American climber Alex Honnold has completed a dramatic free solo ascent of Taipei 101, scaling the 101-floor skyscraper without ropes, a harness or any safety equipment in a feat broadcast live to a global audience.
Honnold reached the top of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) tower in one hour and 31 minutes on Sunday, more than halving the previous record for the building. His climb was streamed live by Netflix, which confirmed the broadcast was delayed slightly as a precaution in case of an accident.
The climb had originally been scheduled for Saturday but was postponed because of wet weather. Conditions improved the following day, allowing Honnold to begin his ascent of the steel, glass, and concrete tower, which is designed to resemble a stalk of bamboo.
Honnold is best known for becoming the first person to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without ropes or safety gear, a feat documented in the Oscar-winning film Free Solo. His latest climb extended his reputation as one of the world’s most accomplished and daring climbers.
Netflix executive Jeff Gaspin said ahead of the event that the company had no intention of showing anything catastrophic if the climb went wrong, noting the built-in delay would allow producers to cut away if necessary.
Honnold’s time eclipsed the mark set by French climber Alain Robert, who scaled Taipei 101 in about four hours using ropes and a harness when the tower was the world’s tallest building.
After reaching the summit, Honnold marked the achievement with a single word: “Sick.”
The climb drew widespread attention in Taipei, where crowds gathered to watch from the streets and nearby parks. As Honnold reached the 89th floor, fans inside the building waved and cheered through the glass, briefly distracting him as he clung to the exterior just feet away. Video of the encounter was later shared by Honnold and Netflix on social media.
Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim congratulated the climber in a post on X, admitting she could barely watch the ascent. Honnold’s wife greeted him at the top, having earlier voiced concern about wind and heat conditions during the climb.
Source: BBC