When you see a 'performer' going for sensationalism rather than pushing the envelope technically you can assume they are drying up.
Great as he is, and proud as I am of the laddie, he is a twelve trick pony.
He can keep doing stunts for a living, or get into a serious avenue of sport.
Ken, I have been taking 'risks' and encouraging others to my whole darn life.
Since I grew up, not one of them was as daft as some featured in these vids.
Sure I have dangled off ropes after falling off climbs, sat in boats far out in heavy seas, ridden at literally break neck speeds cross country, watched Man U in a Chelsea pub. Never intentionally courting death, always taking the precautions necessary going into the risk.
Where is the technical challenge in jumping over those flyovers?
It is exactly the same as jumping across it on foot, something most reasonable fit people could do easily. But why?
In turn this is exactly the same as a trained climber throwing in a jump from ledge to ledge in a climbing video, a simple jump with a potentially fatal fall, merely to 'pep it up' for those that get off on risk.
He is much, much better than that.
He is also a grown up, and just as I stopped jumping over fatal drops as soon as I got a sense of what is responsible as a climber, he has reached the point where his technique should speak loudly, not raw risk.
Then there is the fact he is now very much a figurehead for the sport, and kids everywhere will be looking at what he is doing and trying their hand.
If the sport is about risk, and not taking technique higher, he would be sensible to get out before the inevitable.
That could mean he gets boring or he cops it.
I only just made that jump.
