iradiophilly | News - Nik Wallenda Made it Across Niagra Falls on Tight Rope (video)

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Nik Wallenda Made it Across Niagra Falls on Tight Rope (video)

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 06/16/12 2:00 am | updated: 06/16/12 3:56 am

Daredevil Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk on a tightrope over and across Niagara Falls. His 1,800 ft journey took him over the brink of the falls and through the mist and fog. There have been other wire crossings before, but none over the falls and not since 1896.

Wallenda is a 7th generation member of the famous Wallenda family that included the Flying Wallendas and is a direct decendent of Karl Wallenda who was known for his great high-wire crossing and untimely death during his last act. The Wallendas trace their roots back to 1780 Austria-Hungary as a band of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, animal trainers and trapeze artists.

The Wallendas have always been known for doing their stunts without safety nets or harnesses. This has led to calamity in the past with Karl's fall to his death, and the Flying Wallendas suffering a fall in 1962 when 2 members of the 7 man pyramid died, and 1 paralyzed.

ABC-TV had agreed to televise the Niagra Falls crossing, but only if Nik wore a harness. This crossing was particularly tricky because of the changing conditions along the route of the wire and the slick, wet sections created by the mist. Wallenda agreed to wear the harness because he didn't want to lose the chance to walk the wire, and he needed the money to pay for the spectacle.
After watching him walk across the gorge as calmly, and mechanically as he did tonight, no harness came close to being needed. Conditions were perfect tonight with thousands of onlookers there to cheer on both sides of the falls.

Part 1 - Looking Down over the Falls

Part 2 - Halfway Through the Mist

Part 3 - Welcome to Canada - The End

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by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA | responded: 06/16 3:56 am

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