Daredevil Nik Wallenda is set to walk on a high-wire across Niagara Falls tonight, but television executives overseeing the filming of the stunt have insisted he wear a safety harness – something that greatly increases his chances of survival in case of a fall, but takes away a good deal of the danger.
However, speculation is rife that Wallenda will unhook the tether somewhere in the middle of his walk. If he does so, he will turn the trick into a genuinely life-threatening feat and join some of the people below in risking it all for a headline-making thrill.
Phillippe Petit
French daredevil Philippe Petit spent years preparing for his secretive walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York. He began his attempt, without a harness, just after 7.15 in the morning on August 7, 1974. In total, he made eight crossings and spent 45 minutes far above Manhattan's streets before being arrested by police when he stepped off. The stunt was the subject of the hit 2008 documentary Man On Wire.
Dan Osman
Dan Osman was an American climber who specialised in the controversial sport of free climbing – climbing without ropes and harnesses, effectively ensuring that any fall would be fatal. It is virtually impossible to watch video of his climbs without getting sweaty palms. Osman died pursuing his sport, but not from free climbing. Instead his fatal accident occurred in 1998 while performing a "controlled free fall" – which is a little like a bungee jump – in Yosemite when a safety rope failed.
Eskil Ronningsbakken
Norwegian extreme artist Eskil Ronningsbakken specialises in balancing precariously over the edge of the gigantic cliffs lining the fjords of his native Norway. He can pose on anything, from towers of tottering chairs, to a unicycle, to specially-made metal frames that dangle over the sheer drops. He uses no safety harness.
Jeb Corliss
There is really not much safety involved in New Mexico-native Jeb Corliss' stunts. He flings himself off high cliffs, mountains, and helicopters wearing a wing suit. Here is footage of Corliss flying off the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. He crashes, but survives, and is still pursuing the sport. It will give you a vertigo headache just watching the view from the camera on his helmet.
Alain Robert
The Frenchman Alain Robert, nicknamed the "human spider", specialises in climbing tall buildings without the aid of ropes or harnesses. He has climbed the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Sears Tower in Chicago, and many others. He is frequently arrested after his climbs.
Tyler Bradt
American kayaker Tyler Bradt achieved global infamy in 2010 when he steered his craft over the huge Palouse Falls in the Washington state. The falls are estimated at 186 feet high – taller than Niagara Falls. Bradt sustained minor injuries during the feat. He has since broken his back, while kayaking down a waterfall in Oregon in 2011.
