Extreme BASE Jumper Stanislav Aksenov Answered a Few Questions

Stanislav Aksenov is the first person in the world to combine rope jumping and BASE jumping with suspension on hooks. He is also an instructor in parachuting and BASE jumping.

Recently, Stanislav completed his 300th BASE jump and shared his perspective on this sport.

How many years have you been involved in BASE jumping, and how long have you been teaching it?

I’ve been doing it for probably a little over four years, and I started teaching about six months ago. Before that, it was just friends, and then strangers started coming.

Not so long ago, you did your 300th BASE jump. That’s an impressive number! What was it like?

It happened in Moscow — in the district where I was born — Tushino. It was an easy, relaxed jump, just for fun, to mark the milestone and have a great time.

Stanislav Aksenov, BASE jumping

What conclusions can you draw after crossing this milestone — 300 jumps?

In BASE, that’s considered a significant number. I’ve started to understand some things. Because after 100 jumps, you think you know everything. After 200, you begin to doubt that you know it all. At 300, you realize that you’re only just beginning to learn.

What does BASE jumping mean to you?

Pretty much everything: social circles, free time, and even non-free time. If you take up BASE jumping, most likely, it will become a lifestyle because it’s hard to do it if you don’t live it. It’s scary, it’s dangerous, and you have to truly love the sport.

You don’t chase popularity but set records for yourself and enjoy it. Some people don’t understand this and see it as “showing off.” How do you respond to that?

As many people as there are, there are that many opinions. It’s useless to impose your own opinion. People who aren’t interested in understanding won’t find it worthwhile even if explained to them. But for those who do get it, there are more than enough of them (laughs). So I’m not concerned about others’ opinions. I don’t care.

BASE jumping in Thailand

Do you have a favorite or regular jump spot that you particularly enjoy?

The cliffs at “Ton Sai.” It’s a small climbing village in Thailand. I’ve lived there for over a year and a half and have done about 150 jumps from that location. I love that place.

When you land on the ground after a jump, what thoughts cross your mind?

Various kinds of joy. Sometimes you’re more worried about a student jumping with you and happy for them. Other times, it might be a challenging jump where you’re initially debating whether to do it or not. In those cases, the joy is immense. And then there are easy jumps, and you just do it. There are many external factors, but it’s always joy in the end (laughs).

Your team, “The Sinner Team,” was the first to combine BASE jumping with suspension on hooks. Your videos of hook-based BASE jumps in Thailand have garnered millions of views online. Information about your activities spreads worldwide. Is this more positive or negative overall? Why?

Definitely more positive. There’s a lot of negative feedback, which, again, doesn’t matter to us. But the fact that it has become well-known helps in the sense that people are now doing hook-based BASE jumping in more than 30 countries! Many come to Russia to see me or to Thailand if I’m there, or find me in Europe when I’m there. Now, there are so many people who’ve learned about us and many who want to try! That’s cool!

You and your team have made appearances on Finnish MTV, a German TV show, the Discovery Channel, as well as Russian channels “Perets” and “TV3.” Do you feel like you’ve made a significant contribution to the extreme sports world? How would you evaluate it yourself?

The contribution is definitely there. But TV appearances aren’t a measure of that. We rarely deal with TV crews. Most of the time, they just suddenly show up and take whatever they need from us. But our activities barely surprise anyone anymore. People who do BASE jumping know that hook-based BASE jumping exists. The contribution is definitely felt, but for me, the most important thing is that a lot of people have tried it, because my goal is to popularize it for those who are interested. Every year, more people learn about these jumps, which means it’s all working!

Complete the phrase: “My job is about…”

Working. I don’t argue with myself about my work, and I don’t create a division. I am what I do.

What do you do for someone who comes to you? It seems to me that I give these people the strongest emotions they could ever experience in their lives, although, of course, it’s different for everyone. And while for many, this experience is generally not transformative, it provides enormous and unforgettable feelings. Some people even change their lives completely.

What wishes or advice can you give to aspiring thrill-seekers?

Do what you want. Never stop or worry too much! Not everything works out right away, but if you put in enough effort — everything will come together. I’ve realized that things that once seemed impossible are now achievable and quite doable.

Author: Evgeniya Dyatlova