Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16), shares a small room with his mother and brother in the dangerous Baiada Fluminense slum, where on average, five people are murdered a day. They pay $10 US a month in rent. Here youth practice train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year. The 'surfistas' form a tight-knit group, worshipping such movie heroes as Sylvester Stallone and Charles Bronson.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16, second from the right) and his friends practice train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year. He crouches under 3,300 volt cables while moving at 100km an hour.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16), tempts fate by hanging onto a train at night. McDonald shares a small room with his mother and brother in the dangerous Baiada Fluminense slum. Here youth practice a sport called train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: As part of his 'baptism', or initiation rites into the Association of Train Surfers, 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16) is dressed in drag and ridiculed by fellow 'surfistas'. The 'surfistas' form a tight-knit group, worshipping such movie heroes as Sylvester Stallone and Charles Bronson. Train surfing cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16), who claims he 'accidentally' shot himself in the leg while conducting 'business', convalesces in the small room he shares with his mother and brother in the dangerous Baiada Fluminense slum. A friend stole his gun while he lay bleeding. Lacking proper medical care and money, the wound rapidly became infected. McDonald is one of a group of 'surfistas' who practice train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfing: 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16), who makes his living by stealing, displays a $100 bill he stole from a clothes store in Copacabana. McDonald is one of a group of 'surfistas' who practice a sport called train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: Youths run alongside a train before jumping on and clamoring atop while it is moving. There are some 150 'surfistas', or train surfers, who risk the threat of death daily as they commute to and from Rio. Train surfing cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: Jose Minenes de Lira (14) was killed instantly when he hit the 3,300 volt wire and was thrown from the train while train surfing. For a 'surfista' this was a typical death. The sport of train surfing, cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

Train surfers, or 'surfistas' gamble illegally aboard an evening train on the way home. Says 'McDonald', or Joabe Pereira da Silva (16), "We never see the color of money, we live on illusion," in reference to the valueless Cruzado and dizzying inflation. Cruzado notes are almost worthless by the time they are printed.

Train surfing in Rio de Janeiro: Arturo (10), speaking only Portuguese, does not understand the grim irony of his T-shirt. He lost his foot after falling from a speeding train; the train ran over his ankle after his fall. Arturo is one of many youths from 10 to 28 years old that practice the suicidal sport called train surfing, which cost 144 youths their lives in one year.

General News,2nd prize