January 28, 2023

Greetings fellow Bizarros:

A skydiver plummeted 25,000 feet without a parachute over Simi Valley, Calif. - on purpose.

Luke Aikins landed squarely in the center of a 100-foot by 100-foot, two-tiered net designed to catch him. He was traveling 120 miles per hour upon landing.

The stunt Aikins calls "Heaven Sent" makes him the world record holder for the highest jump.

Aikins appeared to soar effortlessly above the California desert, arms extended for about two minutes.

Just before landing, he rolled on to his back, then plunked into the net, remaining motionless as it was lowered to the ground, at which point he stood and hugged his wife.

Using only the air currents, he completed the free fall to land on the high-tech net.

Aikins said during a broadcast of the stunt that he'd been preparing for it for two years, The 42-year-old had previously completed 18,000 parachute jumps and performed a variety of stunts. He has appeared on Iron Man 3.

"Everyone is calling this my 'coming-out jump,' which is ironic considering I've been skydiving since the age of 16," Aikins said in a press release he issued prior to the jump. He is a third-generation skydiver and his family owns Skydive Kapowsin near Tacoma, Wash.

Aikins is also a safety and training advisor for the United States Parachute Association. He teaches advanced skydiving techniques to military Special Forces.

Bizarrely,
Lewis

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Questions? Comments? Email: lewis@gopher-news.com

Russian Breaks Round-the-World Balloon Record

A Russian balloonist broke the record for traveling around-the-world in the fastest time in a hot air balloon. Fyodor Konyukhov, 64, passed directly over the airfield Saturday afternoon in the Western Australian town of Northam where he began his journey 11 days ago. He landed a few hours later in Bonnie Rock, about 100 miles east of Northam. If his record is confirmed by the World Air Sports Federation, it is two days quicker than the record by the late American Steve Fossett in 2002. "He's safe, he's sound, he's happy. It's just amazing," support crew member John Wallington said from the landing site. A video posted on his instagram page shows his balloon flying over Australia as part of the 20,500-mile journey. The first men to achieve the trip were Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones in 1999 in 19 days. Konyukhov traveled across the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean aboard the 184-foot helium-filled balloon. He flew over New Zealand, South America, the Cape of Good Hope,the borders of Antarctica and safely returned to Australia.


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Walmart Thief Escapes on Electric Scooter

Police are seeking information about an Arizona man who carried out a robbery in a local Walmart on an electric scooter. Pima County Sheriff's Department shared surveillance video of the scooter bound thief as he reportedly placed items in the basket of the scooter and tried to leave the Tuscon store without paying. The footage shows a female Walmart employee approach the man as he attempts to dodge on the scooter before driving it into the employee and pinning her against the wall. Two customers helped the employee free herself from between the wall and the scooter, but the man can be seen driving the vehicle through the store's exit and reportedly evaded capture by heading west. Police described the man as a caucasian male with brown hair and a mustache in his late 40s or early 50s and was seen carrying crutches.