Taig Khris, the Ramp Warrior

This is, like, totally gnarly, bro. And, yeah, a little old. Whatever. It’s Friday. I love how he gulps a Red Bull just before his death-defying stunt. Radical in a tubular kind of way.

From asylum.com:

In-line skater Taig Khris, the most decorated athlete in extreme sports, jumped from 41 feet off the Eiffel Tower onto a ramp, setting a world record.

Khris (aka the “Ramp Warrior”) launched himself off the first floor of the Parisian landmark onto a ramp, before remaining on his feet for an impressive celebratory skate, then hitting the deck and plowing through a bundle of safety boxes.

The 34-year-old was attempting a new Guinness world record for the longest free fall from a structure onto a landing ramp.

It was also the world’s highest jump on roller skates. After the stunt, the French fruitloop said, “Two years nonstop, I didn’t sleep for nights and nights for that small moment up there and now, as you can see, I made it. So that’s cool. I’ve never had such a strong adrenaline rush.”

The previous Guinness record for the highest jump on roller skates was the 28-foot world record set by American Danny Way.

Ground control to Major Felix

Last month, we told you about Red Bull Stratos, a crazy cool project that aims to send Felix Baumgartner up high. Really high. Super duper insane high.

The Red Bull Stratos project released a cool video this week about some of the science and technology behind the record attempt. Our good friend Kelly Farrington even makes a surprise appearance!

Enjoy (unless you’re on a Mac, in which case – sucks to be you. Or, you could try this.):

Born to Fly

When we started this crazy adventure, we promised you seven days with Jeff Provenzano, better known as Jeffro, the first canopy pilot to ever execute a Miracle Man in competition.

It got scheduled, re-scheduled…basically never happened (though we did give you some great weeks with Eric Deren and Nick Grillet). Until now! Jeffro is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the Red Bull Air Force and we’re tagging along for the surreal, alcohol-free ride. Look for the final week in the March issue of Blue Skies Mag, and stay tuned here for some audio outtakes and long-long-distance phone calls.

Yep, he's that guy. Ad by optionstudios.com.

Felix Baumgartner and Colonel Joseph Kittinger unveiled the Red Bull Stratos project today.

Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, seeks to surpass limits that have existed for 50 years. Felix Baumgartner will undertake a stratospheric balloon flight to 120,000 feet and attempt a record-breaking freefall jump that is expected to reach – for the first time in history – supersonic speeds.

Velocity Sports Equipment, maker of the Infinity rig, created the rig and drogue. VSE owner Kelly Farrington says there are some pretty cool features of this rig. Hopefully we’ll get a bit more out of him, and some pictures, for you soon!

Air sports suffered an enormous loss yesterday; Eli Thompson lost his life doing a wingsuit jump in Switzerland. The Red Bull guys have a memorial to him here: redbullairforce.com/2009/08/eli-thompson-1973-2009. We send his wife Sarah, two daughters and soon-to-be son our condolences and prayers.

We’d like to publish a look at Eli’s life and contributions to the sports of skydiving and BASE jumping for the October issue—contact us at lara@blueskiesmag.com if you have anything you’d like to share about his many, many achievements or how he’s impacted your life.

Blue skies, Eli—may you fly in peace forever.

Every month we’ll follow around one “pro” for seven days to see what it’s like in the life of.

If he’ll let us, we’ll stalk Jeff “Jeffro” Provenzano, world-famous swooper, freeflyer and the nicest guy you’ve probably ever met, for a week. Jeffro will be one kickass seven days, too; he parties like a rock star, jumps like a bad ass and hopefully will take us along for the whole ride.