Thirty-one year-old Southern Californian Danny Way made history on Saturday, when he flew over the Great Wall of China ... on his skateboard. July 9th 2005 will go down as the first day a person cleared the wall without motorized aid, and survived.

The event took place at Ju Yong Guan Gate, approximately 40 minutes north of Beijing.

Numerous people had tried to jump over the Great Wall previously, most notably a 2002 attempt that left a mountain biker dead.

Way was the first to attempt the feat on a skateboard.

Danny was also attempting to break his own skateboarding record for distance.

Way's previous records were 79 feet (24.07 meters) in height at the 2004 X Games and 23.5 feet (7.14 meters) in unaided height at the 2003 Point X competition. He achieved his new world record of 79 feet at 50 - 55 mph.

Danny Preps on Quiksilver Megaramp Used To Vault Over The Great Wall of China

After a year of preparation, Way attracted thousands of people on Saturday, including China's ministers of extreme sports and culture.

Carrying a speed of 55 mph, Way sped down a 65-foot incline, flew 79 feet over a section of the Wall and landed on the other side, where he immediately went down a 40-foot high landing ramp and shot up a 30-foot high quarterpipe.

During a post-jump ceremony Xiang Yu's Mr. Wang Jianjur, local co-coordinator of the project and head of the Ministry of Culture in China, presented Way with a small piece of the Wall.

So, what does one wear on such a feat?

Way wore his kneepads, elbow pads, his DC shoes with two insoles, a pair of gloves and a long-sleeve T-shirt.

Event sponsor Quicksilver, based in Huntington Beach, makes skateboard apparel.

Quiksilver's greater China marketing director Ryan Hollis said:

It was pretty fantastic.

He really has spent quite a few years even thinking about this whole idea.

It's been in logistical planning for about eight months. ... It was pretty amazing today to see this happen, to see it adopted by the culture, adopted by the government.

Jump Credit: Danny Way, Photo Credit: Reuters' Jason Lee

Quiksilver CEO, Bob McKnight added:

Quiksilver is honored to support DC's Danny Way on his amazing, world record-setting jump over the Great Wall of China.

Danny is a gutsy athlete and pioneer whose success makes all of Quiksilver's global team very proud.

Quiksilver Great Wall of China Megaramp Jump

Way said in a statement:

I came to China with a goal and that was to jump over the Great Wall. I have accomplished that and I feel like my job is done.

I was aware of the dangers and my heart was pumping in my chest the whole time, but I managed to pull it off with the help of my team, and I'm honored to have my visions embraced by the people of China.

On his first attempt, Danny botched the landing.

Then, he successfully completed the jump across the 61-foot gap four times, adding 360 degree spins on his last three tries, his sponsor said.

Last summer, from his home in Southern California, Danny created a mega ramp near his home. At the 2004 X Games, he set a skateboard jump world record for distance (79 feet). In 2003, he set the height record of 23 1/2 feet.

So, why does he do it?

Way wants to bring skateboarding to the masses. He has said that his records are secondary to this goal. Way told DC Shoes:

There is a lifestyle surrounding this sport.

Skateboarding uniquely brings out a person's creativity and I hope that the people of China use skateboarding as a tool to distinguish their own individuality and self-expression.

Danny Way - Photo Credit: DC Shoes

About Danny Way

Danny Way is an X Game Gold Medalist. The thirty-one year-old turned pro when he was fifteen.

Way's website states that he is no stranger to life's challenges. Since the age of six he has been well on his way to legendary skateboard status. As one of the youngest-ever professional and sponsored skateboarders at 14 years of age, Way has consistently pursued excellence. Despite personal setbacks and crippling injuries, Way has continually proven his athletic skills, as well as his dedication to the progression of his sport.

Highly regarded within the action sports community as a pioneer and a visionary, Way has repeatedly challenged the limitations set by other athletes and himself-breaking his own records when no one else could. Way again broke his own world records with an unaided height of 7.14 meters / 23.5 feet at Point X in 2003, and a distance of 24 meters / 79 feet at the 2004 X Games.

Danny broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest air on a skateboard when he jumped out of helicopter onto a monstrous vertical skate ramp.

The Carlsbad, California resident and world record holder also surfs, rides motocross and snowboards at a professional level.

Ju Yong Guan Gate

About The Great Wall of China's Ju Yong Guan Gate

The Ju Yong Guan Gate, at nearly 3,000 years old, stands as one of the most important cultural sites in China, and one of the country's top tourist destinations.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "hitting the sweet spot" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC