About the Author

Douglas Booth and Holly Thorpe work at the Department of Sport and Leisure Studies in the School of Education at the University of Waikato, on the North Island of New Zealand. They have published widely on extreme and alternative sports from historical and sociological perspectives. Douglas and Holly are cultural insiders, immersed in surfing and snowboarding respectively, two activities closely allied to extreme sports. As well as traveling internationally in pursuit of waves and powder, they have competed in various surfing and snowboarding events, and remain active participants in these two fields.