Updated 8:29 AM 29-Feb-08
| 28thFeb2008 - The French urban climber known as Spiderman is arrested after his latest building climb at São Paulo, Brazil - Edifício Itália. He succeeded this time which he failed 12 years ago. |
Alain Robert (born August 7, 1962 in Digoin, Saône-et-Loire (71) - Bourgogne, France as Robert Alain Philippe) is a rock and urban climber. Nicknamed after the Marvel Comics character "Spider-Man," he is famous for scaling skyscrapers.List of tallest buildings and structures in the world
skyscraper overview
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Alain Robert climbed the 29-storey Portland House office building in London, (Westminster's tallest building), in just over 40 minutes. Police taped off the area and later arrested him for criminal damage and wasting police time.
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority tower (National Bank)
French Alain Robert known as Spiderman legally climbs the facade of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority tower (National Bank)with his bare hands, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on February 23, 2007, in front of a crowd of about 100,000. Alain Robert completed the climb in only 20 minutes.   |
Robert has scaled more than 70 giant structures around the globe including many of the world's tallest structures, some of which he has scaled using only his bare hands and climbing shoes.
Robert began climbing as a young boy, scaling rock cliffs in the area around his home. His buildering career began at the age of 12 when he forgot his keys and was locked out of his parents' eighth-floor apartment. Instead of waiting for them to return home, he simply scaled the exterior wall to his home.
At the ages of 19 and 20 he suffered two accidents, where he fell 15 metres and suffered multiple fractures and permanent vertigo. The doctors considered him 60 percent handicapped and told him he would not be able to climb again. However, in 6 months he was back to climbing. He kept taking on more and more challenging structures and improving his skills. He polished his rock-climbing skills in the French Alps before turning to buildings.
On March 20, 2007, he climbed the Petronas Twin Towers again, marking his tenth
anniversary since he last climbed the Petronas Twin Towers. He allowed himself to be apprehended upon reaching the 60th floor. He flew the Malaysian flag and drew applause from waiting police, fire crew, and media representatives before handing himself in. He was handcuffed and escorted off the premises before being driven to a police station.
Alain Robert known as French Spiderman, climbs the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai May 31, 2007. Clad in a Spider-Man costume, French climber Robert on Thursday scaled the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower, China's tallest building, and was met by cheering crowds and Shanghai law enforcement officers on the ground.    |
PARIS - On September 23, 2004 French urban climber who calls himself "Spider-Man" scaled a 59-story Paris office building Wednesday with his bare hands and without using any ropes. Alain Robert took less than 45 minutes to climb the nearly 700-foot-tall Montparnasse Tower building, gripping the metal girders on his way up. At the top, he waved to a small crowd that gathered on the ground, some shouting "Allez, Alain!", or "Go, Alain!" "This is a bit long," Robert, 42, said of his climb. "There are some metallic rails which are a bit slippery. It's difficult to stick the feet inside so it's a bit uncomfortable. I mean, I have to climb quite quickly. I have to be able to keep the rhythm. And today it's windy, it's a bit cold." |
Because authorities would not give him permission for such dangerous exploits, Robert would suddenly appear, usually at dawn, on the side of a giant skyscraper in cities around the world where thousands of onlookers would stop in awe of what was happening. As a result, he has been arrested in various countries many times by police waiting at the building's top. The arrests and trials are little more than quick formalities and he has always been discharged.
Robert's physical conditioning and expert climbing technique allow him to climb using the small protrusions of building walls and windows (such as window ledges and frames). Many of his climbs provide him no opportunity to rest and can last over an hour. At 1.65 m (5'5") tall, he is short and light, attributes that enhance his dexterity while climbing. He sometimes has a small bag of climbing chalk powder (similar to powdered rosin), which is used to absorb sweat, fastened around his waist.
Read more at Wikipedia
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