Ryōyū Kobayashi was used to jumping far, but even for him, the prospect of hanging in the air for 300m and more than eight seconds was a daunting one.

In this behind the scenes conversation hosted by adventurer Robert Chursinoff, Ryōyū discussed the emotional and physical preparation he went through leading up to the record-breaking jump in April 2024.

Key figures in the wider project team on the ground also revealed the weather challenges behind such an audacious attempt, and why the ramp was engineered in Iceland to give Ryōyū the best chance of a successful outcome.

Breaking the world record was the culmination of years of hard work from the boy who grew up in a rural Japanese town — and he wasn’t stopping there. As we heard, Ryōyū wanted to push his limits even further.

How far do you think Ryōyū could jump if he attempted it again? Let us know at [email protected] 

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