Residence New Zealand Occupation Entrepreneur | Name A. Hackett | |
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Known for Commercialisation of bungy jumping | ||
BU Abroad: Auckland Adventures
Alan John "A.J." Hackett (born May 1958) is a New Zealand entrepreneur who popularised the extreme sport of bungy jumping. He made the famous bungy jump from the Eiffel Tower in 1987 and founded the first commercial bungy site in 1988.
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Early life
Hackett was born in Pukekohe, and grew up on Auckland's North Shore. He attended Westlake Boys High School between 1972 and 1974, where he played rugby union. He left school at the age of sixteen to serve an apprenticeship as a carpenter-joiner. During this time he took up snowboarding and skiing. He moved to Perth where he sold encyclopaedias for four months, later returning to New Zealand to set up a construction business.
Bungy jumping
Inspired by the Vanuatu ritual called land diving and the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club experimental jumps in the 1970s, Hackett and fellow adventurer Chris Sigglekow, sought ways to make bungy jump safe. Using a mathematical formula developed by New Zealand's Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, he created a super-stretchy elastic bungy cord in the mid-1980s.
In November 1986, Hackett, along with Sigglekow, performed his first amateur bungy jump from the Upper Harbour Bridge (Greenhithe Bridge) in Auckland, citing it as "one of the most riveting experiences of my life." Following this Hackett made jumps from a bridge in Hamilton, the Auckland Harbour Bridge and other bridges in the North Island. These first jumps were made using a parachute harness, however, Hackett created a method where the harness was tied to the ankle and demonstrated its use by jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge a second time.
Hackett travelled to Paris in 1986 as part of the New Zealand Speed Skiing Team. While there he jumped off the 147 metres (482 ft) Pont de la Caille and a cable car at the Tignes ski resort in Paris. He made what became a famous bungy jump off the Eiffel Tower in Paris on 26 June 1987, getting briefly jailed for that illegal feat and generating international attention to the sport.
Back in New Zealand, Hackett launched his own company, AJ Hackett Bungy, and created a site on the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand in 1988 to become the world's first commercial public bungy. He later expanded his company by founding bungy sites in Australia, France (Souleuvre Viaduct in Normandy), Russia (Sochi), Germany, The United States, Mexico, Indonesia, and Macau. He is credited with launching New Zealand's adventure tourism industry and helping to develop a safe code of operation for bungy jumping in use internationally. Hackett initially partnered with Henry van Asch, but the two split in 1997 with van Asch taking over the New Zealand-based business. In 2008 the pair reunited – and currently work together on the AJ Hackett business. In 2006 Hackett published his autobiography, Jump Start, which chronicles his bungy jumping adventures.
Records and accomplishments
Hackett is widely known for his many bungy stunts that have earned him Guinness records and personal milestones, including:
On 6 November 2007, Hackett was honoured by New Zealand television show This Is Your Life.
His company, AJ Hackett Bungy, was recognised by Westpac Queenstown Chamber of Commerce with a Business Excellence Award in the large business category.
In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hackett was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to adventure tourism.