Posted on 06/11/2005 1:18:00 AM PDT by nickcarraway
HONG KONG: A French urban climber who calls himself "spiderman'' scaled a 62-storey Hong Kong skyscraper barehanded on Saturday.
Wearing only a pair of red pants, Alain Robert, 42, from Valence, southeastern France, scrambled up the downtown Cheung Kong Center the flagship building of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing in about an hour.
Robert said the building was 283 meters (928 feet) tall.
During his climb, the Frenchman rested several times and even answered a reporter's phone calls.
"I can't talk to you right now. I'm climbing,'' said Robert, renowned for scaling buildings without ropes or other equipment.
After reaching the top of the building, he waved to a small crowd of spectators on the ground below. He said he was greeted by police, firefighters and security guards at the top.
Police officers checked his passport but did not arrest him, even though he had not sought permission to climb the building.
"Everyone was very nice,'' Robert said, adding that the climb was not too difficult.
"I slipped only once,'' he said. "On a scale of one to 10 in terms of difficulty, this would be a five. I really enjoyed the ascent.''
Robert said he did not choose Hong Kong's tallest building, the 420-meter (1,378-foot) Two International Finance Center, because the building is surrounded by a platform, and he could risk arrest halfway through the climb.
"I decided to climb the Cheung Kong as I was sure that I could climb all the way up to the top,'' he said.
In December, Robert scaled the world's tallest building, Taiwan's Taipei 101. It took him nearly four hours to reach the top of the 508-meter (1,679-foot) building _ nearly twice as long as he had expected _ because it was raining.
But Robert, who has scaled more than 70 skyscrapers around the world, said his most challenging climb so far was the Sears Tower in Chicago, the United States, in 1999.
His other feats include scaling Malaysia's Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Empire State Building in New York.
Robert said he is working with the United Arab Emirates government on a plan to climb five buildings on five continents to raise funds for UNESCO. The first climb the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai is planned for November, he said.
Last words, "Me fall long time".
I don't understand how this guy does it, but he's unreal.
Before he climbs, he should always leave a deposit just in case they have to scrape up his remains with a putty knife.
What an obscure way for a Frenchman to surrender.
The last man in France with balls, and he has to climb buildings for a living.
They need to make him president.
So what is the technique used? Suction cups? Ropes? Surely one can't just climb up a sheer building with no equipment at all.
Over the backs of others.
I think I would have to agree, but please no film at eleven, and where is the disclaimer about professionals at work, don't try this at home?
PS, most folks wouldn't do this if a ladder was attached to the building. Stairs and elevators are so much easier getting to the top. What does this guy do for a living that he can jet around the world climbing tall buildings seemingly at will?
I read a Babblefish translation of this story from LeMonde, (a French newspaper and the source of the photo I posted).
He stated something along the lines of , "I can't work a normal job". He's sponsored by companies, (such as Golden Palace.Com), to do these climbs.
I'd say he has built himself a pretty good business. Not much compettition. He better start preparing for retirement right now. He wont' be able to do this when he turns (insert age).
ping
One can only hope that this will inspire lots of 'copycats' - it would certainly help thin the gene pool and make entertaining reading for the Darwin awards.
I like to hike and my dream is to die on the trail in the middle of the woods in Maine someplace. Preferably when I am in my 80s or 90s. In fact, if I know I am dying, I'll probably just get a good book, a jug of good whiskey and walk on out in those woods one last time.
If this is the same guy I'm thinking of, he uses powder on his hands to prevent sweaty fingers.
...and that's about it.
Misleading headline!
French 'SpiderFROGman' Scales 62-Storey Hong Kong Skyscraper
There! That's better
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