Two Daredevils Fired Out of Europe's Tallest Chimney Set Human Catapult World Records

Two veteran BASE jumpers have set a pair of Guinness World Records after being launched straight up and out of Europe's tallest chimney by the world's largest human catapult ^[1][2].

Spain's Dani Roman, 35, and France's Fred Fugen, 47, were fired from a 60-meter catapult built inside the 360-meter smokestack in Trbovlje, Slovenia, Red Bull reported ^[1]. The machine took them from zero to 180 kilometers per hour, about 112 mph, in 2.15 seconds, and the highest point of the flight reached 456.7 meters above the ground ^[1][2].

Roman claimed the record for greatest height by human catapult, rising 100.36 meters after leaving the launcher ^[1][3]. The two then launched side by side and set a second record for the greatest combined height, 151.72 meters between them ^[1][4]. After a split second of weightlessness at the top, both opened their parachutes and landed safely, Flyer reported ^[3].

The catapult was designed by DD Squad, a Slovenian team of stunt acrobats and engineers, and the project took two and a half years to bring together ^[1][4]. Between them, the two men have made more than 32,000 parachute jumps ^[1].

Radio station WIXX noted the launch put up to 4.2 G's on the athletes on the way out ^[5]. Red Bull says they are the first people ever catapulted out of a chimney ^[1]. Call it crazy, but it is a reminder of what courage, careful engineering and years of practice can accomplish.