Top 10 Tightrope Records, Inspired by Nik Wallenda

YoopyaJun 23, 2012May 21, 20230

BAHAMAS - AUGUST 28: EXCLUSIVE Professional wire walker, "King of the High Wire" Nik Wallenda walks across a wire suspended 26 stories above the ground on August 28, 2010, between the Royal Towers of Atlantis, Paradise Island and The Cove, in the Bahamas, to earn Guinness World Records for the highest and longest bicycle ride without a safety net. The professional daredevil has just been granted permission to walk a wire strung above Niagara Falls after an exception was made to a century-old ban prohibiting performing at the famous falls. The stunt will be the jewel in the crown of what has already been a glittering career performing death-defying high wire stunts in front of amazed spectators. In 2008, Nik wire walked 150ft between two 20-storey buildings without a safety net, doing the return leg on a bicycle to earn himself Guinness World Records for the longest distance and greatest height ever traveled by bicycle on a high wire. However, it is the Niagara Walk which Nik says he has been in training for his whole life. Nik is the seventh generation of renowned wire walkers the Great Wallendas, who made their name perform amazing high wire routines in circuses throughout Europe. And Nik is proud to be carrying on the tradition as his wife and three young children also perform as part of his act at fairs and circuses in the US. (Photo by Craig Lenihan / Barcroft Media / Getty Images)

Circus perfomer (and Guinness World Record holder) Nik Wallenda will attempt the amazing feat to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope this weekend.

BAHAMAS – AUGUST 28: EXCLUSIVE Professional wire walker, “King of the High Wire” Nik Wallenda walks across a wire suspended 26 stories above the ground on August 28, 2010, between the Royal Towers of Atlantis, Paradise Island and The Cove, in the Bahamas, to earn Guinness World Records for the highest and longest bicycle ride without a safety net. The professional daredevil has just been granted permission to walk a wire strung above Niagara Falls after an exception was made to a century-old ban prohibiting performing at the famous falls. The stunt will be the jewel in the crown of what has already been a glittering career performing death-defying high wire stunts in front of amazed spectators. In 2008, Nik wire walked 150ft between two 20-storey buildings without a safety net, doing the return leg on a bicycle to earn himself Guinness World Records for the longest distance and greatest height ever traveled by bicycle on a high wire. However, it is the Niagara Walk which Nik says he has been in training for his whole life. Nik is the seventh generation of renowned wire walkers the Great Wallendas, who made their name perform amazing high wire routines in circuses throughout Europe. And Nik is proud to be carrying on the tradition as his wife and three young children also perform as part of his act at fairs and circuses in the US. (Photo by Craig Lenihan / Barcroft Media / Getty Images)

The funambulist will attempt to walk across a 2-inch steel cable approximately 547 meters (1800 feet) in length.

In Nik’s honor, we present our top 10 tightrope records, including a couple with Nik:

10. First tightrope walk over Niagara Falls

Jean Francois Gravelet, alias Charles Blondin (1824 -1897), of France, made the earliest crossing of the Niagara Falls on a 76mm 3in rope 335m 1,100ft long and 47.75m 160ft above the Falls on 30 June 1859.

Blondin thereafter made each crossing of the Falls in a different manner. He crossed blindfolded; trundling a wheelbarrow; on stilts and sitting down halfway to make an omelette.

10. Longest tightrope crossing by bicycle

The longest tightrope crossing by bicycle is 71.63 m (235 ft) and was achieved by Nik Wallenda (USA) in Newark, New Jersey, USA, on 15 October 2008.

9. Fastest 100 m tightrope walk

The fastest tightrope walk over 100 m is 44.63 seconds and was achieved by Aisikaier Wubulikasimu (China) at the outdoor Taimu Mountain Scenic Spot, Fuding City, Fujian province, China, on 27 October 2009.

8. First double back somersault and forward somersault on a low wire tightrope

Con Colleano (Australia) was the first person to break two low wire records: a double back somersault and a forward somersault at Johannesburg, South Africa in 1923.

6. Fastest motorcycle wheelie on a tightrope

The record for the fastest motorcycle wheelie on a tightrope is 53 km/h by Johann Traber (Germany) achieved in Flensburg, on the Tummelum Festival on 13 August 2005.

5. Most skips consecutively on a tightrope

Juan Pedro Carrillo (USA) achieved the most consecutive turns skipping with a rope on a high-wire with 1,323 at the Big Apple Circus Big Top, Bayside Expo Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 26 April 2004.

4. Highest 8-person tightrope pyramid

The Flying Wallendas (USA) performed an eight person pyramid suspended at a height of 7.62 m. (25 ft) at Sarasota, Florida, USA on 20 February 2001 for Guinness World Records: Primetime.

3. Highest tightrope crossed on a motorcycle

The highest tightrope crossed on a motorcycle is 130 m (426 ft 6.12 in) in height and 666.10 m (2185 ft 4.32 in) in length and was achieved by Mustafa Danger (Morocco) in Benidorm, Spain on 16 October 2010.

2. Most 360° spins on a tightrope in two minutes

The most 360° spins on a tightrope in 2 minutes are 41 and was achieved by Maimaitiaili Abula (China) on the set of Zheng Da Zong Yi – Guinness World Records Special in Beijing, China, on 20 September 2007.

1. Tightrope walking (unsupported) – greatest distance

The greatest distance for an unsupported tightrope walk is 130 metres (429 feet) and was achieved by Bello Nock (USA) in approximately 15 minutes across a wire attached to poles onboard Royal Caribbean International’s ‘Majesty of the Seas’ cruise ship, in Coco Bay, Bahamas, USA, on 10 November 2010.