Danny Way Jumps the Great Wall of China
Jul 9 2005
Not just once, but five times!
Danny Way already held the world records for distance (24 meters / 79 feet) and unaided height (7.14 meters / 23.5 feet) while skateboarding, but that wasn't enough. Today, Danny Way set a new world record. Danny Way is the first person to leap the wall without a motor vehicle and land successfully. Not only that, today Danny Way pulled off the jump o the Great Wall of China five times in front of a crowd of Chinese dignitaries and officials, along with his family and friends and thousands of locals.
The jump was today at 5:30 p.m. Beijing time. The Beijing Mega Ramp™, the biggest skateboarding structure built yet, was built towering over the Great Wall's Ju Yong Guan Gate. Danny's going for two world records---speed on a skateboard and high air out of a ramp. "It's big.
Really big," said Danny, describing the ramp. "It's definitely going to make me go a lot higher, a lot faster, and a lot further than I've ever been before... When I clear the Wall and hit the landing ramp, I'll be going close to 50 miles per hour... I'm going to hold on for dear life, do the biggest air I've ever done, and hope for the best..." (Quotes courtesy of
DC Shoe CO USA, Danny Way's team company)
Many people have tried to jump the Great Wall of China before, but Danny Way is the first to jump the Great Wall without motorized help. In 2002 a mountain biker tried the jump, and was killed.
From
Quiksilver - "I came to China with a goal and that was to jump over the Great Wall," said Way. "I have accomplished that and I feel like my job is done. I was aware of the dangers and my heart was pumping in my chest the whole time, but I managed to pull it off with the help of my team, and I'm honored to have my visions embraced by the people of China. Skateboarding has yet to realize its full potential, and by bringing this event to the people of China and the rest of the world, I hope I've contributed to the future of skateboarding and helped bring my sport the global attention it deserves." Danny Way fell on his first try, but not before clearing the 61 foot gap, so he was all right. He landed the jump perfectly on his second try, but he had three more to go. So, Danny decided to add 360 spins while airing over the Great Wall of China and land perfectly.
After the jump a ceremony was held where the head of the Ministry of Culture in China, Mr. Wang Jianjur, gave Danny Way a piece of the Great Wall.
From
DC Shoe Co USA - Danny Way is one of a handful of professional skateboarders legitimately hailed by his peers as a legend. A child prodigy, Way went pro in 1989 at a mere 15 years of age, and to this day the Carlsbad, California resident is renowned for his technical innovation and for his pioneering use of skateboarding's first over-sized structures. In addition to being the only person to ever leap from a helicopter into a vert ramp on a skateboard, Way has also set and broken six world records. He currently holds the world records for highest air out of a quarterpipe at 23-feet, 6-inches, and distance on a skateboard at 79-feet. He set the last record in 2004 at X Games X with officials from Guinness World Record on-hand.
For more info, visit
Danny Does China. Also, read the USA Today article covering the event at the
DC Shoes website, read the Danny Way interview on Sports Illustrated Adventure, or read the Newsday article.
Name: Danny Way
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: San Diego, California
Date of Birth: April 15th, 1974 in Portland, Oregon
Family: wife Kari Way, sons Ryden and Tavin Way
Occupation: Professional Skateboarder
Started Skating: 1978
Started Competing: 1984
Turned Pro: 1989
Favored Discipline: Vert / Mega Ramp
#1 Sponsor: DC
Stance: Regular
Setup: Plan B 81/4 x 35 1/2 board (extra thick 7 ply), extra stiff trucks
Danny Way Skateboarding Style and Strengths: Danny Way is continually pushing himself and his skateboarding to the next level. A daredevil and showman's spirit drive him. Danny Way is also perfectly at peace with the cost of pushing himself in this way, understanding that there will be yet another injury to work through, another rehabilitation. Danny Way is aggressive, calculated, inventive, and knows what he needs to do and is willing to do it.
Danny Way Favorite / Signature Skateboarding Tricks: More than favorite tricks, Danny Way seems to always want to change up the environment, and try something all together new. To the X Games interviewers he said, "I go through phases. I get bored and like to keep progressing with new and different terrain."
Danny Way Skateboarding Career Highlights: 1991 - won Thrasher Skater of the Year1995 - won gold at X Games High Air (not Big Air)1995 - broke his neck surfing2000 - first of 7 knee surgeries. Danny's ACL has been replaced 3 times2003-2004 - won Trans World Skateboarding Best Vert Skater (both years)2004 - won Thrasher Skater of the Year (first skater to win this award twice)2004-2005 - won gold at Big Air competition at X Games (both years)2005 - jumped Great Wall of China (first non-motorized jump of wall in history)
Danny Way Personal History: Danny Way's father died when Danny was 8 months old. He went through a rough childhood with his mother working hard as a single parent. His mother re-married, and Danny Way gives credit to his step dad for his introduction to skating. Danny also played football and baseball, but quit for skateboarding. At age 15, Danny Way went through what he calls a "destructive era". He now loves to fish, as a way to get away from the world. He plays guitar, skates, and rides motorcycles with his boys.
Danny Way Interesting Fact: Danny Way is a Co-Founder of DC Shoe Co USA (the "D" of DC).
Danny Way Quote: "That's what we're operating on today!" Danny Way said this as he pulled off his sock and put his bruised, bloated, fractured ankle on the table in the press room at X Games 11, right after winning gold on the mega ramp. Danny originally fractured his ankle a few weeks prior, when jumping the Ju Yu Gong Gate, of the Great Wall of China.
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