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Published: 24. June 2020 - Source: Glacier 3000 AG

3 world records on the cables of the Glacier 3000 gondola

Tightrope walker, Freddy Knock has done it again! Already detaining 22 world records, he has now added three unique performances to his list of achievements this Tuesday, June 23rd at the Glacier 3000 Air Show presented by Show-On. Artists Sheila Nicolodi, Ramon Kathriner, and David Maillard have joined in, to perform at unprecedented heights and altitudes, in honor of artists around the world who were unable to practice during the global health crisis.

Freddy Nock ads three more records to his list of achievements.

It is 11:03 am, Freddy Knock arrives at the top of the Glacier 3000 facility. Sitting atop the gondola roof, his panting breath and his face still tense from concentration, a smile is slowly drawing upon his lips. Perhaps he is just starting to realize what happened? One thing is certain: no other person in the whole world would have been capable of it.

Between 8:32 and 8:39 am, he walked up 40 meters of the steepest section of the Col du Pillon cable car. Faithfull to his favorite style, with his balance bar and no security, he walks on a cable with the slope reaching 39.1° at its peak. This is the steepest incline ever walked on a tightrope, surpassing his own record set in China in 2015, registered at 38.06°.

At 10:03 am, he sets off on the cable of the second section, linking Cabane (2500m) to Scex Rouge (3000m)… on a bicycle! In less than 9 minutes he rejoins the gondola, 367 meters further up. No one had ever ridden a bike on a cable more than 72.5 meters above the ground. Overcoming once again his previous record, he was this time at a height of 175.4 meters!

Without warning, he sets off for his third record, never attempted before: walking blindfolded on a gondola cable. To ensure that he cannot see Freddy Knock wears a full faced opaque helmet, courtesy of Swarovski. With a trembling pace but no hesitation, he walks 151.1 meters before sitting down on the cable, 11 minutes and 45 seconds later. With his feet slipping on grease, he decides not to go further and is picked up by the gondola. There ends his odyssey of the day, remarkable in every way.

United artists to pay tribute to their profession

Today was not the day of one man but of artists all over the world. The Show-On Events company, who have set up this event, fulfill their mission by offering breathtaking acts in honor of artists all around the world who were unable to perform during the COVID-19 pandemic. The directors, Gengis Van Gool and Viktoria Stahl, are delighted with the success of this project: “Our artists have performed outstanding acts. They had never practiced in such difficult condition: outdoors, with so much emptiness, exposure, and altitude making breathing more difficult. Even though we had no doubts about their success, they impressed us all”.

Ramon Kathriner opened the show with his famous Wheel of Death act, lasting almost 5 minutes at the altitude of 2500 meters. Followed by French speaking Swiss, David Maillard, who literally threw himself under the gondola, facing the 200 meters below him, solely attached by his arms firmly clinging to his aerial straps. Later that day Sheila Nicolodi achieved the highest performance of her career, twirling around the pole dance bar, set up for this occasion opposite the Peak Walk by Tissot at 3000 meters altitude. Her act was accompanied by music from the top of the Botta restaurant, where the ephemeral trio, Ramon Kathriner at the piano, DJ Michel Cleis, and Jazzman and actor Troy Anderson, were playing in a surprising formation, the piano facing an impressive void. Director of Glacier 3000, Bernhard Tschannen is still amazed by what just happened before his eyes: “We are happy to have been able to make our facilities available for a noble cause, during a period that has also severely impacted us. What these professionals have just achieved is simply indescribable”.

Quotes to be collected on June 22nd

Freddy Nock :
“I did this for my son Leo, my kids, Kimberly, Melanie, Stephanie and all the artists around the world. To honour our culture.”

Question: How did it go today?

"It was good, the second section was not easy, my feet were slipping a little bit. But 150 metres at this altitude, I'm very happy all the same and so is the whole team. » "It was very hot today, especially with the helmet on, but everything went well, I'm very happy. »

David Maillard :
Question : What's different from your usual services?

Answer: "Breathing was already harder. Also, the big change from my usual performance was that I had no landmark. Indoors you can fix a point somewhere, but at 200 meters from the ground this point is so far away that it seems as if you were lost. But it was incredible, I was really in communion with the mountain."

Sheila Nicolodi :
"It was the first time at this height for me. I had been warned about the oxygen, but when I turned around the bar, my head was spinning even more than usual, and I wasn't expecting that (laughs).”

Ramon Kathriner :
"It was very peculiar; I'd never done that before. All the sensations were multiplied tenfold, I felt as if I was attracted to the emptiness. I had never experienced that before. » Troy Anderson : "Thank you I'm very happy to be here, the view is beautiful but the air makes my head spin a little (laughs). »

Gengis Van Gool :
"So today we have artists from all over the world who have come up to the Glacier to perform incredible acts!"

"I think all the artists around the world have been affected by this episode and I've been in contact with quite a few. whether they're singers, DJs or acrobats: they were all touched. The goal today is to give hope, to give people positive thoughts."

« It was touching to see them progress to this level, to see the strength of the show linked to the strength of the glacier. I'm very moved and I think about all the artists who have gone through difficult times lately. We all wanted to say to them : "The Show Must go On." »

Media Contact :
Bernhard Tschannen l CEO Glacier 3000 l +41 (0) 79 603 89 88
bernhard.tschannen@glacier3000.ch