The Red Bull Bridge Bars project will see van Tonder navigate a specially engineered course that follows the full arch of the bridge, climbing uphill, crossing its crown and descending the opposite side.
Unlike a conventional horizontal monkey-bar course, the structure will require him to adapt his strength and technique to changing gradients across the crossing.
The attempt will take place at Bloukrans Bridge in the Eastern Cape, which spans 451 metres and is recognised as Africa’s highest bridge. The event will be livestreamed on YouTube and Red Bull TV, with 27 October set as the contingency date if weather conditions prevent the attempt.
Van Tonder, who previously set a Guinness World Record with a rope climb between Johannesburg’s Soweto Towers in 2020, says the crossing represents his most demanding challenge to date.
The route has been designed to test different aspects of upper-body strength and endurance. The ascent will require sustained pulling power, the flatter middle section will test stamina, and the descent will demand controlled resistance as fatigue sets in.
Van Tonder deliberately opted for the more difficult route, choosing to follow the bridge’s full arch rather than attempt a straight crossing along its upper section.
“This is by no means something I know I can do, which means it’s the right challenge,” he says.
Months of specialised preparation have included intensive upper-body training, with van Tonder acknowledging that the physical demands have been greater than anticipated. He has also been managing elbow tendonitis and shoulder pain during training.
The undertaking involves more than athletic preparation. A specialist team of riggers and safety engineers has had to design, test and certify a temporary course that can support the crossing without making permanent alterations to the bridge.
Richard Lievaart, head of rigging and safety director at Vertical Safety Systems (VSS), leads the engineering and safety team.
“The hardest problem to solve was that we couldn’t bolt the bridge at all,” Lievaart says. “Nothing we installed could be permanent. No bolts, no drilling, no marks left behind.”
The system incorporates two independent safety measures: a rail system secured to the bridge truss and a separate safety line attached directly to van Tonder. According to Lievaart, the systems are designed to operate independently, providing separate layers of protection during the attempt.
The idea for Bridge Bars grew out of van Tonder’s pursuit of challenges that test the limits of what he believes is possible. Becoming a father has also influenced his motivation, with the athlete saying he wants to demonstrate the value of committing to difficult goals through preparation and perseverance.
Beyond the crossing itself, the project aims to encourage others to pursue ambitions that may initially seem improbable.
The main attempt is scheduled for 26 October 2026 at Bloukrans Bridge, Tsitsikamma, with a weather contingency date of 27 October. Viewers will be able to follow the attempt through livestreams on YouTube and Red Bull TV.
