Kitesurfer leaps from world’s tallest observation wheel

Italian kitesurfing champion Andrea Principi has pulled off a death-defying feat that’s never been attempted before: jumping from the top of Ain Dubai, the world’s tallest observation wheel at 250 meters.

The 21-year-old two-time Red Bull King of the Air winner leaped from the Dubai landmark on Friday, converting his kite into a parachute for a 58-second descent that ended with a smooth landing in the waters off Jumeirah Beach.

During the free fall, Principi executed six consecutive “Around the World” loops—a world first for the advanced kitesurfing maneuver performed from such extreme height.

Kitesurfers typically use their kites for speed, but Principi used his for altitude, getting more air than any kitesurfer in history.