It will be one of the most daring and captivating LIVE events in history – Nik Wallenda, known as “The King of the High Wire,” will traverse the majestic Grand Canyon, without using a harness. Discovery presents SKYWIRE LIVE WITH NIK WALLENDA on Sunday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, capturing every thrilling moment of the nail-biting, play-by-play live event. Breathlessly capturing every nerve-wracking step of the 380-metre crossing, Discovery will present the entire wire walk without interruption.
Wallenda will tightrope walk higher than he’s ever attempted before at 460 metres above the Little Colorado River – a height greater than the Empire State Building – and spanning a distance of 380 metres. In addition to the staggering height and distance, Wallenda will also battle wind gusts of up to 32 kilometres-per-hour. In 2012, Canadian audiences were captivated when CTV broadcast Wallenda’s tightrope walk directly over Niagara Falls from the U.S. to Canada at a height of more than 60 metres – the first person to ever accomplish this feat. More than 9 million Canadians tuned in to some part of his Falls crossing, with the audience peaking at 7 million viewers in the critical moments completing the wire walk. Wallenda’s Niagara Falls crossing was the third-most watched telecast on Canadian television last summer (behind only the London 2012 Opening and Closing Ceremonies)*.
But this time, there’s even more on the line than “just” increased distance and height. Wallenda was harnessed for the Niagara Falls walk – this time, he’s untethered for the entire, terrifying walk across the Grand Canyon.
“The stakes don’t get much higher than this,” said Wallenda. “The only thing that stands between me and the bottom of the canyon is a two-inch thick wire. I’m looking forward to showing the audience a view of the canyon they’ve never seen before.”
Wallenda, 34, said that this latest event will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to walk at such a great height as well as a chance to honour his great-grandfather, the legendary Karl Wallenda, who died after falling from a tightrope in Puerto Rico in 1978. The Grand Canyon, one of America’s most-visited tourist destinations, provides a spectacular backdrop to the event. The tightrope crossing will take place in a remote section of the canyon operated by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation.
“We are honoured to be a part of this historic event and showcase the beauty that exists on Navajo country,” said Geri Hongeva-Camarillo, Media Representative of the Navajo Parks and Recreation. “The Navajo Nation is home to more than a dozen national monuments, tribal parks, and ancestral sites. Many visitors make Navajo Nation one of the top destinations for their travel plans.”
“Navajo Parks and Recreation strives to preserve and protect tribal park land for the enjoyment of all visitors. We use our land and all elements of life as teaching tools for our youth and visitors from afar, we welcome this special event and the community is excited to be a part of it,” said Helen Webster, Park Manager of Navajo Parks and Recreation.
