inside the ball, and this is not so easy, since he has to fight the centrifugal force (the main opponent of the zorbonaut), which tends to press him against the wall of the ball.

Zorb was created by Andrew Akers. No, the first ball of this kind was invented in 1973 by engineer Gilles Ebersol (France) and called it “a sphere with a cradle” (“La Ballule”). At first, Gilles created a small sphere, then he designed a larger ball (diameter - 6 m) and tested it himself, having first rolled down a 10 m high waterfall, and then descended the slopes of Mount Fuji (Japan), but this invention did not gain much popularity.

A similar design was created in the mid-90s of the last century by New Zealanders Andrew Akers (former businessman) and Dwayne van der Sluis (one of the scientists at the defense research institute). The inventors claim that to create the original version of the ball, they used a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” drawing. At first, zorbs resembled ordinary huge tin cans, and a person who dared to ride in such a projectile experienced a lot of unpleasant sensations. However, staying in the Zorb became much more comfortable when Andrew came up with the idea of ​​​​connecting 2 spheres (a larger one, created by himself, and a slightly smaller one, proposed by Dwayne) into a structure, between the walls of which there was a layer of air, minimizing any overloads. In a static state, the zorb was supported by special spring-slings, stretched between the walls of the spheres and serving as something like spokes in a wheel.

At the end of the 80s, another sphere of this kind was created, called the “ultraball”. Its creator, Joseph Schweitzer (Germany), used a frame made of triangles (instead of the current sling springs). This strange means of transportation also did not receive universal approval. Only a few years ago, the Evento company (New Zealand) designed the Buzzball (English: “noisy (ringing) ball”), which looks like Schweitzer’s creation. However, the above-mentioned design is much more complex and is a ball assembled from 12 impact-resistant plastic elements consisting of triangles with polycarbonate windows. Inside the ball, in a special shockproof design, there is a soft chair with fastenings for a person who decides to ride the “noisy ball”. The chair is equipped with wheels that allow it to be in the same position regardless of the direction of movement and the speed of the ball (however, sometimes the chair can still “tumble,” especially during sharp turns or starts) and safety belts. A passenger who climbs into the Buzzball through a special hatch, which is then firmly closed, can control the movement using two handles. In addition, a person does not have to make any effort to move, since the ball is equipped with a battery that sets it in motion.

The zorb can burst at high speed, resulting in injury to the zorbonaut. Wrong opinion. Firstly, the riding speed is usually about 15 km/h (the safe speed of this vehicle is 20-50 km/h, and the maximum possible speed is 113 km/h). Secondly, even if for some reason the outer shell of the ball is damaged, it will not burst, but will begin to deflate (since the pressure in the space between the spheres is low) and will immediately slow down and stop. This is proven by the results of crash tests: the Zorb, which moved at a speed of 50 km/h, had to overcome various types of obstacles (sharp objects, walls, a car) and successfully completed the task. It bounced off the walls, rolled over the car, and sharp objects left only small scratches on the walls of the ball. In this case, the mannequin secured inside the zorb did not receive any damage. In addition, according to statistics, not a single accident has been recorded among Zorbonauts in 10 years.

In a zorb, you can jump off a 100-meter cliff and remain unharmed. Unfortunately, this is not possible - the Zorb is not designed for jumping from heights exceeding several meters. The ball itself will not be harmed, but the person in it will most likely receive injuries incompatible with life. The footage of various kinds of films, when the main character remains alive after this kind of trick, is simply a montage.

Water zorbing and hydro-zorbing are the same thing. Completely wrong opinion! Hydrozorbing is a descent down a slope (ramp) in a zorb that is not equipped with attachments for a zorbonaut. In addition, a certain amount of water is poured into the inner sphere, sometimes with the addition of soap suds. It is this that holds a person in a certain position, regardless of how exactly the zorb moves. Water zorbing is moving along the surface of a reservoir either in a regular zorb or in a so-called “water ball”, which was invented by engineer Hong Jung (Japan). Such a ball consists of one sphere (and not two, like a zorb, used for going down slopes), the diameter of which is about 2 m, the wall thickness is 0.8 m, and the weight is 17 kg. To use it, it is first slightly inflated, after a person enters, the balloon is finally filled with air, and hermetically sealed. You can stay in such a ball for about 25 minutes, after which you should refresh the air inside the sphere using some kind of device for pumping air. The advantage of the above-described ball is its completely transparent walls, through which a person can not only admire the surrounding landscape and water surface, but also observe the bottom of the reservoir.

