BMX athlete performs tricks 2,000 feet above the Cotswolds
Scotsman Kriss Kyle took his sport to new heights with a skatepark suspended under one of the world's largest hot air balloons
Red Bull athlete, Kriss Kyle, took his sport to new heights by performing daring BMX tricks 2,000 feet above the Cotswolds.
The 32 year old Scotsman was equipped with a parachute as he was suspended on a skatepark being carried by one of the world's largest hot air balloons.
Before Kriss could realise his ambitions of riding his BMX bike 2,000ft in the air, they had to wait 11 months for the perfect weather conditions.
When they arrived, Kriss Kyle came up against a rare combination of high atmospheric pressure, cold and dry conditions, along with surface wind.
To give Kriss the best chance of a smooth ride, Red Bull Racing's Formula One Team utilised their world champion winning aerodynamics, simulation and modelling expertise.
This was combined with Bristol's Cameron Balloons, who designed and created the world's largest operating hot-air balloon.
But BMX rider Kriss Kyle says its something you can't practice for, "When I first thought about it was like 'we'll just put a bowl underneath and balloon, it'll be so smooth, we'll get that done'.
"You need to wait for the perfect weather and that only comes around once a year, so I've been on standby for a year waiting for this one flight.
"Also the bowl swings so much, it can move 4 feet at a time... I say the closest thing I can describe it to is honestly like riding drunk.
"Where do you practise that? You can't."
"It's almost like torturing yourself"
Greatest Hits Radio was invited to take a behind the scenes look at Kriss' brave stunt.
Speaking to him as he landed in a military base near Bath, he told us he wanted to test his own fear of heights.
Kriss said, "I don't know why but I force myself into all these mad projects
"It's almost like torturing yourself, but its the buzz that you get that you do it for.
"But now I'm definitely better with heights, I'm still scared of heights to a certain point.
"I feel like once you get past that certain height it just seems fake, it doesn't seem real anymore.
"I feel like my fear of heights is well and truly gone."
The full film of Kriss Kyle daring feat can be seen on Red Bull Bike YouTube.