‘It gets crazy:’ Zipline lets you soar high above the grounds
Olympic bobsledder pronounces adrenalin-pumping ride ‘pretty awesome’
If you look to the skies during this year’s Stampede, don’t be alarmed when you see people soaring high above.
The Calgary Stampede unleashed North America’s tallest and longest multi-point zipline for a special preview on Wednesday.
Standing more than 42 metres high and starting just outside the grandstand, attendees fly high above the Stampede grounds all the way to the BMO Centre, where they make their first stop.
From there, they climb a few more storeys and launch toward the Scotiabank Saddledome, near where the kids’ play area is set up.
2018 Canadian Olympic bobsledding gold medallist and threetime Olympian Justin Kripps, 2018 Canadian Olympic skeleton racer Elisabeth Vathje, Stampede sidesaddle racer Hailey Stewart and champion chuckwagon driver Chad Harden were the first to try the zipline Wednesday morning.
Kripps said the experience is much different than speeding down a bobsled track.
“It was pretty awesome. When we got on that last step looking over the Stampede, you realize how high up you are — it’s a sheer drop,” Kripps said after taking a ride on the line.
“On a bobsled track, you’re looking down a bit of a gentle curve to start with, then it gets crazy. This is like you hop off, you’re free falling, then it kind of grabs you and then you’re ripping forward right over the Stampede grounds.
“I can just imagine when the Stampede is open all the crowds down there and just bombing off — it’s going to be a great time.”
There was one thing that Kripps was able to compare the rush to.
“I got that same kind of competition adrenalin rush,” Kripps said of the drop he rated 10 out of 10.
Kyle Corner, programming entertainment manager for the Stampede, said this isn’t the first time a zipline has been at the Stampede.
“We’re pretty excited about it. We had a centennial zipline here in 2012 and, five years later, we are bringing it back, bigger and better,” he said.
“It’s three towers, two trips, and you’re going 50 km/h from the Grandstand to the BMO Centre ... (then) deharnessing, climbing up and flying to the kids midway. It’s one of the craziest rides at the Calgary Stampede.”
Corner said the 2012 zipline was a popular attraction at the time and they wanted to refresh the experience.
“We’re trying to ... make sure there’s great reasons for all Calgarians to come celebrate,” he said.
Dave Vest, who works on the zipline, says a brake system allows riders to come in at their own pace.
“We have a brake system that we developed and patented. It’s controlled by the guides, so if you’re coming in slow, or fast, we are going to land you in nice and smooth,” said Vest.
“You could send your grandma on this line and she would have an awesome time.” The zipline opens to the public Thursday at 5 p.m.