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The Red Bull Air Force Athlete Jumped from 5,500 Feet, Rode the
Suspension Cables, and Landed Safely on a Floating Barge.
American skysurfing pioneer Sean MacCormac has become the first person
to ride the suspension cables of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge.
MacCormac leapt from a helicopter 5,500 feet above the Bay before
grinding the bridge cables on a custom board and landing safely on a
floating platform below.
The 80/20 Snapshot:
World-First Skysurfing Feat: MacCormac made history by
skysurfing – a form of skydiving where athletes descend with a board
strapped to their feet, performing aerial maneuvres as though
“surfing” through the air – along the suspension cables of San
Francisco’s Bay Bridge. He completed the feat by riding the cables and
landing safely on a floating barge in the Bay.
Altitude & Descent: He jumped from a helicopter at 5,500 feet,
navigating wind currents with precision to line up his descent with the
bridge structure.
Custom Equipment: MacCormac rode a one-of-a-kind board and
wore high-performance garments designed by Prada Linea Rossa,
merging skysurf engineering with cutting-edge materials.
Preparation & Training: Months of planning, safety analysis and
coordination with local authorities; multiple training runs on a 55-
metre crane rig built to simulate the Bay Bridge cables.
MacCormac’s Reaction: “This was probably the most intense,
wildest project I’ve ever done [..] To be able to complete this project
brings me an incredible sense of accomplishment,” said MacCormac.
The Red Bull Air Force athlete – who has completed more than 22,000
skydives and is regarded as one of the sport’s leading figures – jumped
from a helicopter 5,500 feet above the Bay, strapped to a specialised
custom board. He deployed his parachute shortly after exiting the aircraft
and began his three-minute flight path toward the bridge cables, carefully
adjusting for wind currents to maintain precision. As his board aligned with
the cables, he rode along them, then executed a sharp right turn.
MacCormac then descended the remaining 60 metres to the floating barge
below.
- MacCormac said: “This was probably the most intense, wildest project I’ve
ever done. [..] I’ve never had that view before, and pretty sure no one else
has either.” He continued: “To be able to complete this project brings me an
incredible sense of accomplishment. We put such incredible focus, math
and science into lining up the cable and landing safely on the barge.” - The feat, called Bridge Rider, took months of preparation, engineering
analysis, and coordination with local authorities. To replicate the challenge
of lining up with the bridge, he trained at Skydive Elsinore, a worldrenowned skydiving site near San Diego, on a 55-metre crane rig designed
to mimic the Bay Bridge cables. Multiple successful practice runs helped
him refine his speed, precision and accuracy before attempting the real
thing. - MacCormac explained: “We have a giant crane with two anchoring forklifts
and with Eric, our math magician, we’ve been able to come pretty darn
close to emulating the schematics of the bridge, so what we’re able to do is
get some repetition and figure out what the best flightlines are and go
through this whole process. It’s been really incredible and confidencebuilding, so we’ve crossed the rubicon of the unknown.” - Prada Linea Rossa, a partner in the project, supplied high-performance
garments and equipment engineered for extreme conditions. The gear
combined aerodynamic efficiency with comfort and mobility, while
prioritising safety and freedom of movement. - MacCormac has long been at the forefront of skysurfing, always seeking
to push the limits of what the sport can achieve. The idea for Bridge Rider
originated during a lunch break while filming a BASE-jumping commercial in
Los Angeles. - He recalled: “We had a lunch break and I was looking out over L.A.,
daydreaming about skysurfing.. and I just imagined this impossible grind
where you could use the canopy to grind a rooftop or something. Seeing
lines with this equipment that I wouldn’t have imagined otherwise. From
there, it just kind of percolated into this.” - The American athlete’s experience extends beyond skysurfing. He has
worked as a CIA civilian trainer, a Hollywood stuntman, and a civilian
trainer for the US Navy and Air Force, combining his mastery of aerial
dynamics with high-level tactical and stunt expertise.
