Two of Red Bull’s wingsuit athletes have completed what’s believed to be a world first, flying through the gap between Bahrain World Trade Centre’s twin towers from opposite directions and crossing paths mid-flight.
Dani Roman and Fred Fugen jumped from a Black Hawk helicopter at 4,000 feet above Manama last month, reaching speeds of 220 km/h as they approached the iconic building. The pair flew towards each other from opposite sides, meeting at the same moment between the towers, just 10 metres apart, at a combined speed of 440 km/h.
The crossing happened 40 metres above the building’s wind turbines, with both athletes needing to hit their marks with absolute precision. There’s no room for error at those speeds.
“For the past two years, we’ve been dreaming of crossing this building in synchronised flight,” said Fugen, a three-time world champion in free-fall skydiving with over 20,000 jumps to his name. “To imagine something we’ve never done before and then bring it to life here at this beautiful building is an unbelievable feeling.”
The idea came about during a visit to Bahrain in 2022, when Roman and Fugen first saw the BWTC and immediately thought it would be perfect for a synchronised wingsuit project. What followed was two years of planning, permit applications, technical simulations and intensive training.
The hardest part wasn’t flying through the gap itself. It was making sure both athletes arrived at the midpoint at exactly the same time.
“We don’t carry GPS systems or receive any aircraft-related information, so the only way to gauge speed is through the sensations in our bodies,” explained Roman, a Spanish athlete known for precision wingsuit work. “It’s tricky because during training, if the wind blows from one side, one of us faces headwinds while the other has tailwinds.”
The pair completed over 35 practice jumps in France before coming to Bahrain, using a fixed drone at 200 metres to simulate the crossing point. They then did a second round of training in Bahrain’s desert to get used to local flying conditions and work with the helicopter crew.
Despite all the planning and calculations, Roman admitted he wasn’t sure how they pulled it off on the first day of filming. “It felt like a miracle,” he said.
Fugen stressed that the project wasn’t just about technical skill. “We spend far more time together on the ground than in the sky, so our communication must be excellent. It’s a matter of friendship and having fun together.”
Roman added, “Fred is a legend in this sport, so it was amazing to fly and plan this project with him.”
The project came together with support from the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, the Bahrain Olympic Committee and Red Bull’s local team. The video was filmed in November.
Roman highlighted how important the local support was to making it happen. “It’s difficult to accomplish something like this in other countries. The support we received from the people and authorities here, and their openness to this project, was incredible.”
After years of preparation, the actual manoeuvre lasted just seconds. Both athletes turned towards the gap, accelerated, and locked their focus on the crossing point.
“When we saw each other approaching and realised we had achieved a perfect crossing, the feeling was incredible,” Fugen said. “For us, it’s a huge accomplishment because we managed to fulfil exactly what we dreamed of. We couldn’t have done it better.”
The flight adds Bahrain to the short list of locations worldwide where such extreme wingsuit projects have been attempted, and marks the first time anyone has completed a synchronised crossing like this between two towers.
Source: Red Bull MEA
Featured Image Credits: Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool
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