Watch 245 People Rope-Swing Off a Bridge in Tandem
Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
When you think of rope swinging, you probably imagine a solo endeavor: a college student flailing above a watering hole, or Tarzan maneuvering through the jungle on his vine.
It also, however, makes for an impressive team sport. Here, take a look:
This video was taken on Sunday, October 22. As ABC News reports, the 245 rope swingers jumped off a 98-foot bridge in Hortolandia, Brazil, about an hour from São Paolo. Their near-simultaneous swinging was an attempt at a Guinness World Record, currently held by a different group of Brazilian thrill-seekers, who pulled off their feat in April 2016. While Guinness has not yet announced whether they were successful, they have definitely achieved something.
Go ahead, check it out from another angle:
Even after watching this twice, you would be forgiven for mistaking the activity shown for bungee jumping. As some unaffiliated professionals explained to LiveScience, though, rope-swinging is a little different. Because climbing ropes don’t have the same amount of give as a more rubbery bungee cord, swingers need to take certain precautions in order to avoid stopping or reversing course quickly, a mistake that would result in their suddenly absorbing several thousand pounds’ worth of force.
To mitigate this, the participants in this jump rigged up a series of ropes, anchors, and pulleys to dampen the various forces involved. To keep from hitting each other, they also made sure to jump straight ahead. This is why they look like a crazed flock of starlings, approaching, retreating, and approaching again, or like one of those expanding and contracting balls you get at a science museum.
After they had pendulumed to their hearts’ content, the participants left the air for the land (by clambering up the bridge) or the water (by lowering themselves into the river). But you’re not quite done yet—here’s one more viewpoint for you:
Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook