Alan RobertThe climber, nicknamed “The French Spider-Man”, scaled one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world Barcelona This is the first Saturday without a belt. For the first time, the famous adventurer accompanied his son.
“This time is different. My son is not a climber so I feel responsible in a way,” Robert told Reuters as he prepared to climb. “I know he’s grown up, he’s 34. It’s his own decision, but at the end of the day I’m his father.”
Passers-by and Spanish police watched the 60-year-old and his son Julien climb the 144-meter Torre Glores, formerly known as Torre Agbar, a glass-encased company building designed by architect Jean Nouvel and famous for lighting the night.
“I feel very pressured. I have never felt fear in my life before,” Julian told Reuters shortly before it began.
“I’ve done scary things in my life, but this… I’ve never been afraid in my life. Fortunately, I have my dad who will talk to me, guide me.”
The couple completed the climb in less than an hour and were met at the top by the police, who escorted them the traditional way – inside the building – and did not arrest them.
Julian, who spent eight years in the military and is a great athlete, prepared for his first climb by watching videos of his ex-dad’s climb.
Alain Robert began climbing in 1975, training on the slopes near his hometown of Valencia in southern France.
He began climbing alone in 1977, and has since climbed over 150 buildings, including Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – and the Eiffel Tower and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Robert rarely gets permission to be active and climbs without a belt using only his hands, a pair of climbing shoes and a bag of magnesium dust.
(by Jessica Jones)
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