Bungy jump record hits dizzy heights
An Auckland man has smashed the Guinness World Record for the most bungy jumps in 24 hours.
Mike Heard moon-walked, stepped, jumped and somersaulted off the Auckland Harbour Bridge 380 times by 4.50pm yesterday.
He was aiming for 200 jumps in the 24 hours from 7.15pm on Tuesday, but achieved this goal just 12 hours into the challenge.
Determined not to stop until the 24 hours were up, the 35-year-old said he would continue to jump off the 45-metre high ledge.
He estimated he would do 400 before the clock stopped but said that was a conservative guess.
‘‘It’s hard to guess how many I’ll do because every time I say a number, we go over it,’’ Heard said.
To put that into dollar terms, it costs customers $160 for their first jump at AJ Hackett Bungy on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, then $60 for every jump after that. If Heard was paying his own way, it would cost him $24,100 for 400 jumps.
He said his body was feeling ‘‘really good’’ – except for a few sore muscles around the outside of his thighs – but his head was a different story.
‘‘I’ve just done 52 in a row, and when I stop I feel like I’ve been on a boat. I actually feel worse when I stop than when I’m going.’’
Between jumps Heard has managed to fit in rest stops, including bathroom breaks, two hours sleep just after midnight, and a few food breaks.
He said he wasn’t particularly hungry or sleepy, and was surviving on bananas, energy drinks and power-naps.
‘‘It’s a real thrill to have broken the record and achieved what we set out to do.’’
He did 48 jumps in the first hour then paced himself to 25 jumps an hour yesterday morning, then picked back up again around noon.
He said technique was important.
‘‘I sort of just jump straight down, because the wind is coming from the northwest and by doing that I can stop myself from spinning, because when I spin I start to feel quite dizzy.’’
But the best jump so far was the 316th jump – double the original record of 158 set by Australian man Beau Retallick in 2014.
‘‘It was quite emotional for me, I had a little cry, I’ve got my wife here and my best friend and work mates, a very humbling experience.’’
Heard said the record attempt was all about raising money and awareness for the Mental Health Foundation.
’’We’ve all had someone who’s been affected by mental health at some stage.
‘‘I’m just encouraging people to talk to people, have a chat and say that you’re not a weirdo, you don’t have a label written across your forehead.’’
He had raised more than $7000 in donations for the charity by 3pm yesterday.
AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand managing director Henry van Asch called Heard’s effort exceptional.
’’I’m really pleased for Mike and the team and really looking forward to seeing how far he pushes the boat out during the rest of the day.’’
Hunter search stops
Searchers have stopped looking for a Swedish hunter missing on the West Coast after failing to find any sign of him since Saturday. Hans Christian Tornmarck, 27, went hunting alone in the Karangarua Valley, south of Fox Glacier, on May 12 and was due out on May 17. He has not been seen since. His sleeping bag and tent were found on May 20. West Coast area commander Inspector Mel Aitken said yesterday that search teams had left the area until further leads came to light.
Cathedral impasse broken
Labour, Greens and National have united to break the deadlock over the Christ Church Cathedral. Labour and Green MPs say Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner has agreed to set up a cross-party initiative to break the deadlock on the cathedral. Wagner was not available for comment. The earthquakedamaged cathedral has been sitting derelict in central Christchurch for more than six years. The Anglican synod will vote in September on whether to accept a government funding deal to restore the building or to demolish the cathedral and build a modern replacement.
Blasphemy laws stay
Parliament had the opportunity to remove decades-old anti-blasphemy laws but bailed out on Tuesday night. Labour MP Chris Hipkins introduced an amendment to remove antiblasphemy laws but both the National Party and the Maori Party voted against throwing it out of the Crimes Act. The Government wanted to go through the process of a select committee hearing and give the public the opportunity to submit on the potential law change. The intention was to include the blasphemy law in the next Crimes Act Amendment Bill, which is being worked on but has no specific timeframe. Blasphemy remains an offence in New Zealand punishable by up to 12 months’ jail.