BASE jumpers raring to go as Sibu event returns after two-year break

SIBU: The 33 participants of the Sibu International BASE Jump 2022 are all set to go as the event returns after a two-year hiatus, with an Iban miring ritual performed Wednesday (Sept 14) to seek their safety.

For three days from Thursday to Saturday (Sept 15 to 17), the jumpers will leap off the 28-storey Wisma Sanyan here.

A series of trial jumps will be held from 2pm to 6pm on Wednesday.

Foreign jumpers coordinator Gary Cunningham, who turned 51 a few days ago, is happy to be back for the event after the forced break owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Sibu BASE Jump is my favourite as the 400ft (121.9m) Sanyan has a good landing (zone),” said Cunningham, who has been a regular in the event since its inception in 2009.

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He said the friendly townspeople are also why he always takes part.

Malaysian BASE jump coach Mohd Idrus Yusof, 55, from Kuala Lumpur, is using the event to train nine new jumpers from Sarawak.

“They will go through a two-day course. After that they will make their first jumps.

“In total, each of them will have to record seven jumps to qualify as a regular jumper,” he said.

Commenting on the wet weather here, Idrus, who has made 500 jumps so far, said it would not be a big challenge for the participants.

“The weather is good but the wind speed must not be over 15 knots,” he said.

Sibu resident and organising chairman Wong Hee Sieng said most of the jumpers are Malaysians, with five from Australia and the United States.

Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah will flag off the event at 8am on Friday.