Wallenda Walks The Wire Over Great America
By Suzy Paluzzi, Photo by Chris Kinney
All eyes were cast upward as Nik Wallenda walked without a safety net, harness, or safety wire over 100 feet high.
Gingerly caressing his way across the very thin high wire stretching from the Barney Oldfield Speedway to the popular roller coaster Invertigo, bone-chilling suspense and tension broke into wild applause as the seventh generation member of the famous Wallenda family completed the 500-foot walk across California’s Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara on Sunday, June 28.
Adding to the risk was a steady breeze and 100-degree temperatures at 1:30 in the afternoon.
Walking only holding something for balance, Wallenda has a team that sets up the rigging and holds the wires below, with even his wife participating. When asked how she feels seeing the father of their three children do these death-defying acts, Erendira shares, “I’m nervous, but he has been doing this since he was four.”
Wallenda is the holder of two Guinness World Records. In October of 2008, the 30-year-old performer rode a bicycle 13-½ stories up for the highest and longest ride on a high wire. He wears the bicycle chain that broke then around his neck. “I respect what I do,” says Wallenda.
In 2001, Wallenda was part of the family troupe, which set the Guinness Record by achieving an eight-person pyramid on the high wire. Wallenda’s great grandfather Karl, who founded The Flying Wallendas, was known for creating the seven-person pyramid.
“I’m doing this because it is in my blood by now. I love doing it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Nik Wallenda says when asked why he performs such feats.
He will be honoring his ancestor, Karl, later this year by walking across the Grand Canyon in a death-defying high-wire act.
Wallenda is touring this summer across the United States and Canada, as part of the 2009 Walk Across America Tour. During the tour, Wallenda will walk at ten Cedar Fair amusement parks throughout the U.S. Great America was the third stop of the tour.
“I hope what I do is inspirational in that it overcomes odds. People need to know that goals, no matter what they are, can be accomplished with the proper training,” states Wallenda.
Suman and Deepi Singh came from San Bruno for their first time to Great America specifically to see The King of the High Wire’s walk. Tania Dubon, 10, of Santa Clara summed up the experience well. “I was stunned. I didn’t believe he could do it. The stick he holds looked wobbly and the whole walk went really fast.”
For more information on Nik Wallenda visit www.nikwallenda.com. For more information on California’s Great America, visit www.cagreatamerica.com.
Suzy Paluzzi can be reached at jomarch06@yahoo.com
