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Vertical access at extreme heights
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FOX TV – LIFESAVERS episode with I.V.A.N.
CityTV with Ivan Kristoff
World record for hely-ascending on a rope
Welcome to the world of I.V.A.N. Kristoff
First time in the world
Promotional day at the SkyDome
by Ivan Kristoff
1995 – Sept. 21 – Stuntman dies after SkyDome fall
”An experienced stuntman who plummeted 10 storeys to the floor of SkyDome failed to make a complete check of his equipment before the fatal fall.” Canadian News Digest
1995 – July 9th – A worker dies when installing lights for a computer show (falling 25 feet)
These are the news about the tragic accidents that occurred at the SkyDome in Toronto. A few years late I was requested by a client to promote the very first mobile wireless computer in the world. I expected to be a big challenge to convince the event organizers, the management of the Toronto Argounauts and the owners of the building to do a ropework acrobatic show, because of the above mentioned fatal falls. In this case my name worked for me. It’s true what they say about your name: “Your work 10 years for you name, then it works for you”.
For the opening of the game of Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes, I had to rappel down from the roof of the stadium with the mobile touch-screen monitor in my left hand, pause at 250 feet, write “Welcome to…”, which would be displayed on the big Jumbothron screen in front of the 20 thousand people crowd and millions watching on TV, continue to rappel down safely and give the ball to the players. I was even asked by the Operational Manager of Skydome, to lower my rope slowly, so not to scare the people… Yeah, right. I had different plans.
I measured my ropes to hang a few meters off the ground. I wanted to freak out the Operational Manager and to entertain the crowd, who would wander how I can land with a short rope… After I heard the Canadian national autumn and my name on the loud speakers, I threw my ropes (tangled in a yellow bag), whish untangled on the way down. Suddenly, the whole stadium was silenced for a few moments and I heard down some screams and cheering. Either they thought that something or somebody felt down, or they were to excited of the surprise. This was just a few weeks after 9/11 and people were easy to be scared. I wanted to surprise them more by scaling upside down. We grabbed their attention on the big screen, and in inverted position I descended very fast with my head down. As I was “falling” I was circling my legs, waving my hands, looking downward and just before the end of the rope I paused… the rope extended form my weight and acceleration and just before I hit the ground, I inverted my position , stood on both legs and handled the ball to the Argonaut’s players. The crowd went crazy.
Eiger Rope Access Work Inc. 2004-2005