Nik Wallenda set a Guinness World Record on October 15, 2008, when he walked across a high wire and then rode a bicycle back across. The wire was 128 feet long and 235 feet high. The world record was for "longest distance and greatest height by bicycle."Trentonian.com: High-Wire Daredevil Goes for Record in New Jersey (October 15, 2008) The stunt was covered live on The Today Show.
Wallenda is a seventh generation performer of The Flying Wallendas, which includes some performers who have died during their stunts.Today: Daredevil Wallenda Prepares to Defy Death on Live TV (October 14, 2008) Wallenda says that performing on the high wire comes naturally to him and is something that he started at age four.The Austin Chronicle: Nikolas Wallenda (August 22, 2008)
On The Today Show
The Today Show covered Wallenda's October 2008 stunt live as he performed in Newark, NJ. He walked across the high wire 128 feet holding a metal pole, and then rode a bicycle back across the wire still holding the pole. There was no safety net used. At one point, Wallenda sat down on the wire and called The Today Show to say that the wind was stronger than he expected. He mentioned after successfully completing the stunt that he plans to walk on a high wire across the Grand Canyon.Newsday.com: Wallenda Completes High-Wire Record Act (October 15, 2008)
References
Fast Facts
-
Fact:
-
Fact:
-
Fact:
-
Fact:
-
Fact:
