Skywalker Freddy Nock Skips a Rope Record

Circus artist Freddy Nock had to break off his latest attempt at a further world record on the rope. The planned record should have been completed in Bern by driving a bicycle over a tight rope 150 m (492 ft) in length and 50 m (164 ft) from the ground. The disappointment was obviously great.

Freddy Nock, circus artist

Freddy Nock had planned to cycle over the length of a rope of 150 m (492 ft) suspended between two cranes at a height of 50 m (164 ft) in Bern, Switzerland. Due to technical problems, the attempt was abandoned before the circus artist even started. It emerged that when the rope had been deployed and spanned, too much grease had been used in the roll-out. As it would have taken all day to remove the surplus grease to allow the stunt, Freddy Nock decided to call it a day despite the disappointment this caused him and his many fans.

Freddy Nock started his incredible stunt tour on the Zugspitze in Germany, where he ascended the cable of the cable car over 995 m (3265 ft) without a safety harness or safety line and without the use of a balancing pole. It kicked off a tour of stunts covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland under the name of Seven Records in Seven Days in promotion of UNESCO’s educational charity.

The tour continued on the Feuerkogel in Austria, where he ascended on the cable of the cable car over a distance of 2,917 m (9,570 ft) with a steady incline of between 41 and 52 percent. Though he had to take a break in the gondola on the third pylon after 1,980 m (6,497 ft) and skipped the last 200 m (656 ft), a new world record was set there, too.

Over the next two days, Freddy Nock ascended over the cable of the Diavolezza cable car on the Bernina Pass over a distance of 3574 m (11726 ft) first, and descended the cable of the Corvatsch cable car near the Maloja Pass over the distance of 1600 m (5249 ft) second. Both world records attempted above the Engadin Valley in the Canton of Grisons in Switzerland were a full and unmitigated success.

The abandonment of the cycle stunt in Bern means that the record setting Seven Records in Seven Days is not possible anymore. But true to his credo that nothing is ever impossible, the attempt in Bern has been rescheduled to later next week.

The planned record attempts on the Jungfrau and in Thun will still take place as planned. Below the Sphinx on the Jungfrau, he will attempt the highest rope walk ever done at an altitude of 3400 m (11155 ft). And in Thun he will attempt the longest rope walk over water over the distance of 3300 m (10827 ft) by crossing Lake Thun.

Further reading
The Real Skywalker: Freddy Nock
Skywalker Freddy Nock Knocks Down Another World Record
History in the Alps: Flüela Pass