Australia's own Evel Knievel, Robbie Maddison, smashed his own world record
for the longest distance jumped on a motorcycle, with an astonishing leap of
346ft yesterday in Australia.
Treacherous conditions have prevented him from training all week, but after
a few smaller training jumps Maddison was ready to see exactly what his
modified Honda CR500 and ramp could do.
The winds were still high but not wanting to wait any longer, he took the
risk and hit the ramp.
“I have been saying all week how far I know I can jump and it is so good to
go out there and prove it today. I have now broken my own record in training
and I definitely have much more in the tank for Saturday night.”
Maddison was jumping in front of a host of onlookers who were shocked and
amazed at the extreme distances he was going, hitting the take off ramp at
almost 160 km/h, flying over 70 feet in the air and in the end jumping 24feet
further than his New Years Eve jump in Las Vegas.
His challengers, Seth Enslow and Ryan Capes were watching on and now know it
is going to take a huge feat to surpass the new world record of 346 feet.
“The bar has definitely been raised, it is not just talk anymore there is
action behind it,” said Capes. The distances we are going to jump on Saturday
night are going to blow fans minds. Maddison is jumping well, but I know I can
still get him. It's going to be a huge distance.”
This attempt will round out what is set to be an incredible evening of
entertainment. As well as 17 other separate world record attempts, the event will
feature an integrated pyrotechnics display and the sounds of home-grown bands
Dead Letter Circus, Mammal and Kill the Capital.
The purpose-built landing-ramp which is the biggest ever constructed had its
first real test today. It is 35 feet high, 160 feet long and 60 feet wide,
and uses 25,000 tonnes of dirt, costing a total of $300,000 to create.
In total, the arena contains 40,000 tons of dirt and cost promoters over one
million dollars to build.
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