Challenging Niagara | PBS America

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• published: 30 May 2013
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PBS America | Sky 534 | Virgin Media 243 | pbsamerica.co.uk An act of extraordinary courage or extreme stupidity? This film looks at the people who have taken the plunge over the seething waters of the Niagara Falls. A perennial symbol of nature's grandeur, Niagara attracts over 20 million tourists every year. Every minute, nearly 1.5 million gallons of water tumble over its 175-foot drop. Such raw power has tempted daredevils for over a century, going over the brink in all sorts of contraptions. In 1901, 63-year-old Annie Edson Taylor was the first person to go over in a barrel, amazingly surviving virtually unharmed. Jeff Petkovitch and Peter DiBernardi became the first two-person team to take the plunge in 1985. Petkovitch describes the harrowing trip down the falls and confesses his misgivings about the adventure. Steve Trotter describes his two successful attempts, in 1985 and again in 1995 with partner and cancer survivor Lori Martin. After a dangerous rescue mission, he emerged from his barrel with a fractured spine. Stunt man John David Munday, who has gone over Niagara an amazing four times, explains the meticulous planning required before attempting the feat. These are among the people who survived the dive, but there are many others who were not so fortunate. The film explores what drives people to risk their lives in such an extreme challenge.