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November 29, 2009

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Younger Knievel plans jump over Grand Canyon

Thursday, April 29, 1999 | 9:07 a.m.

The stunt, to be broadcast live for East Coast viewers and via tape delay for other time zones, will be shown nationally on Fox television.

Despite extremely windy conditions Wednesday on the rim of the canyon, Fox and production company officials were continuing preparation as scheduled.

The stunt will take place on the Hualapai Indian Reservation west of Grand Canyon National Park over a bend in the Colorado River.

To clear the 200-foot-plus portion of the Grand Canyon he plans to jump, Knievel will have to be traveling at least 100 mph. He will not use a special motorcycle and will not wear a parachute, he said. Knievel, the 36-year-old son of Evel Knievel, said the parachute weight would be too much of a drag.

Knievel's famed father had talked about jumping the Grand Canyon but never made an attempt.

Evel did try to jump 1,800 feet across the Snake River Canyon in Idaho using a rocket in 1974, but his parachute deployed too early and he plunged into the canyon. He suffered only scrapes and bruises but had to be fished off the craggy, rock bottom by helicopter.

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