DUBAI: Rainy weather wasn’t the only reason Dubai residents and visitors were looking to the skies this week. Over two days, 31 BASE jumpers from 15 countries took over the Downtown Dubai skyline, completing 437 jumps from the 828-meter-high Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
The event — EXIT139 — was organized by action-sport brand XDubai in partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Skydive Dubai, and Emaar, and held across two days this week.
According to XDubai, the activity built on the legacy of the first BASE jump from Burj Khalifa in 2014. This year’s event pushed new boundaries, bringing together 30 of the world’s best aerial athletes to complete what the brand described as a “dream jump.” Among them were three women: Cornelia Mihai, Katie Hansen, and Roberta Mancino.
For Mihai, a Romanian athlete and instructor at Skydive Dubai, being part of the event was “unbelievable” and “more than a dream.” A Dubai resident who first discovered the sport in 2006, Mihai initially sidelined BASE jumping to focus on skydiving, only rediscovering it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she has completed over 300 jumps and says the sport has shaped her perspective on life:
“BASE jumping has taught me to trust myself, to trust my decisions and my reflexes, and to love life more than ever. Before a jump, I tell myself that I am very lucky and I love living and I love my life.”
For Katie Hansen, an American who started BASE jumping in 2003 and has since completed 1,350 jumps, participating in EXIT139 was a one-of-a-kind experience.
“It felt very special. I feel very privileged to be here,” she said. “This is one of the most beautiful buildings in addition to being one of the tallest exit points I have ever jumped. It’s a beautiful city with wonderful people, and I feel very, very fortunate to be a part of it.”
While many view BASE jumping as an adrenaline-fueled sport for extreme thrill seekers, the athletes themselves take a different perspective, both pragmatic and deeply philosophical.
“We’re not thrill seekers, we’re life seekers, looking to experience life to the full,” Hansen explained.
Mihai echoed this sentiment: “BASE jumping is not only for the crazy. It’s not for the crazy at all, actually. I think us BASE jumpers are actually quite responsible and trustworthy — more than a lot of people out there.”
To Mihai’s point, extensive planning was required not only from the athletes but also from the event organizers. A 12-meter platform was specially engineered as the launch pad for the jumps, extending six meters beyond the balcony of the 139th floor. According to organizers, safety was the top priority.
Beyond technical mastery, both organizers and athletes emphasized the individuality each jumper brings to the sport — making every leap uniquely their own.
Italian athlete Mancino, who started BASE jumping in 2009 and has completed more than 600 jumps, described her approach:
“Before a BASE jump, I tell myself to have fun, be relaxed, and enjoy the special moment,” she said. “I bring my own style just from what I have learned being myself and a girl.”
With EXIT139 behind them, inspiring awe among bystanders, many of whom shared the showcase on social media throughout the week, the athletes are reflective.
“I hope we’re gonna get the chance to do this all over again because it’s amazing. It’s hard to describe the past two days in words,” Mihai said.
“I wish people knew that BASE jumping is the most beautiful sport of flying,” said Mancino. “I mean, who gets to jump from such a building like the Burj Khalifa?”
Dawn Barnable is the founder and host of The Mettleset Podcast, a platform dedicated to women in sport from across the region.
