‘Spiderman’ climbs tallest tower

THE “French Spiderman”, Alain Robert, is to climb the world’s tallest building today.

Alain Robert is expected to try to scale Dubai’s 828m Burj Khalifa this afternoon: it is three times the height of the top platform of the Eiffel Tower (which he climbed in 1997).

This time Mr Robert, 48, is climbing with the agreement of the Dubai authorities, marking the opening of the 10th Education Without Borders (EWB) conference. Some of his previous stunts were done without permission, and he has become used to being greeted by the police at the top.

Also, exceptionally, he is expected to use a safety rope. He has said the Burj is an unusual case, both because of its extreme height and the hot Dubai weather and he does not want to risk his life.

The highest structure he has climbed previously was in Taiwan. At 508m Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building before the Burj was built in 2008.

Mr Robert estimates the climb will take six or seven hours.

Organisers HCT said they invited Mr Robert because he demonstrates how you can use “inner strength and determination to achieve goals in life”.

Photo: Nepenthes