In the ever-evolving world of extreme sports, 2025 has been one for the history books.
Throughout the year, extreme athletes have accomplished first-time feats, never-before-seen stunts, and mind-blowing world records. From the seas to the skies to the snowy plains, these daredevils have used the elements as their personal playground.
Learn more about some of the most thrilling extreme sports moments from 2025.
Lando Norris Wins First F1 Drivers’ Championship
After years of coming agonizingly close, Lando Norris finally claimed his first World Drivers’ Championship. The British driver’s journey has been marked by near-misses, mechanical failures, and the constant challenge of proving himself against established champions like Max Verstappen and talented teammates such as Oscar Piastri. Past seasons saw Norris finish just shy of the podium or lose crucial points due to factors beyond his control — experiences that could have discouraged a lesser competitor.
This year, however, Norris combined lessons learned with a remarkable consistency under pressure. He overcame technical setbacks, strategic gambles, and intense race-day rivalries, turning each challenge into an opportunity to sharpen his skills and mental resilience. His composure, particularly in high-stakes moments, allowed him to capitalize on every point, race after race.
The championship was ultimately decided at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Facing a tense battle with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, Norris needed only a third-place finish. He executed with precision, crossing the line to secure the title — ending Verstappen’s four-year reign and marking McLaren’s first Drivers’ Championship since Lewis Hamilton’s maiden title with the team in 2008.
Reflecting on his achievement, Norris said over the radio: “It’s been a long road — full of highs, lows, and lessons. I want to thank my team, my family, and everyone at McLaren. This victory isn’t just mine; it’s ours together.”
The First-Ever Mid-Air Aircraft Rendezvous
Skydiver Max Manow redefined human flight with a stunt previously thought impossible: leaping from a helicopter, free-falling toward a moving Cessna, and hooking onto the aircraft mid-air before riding it skyward again. This groundbreaking feat instantly entered extreme-sports folklore, blending human skill, precision timing, and sheer audacity.
Wingsuit Speed and Distance Rewritten
Chilean wingsuit pilot Sebastián Álvarez pushed the limits of aerial sport, hitting speeds above 500 km/h and flying a single distance over 53 km. By turning the sky into a high-speed racetrack, Álvarez proved that wingsuit flying has only begun to evolve — a performance that will inspire aerial athletes for decades.
Skiing Everest From Summit to Base — With No Oxygen
Polish skier and mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel achieved a feat few thought possible: descending Mount Everest from summit to base camp on skis without supplementary oxygen. Unlike the show-stopping stunts dominating headlines, this was a quiet, brutal test of endurance — a solitary triumph over the world’s highest peak.
Tigst Assefa Sets a New Women’s Marathon World Record
In the lead-up to the 2025 London Marathon, there were several world records up for grabs. One was the women-only marathon record, which Ethiopian runner Tigist Assefa reached out and grabbed.
Assefa clinched her first London Marathon win with an overall time of 2:15:50. In addition to the victory, Assefa smashed the previous women-only world record of 2:16:16, which had only been achieved the year prior by Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei.
The race was led by a quartet of highly powerful runners: Assefa, Jepkosgei, Hassan, and Megertu Alemu. By the half-marathon point, Assefa and Jepkosgei secured a solid lead, with their nearest competitor 10 seconds behind. While the two remained close for a while, Assefa eventually pulled ahead, holding a lead of nearly one minute by the 40km mark.
Upon crossing the finish line, Assefa said she felt “extreme happiness.”
However, her mind quickly shifted to the next feat she hopes to accomplish: “Having won today, what I am really thinking about going forward is to try and get my world record back for the marathon.”
While Assefa previously held the fastest time for a women’s marathon in a mixed race, she was dethroned by Ruth Chepngetich at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Ryan Williams Lands the First BMX Triple Backflip to Dirt in Competition
Professional BMX and scooter rider Ryan Williams is no stranger to making history. A Nitro Circus and X Games veteran, he’s achieved some of the most mind-blowing feats in extreme sports history, such as a double inward briflip on a scooter and BMX double cork 1440.
This year has been no different for Williams. In fact, it’s been one of his most accomplished years yet, particularly in competition.
At the 2025 X Games, Williams had one of the most successful runs in history, winning three gold medals in three BMX events in a single week. The three medals in question were for: BMX Park Best Trick, BMX Dirt, and BMX Dirt Best Trick.
The stunt that earned Williams the final medal was particularly special. Not only did it bring his total gold medal count to 11, but it was also a world first: the first-ever triple backflip to dirt in competition.
A New Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS) World Record is Born
This year, a team of skydivers broke one of the world’s most remarkable feats: the Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS) world record. The previous record, set in 2015 by Skydive Chicago, saw 164 divers form a flower-like formation as they plummeted at speeds of up to 240 mph.
On 22 August, the folks at Skydive Chicago set out to trump their own record, sending 174 divers into the skies in nine planes. Together, they leapt into the open air and joined hands to create a head-down formation.
A combination of teamwork, trust, and timing, this stunt is an unforgettable testament to how far a group of daredevils can go.
Former Reality TV Star Wins Longest-Ever Dog Sled Racing Iditarod Trail Race
Spanning over 1,100 miles of the Alaskan wilderness, the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race is one of the most intense competitions imaginable. Nicknamed “The Last Great Race on Earth”, it sees competitors traverse snowy and icy terrain while withstanding brutally cold temperatures.
The 2025 race was particularly extreme, featuring the longest course in the competition’s history: a whopping 1,129 miles. Plus, the harshness of the conditions led to one-third of participants not finishing the race at all.
But there was one man who not only completed the race but conquered it. For Jesse Holmes, a past participant on the reality show Life Below Zero, the 2025 race marked his eighth time competing. It also marked his first-ever victory, with a finishing time of 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes, 41 seconds.
“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s a magical feeling,” he said of his win. “It’s not about this moment now. It’s about all those moments along the trail.”
A Moment of Stillness: Remembering Felix Baumgartner
2025 also brought a pause in an otherwise adrenaline-fueled year. Felix Baumgartner, whose 2012 stratospheric jump redefined extreme sports, tragically passed away in a paragliding accident. His legacy reminds us that pushing boundaries is inherently risky, but essential to the human spirit. His courage continues to inspire every athlete daring to leap where others fear to go.
2025 – one for the books
From championship motorsport victories to breathtaking aerial stunts, from marathon triumphs to Everest descents, 2025 proved that extreme sports are about more than records — they are about testing limits, defying fear, and embracing the impossible.
These athletes remind us that no matter the challenge, the human spirit still chooses to leap — and in doing so, creates history. Catch stories from some of these very record-setters in an all-new season of The Team Ignition Show.
