TAIPEI – Renowned American climber Alex Honnold has achieved a death-defying feat by successfully scaling one of the world’s tallest buildings, Taipei 101, without the use of ropes, harnesses, or any safety equipment.
The Challenge: Taipei 101
The iconic skyscraper, standing at 508 meters (1,667 feet), is a marvel of steel, glass, and concrete designed to resemble a bamboo stalk. Honnold, famous for being the first person to free-solo the 3,000-foot granite wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, added this urban conquest to his legendary portfolio on Sunday.
Weather Delays and Live Broadcast
The climb was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed due to damp and unfavorable weather conditions in the Taiwanese capital. The event was broadcast live globally on Netflix.
To manage the risks associated with such a high-stakes stunt, Netflix implemented a broadcast delay. Jeff Gaspin, a Netflix executive, told Variety magazine prior to the event that the feed would be cut immediately if any “unfortunate incident” occurred.
Record-Breaking Speed
Honnold completed the treacherous ascent in just 1 hour and 31 minutes, describing his success as “fantastic.”
His performance shattered the previous record for climbing the tower. French climber Alain Robert, known as “Spider-Man,” previously scaled Taipei 101 in four hours using ropes and harnesses when it was the world’s tallest building. Honnold’s free-solo climb took less than half that time.
