Extreme SL - Meet Xander Datura!

Extreme sports - skydiving, base jumping, skateboarding, scuba diving, BMX and motocross, jetskis and wakeboarding - Second Life (SL) needs a shot of adrenalin in the form of extreme sports! SurfWatch recently caught up with Xander Datura, organizer of Asylum Sports, the group to join to be in the loop on extreme sports in SL!


SurfWatch (SW): We are all excited to hear more about extreme sports in SL. Is it an organized group or more a series of events?
Xander Datura: Well... it's a lot of separate enthusiasts and sports atm, thats why I was so stoked about Asylum :P. I always loved trying them all out, and trying out all the gear, so I tried to assemble the most realistic designers I could and am working to cross promote some events. Comps will come... but just for fun.
SW:  So you're the founder of Asylum Sports?
Xander Datura:  I'm not really a founder of anything...I'm just a loose rattling NUT on this wheel of all of us crazies :P.  If it wasn't for the support of amazing people in every community, and in my personal life, Asylum never would have even been an idea.  It's my love and passion for each sport and the people in it that keeps me going...and I'm nothing but a pawn and player in it all :>.
SW: What are the sports included so far?
Xander Datura: Well, got a place for surfing of course :P. Skydiving, base jumping, skateboarding, scuba diving, and working on other sports that can use the same setups.. like BMX and motocross... jetskis and wakeboarding. We hope to do some live music, as well.
SW: Will there be competitions or any kind of tracking, or is it just free for all, go do it all?
Xander Datura: There will be some minicomps from time to time. The skydiving guys at Booville would like to host a surfing event, for example, which I'm looking forward to. I'm helping with the details. Then the skydivers will get a taste of the surfing world and vice versa for the surfers learning about the skydiving places and people in SL. Each group has a great bunch of people in it. Asylum just kinda throws them all together and introduces people to new things they might not have known existed otherwise :D.
SW: This sounds like so much fun!!!
Xander Datura: It is.  As I was showing my surfer buds the skydiving, they all loved it. Same with showing people surfing from other groups. For a lot of people, I think it's one of those type of things, they don't go looking for it, but once they try it out, they love it. That's what it's all about, spreading the word and growing the communities... everyone benefits.
SW: Is the sim officially open to the public?
Xander Datura: It's open to the public now. Got some of the shops still getting settled with the gear... then will be ready to make it official. But it's ready to be used now, and the more people that check it out, the better! Plus if anyone has suggestions or ideas to add, it can be done, too!! It's a giant playground... without people to play, it's just... ground :P. Asylum is non profit, too. I don't design anything, so it will run on donations and by people supporting the shops :D.

Check out Asylum Sports sim at *http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/asylum%20Reef/181/192/27*. SurfWatch is very proud to be covering Asylum Sports extreme sports in SL, and will be passing along all the information you need and want to be SL extreme!  Join the group at the group joiner on the sim (URL: secondlife:///app/group/c5dcb44e-0dd4-048c-f127-695be2ed1fa1/about) to get all the information you need to be SL extreme!

*Updated per Kantbe Thursday's comment - thanks Kant!
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2 comments:

Kantbe Thursday said...

Y'all, I think Xan now has a Landing Point set for http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Asylum%20Reef/181/192/27 rather than what it was at the time the article was published.

melissa said...

Wow Xan, nice picture!