ianstone
10-08-2010, 02:19 PM
Look away now if heights aren't your thing: Base-jumpers perform aerial acrobatics off one of Asia's tallest buildings
By Catherine Eade (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Catherine+Eade)
Last updated at 4:53 PM on 8th October 2010 Extreme sky-diving enthusiasts from around the world gathered at the KLTower in Malaysia today to leap into the air as part of the annual Kuala Lumpur Tower International Jump.
Over 120 professional base jumpers from 22 countries took part in the event which has gained recognition around the world and among the base jumping fraternity since its first inception in 1999.
Base jumping refers to the four categories of fixed objects from which people taking part jump: BASE can mean buildings, antennas, spans (or bridges) and earth (or cliffs/mountains).
Telecommunications towers also prove a popular place for aerial acrobatics fans.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B4BB000005DC-347_634x399.jpg Geronimo! Two base jumpers make the leap from the 421 metres high Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malaysia on October 7. BASE jumping is considered more dangerous than skydiving from aircraft, and is currently regarded by many as a fringe extreme sport or stunt
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-0-0B82B893000005DC-216_634x380.jpg Look into my eyes: BASE jumpers Robert Morissey (R) and Anthony Hood (L) leap from the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower, holding hands for a few seconds before opening their parachutes
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-0-0B828BB7000005DC-474_634x407.jpg Freefalling: Two more BASE jumpers dive off the KL Tower. BASE stands for the places such jumpers usually leap from: buildings, antennae, spans and earth.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B828BCB000005DC-741_634x383.jpg And relax: Walter Hilscher of Germany leaps from the Tower striking a relaxed pose...or is it easier to jump when you're not looking down?
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B35B000005DC-516_634x408.jpg Tumbling man: Some experienced BASE jumpers attempt some aerial acrobatics before releasing their parachutes to add to their experience
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B40B000005DC-948_634x407.jpg Backflip: Australian base jumper Gary Cunningham leaps and flips as he hurtles towards the earth just 421 metres below
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B413000005DC-35_634x402.jpg Hold tight lads: During the early eighties, nearly all BASE jumps were made using standard skydiving equipment, including two parachutes (main and reserve), and deployment components. Today specialized equipment is often used
There are risks involved with base jumping, as extreme sports fanatics admit. An Australian base jumper was killed a week ago practicing for the Kuala Lumpur event after her parachute failed to open.
Kylie Tanti, 42, was performing her third jump at the Alor Setar Tower, which at 165.5m is considerably smaller than the KL Tower, when she fell to her death.
Her parachute became entangled in a camera on her safety helmet, according to fellow base-jumper Gary Cunningham. Witnesses saw her struggling to pull open the parachute but failing and she was killed instantly.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B6A3D17000005DC-899_634x381.jpg Tragedy: The BASE jumping fanatic Kylie Tanti, dubbed 'Buffy' by her friends fell to her death on September 30 while practicing for the Kuala Lumpur Tower Jump
According to the World Base Fatality list of May 2010, between 1981 and May 2010 there have been at least 147 fatalities related to the sport.
Kylie Tanti's death takes that total to 148.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B2A3000005DC-864_306x423.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B830E74000005DC-213_306x423.jpg
Happy landings: A base jumper safely parachutes to earth after his jump (left). Pictured right, the Kuala Lumpur Tower is now a regular destination for extreme sky diving enthusiasts. Apart from being a telecommunications tower, it also caters as a tourist destination, housing restaurants and a souvenir shop
Although popular among base jumpers, the towers in Malaysia are not the highest towers which have been utilised for the sport.
In January this year, Nasr Al Niyadi and his trainer Omar Al Hegelan made a perfect landing after jumping 2,205ft from the 160th floor of the world's tallest building in Dubai.
By Catherine Eade (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Catherine+Eade)
Last updated at 4:53 PM on 8th October 2010 Extreme sky-diving enthusiasts from around the world gathered at the KLTower in Malaysia today to leap into the air as part of the annual Kuala Lumpur Tower International Jump.
Over 120 professional base jumpers from 22 countries took part in the event which has gained recognition around the world and among the base jumping fraternity since its first inception in 1999.
Base jumping refers to the four categories of fixed objects from which people taking part jump: BASE can mean buildings, antennas, spans (or bridges) and earth (or cliffs/mountains).
Telecommunications towers also prove a popular place for aerial acrobatics fans.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B4BB000005DC-347_634x399.jpg Geronimo! Two base jumpers make the leap from the 421 metres high Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malaysia on October 7. BASE jumping is considered more dangerous than skydiving from aircraft, and is currently regarded by many as a fringe extreme sport or stunt
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-0-0B82B893000005DC-216_634x380.jpg Look into my eyes: BASE jumpers Robert Morissey (R) and Anthony Hood (L) leap from the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower, holding hands for a few seconds before opening their parachutes
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-0-0B828BB7000005DC-474_634x407.jpg Freefalling: Two more BASE jumpers dive off the KL Tower. BASE stands for the places such jumpers usually leap from: buildings, antennae, spans and earth.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B828BCB000005DC-741_634x383.jpg And relax: Walter Hilscher of Germany leaps from the Tower striking a relaxed pose...or is it easier to jump when you're not looking down?
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B35B000005DC-516_634x408.jpg Tumbling man: Some experienced BASE jumpers attempt some aerial acrobatics before releasing their parachutes to add to their experience
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B40B000005DC-948_634x407.jpg Backflip: Australian base jumper Gary Cunningham leaps and flips as he hurtles towards the earth just 421 metres below
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B413000005DC-35_634x402.jpg Hold tight lads: During the early eighties, nearly all BASE jumps were made using standard skydiving equipment, including two parachutes (main and reserve), and deployment components. Today specialized equipment is often used
There are risks involved with base jumping, as extreme sports fanatics admit. An Australian base jumper was killed a week ago practicing for the Kuala Lumpur event after her parachute failed to open.
Kylie Tanti, 42, was performing her third jump at the Alor Setar Tower, which at 165.5m is considerably smaller than the KL Tower, when she fell to her death.
Her parachute became entangled in a camera on her safety helmet, according to fellow base-jumper Gary Cunningham. Witnesses saw her struggling to pull open the parachute but failing and she was killed instantly.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B6A3D17000005DC-899_634x381.jpg Tragedy: The BASE jumping fanatic Kylie Tanti, dubbed 'Buffy' by her friends fell to her death on September 30 while practicing for the Kuala Lumpur Tower Jump
According to the World Base Fatality list of May 2010, between 1981 and May 2010 there have been at least 147 fatalities related to the sport.
Kylie Tanti's death takes that total to 148.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B82B2A3000005DC-864_306x423.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318466-0B830E74000005DC-213_306x423.jpg
Happy landings: A base jumper safely parachutes to earth after his jump (left). Pictured right, the Kuala Lumpur Tower is now a regular destination for extreme sky diving enthusiasts. Apart from being a telecommunications tower, it also caters as a tourist destination, housing restaurants and a souvenir shop
Although popular among base jumpers, the towers in Malaysia are not the highest towers which have been utilised for the sport.
In January this year, Nasr Al Niyadi and his trainer Omar Al Hegelan made a perfect landing after jumping 2,205ft from the 160th floor of the world's tallest building in Dubai.