Rock climber Alex Honnold’s attempt to climb Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper with no safety gear is likely to be a nail-biter, drawing millions of viewers around the world on Friday.
While some rock climbing enthusiasts in London, Ont., say they’ll tune in, they will be watching with a sense of both curiosity and anxiety.
The American rock climber, star of the Oscar-winning 2018 documentary Free Solo will scale the 508 meter tall Taipei 101. Honnold’s free solo climb will be streamed on Netflix in a special called Skyscraper Live, set to air Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
“Oh, I’ll be nervous for him because if you have one slip, there’s no safety gear so that can take his life from him in like a split second,” Andrew Jennery, a regular at the Junction Climbing Centre in east London, said.
“It’s a brave feat because it’s one of the tallest buildings in the world. I mean, that’s just nuts! For some people, it can be an adrenaline rush, but safety is a huge thing for me.”
A free solo climb is very different from other forms of climbing because there are no protective means such as mats, ropes or pads, explained Bethany Staubitz, head coach of the competitive program at the Junction.
“It’s just him, what he’s climbing, his shoes, chalk and maybe some tape on his hands,” she said.
Climbing is both a high risk and calculated sport and experts aim to mitigate its risks as much as possible, which Staubitz believes those unfamiliar with the sport, don’t understand.
“I think the general population that’s watching is not going to be assessing the finesse of his climbing and the execution of it. They’re just holding on to see if he makes it or not,” she said.
Honnold, 40, is no stranger to risks. In 2017, he became the first person to free-solo climb a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
Sam Douglas is an avid follower of Honnold’s and he’s hopeful Honnold comes out of it unscathed. As an extreme sports lover, Douglas said he’ll feel a vicarious excitement watching it all unfold.
“Anyone who’s watched a free solo knows you sweat and you get the shakes watching, it’s insane,” he said. “This is just one massive life threatening lift, essentially.”
Douglas also notes that urban climbing is very different from rock climbing, which requires using both the mind and body to solve problems, whereas urban climbing doesn’t work the same way.
“It feels more like going to the gym but with a fear factor. So the climb he’s doing, he’ll have a particular beta that he does over and over again. And I already know Alex has amazing endurance and that’s most of what it is. He’s not solving any problems with this climb,” said Douglas.
Eileen Webster has climbed for 15 years, and she doesn’t see why Honnold would attempt this stunt besides gaining publicity. She worries it will inspire amateurs to try their luck at this risk.
“I get why he did El Capitan because that’s an iconic climb, but why would you climb a building? I don’t really get it,” Webster said.
“Safety is important and what if something goes wrong? If you’re somebody like Alex who’s a competent climber, then great. But those who aren’t as confident might watch and be encouraged to follow suit and that’s the piece I don’t like, because people can die and that’s a big deal.”
Honnold said he’s aware of the online commentary and understands people’s reservations.
He told CNN in December he believes his chance of injury is “close to zero,” pointing out that even if he falls, the design of the building, with balconies every eight floors, lessens the risk of him plunging to the ground if anything goes wrong.
Netflix is working with the same risk-management firm that has worked with Honnold on previous specials to ensure standard live-production safety measures are in place. There will also be a 10-second delay on the broadcast, according to sources close to the production.
