The US rock climber Alex Honnold climbed one of Asia’s tallest skyscrapers without ropes or a harness on Sunday, fulfilling an ambition that began more than a decade ago and which he hoped would inspire people to pursue their own challenges because “time is finite”.
Honnold, who starred in the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, ascended the 508-metre (1,667ft) Taipei 101 using the skyscraper’s horizontal metal beams to pull himself up with his bare hands. The challenge had originally been scheduled to take place on Saturday but was postponed because of rain.
Cheers erupted from a gathered crowd as Honnold, 40, began to climb the 101-floor building in Taiwan’s capital city, and again when he paused at one point and turned around to face them.
The 91-minute ascent was broadcast globally on Skyscraper Live, Netflix’s latest foray into live sports programming.
“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” Honnold, also known for his ropeless ascent of the mountain El Capitan in Yosemite national park, said after scaling the building. “It was very windy, so I was like, ‘don’t fall off the spire’. I was trying to balance nicely. But it was, what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.”
Netflix and Honnold drew a backlash from some in the climbing community over the ethical implications of broadcasting such a high-risk endeavour live. Critics, including a Wall Street Journal columnist, have pointed to the high number of free-solo deaths and to Honnold’s role as a husband and father. They called the event “voyeuristic, ghoulish and irresponsible”.
Honnold said he hoped people would be inspired in their own path after seeing his achievement. “I think that people often find the inspiration that they need to pursue their own challenges or their own goals. It’s often the kick they need to do whatever it is that they want to do in their life,” he said.
“Often they’ll watch something like this and it’s a reminder that their time is finite and they should use it in the best way, the most meaningful way that they can. If anything, I hope that that’s what people take from it.”
Honnold needed the full support and permission of Taipei 101 and the city’s government before embarking on the challenge.
Taiwanese politicians thanked Honnold and Netflix on social media for putting the country – more accustomed to featuring in global headlines for its semiconductor prowess or Chinese military threats – in the international spotlight with such a different perspective.
“Congratulations to the brave, fearless Alex for completing the challenge,” the island’s president, Lai Ching-te, wrote on his Facebook page.
“Through Netflix’s live broadcast cameras, the world didn’t just see Taipei 101 – it also saw the warmth and passion of the Taiwanese people, and the beautiful hills and scenery of this land.”
There is a long tradition in the US of live-broadcast daredevil feats, from Evel Knievel’s motorcycle jumps in the 1970s to Red Bull’s modern-day record attempts.
Honnold is not the first climber to ascend Taipei 101, but he is the first to do so without a rope. France’s Alain Robert scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004 as part of the grand opening of what was then the world’s tallest building.
Robert, who was covering Honnold’s ascent for CNN, offered his congratulations on Sunday, saying he could understand what he must be feeling. “For me, it felt incredible. Although I was not risking my life because I had a rope, the weather conditions were so horrible it took me four hours.
“I know Alex, all along I was confident … I didn’t worry at all.”
Taipei 101, which dominates the city’s skyline and is a major tourist attraction, was the tallest building in the world between 2004 and 2010 before being eclipsed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Having a cheering crowd was unusual and a bit unnerving at first for Honnold, whose climbs are usually in remote areas.
“When I was leaving the ground, you’re like ‘oh it’s kind of intense, there’s so many people watching’,” he said. “But then honestly, they’re all wishing me well. I mean basically it just makes the whole experience feel almost more festive, all these nice people are out supporting me and having a good time.”
The building has 101 floors, with the hardest part being the 64 floors comprising the middle section – the “bamboo boxes” that give the building its signature look. Divided into eight, each segment has eight floors of steep, overhanging climbing followed by balconies, where he took short rests as he made his way upward.
