Over the past six weeks, we have introduced you to a whole new world of activities in our World Cup of Adventures series in celebration of the World Cup in Russia this summer. We’ve unearthed many fantastic activities in the most spectacular settings such as mountain biking in Peru and skiing in Iran!
As the phrase goes, all good things must come to an end, so this will unfortunately be the final edition of the series – Group H, which consists of Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan. But don’t worry, the month long tournament kicks off tonight in Russia as football fever grips the globe! So, without further ado, let’s kick things off with Group H.
Poland
Poland come into the tournament for the first time in 12 years having won eight of their ten qualifying games. Despite Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski scoring a record-breaking 16 goals during these games, Poland should have a cause for concern about their defence – they managed to concede 14 goals throughout qualifying. Poland certainly have a good chance of progressing if they manage to keep their defence in order.
Due to the varying seasonal changes in Poland, the eastern European country provides favourable conditions for those who seek adventures of all kinds! From Rock Climbing in Rzędkowice to Ice Swimming in the Krutynia River to Cross Motorcycling in Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska – Poland has a knack for providing the more left field adrenaline activities.
Senegal
Les Lions make it to a World Cup finals for the second time in their history – the first being back in 2002 when the tournament was held in Japan and South Korea. Similar to 2002, Senegal are reliant on one star player. Back then it was El Hadji Diouf. In Russia this summer it’s Liverpool’s Sadio Mané. For Senegal, much is dependent on how well the prolific talisman will play.
Since the west African country lies on the coastline, it would be crazy not to mention the wide variety of water sports on offer in Senegal. The Casamance 90km coastline makes ideal ground for jet skiing, water skiing, windsurfing and sailing, amongst other adrenaline-fuelled activities. However if you’re more suited to dry land, there are a number of activities available which might be of interest. One of which is a fun-filled Quad Bike tour which conquers Senegal’s bushes, lagoons, mangroves and villages – not to mention the beautiful Baobab Forest.
Colombia
Having reached the quarter-finals in Brazil four years ago, Los Cafeteros are looking for a similar overall performance – which is certainly possible with star players such as James Rodríguez and Radamel Falcao. Despite these two stand out players, Colombia do have an apparent lack of options going forward. But, with their inherent speed on the counter attack, Colombia can certainly mount a credible attack.
They say that variety is the spice of life and this certainly applies to Colombia. From climbing icy mountains and rushing down wild rivers, to exploring majestic coral reefs, Colombia has pretty much everything you could wish for. Our pick of the bunch would be caving in the impressive formations of Rio Claro, Cueva de la Vaca, and Cuevas caja de Agua. As you rush deep down into the rock, you pass through narrow caves which have stood for thousands of years as you discover the natural underground passages first hand. But beware – this probably isn’t for you if you’re scared of the dark!
Japan
Group H will see Japan fighting it out against some tough opposition, as we know. But one driver for this Japanese side will be the fact that this will be the final World Cup for the majority of the current team. These players include the ageing legend that is Keisuke Honda and Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa, who has seen a plunge in his form of late. However, they shouldn’t be completely ruled out progressing to the knockout stage – they just need to make sure that their key players are in top gear.
It’s well known that Japan is a highly mountainous country, and this is reflected in the type of adrenaline activities available on the Pacific island. Activities range from Skiing, to Mountain Biking and Paragliding. However our chosen activities are located in Gunma, just north of Tokyo. If you’re not afraid to get wet, you can take your pick of a number of water-based activities such as White Water Rafting, Kayaking and Canyoning!
Final Thoughts
This Group is a tough one to call, but the bookmakers are pointing their fingers at Colombia and Poland to reach the knockout rounds. But, we shouldn’t rule out Senegal or even Japan – we all know that anything can happen in the beautiful game!
However, when it comes to adrenaline activities for Group H, there are a number of contenders making their case. Despite credible attempts from Colombia and Senegal, it’s Japan who come out on top. The winning combination of scenery, variety and activity just edges it to win Group H of Geronigo’s World Cup of Adventures. Will this be the same result in the World Cup? Only time will tell.
We’re devastated to say that that’s it for the World Cup of Adventures! With a round up of all 32 teams done and dusted, we’re proud to have given you an insight of the best action and adventure activities on offer around the globe. Now, it’s time to let the football do the talking – you can catch the action in Russia from 14th June.