While doing hydrozorbing, you can choke. No, according to the designers, this is completely impossible, although sometimes water splashes the zorbonaut from head to toe. But it is very possible to get wet to the skin, therefore, when doing this type of zorbing, it is very advisable to stock up on a towel.

The Zorb is designed for only one passenger. This is not so - there are Zorbs for two passengers, but in this case they are not round, but cylindrical.

All zorbs have one entrance. No, there are zorbs with both one and two entrances. Moreover, these entrances (with a diameter of 60 cm to 1 m) can either remain open or be closed with a special fastener.

In order to ride a Zorb, you will either have to travel outside the city, to where there are gentle hills, or visit the shore of the nearest body of water. Not necessary. You can ride zorbs from a specially designed ramp (slide), either inflatable or made of metal. The ramp can be installed both on city streets or squares, and indoors. And going down the stairs in the city center on a Zorb is not a problem.

Zorbs are not resistant to cold. This is wrong. Zorbs are divided into summer and frost-resistant, withstanding temperatures of -20°C. And representatives of the Zorb Event Company claim that their product can withstand temperatures from -70º to +60°C.

All zorbs are the same size - about 3 meters. Basically this is true. However, there are also children's zorbs of a slightly smaller size (the diameter of the outer sphere is 2.2 m, the inner one is 1.2 m) and huge balls, the diameter of which can range from 6 to 12 meters. The latter are not used for skating, but serve only as eye-stoppers, i.e. a way to attract spectators (or potential buyers) during public events of various kinds.

Zorb may drown. Wrong opinion. According to the designers, in order for the Zorb to sink, it will need to be loaded with a weight of at least 13 tons.

You can fall out of the rotating zorb. No, It is Immpossible. The Zorbonaut is securely fastened inside the ball, while gaining freedom of movement. And the centrifugal force presses it against the walls of the zorb, again preventing it from flying out. If the person inside the zorb is not secured, the entrance is closed with a special membrane.

During the movement of the zorb, the person inside may experience bouts of nausea. Wrong opinion. The ball does not rotate that fast - it makes a full revolution in 10 meters. However, novice zorbonauts are advised to ski on gentle slopes, and only then move on to steeper slopes. In addition, according to the rules, you cannot ride in a Zorb while intoxicated or after a hearty lunch.

Zogbing is expensive. Indeed, if you intend to purchase your own Zorb, you will have to fork out several thousand dollars. A domestic ball, manufactured using the technology of Russian engineers, costs about $7,000, a New Zealand one is slightly more expensive. But you can still ride the above-mentioned vehicle. To do this, you should visit sports complexes or the banks of reservoirs, where anyone can ride a zorb for a very reasonable amount - from $11 to $16. Moving in a hydrozorb costs a little more - $50-70.

The length of the zorbing track is no more than 300 meters. Most often this is true. However, Ireland has one of the longest slopes - a gentle hill that is 750 meters long.

Zorb is an extremely bulky structure, so transporting it from place to place is difficult. And to inflate it you will need to spend a lot of time and effort. Yes, when inflated, the balloon takes up quite a lot of space, and moving it to the top of the hill will require the coordinated efforts of at least two people. However, if all the air is released, the Zorb can easily be placed in the trunk of a car. This structure is inflated in just 7-10 minutes using a special pump.

If the Zorb's shell is damaged by a sharp object, it can only be restored at the factory. A completely wrong opinion. Firstly, Zorb riding takes place from hills that have been previously cleared of various sharp objects that could damage the ball. Secondly, according to the crack tests carried out, the shell is not so easy to damage even with sharp objects. And finally, if the outer shell of the zorb is damaged, it can be easily restored by simply sealing it with special glue. And after three minutes the ball will be ready for use again.

Anyone can ride in a zorb, there are no restrictions. This is wrong. Since a person experiences some stress while moving in a zorb, restrictions still exist. Riding in the above-mentioned ball is not recommended for pregnant women, people with diseases of the brain, heart, injuries of the musculoskeletal system, hypertensive or hypotensive patients, as well as those suffering from osteoporosis and epilepsy. In addition, the zorbonaut must not have piercing or cutting objects with him, or any things in his hands (phone, photo or video equipment, etc.), the laces of his shoes must be tied, his belts fastened, his pockets closed (and preferably empty). Skiing in heavy boots (skiing, mountain) is prohibited; for zorbing, shoes that wrap around the heel and shin (moccasins, sandals, sneakers) are best suited. However, it is recommended to wear shoe covers on any shoes - this helps to easily maintain the cleanliness of the inner surface of the ball.

