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Alex Honnold Achieves Record-Breaking Solo Ascent of Taipei 101
(MENAFN) Alex Honnold accomplished what is believed to be the largest urban free-solo climb in history on Saturday, scaling the 508-meter (1,667-foot) façade of Taipei 101 in under 90 minutes during a live event streamed on Netflix.
The ascent, which commenced at 9:17 a.m. local time (0107 GMT) in Taiwan, marked Honnold’s first attempt at free-soloing a skyscraper.
He revealed that the tower had fascinated him for many years. “I’ve always wanted to climb the coolest thing I could find,” Honnold stated in a pre-recorded interview, adding that he had envisioned climbing Taipei 101 as far back as 12 years ago.
Honnold became internationally renowned after ascending Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan without ropes in 2017—a feat documented in the Academy Award–winning film Free Solo.
Taipei 101 has previously drawn elite climbers. In 2004, Alain Robert, famously known as the “French Spiderman,” scaled the building using ropes. Honnold’s climb, however, was distinct, executed live and entirely without safety equipment.
The climb was divided into three segments. The first segment, dubbed “The Slabs,” featured 113 meters of inclined steel and glass. Office employees watched from windows, filming and waving, while commentator Elle Duncan reminded audiences that the building remained open to the public.
Around the 13-minute mark, Honnold high-fived a child through a window as he completed this opening section.
The second segment consisted of eight stacked “bamboo boxes,” totaling 274 meters of vertical climbing, each featuring a seven-degree overhang. As Honnold continued upward, spectators below shouted: “Add oil.” His wife, Sanni McCandless, noted his enthusiasm.
“There’s great energy here, and he’s doing what he loves,” she commented.
The ascent, which commenced at 9:17 a.m. local time (0107 GMT) in Taiwan, marked Honnold’s first attempt at free-soloing a skyscraper.
He revealed that the tower had fascinated him for many years. “I’ve always wanted to climb the coolest thing I could find,” Honnold stated in a pre-recorded interview, adding that he had envisioned climbing Taipei 101 as far back as 12 years ago.
Honnold became internationally renowned after ascending Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan without ropes in 2017—a feat documented in the Academy Award–winning film Free Solo.
Taipei 101 has previously drawn elite climbers. In 2004, Alain Robert, famously known as the “French Spiderman,” scaled the building using ropes. Honnold’s climb, however, was distinct, executed live and entirely without safety equipment.
The climb was divided into three segments. The first segment, dubbed “The Slabs,” featured 113 meters of inclined steel and glass. Office employees watched from windows, filming and waving, while commentator Elle Duncan reminded audiences that the building remained open to the public.
Around the 13-minute mark, Honnold high-fived a child through a window as he completed this opening section.
The second segment consisted of eight stacked “bamboo boxes,” totaling 274 meters of vertical climbing, each featuring a seven-degree overhang. As Honnold continued upward, spectators below shouted: “Add oil.” His wife, Sanni McCandless, noted his enthusiasm.
“There’s great energy here, and he’s doing what he loves,” she commented.
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