Tightrope Across Niagara Falls - NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario - Daredevil Nick Wallenda has become the first person to take steady, measured steps on a tightrope in Niagara Falls, walking 1,800 feet over the misty rim of the roaring falls that separates the United States and Canada.
Afterwards, he said he achieved this through "a lot of prayer, that's for sure. But, you know, it's all about focus, focus and learning."
Tightrope Across Niagara Falls
The member of the seventh generation of the famous Flying Wallendas has been dreaming of doing the stunt but has never tried it. Other daredevils walked the wire across the Niagara River, but no further downstream than 1896.
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He took steady, measured steps through the mist rushing over the falls as crowds of about 125,000 on the Canadian side and 4,000 on the American side watched. On the way he prayed quietly.
ABC televised the walk and insisted that Wallenda use a rope to keep him from falling into the river. Wallenda said he agreed because he wasn't ready to pass up the opportunity and needed ABC's sponsorship to offset some of the show's $1.3 million cost.
For the 33-year-old father of three, climbing Niagara Falls was unlike anything he had ever done. Because it was on water, the 2-inch cable did not have the usual stabilizer wires to keep it from bending. The anchors of the pendulum were designed to prevent him from bending, under the leather shoes designed by his mother.
The Wallendas trace their roots back to 1780 Austria-Hungary, when their ancestors traveled as a troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, animal trainers and trapeze artists. Tragedy struck the tribe, mostly in 1978 when patriarch Carl Wallenda, Nick's great-grandfather, died during a stunt in Puerto Rico.
The Great Blondin
After reaching the Canadian side of the falls, Wallenda said that at one point in the middle of the stunt, he thought about his great-grandfather and his walks: "This is all about honoring my ancestors and the my hero. Karl Wallenda".
About a dozen other tightrope walkers crossed the Niagara Gorge in 1859 with Jean-François Gravelet, also known as "The Great Blond." But no one would walk directly over the falls, and the authorities have not allowed any rope-roping activities in the area since then. 1896. It took Wallenda two years to convince American and Canadian officials to allow it, and many civic leaders hoped to use this publicity to jumpstart the region's struggling economy, especially on the US side of the - falls.
Holiday crowds on both sides of the border gathered to see Wallenda, spreading blankets and setting up folding chairs under beautiful blue skies and summer-like temperatures. directly above the waterfall. Thousands of people gathered to watch him walk the tightrope on Friday evening. Although the wire was dripping from the fog, Wallenda fulfilled his childhood dream.
On Friday Nick Wallenda takes a walk on Niagara Falls. He became the first person to cross the falls directly from the United States to Canada. John Moore/Getty Images Hide caption
Photos: Nik Wallenda Walks High Wire Over Niagara Falls
On Friday Nick Wallenda takes a walk on Niagara Falls. He became the first person to cross the falls directly from the United States to Canada.
Daredevil Nick Wallenda became the first person to walk directly over Niagara Falls on Friday night. More than 100,000 people flocked to the US-Canada border to watch him walk the tightrope.
Wallenda's cable weighed seven tons and took hours for a helicopter over the falls. Crews held it up with two construction cranes.
Wallenda belongs to the famous "Flying Wallenda" circus family. Over seven generations, they have performed daring stunts all over the world.
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But Wallenda told reporters that the 1,800-foot cable over Niagara Falls was the tallest. He had wanted to do this since his first visit to the falls when he was 6 years old.
"That's when I had the vision of walking over Niagara Falls," he said. "Of course, I didn't know the story at the time that no one had ever walked directly over Niagara Falls, but we're going to change that."
Officials in Niagara Falls, New York had high hopes for this event. They wanted it to evoke a return to the city's glory days, when crowds would gather to see the daredevils and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.
Before Wallenda's walk, the artists lined the streets of the city center. Acrobat Ashley Vita Verde stood in front of a sign that read "Wallenda Side Show." Among the audience were contortionists, fireworks and clowns.
Nik Wallenda Tightrope Walk Over Niagara Falls
As darkness fell on Friday, thousands of people went to find a place near the rope. Ernest Groning came from Switzerland. After seeing the Niagara River crash over the falls on the rocks below, Groening worried about Wallenda's safety.
Around 10:15 p.m. ET, Wallenda stepped on his 2-inch-thick cable that was soaking in the fog. He wore waterproof overalls, leather shoes made from his mother's skin, and a life jacket. Superintendent Gary Neal was disappointed.
"I think I can do it with a seat belt on," he said. "It takes the excitement out of it for me."
Walking slowly, Wallenda lifted a 40-pound pole to give him balance. People who watched the ABC exclusive "High-Wire Over Niagara Falls" could hear him plead and describe his exhaustion.
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"I'm tired. Tired. It's very physical. It's not easy to fight the wind. In fact, my hands feel like they're going numb at this point," he said.
"It takes a lot of talent and it definitely took. I can't believe it. I can't believe what I'm seeing," he said.
As Wallenda approached Canada, he ran the last few meters of wire and then presented his passport to customs officials.
"He made it look so easy! Would like to see a little shake or something to make it look more dangerous than it is," he said.
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"This is as real as it happens, right? There is no going back. It's done. It's official. It's in the history books," he said.
But Wallenda says he hasn't made history yet. He has already received permission to become the first person to walk on a tightrope through the Grand Canyon. Nick Wallenda successfully crossed Niagara Falls on a high wire stretched over turbulent waters, a historic achievement by an American aeronaut.
Wallenda, which is made up of a long line of up-tempo artists, some of whom performed during the show, started at 10:15 p.m. ET and finished it about 25 minutes after it started.
Adrien Arsenault said he took steady steps for most of his journey, but he ran the last few steps and his security clearance trailed behind him.
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Daler was met by two Canadian border officials who welcomed him into the country and checked his passport.
During the crossing, Wallenda spoke to his father through a headset and even took questions from ABC television stations as he crossed the specially installed wire, which was about 550 meters long and about five centimeters wide.
"The fog was so thick and so difficult, with those winds coming at me from all sides, definitely more than I expected," said Wallenda, moments after arriving on the Canadian side.
With Friday evening's success, Wallenda became the first hiker to cross the bottom of the falls. Several others crossed the Niagara Gorge below the falls more than a century ago.
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"It's an incredible sight," Wallenda told ABC as she walked across the crossing, wearing a red and black dress and handmade sandals with suede soles. "It's really shocking."
Wallenda was wearing a safety harness during the crossing, which was a source of controversy before the walk. The ABC insisted that Wallenda wear a harness that prevents him from falling to his death if he loses his balance.
Before the walk, the 33-year-old father said he was not happy wearing the belt and even expressed concern that the extra weight could make it more difficult for him to walk.
Nick Wallenda walks a tightrope over Niagara Falls. As he crossed, Wallenda said he had a "crazy view" from the cable. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)
The Walk Across Niagara Falls
But when asked about the streak shortly before the tour, he said he respects his friends and "it is what it is."
Before going up to the podium, Wallenda told the American broadcaster that he was "very excited to have the opportunity to achieve his dream".
"I am very lucky to be in a position to be the first person in the world to walk directly over Niagara Falls on a tightrope."
Friday's low-profile tightrope walk was largely absent from the media spotlight for the first time this week.
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For the last few days, the daredevil has been practicing his craft, overseeing the installation of a steel cable that was stretched 60 meters above the rushing water.
Spectators wanted to get good seats before the crossing. By mid-morning, two people from Buffalo, New York had already reserved their viewing spots.
Rick Ryskalczyk and Veronica Bassano were the first to set up their seats on the Canadian side, where Wallenda finished her walk.
"We were
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