Brazilian skateboarding legend Sandro Dias, known as “Mineirinho,” has stunned the world by successfully dropping in from the top of a 22-storey building, shattering two Guinness World Records in a single, audacious run.
The 50-year-old six-time world champion successfully conquered an urban legend by skating down the colossal temporary quarter pipe built onto the curved façade of the Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari (CAFF) building in Porto Alegre on Thursday.
The stunt, dubbed the “Red Bull Building Drop,” resulted in two official world records:
- Tallest Drop into a Temporary Quarter Pipe: Dias achieved an official drop of 60 meters (197 feet), a height never before attempted on a skateboard ramp. The entire ramp structure measured 70 m (230 ft) in height.
- Fastest Speed on a Temporary Quarter Pipe: During his record-setting final descent, Dias reached an astonishing top speed of 103.8 kph (64.5 mph).
The final, high-speed run lasted a dizzying eight seconds, culminating in a successful rollout into a safety catch system of crash pads typically used in MotoGP races.
“I knew it was possible, but almost impossible to actually pull off,” Dias said after the successful attempt. The skater revealed that the idea was born 13 years ago after first seeing the building’s distinct, ramp-like curve.
His preparation was rigorous, involving months of intense physical and technical training, including wearing weighted vests to simulate the extreme G-forces (which peaked at nearly 4g) and practicing at speeds of over 130 kph to mitigate speed wobbles.
Dias, a pioneer in Brazilian vert skating, expressed hope that his achievement would inspire others. “The most important message I want to share is never give up on your dreams. We’ve just achieved a dream of more than 13 years, pushing the limits.”
