CHINA: OVER 100 FIRST TIMERS TAKES PART IN DAREDEVIL SPORT OF BUNGEE JUMPING IN BEIJING

Record ID: 584859

  • Title: CHINA: OVER 100 FIRST TIMERS TAKES PART IN DAREDEVIL SPORT OF BUNGEE JUMPING IN BEIJING
  • Date: 13th July 2000
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (RECENT - JULY 13, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. PROFESSIONAL BUNGEE JUMPER LEAPS/PERFORMS SOMERSAULTS IN THE AIR 2. VILLAGERS WATCHING 3. BUNGEE JUMPER DIVING OFF PLATFORM 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) XU XIAOYU, PHOTOGRAPHER, SAYING "I thought about if for a long time. I've heard that's its been around in foreign countries for a while but I'm still very scared." 5. XU WALKING ALONG BRIDGE TO BUNGEE PLATFORM 6. SPECTATORS 7. XU JUMPING 8. SPECTATORS 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) LI QINGHUA, SAYING "It looks really exciting." 10. YANG XIUHUA WALKING ALONG PLATFORM 11. VARIOUS OF YANG'S FEET BEING TIED TO BUNGEE ROPE 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) YANG XIUHUA, PREPARING TO JUMP, SAYING "Now I'm getting a little bit scared." 13. YANG WALKING TO PLATFORM 14. YANG STANDING ON PLATFORM 15. YANG JUMPING OFF 16. SPECTATORS 17. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HUANG QING, SAYING "It's really fun and I think it helps people become more courageous and bold." 18. PEOPLE BUNGEE JUMPING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Reuters ID: LVAEBCBU36XFPHI5IXEU0AM17QJ6
  • Story Text: Bungee jumping is taking off in China. Beijing recently
    hosted one of the country's largest bungee competitions in
    which first-time jumpers braved the heights after watching
    professionals perform daring leaps.


    About one hundred first-time jumpers took the plunge
    recently after watching experts somersault and twirl through
    the air near the picturesque cliffs of Shidu.

    The first-time competitors vied to be the most graceful in
    the air and to achieve the highest bounce after the initial
    jump of 58 metres.

    "I thought about it for a long time. I've heard that it's
    been around in foreign countries for a while - but I'm still
    very scared," first-time bungee jumper Xu Xiaoyu said as she
    prepared for the plunge.

    The Shidu Bungee Jumping Station is China's largest and
    opened several years ago. But the sport is still an exotic
    novelty for many.

    Villagers living nearby flocked to the station to watch
    the competition. At 180 yuan (22 US dollars) a ticket, it's a
    sport few of them could afford.

    "It looks really exciting," villager Li Qinghua said.

    Many first time competitors were nervous.

    "Now I'm getting a little bit scared," Wang Xiuhua said as
    her feet were attached to the bungee rope.

    But trained professionals were on hand to instruct the
    novices and coach them through their jumps.

    Spectator Huang Qing was impressed that competitors could
    muster the courage for such a jump.

    "It's really fun and I think it helps people become more
    courageous and bold," he said.

    But for the expert jumpers, it was just another day's work
    as they pirouetted in the air for the crowds.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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