"Don't try this at home."
Those are the words that usually flash across the screen during the X-Games, a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) match or any other extreme event that could cause bodily harm.
Cochrane's own Cody Matechuk who lives off the thrill of doing the near impossible must have missed the memo when the X-Games gold medallist completed the world's first snow bike base jump, a combination of base jumping and skydiving off the cliff of a mountain on April 12.
"There was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions leading up to that day," Matechuk said. "The whole year it's been in my head every single day, playing it over and over hoping to get it right ... right before I went to Japan in March I received my first parachutes for my bike so that was the first time it all really clicked and I knew that it was going to happen. I started to feel better about it when I came back and April 12 was the only day the wind and weather was going to line up."
On jump day, Matechuk, along with a six-man crew, went out to the selected site at 8 a.m. and spent two and a half hours building the ramp that would propel Matechuk to history.
"I was very nervous (before the jump), which was unusual because I'm normally very calm doing my base jumping but it's a little bit more gnarly ... there's more variables and things that could go wrong," said Matechuk,
However, once it came time to jump, Matechuk settled into his regular nerves-of-steal demeanour.
"My mood completely switched, I was focused and super excited for it to happen, I went up and played it through my head a few more times and then it was go time ... I was going faster and faster towards the lip (of the mountain) where I got out over the edge into the abyss ... I've never been three-to-400 feet up in the air so it was a pretty crazy feeling," he recalled. "From there, everything went how I wanted it to and my parachute came open where I knew I had done everything correctly. We were all hooting and hollering in the valley, it was a crazy experience."
For most landing such a harrowing and dangerous feat would be a one off, but not for Matechuk.
"This is certainly going to happen more and more so we're looking at different hills to jump from," he said.
While most parent's would fear the worst possible scenario during events like these, Cody's mom, Jacquie Matechuk has a different feeling on the matter.
"I always have people asking me 'How do you do it? How do you watch your kid do these crazy things?' I think like most things, perspective is key. Where most people see the things he’s done (wingsuit, base jumping, bull riding, street racing & now snow bike base) as careless risks, I see the strategic planning and passion in what he does," Jacquie said.
"On one hand, yes Cody’s an extreme athlete and loves the thrill of living every opportunity to its fullest but on the other, he’s incredibly strategic and savvy. He would never attempt something like this last stunt if he didn’t believe he could do and do it well. I take enormous comfort in that. He lives each day determined that when he looks back on his life, he’ll have lived it to its fullest, embraced every opportunity and faced every fear. This makes him happy and in the end that’s all any parent wants for their child. For that I’m immensely proud of him."
Matechuk started skydiving when he was 18 and has over 400 skydives and nearly 300 base jumps in his career. He said his love for the two sports is what led him to wanting to be the first of his kind to combine the two together.
"Just a combination of passions. Base jumping and skydiving are two of my main passions and it's something you can't really do half-hearted," Matechuk said. "You're literally risking your life every time you do it so you really need to be fully into it. It's a love of mine and I thought why not combine my two passions together?"
Those interested in seeing Matechuk's jump can go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETY77DgTb4c.
