Red Bull Wingsuit Athletes Achieve World-First Synchronized Crossing at Bahrain World Trade Center

Manama: In a landmark collaboration between the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), Red Bull staged an extraordinary aerial event in the heart of Manama, delivering one of the most remarkable wingsuit achievements ever attempted in the capital.

Wingsuit athletes Dani Román and Fred Fugen executed a world-first synchronized, head-on crossing through the gap between the twin towers of the Bahrain World Trade Center. Approaching from opposite sides at 220 km/h each, the athletes converged at a combined velocity of 440 km/h more than 120 meters per second passing the center point simultaneously with only 10 meters between them.

The pair exited a Black Hawk helicopter at 4,000 feet, accelerating over Manama’s skyline before splitting into opposing flight paths. They then arced back into a precisely choreographed approach, threading the narrow line between the iconic towers just 40 meters above the structure’s signature wind turbines.

The athletes first envisioned the project during a 2022 visit to Bahrain, immediately recognizing the Bahrain World Trade Center as an ideal location for a synchronized wingsuit challenge. The vision sparked a two-year effort involving permits, simulation modeling, detailed technical mapping, and extensive flight training.

Fugen a French three-time world champion freeflyer with 20,000 skydives and 1,500 BASE jumps described the accomplishment as the realization of a two-year dream. Achieving something never previously attempted in such a distinctive architectural setting, he said, was “an incredible feeling.”

One of the biggest challenges was coordinating their arrival at the crossing point. Without instruments, GPS, or live feedback, Román and Fugen relied solely on visual references, body awareness, and pure instinct. Román, known for his precision wingsuit and BASE projects, explained that in wingsuit flying, speed is felt physically, not measured: “Wind can create headwind for one and tailwind for the other. Despite these variables, the first day of filming came together far more smoothly than expected.”

Training began in France, where the athletes completed over 35 jumps, using a static drone at 200 meters to replicate the crossing target. They then overlaid GPS tracks onto the Bahrain WTC structure before traveling to Bahrain for desert-based training sessions with a local helicopter crew to fine-tune their lines under regional conditions.

Both athletes stressed that the success of the project relied heavily on mutual trust developed over years of flying together. Fugen highlighted the importance of the time spent planning on the ground, saying strong personal connection is essential in high-risk flights. Román added that working with Fugen “a reference in the sport” made the accomplishment even more meaningful.

The feat was made possible thanks to significant support from the BTEA, which coordinated permits, local logistics, and safety arrangements alongside the Bahrain Defence Force, the Interior Ministry, the BOC, and the Red Bull Bahrain team. Filmed last month in Manama, the official video is being released today, showcasing the athletes’ precision and the city that inspired the attempt.

Román emphasized that executing a project of this scale would be difficult in many countries, praising Bahrain for its openness, support, and facilitation throughout the process.

After years of preparation, the final moment lasted only seconds: both athletes angled into the gap, accelerated, aligned their sightlines, and crossed perfectly in sync setting a new benchmark in wingsuit flying and extreme aerial performance.