There are height and weight restrictions in zorbing. Such restrictions occur only in rare cases - after all, for children, for example, a children's zorb is ideal, and overweight people can easily ride in a ball designed for two zorbonauts. In fact, zorbing can be practiced by citizens of any size; the only more or less serious limitation is the size of the entrance to the ball. It should also be taken into account that the greater the weight of the zorbonaut, the higher the ball's jumps (inevitable when it hits the slightest uneven ground) and the rolling speed.

You cannot ride on sand or asphalt in a Zorb. It is possible, but it is better not to do this, since particles of sand and dust settle on the surface of the zorb, it loses its transparency and, as a result, its attractiveness. Therefore, if the route is created, for example, on a beach (asphalt site), it is recommended to cover it with a special coating to protect it from pollution.

In a zorb you can move around the sea. No, for organizing zorbing it is preferable to use small bodies of water (lakes or rivers with a gentle current), since a sudden storm can turn the entertainment into a rather complex rescue operation.

Zorb can only be inflated through a special valve. This is true. However, there is another way - pumping through a hermetic zipper. It is slightly unfastened, the pump nozzle is inserted inside, and the ball is inflated. Afterwards the pump is removed and the zipper is quickly fastened. This method speeds up pumping somewhat, but you shouldn’t use it often, since the hermetic zipper will wear out faster in this case. By the way, inflating the zorb with air should be carried out in the absence of precipitation (snow, rain) and strong wind (more than 7 km/h).

During operation, the Zorb will have to be constantly pumped up. No, the design of the Zorb allows you to inflate it only once - before you start using it. No additional pumping is required.

In a zorb you can slide down any slope; you just need to remove stones and sharp objects from it. Yes, however, the best angle for zorbing is considered to be an inclination angle of the surface from 15º to 25º, the length of the track is about 150 meters. You really should remove all objects from the slope that could damage the ball in one way or another, but the design of the route does not end there. To minimize the possibility of the ball rolling out of the track, a trench with smooth walls and a bottom is dug along its entire length, the width of which is 3 m and the depth is 1 m. Since rocky or sandy soil will shorten the service life of the zorb, the surface of the gutter is or sowed with lawn grass, or covered with something (durable fabric, artificial grass, etc.). At the beginning of the route, a convenient landing site should be organized (a flat, clean surface of at least 7x7 meters), at the end, a braking element should be installed (inflatable structure, strong braking network, earthen embankment) with a horizontal rollout at the final section of the route. It will prevent the ball from crashing into the installed obstacle at full speed.

Rolling a zorb from the final point of the track to the starting point is not an easy task. Yes it is. After all, the ball does not roll up the slope, but is dragged by a drag, so such a task is beyond the power of one person. On small ramps installed within the city, an electric winch or the coordinated efforts of 2-3 people are used to return the zorb to the start. On the hillsides, ATVs or snowmobiles are used (depending on what time of year the zorbing takes place).

After use, the zorb can be pressed to speed up deflation. To deflate the zorb, you just need to open the valve and wait until the air comes out. And only the remaining air can be squeezed out with your hands, or you can use a special vacuum cleaner. After this, you should close the valve (this will prevent the formation of condensation inside the ball) and put the zorb in a special bag.

After skiing on snowy slopes, the zorb should be completely deflated and then dried. This is not entirely true. It is best to dry the zorb in an inflated state, but if this is not possible, you should open the valve, let the air escape, but do not squeeze out the remains, but transfer the not completely deflated ball to a room where the temperature is approximately 0º C, and leave for a couple of hours . Only after this can the zorb be finally deflated, the valves closed and packed away. When storing the ball, you should avoid overheating the shell - all heating and lighting devices should be at least 1 meter away from the zorb.

Zorb is just an interesting attraction. It all depends on the individual perception of the Zorbonauts. For some, zorbing is an extreme sport, for others it is just a strange structure of unknown purpose, for others it is a form of recreation. And some people even see a deep philosophical meaning in it, arguing that the zorb is a conceptual symbol of four-dimensional thinking, breaking the rigid rationality of the Malevich square. According to some Zorbonauts, riding in this ball can lead to a certain change in worldview and a shift in consciousness.