Take off into extreme sport: Tourists want to experience more and more risks and their holiday destination must meet these new "high risk" standards. However, placing oneself in danger calls for exceptional preparation and a special mindset which can accept knowing when to stop or back off and still count it as a success. Such is the philosophy of the cliff jumpers at the world championships in the Ticino.

The body as armor, the body as a status symbol: For highly trained athletes, even a wall becomes a catwalk. Extreme moments on a cliff: In an elegant nose-dive the diver swoops towards the lake below at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. Free fall - then the body pierces the surface of the water.

The reportage "Cliff of Fear" appeared in the Magazine supplement of the Frankfurter Rundschau on August 26th, 2000

© Tina Ruisinger (Photos), Jörg Hunke (Text)

For the complete text please contact Jörg Hunke: J.Hunke@fr-aktuell.de