Skateboarder Sandro Dias drops off 22-storey building in exhilarating Red Bull stunt

A skateboarder in Brazil made history last month with Red Bull, after he dropped off the side of a 22-storey building into a curving quarter pipe – amassing speeds of over 100 km/h (62 mph) and contending with 3.9 gs of force during the ride. 

Sandro Dias, the Brazilian record holder for the most wins of the World Cup Skateboarding World Rankings (Vert), took on the Red Bull Building Drop project in Porto Alegre, Brazil, this 25 September. 

The incredible feat had Sandro skateboarding down an 88.91 m (291.7 ft) temporary quarter pipe ramp built on to the side of the Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari (CAFF) building – with a drop of 60.33 m (197 ft 10 in), as measured from the lowest point of the ramp to the platform.

Throughout the eight-second ride, he picked up a speed of 103.8 km/h (62.1 mph) and reached 3.9 G-force and 280 kg of GRF (Ground Reaction Force), underscoring the physical demands of the achievement. This means his body was subjected to almost four times his own weight during the descent, with a ground reaction force equivalent to supporting about 280 kilograms of weight pressing down on him.

And in honour of his accomplishment, an overjoyed Sandro walked home with two new Guinness World Records titles, for the fastest speed skateboarding on a temporary quarter pipe and the tallest drop into a temporary quarter pipe. 

“To achieve these results at this stage of my career is an incredible honour,” said Sandro. “I felt every second of preparation, training, and belief in this dream when I launched into the final drop. 

“Skateboarding continues to be my passion and my way to inspire future generations.”

The 50-year-old skateboarder was more than qualified to take on this insane stunt, as the “King of the 540” has won a number of accolades throughout his career – such as: six World Vertical Skateboarding Championships, three X-games gold medals, three European championships, and numerous other national and international titles. 

He also participated in a Red Bull sponsored event before, in 2019 when he skated down a 30 m (98 ft) structure on the Estaiadinha Bridge in São Paulo. 

But this attempt was unlike anything the skateboarder had ever experienced. For 13 years, Sandro dreamed of dropping in from a building – particularly the sloping structure of the CAFF offices, which is dubbed the “ultimate skate ramp” by local skateboarding enthusiasts. 

So when Red Bull offered to make his dreams come true, he jumped at the chance to turn the Brazilian urban legend into a record-breaking reality. 

The company spent months building a plywood ramp and preparing for Sandro’s descent – adding crash pillows to the sides and bottom of the slope so the skateboarder could safely come to a stop, as well as partnering with Prada to design a lightweight, heat-sealed outfit that could be worn with a spine guard for ultimate protection.

They also promised that once the attempt had concluded, they would dismantle the ramp, and its materials will be reused to build two new skateboarding parks in Porto Alegre, ensuring that future generations benefit from the project.

“I knew it was possible, but almost impossible to actually pull off," Sandro said to Red Bull Sports. “No matter how far away your dreams may seem, never give up on them!”

Meanwhile, the skateboarder spent his time practising for the drop. He started practice sessions in January with 40 kg weighted vests to simulate increased G-force, went through stability drills at event speed by being pulled by a motorcycle, and finished detailed testing to mitigate the risks of speed wobbles.

“I prepared myself a lot for this,” he said. “It wasn’t easy, the training was way tougher than this, and that’s why I was so confident. 

“This is a dream of more than 13 years that we’ve just achieved now, pushing the limits.”

On the day of the event, Sandro made four successful attempts, starting from a height of 55 m (180 ft) from the ground and gradually building up to the full 70 m (230 ft).

In attendance was Guinness World Records Adjudicator Natalia Ramirez, who monitored the skateboarder’s drops and made sure he was following the guidelines of the attempt.

Nevertheless, Sandro sped through the course with remarkable control, building up to blistering speeds on his skateboard that cars would reach on a highway. 

By the time he reached the highest drop point, Sandro was suspended at a dizzying angle, with nothing but air below his wheels. 

With his knees bent, it only took a slight shift in his weight to slide down the top of the ramp – after which he picked up intense speed and zipped down the side of the tower in just eight seconds. 

At the end of the ramp, Sandro braced for impact, and flew into the safety padding at the end of the track, emerging almost immediately and shouting with adrenaline and joy.

“It was remarkable to witness how Sandro Dias once again raised the bar of what is humanly possible in skateboarding,” said Adjudicator Natalia. 

“The precision of the set-up, the energy of the team, and Sandro’s unmatched skill delivered a spectacular and historic result.”

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Other skateboarding legends also weighed in on Sandro’s achievement, such as record holder Tony Hawk, who told Red Bull Sports: “If you look at the history of skateboarding, it continues to progress. It continues to keep getting better. We keep pushing the limits of height, [and] of speed. 

“Now, Sandro has jumped ahead about five times [in front of] everyone else. You can go even bigger than we ever imagined,” he said.

And after having some time to reflect on his accomplishment, Sandro told Red Bull Sports: “Thank you to everyone who helped me and believed in my dream. 

“Brazilian skateboarding should celebrate this huge accomplishment. I always said this was something to benefit skateboarding as a whole, so I think this was a big achievement, and the visibility we got ends up helping everyone – and that’s the idea.”

He also added that: “It’s not about seeking fame, it’s about pushing the limits and creating opportunities for people. I hope this serves as motivation, so that more and more people get into skateboarding and more opportunities come up for the sport.”

Congratulations again on your incredible records, Sandro – you are Officially Amazing!