Dam, that’s crazy! Austrian madman, Günter throws himself off 131-metre high wall | NEWS

 

If you’re afraid of heights don’t look down this article any further…

 

At 131 metres high (429 feet), the Schlegeis Dam in Austria is a high-altitude playground for adrenaline junkies. Thrill-seekers flock to the intimidating concrete structure for organised abseiling, climbing and adult-sized, big-balls rope swings. Nobody has ever jumped off the dam on a Vespa before though and turned it into a giant Italian rope swing… until last Saturday, the first of August 2020.

 

VIDEO | Vespa Giantswing

 

History of madness

 

Red Bull supported stuntman, Günter Schachermayr is no stranger to the pages of SLUK., We’ve followed his scooter-based tomfoolery on ScooterLab in the past. From his freefalling out of a plane attached to a Vespa, to his near-death Vespa parascending lake crash. This latest stunt had a fair chance of writing both the scooter and rider off though, in spectacular style. Jimmy in Quadrophenia would have been proud of this jump.

 

Dam, that’s crazy! Austrian madman, Günter throws himself off 131-metre high wall | NEWS

 

Hard and unforgiving

 

Although this dam is used for various recreation activities, this would be the first time anybody anywhere in the world had attempted to sit astride a scooter and throw themselves off the platform. A high-rise platform which juts out over the edge of the imposing grey facade. A huge 131-metre drop is scary in itself, the hardness of that concrete wall is the thing most likely to kill you though if things go wrong.

 

Before the jump, Günter and his team strengthened the frame of his Red Bull Vespa by reinforcing it using metal bars in areas where the forces of the jump would be at their strongest. Nobody wants the scooter to part with the specifically made carbon fibre rope, or rider during the stunt.

 

Günter’s team make final pre-jump checks on the ropes and backup safety ropes as he teeters on the platform in front of a crowd of onlookers. He admits his knees were trembling at this stage, a good stuntman has to feel fear to respect the danger. 

 

Dam, that’s crazy! Austrian madman, Günter throws himself off 131-metre high wall | NEWS

 

The countdown began, 5-4-3-2-1…

 

There was no turning back now. 42-year-old Günter jumped, he said “I have done a lot of stunts in the past with my Vespa, but being so close to such a powerful CONCRETE WALL seems really brutal and scary”. 

 

The force created by the 87-metre (285 feet) freefall of this stunt was said to be around 6G, and the stunt didn’t go entirely to plan…

 

Günter's injured arm
Günter’s injured arm

Günter told us,

The problem with this story was that unfortunately I was pulled forward and jumped into the ropes, which injured my right upper arm and I could have strangled myself. We had calculated that I had to go backwards.”

 

Thankfully, although the stunt didn’t go exactly to plan, Günter survived to live another day and has plenty of madcap ideas planned for the future. The images and video from his latest scooter-based tomfoolery has been submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records for authentication. 

 

You can follow the Austrian’s exploits here. 

 

Dam – the SLUK Shop has some exciting stuff – no ropes required

800-10

 

If you’re afraid of heights don’t look down this article any further…

 

At 131 metres high (429 feet), the Schlegeis Dam in Austria is a high-altitude playground for adrenaline junkies. Thrill-seekers flock to the intimidating concrete structure for organised abseiling, climbing and adult-sized, big-balls rope swings. Nobody has ever jumped off the dam on a Vespa before though and turned it into a giant Italian rope swing… until last Saturday, the first of August 2020.

 

VIDEO | Vespa Giantswing

 

History of madness

 

Red Bull supported stuntman, Günter Schachermayr is no stranger to the pages of SLUK., We’ve followed his scooter-based tomfoolery on ScooterLab in the past. From his freefalling out of a plane attached to a Vespa, to his near-death Vespa parascending lake crash. This latest stunt had a fair chance of writing both the scooter and rider off though, in spectacular style. Jimmy in Quadrophenia would have been proud of this jump.

 

800-2

 

Hard and unforgiving

 

Although this dam is used for various recreation activities, this would be the first time anybody anywhere in the world had attempted to sit astride a scooter and throw themselves off the platform. A high-rise platform which juts out over the edge of the imposing grey facade. A huge 131-metre drop is scary in itself, the hardness of that concrete wall is the thing most likely to kill you though if things go wrong.

 

Before the jump, Günter and his team strengthened the frame of his Red Bull Vespa by reinforcing it using metal bars in areas where the forces of the jump would be at their strongest. Nobody wants the scooter to part with the specifically made carbon fibre rope, or rider during the stunt.

 

Günter’s team make final pre-jump checks on the ropes and backup safety ropes as he teeters on the platform in front of a crowd of onlookers. He admits his knees were trembling at this stage, a good stuntman has to feel fear to respect the danger. 

 

800

 

The countdown began, 5-4-3-2-1…

 

There was no turning back now. 42-year-old Günter jumped, he said “I have done a lot of stunts in the past with my Vespa, but being so close to such a powerful CONCRETE WALL seems really brutal and scary”. 

 

The force created by the 87-metre (285 feet) freefall of this stunt was said to be around 6G, and the stunt didn’t go entirely to plan…

 

Günter's injured arm Günter’s injured arm

Günter told us,

The problem with this story was that unfortunately I was pulled forward and jumped into the ropes, which injured my right upper arm and I could have strangled myself. We had calculated that I had to go backwards.”

 

Thankfully, although the stunt didn’t go exactly to plan, Günter survived to live another day and has plenty of madcap ideas planned for the future. The images and video from his latest scooter-based tomfoolery has been submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records for authentication. 

 

You can follow the Austrian’s exploits here. 

 

Dam – the SLUK Shop has some exciting stuff – no ropes required