Aesthetic experience in nature sports

Nature sports present the possibility of interaction with natural features in beautiful and dramatic ways. This chapter works to more deeply understand the aesthetic experiences of athletes in sports such as skiing, climbing, and surfing. It is argued that doing so requires developing an account of embodied, first person aesthetic experiences. In this, it relies on Arnold Berleant’s work in environmental aesthetics and in developing an aesthetics of engagement. As well, Christopher Cordner’s explanation of graceful movement as that in which all elements of the activity are harmonized or in accord with each other is adapted to describe one type of aesthetic experience an athlete might have in a nature sport. Ultimately, it is argued that the desire for aesthetic experiences is an important part of what motivates people to participate in nature sports.