AssetID: 55125842
Headline: RAW VIDEO: 50-Year-Old Daredevil Skateboarder Plunges From 22-Storey Building Smashing Two World Records
Caption: WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain Heart-stopping footage has captured the moment a skateboarder hurled himself from the top of a 22-storey building in Brazil, smashing two world records in the process. 50-year-old Sandro Dias dropped from a staggering height of 70 metres (230ft) off the Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari building in Porto Alegre. The feat, dubbed Red Bull Building Drop, saw him hit an eye-watering top speed of 103.8km/h (64mph). Officials confirmed he now holds the records for the tallest drop into a temporary quarter pipe, and the fastest speed skateboarding on a temporary quarter pipe. After completing his final descent, the veteran skater admitted: "The most important message I want to share is never give up on your dreams. This is a dream of more than 13 years that we’ve just achieved now, pushing the limits." For decades, the building’s curved façade – resembling a giant skate ramp – has been the subject of memes, hoaxes and even spoof YouTube videos. It was known locally as “the Ultimate Skate Ramp.” Outfitted in high-performance Prada Linea Rossa gear, he finally turned the fantasy into reality on September 25. He launched from multiple platforms at 55, 60 and 65 metres before daring the ultimate 70-metre plunge – a descent lasting just eight seconds. "I always said this was something to benefit skateboarding as a whole, so I think this was a big achievement, and the visibility we got ends up helping everyone - and that’s the idea. It’s not about seeking fame, it’s about pushing the limits and creating opportunities for people," he said. The stunt had been ten months in the making. From G-force training to speed tests, the preparation involved gruelling sessions on a mega ramp while wearing a 40kg vest, and skating at speeds of up to 136km/h on an airport runway to withstand the forces his body would face. On the day itself, experts secured him with rappelling gear as he was lowered onto each platform, fully exposed to high winds before each attempt. MotoGP-style air fences, thousands of foam cubes and reinforced safety gear – including a full-face helmet and spine protector – were all deployed in case of disaster. Yet every attempt succeeded on the first try. He later explained: "We know there are many factors that make up this scenario: first, the ramp itself, which had never existed before, with a mix of a lot of speed, a lot of G-force, weather conditions - it was very windy up there. I think I’ve gone high enough already, I’m satisfied, completely satisfied, and I believe this proves that we can push ourselves further." Despite turning 50 this year, the skateboarder shows no sign of slowing down. In 2005, he became the first to land a 900 in competition and has long been regarded as one of the sport’s true innovators. His achievement drew praise from fellow icons. U.S. pro Ryan Sheckler – his mentee and long-time friend – said: "He's a skateboarder through and through. He has always been pushing the limits. He's always been going higher and faster than everybody. And at 50 years old, to be seeing something like this and making it a reality, it just shows the skate in his heart. I've always respected Sandro, and this puts it even higher." Legendary skater Tony Hawk also hailed the feat, saying: "If you look at the history of skateboarding, it continues to progress. It continues to keep getting better. We keep pushing the limits of height, of speed. And now Sandro has jumped ahead about five times everyone else. […] You can go even bigger than we ever imagined."
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