Bridge Day draws thousands of spectators for death-defying leaps

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Thousands of spectators came to see BASE jumpers and rappellers engage in the daring drops from the massive New River Gorge bridge, the largest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

Jumpers and rappellers begin their preparations over hot coffee or tea with temperatures in the mid 30s. Members of the media set up trucks near the jump platform. Others camp 870 feet below. Paramedics and law enforcement are teeming across the bridge and the landing zone–prepared for anything.

The build-up to the first jumpers can feature an festival-like atmosphere. But long-time jumper Johnny Winkelkotter, visiting from Utah, said he doesn’t get nervous anymore.

“I’ve got thousands of BASE jumps, so it’s not that hard to convince myself to jump anymore,” he said. “It’s just a matter of doing it and being prepared. We’re very meticulous about making sure our gear is ready to go.”

Winkelkotter was one of 208 BASE jumpers, who were able to make more jumps than usual thanks to a smaller turnout of BASE jumpers.

“Yeah it felt good,” Winkelkotter said. “Just run off the ramp, you get that adrenaline rush like always. I did a front flip–real smooth. Nothing too exciting.”

Though out-of-state jumpers like Johnny are the norm, Beckley-native Max Riggs said it’s a cool experience to be able to have access to an event like Bridge Day.

“It’s my backyard, so it’s a very humbling experience,” he said.

Jumping now for three years, Riggs said it’s a much simpler process than most people realize.

“Just jump,” he said, laughing. “Mainly it’s all mental. Really, you just got to jump.”

Eric Autenreith has been working below on rescue boats for 16 years, having seen injuries and even a few tragedies.

“There’s always a little bit of anxiety, but just like anything you can’t let that paralyze you,” Eric Autenreith said.

The landing, of course, is perhaps the most interesting part of the jump. After two or three seconds, most BASE jumpers are pulling on their chutes and trying to maneuver their way into a tight landing zone. “Utah” said that process can make or break a jump. Broken bones aren’t abnormal when you miss the drop zone.

“That’s always the thing, right?” he said. “You want to have a good landing on every jump. That’s the key of having a good jump.”

Those two or three seconds of freefall are perhaps the hardest to watch–whether spectators are up on the New River Gorge Bridge or down below in the Gorge.

“Freefall, you really don’t think about anything, but under canopy you actually realize what you just did,” Riggs said. “And it’s very freeing.”

Despite the overall improvements in safety and the careful preparation to make a jump safe, Autenreith said he has seen enough of Bridge Day to know he isn’t planning on making the jump himself.

“I have not, and I don’t think I will jump off the bridge,” he said.

Winkelkotter began BASE jumping in 1991. He called it the logical next step after skydiving.

“It was just kind of the next progression in parachute jumping,” Winkelkotter said. “Take it one notch to the next level kind of a deal.”





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