On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Millen and Robbie Maddison made history in Las Vegas, kissing 2008 goodbye and welcoming in 2009 with a bang. Unsatisfied with traditional resolutions, Rhys Millen performed the first-ever backflip in an off-road truck and not to be outdone, Robbie Maddison followed up with a 10-story-high jump, landing on the top of the replica Arc de Triomphe in front of Paris Las Vegas.
Millen’s backflip in an off-road truck was the realization of a goal set in 2007. During his final practice, Millen overshot the landing, resulting in five broken vertebrae in his neck and back. Injury was no setback as it only hardened his resolve to complete the feat. During the flip, Millen’s truck landed heavily on all four wheels before rolling upside down. Millen exited his truck unscathed.
“You come as prepared as you can, knowing all your numbers - speed, distance and height,” said Millen. “But you get only one opportunity to get it right. I landed, but I landed with a twist. Unfortunately the suspension that is needed to leave the ramp is not same as to land. There were so many factors to calculate. When Carey Hart completed the first backflip on a motorcycle in competition, he crashed. I really wanted to finish 2008 driving down that dirt pile and pumping my fist in the air, but am very proud of what I did accomplish.”
Just following Rhys' flip, Robbie Maddison pumped his fist in triumph to a crowd of more than 300,000 New Year’s Eve revelers chanting his name. The 27-year-old Aussie launched his bike 105 feet high, landing on the top of the 96-foot-tall replica Arc de Triomphe in front of Paris Las Vegas. After successfully landing on the top, Maddison swung his motorcycle around and dropped a dizzying 60-plus feet to a landing ramp below. The immense force of the impact lacerated his left hand, which was sutured at a local hospital.
“I just cheated death again,” said Maddison. “I’m ready to live another day and am extremely excited to see what 2009 holds for me. The risk level of my jumps was extremely high, and although I was confident in my abilities and preparation, I knew there could have been major consequences, but that is what pushing the limits is all about.”