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extreme sports are nothing new. in the middle ages, between the fifth and the fifteenth centuries, medieval knights risked life and limb in a thrilling sport called jousting. two knights on horseback, each carrying a lance - a longer, heavier version of a spear - would ride towards each other at high speed. to win, the knight tried to break his lance on his opponent's shield or knock him off his horse with the lance. jousting tournaments were often held to celebrate royal marriages and births, or national festivals. brave knights could be seriously injured or even die for the chance to win large sums of money, and sometimes even a royal marriage.
jousting was seen as practice for war. but when competing, knights replaced their chain mail - small linked metal rings - with heavy armour made of metal plates. they only had small slits in their helmets to see out of, that greatly restricted their vision. at the same time, though, this protected them. the horses they rode were big and strong.
the popular jousting tournaments took place in 'the lists', an open field separated by a fence close to a castle. they attracted not only royalty and nobility, but also commoners who sat alongside the battlefield. in glamorous opening ceremonies, knights would ride into the lists and hit the shield of an opponent they wished to challenge. after prizes were awarded at the end of the tournament, feasting and dancing would close the event.
today, partly due to tv shows and movies, jousting is making a comeback. surprisingly, little has changed since the middle ages; it may be a challenge for these modern-day knights to wear heavy armour and control a horse while trying to knock their opponent to the ground, but for the enthusiastic spectators it all adds up to a truly exhilarating experience. now, serious jousters are hoping to win enough fans to turn jousting into the next extreme sport!