Subwing, a new extreme sport from Zakynthos (see photos and video)

A Norwegian teenager on a family vacation came up with the idea of flying like a dolphin underwater after being astounded by the crystal-clear waters of Zakynthos

Subwing, the new extreme sports craze that is sweeping through Europe, was invented by a Norwegian teenager Simon Sivertsen who fashioned a wing from old banana boxes while on a family vacation on Zakynthos in 2010. “When sailing through the Greek islands, I was astounded by the clarity of the water, it almost felt like flying when diving, just missing the speed and thrill,” says Siversten. “The first ideas of an underwater wing, towed behind a boat, started emerging deep in the right hemisphere of my brain.”

The idea for his device that allows people to feel as though they are flying underwater was simple. He connected two separate wings to a rotatable swivel that could be controlled in order to move in all directions. The device is connected to a boat by Dyneema – the world’s strongest rope. By holding the two wings the user is pulled along giving the sense of underwater flying.

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Since the creation of the first Subwing, Siversten has refined his ideas and the wings have come a long way from the early prototypes made from banana boxes.

Subwing in action on video:

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