Nik Wallenda to Cross Niagara Falls
World’s renowned high-wire artist, Nik Wallenda will make the first attempt at crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope this month. With the help of two inch wire, which is 1800 foot long and will be strung almost 200 feet above the base of Niagara Gorge, he will become the first to ever achieve the title!
Previously, James Hardy was person cross the gorge in 1896 at youngest age, before the practice was banned.
Wallenda belongs to a well-known daredevil family and circus performers, and his grand-father at the age of 78, fell to his death in a tightrope walk in Puerto Rico.
In an interview to CNN, Wallenda said: “There is something iconic about Niagara Falls. There is a history here.”
According to Wallenda, he will be the first to take the challenge to perform this task. “The other people all crossed farther down,” he said.
Nik Wallenda, who is just 33 years old, was determined to perform this dangerous stunt and lobbied several politicians both in the U.S and Canada to get approval. Finally in February 2012, all the board members of Canada’s Niagara Parks Commission voted in favor of Wallenda to do the death-defying stunt, while reversing the previous decision.
Tickets to watch this spectacular event will be obtainable online, and are absolutely free. Meanwhile, ABC is planning a three hour live telecast of the event that will be held on June 15. Although, several safety measures are suggested to Wallenda before performing this stunt, including a harness that will link him to the cable, but he feels it unnecessary.
“I’m upset. I’m not used to it,” Wallenda said the Associated Press. “I’ve never worn a tether before so it’s just something else I have to contend with when I’m out there.”
Wallenda who is the “king of the high-wire” has broken various world records and also made his name in Guinness book. According to many experts, the act is indeed a risky one, and the Niagara Parks Commission insisted it could be performed only once every 20 years.
