Interview w/ Danny Way

Preparing to jump the great wall of China on a wooden toy is no joke. A mountain biker died trying a similar stunt in 2002. I wish this was going to be televised.

Skateboarder Way to try great leap in China
USA TODAY's Sal Ruibal talks strategy with U.S. skateboarder Danny Way, who will attempt a jump Saturday across the Great Wall of China at the Juyongguan Gate near Beijing.

Q:What are the human aspects of making this jump, such as your body position at the start, in the air and on the landing?

A: Well, I think the human aspects of making this jump would be to make it over The Wall in one piece and stay alive. You have to maintain your balance in the air, and obviously your weight has to be correct when you land. Because if it's off, you'll fall forward or backward or left or right.

It's essential that when you're flying through the air you maintain your balance and stay square so that you can actually land the jump with everything positioned correctly.

Q:How much force is created on landing, and how do you absorb that force while also maintaining forward motion?

A: There's a zone on the landing ramp I call the sweet spot. It's probably a 10-foot-long zone. If you land in the right area, it breaks your fall completely and you feel almost weightless. If you overshoot the landing, you drop further down. It's a longer drop, so the impact is a lot harder. If you come up short and you land a little bit on the knuckle — there's a little bit of transition on the top — it jars you. It doesn't allow you to move forward.

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