Finn Cato Hansen, looking at bit pensive, 
sets to make a duel jump with 
Chris Andre Maeland.

Norwegian BASE (Buildings, Antennae, Spans and Earth) jumper Andre Bach this week made a world record jump from Pattaya Park Tower. This came after he and four others had just finished setting another world record in Bangkok last week.

Andre Bach, a 28-year-old physiotherapist, jumped off the 170 meter tall Pattaya Park Tower. Done normally, it would not have been anything special for Andre, as he had previously made over 180 jumps. But this time he would attempt to jump off the top from a handstand position. Andre is a four-time Norwegian gymnastics champion, but jumping off a building from a handstand position was something neither Andre nor anyone else in the world had ever done before.

Don't look down!  Andre checks over the edge before making his world first handstand jump.

Before jumping, the conditions needed to be checked. If anything was out of order, it would be too dangerous to attempt this world�s first. But the wind was perfect; Andre only complained about his wet, sweaty hands. His were not the only ones; this reporter�s were dripping, too.

A few seconds of concentration and then Andre left the building! For two or three seconds we could see Andre catapulting head down. Then the ripcord was pulled, the parachute opened (Hallelujah!) and Andre landed safely. A world record had been set right here in Pattaya.

Falling free as a bird.

Last week, Andre and four of his Norwegian BASE jumping friends became the first five ever to jump off a building simultaneously when they leapt from the 81st floor of the Baiyoke Tower in Bangkok. Two days later, Andre made his own world first jump from Pattaya Park Tower.

Finn Cato Hansen also set a personal mark with his first ever jump from a building. He made his second from Pattaya Park Tower; a twin jump made with 23-year-old Chris Andre Maeland.

Suddenly, the building looks small in the background. It isn�t!

The Norwegian BASE jumpers have been here for a few weeks now, amazing people with their courage and skill. (See Pattaya Mail last week for their first Pattaya jump report.)

If you see Batman leaping from tall buildings round here, do not be surprised. The Norwegians enjoyed Pattaya and Thailand so much they will be back for more.

High wire act gone bad? One of the BASE jumpers walked a few meters on the tight rope before falling of.

Yeeha!  And away they go!

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