Cédric Dumont's big dive @ Tour UP-Site
Cédric Dumont is obsessed with free fall. With a parachute, with wings, or with BASE Jump, Dumont scans the world to leap off of mountains, sky scrapers, waterfalls… With more than 10,000 jumps behind him, he is always looking for new challenges. One of the last ones to date was the brand new UP-Site tower in Brussels. It is tallest residential building in the country: 140 m and 42 floors are up against a parachute and a big dose of courage.
Several weeks after the big dive, Cedric Dumont thinks back on his experience in Brussels.
Why did you choose the UP-Site tower to simulate weightlessness?
I have jumped from the top of most of the towers in Brussels: the finance tower, the Tour Madou, the Brusilia building in Schaerbeek… the UP-Site tower was a new challenge. Also I think the construction effort was successful.
What sorts of difficulties do you have to take into account before doing this type of jump?
For every jump, you have to consider wind and turbulence. I waited months and months for the right climate conditions. I received authorization to jump in April 2014 and I had to wait until July 30 to dive. I am very particular about the climate conditions. Even more so in an urban milieu where the smallest error is not forgivable.
In this case, there were buildings all around, the canal, the jump was low, and there was very little space to land.
Why did you choose a parachute to jump with?
In such circumstances, a parachute was on the only possibility. I am not going to bore you with all the details but the height of the building and milieu would not allow other modes of jumping.
What did you like about this jump?
Mostly the view, the urban landscape, and just simply the fact that this was a new challenge to overcome. I waited a long time for the conditions to be perfect, and I was rewarded since it was really a beautiful day that day!
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