Skydiver freefalls from highest altitude EVER while sky surfing above Nepalese mountains
Whereas flying hoverboards and the “Silver Surfer” might appear as technology from the future, if you see an athlete falling out of the sky strapped to a board – no, you’re not hallucinating.
This sport is called sky surfing, developed in the late 20th century by daredevils who wanted to combine the thrilling free-fall skydive from a helicopter with the riding techniques from surfing and snowboarding.
Strapped by their feet to a lightweight board, sky surfers jump out of the airborne vehicle at stunning heights, free-falling at dizzying speeds while using their board to control their descent.
Spinning back-and-forth, and sometimes completing flips, tricks, and rolls, these fearless adventurers ride the air until they can deploy their parachutes and safely return to solid ground.
And of these talented sky surfers, perhaps none is as brave as Olga Naumova (Belarus) – a 15-year veteran of the sport, who is literally taking her reputation to new heights after breaking a Guinness World Records title for the highest altitude skysurf jump.
On 10 November, Olga took off in a helicopter above in Syangboche, Nepal, and ascended above the snowy peaks of Mt Everest and the Himalayan mountain range to complete one of the most daring drops of all time.
With over 17,000 skydives under her belt, she was no stranger to making death-defying jumps – yet no human had ever attempted to make a free-fall drop from this height before, and it would be difficult to predict how the altitude would impact her speed and direction.
But despite her fears, the helicopter kept climbing, and after reaching an altitude of 20,945 ft (6,384 m) the determined athlete leapt out of the doorway of the vehicle, and free-fell with her board at breakneck speeds towards the rocky mountains below.
Read more stories about intense athletes in our dedicated Sports and Fitness section!
Nevertheless, Olga fought the fierce winds and was able to keep control of her board and successfully deploy her parachute, allowing her to safely land at 12,356 ft (3,766 m) on a flat runway beside a jagged group of trees.
While soaring over Mt Everest, she had completed her entire 8,000 ft (2,438 m) drop in just a few minutes – officially securing her place in adventuring history and the record books.
After ripping off her face mask and shrugging off her parachute, the new record holder pumped her fists in the air and shouted with excitement, no doubt filled with adrenaline after her exhilarating ride.
Remarking on her incredible achievement, Olga said to GWR: “Since I discovered skysurfing, it was my dream to perform a very unique skydive and to inspire girls around the world not to be scared to be bold and to dream big.”
And after breaking such an impressive title, we’re confident that the sky surfer has inspired a new generation of record holders to face their fears and follow their dreams (as long as you wear a parachute)!
Congratulations, Olga – you are Officially Amazing!