LOVE IS IN THE DARE
YOU South Africa|1 August 2024
Thesé two Russian daredevil fame and each other onthe rooftops of the worlds loftiest skyscrapers
COLIN HENDRICKS
LOVE IS IN THE DARE

FALLING for someone can give you the kind of high that's hard to beat but these two have taken the blood-pumping, spirit-soaring feeling that love can give you to a whole new level.

No high is high enough for them, no feat too terrifying, no stunt too daunting and no skyscraper too scary for what they have in mind: posing for selfies packed with PDAs while they're seconds away from possible death.

There are no ropes, harnesses or safety nets involved when Russian daredevils Angela Nikolau (31) and Ivan Beerkus (30) barrel up buildings, pull themselves up poles and climb cranes. And when they reach the highest point, she stands on one leg or he lifts her up, his grip the only thing preventing her from plummeting to the ground.

At a perch so lofty it's hard to make out the people below, they give each other a kiss, stamping their mark on a relationship built on the search for the next adrenaline rush.

Angela and Ivan are the subjects of new Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which tells the story of their attempt to climb the Merdeka 118 building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This building is 118 storeys high - the equivalent of two Eiffel Towers stacked on top of each other - and the couple manage to evade the building's security personnel to climb to the tip of the building's spire.

Love is literally in the air - but also in the shadow of death. "If he were to stumble, I would tumble into the depths," Angela admits.

Vanja, as she calls him, holds her life in his hands but she trusts him enough to do it over and over again.

THRILL-SEEKERS like Angela and Ivan are called rooftoppers and there are terrifying tales of climbs that have ended in tragedy.

In July last year French rooftopper Remi Lucidi scaled a skyscraper in Hong Kong and slipped on the way up. The last time he was seen alive was when he knocked on a window on the 68th floor, asking for help because he knew he was in trouble.

This story is from the 1 August 2024 edition of YOU South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the 1 August 2024 edition of YOU South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOU SOUTH AFRICAView All
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
YOU South Africa

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
YOU South Africa

HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY

Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache

time-read
10+ mins  |
5 September 2024
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
YOU South Africa

THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!

time-read
3 mins  |
5 September 2024
THE eyes HAVE IT
YOU South Africa

THE eyes HAVE IT

They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area

time-read
1 min  |
5 September 2024
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
YOU South Africa

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER

It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry

time-read
4 mins  |
5 September 2024
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
YOU South Africa

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!

Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
YOU South Africa

'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'

When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
YOU South Africa

SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!

A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
YOU South Africa

READY TO SMILE AGAIN

A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth

time-read
5 mins  |
5 September 2024
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
YOU South Africa

HARRY AT A CROSSROADS

As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life

time-read
8 mins  |
5 September 2024