Ellis Grover is coming home to Carmarthen this saturday for a free show at Carmarthen Park Veledrome
WELSH daredevil Ellis Grover, renowned for his gravity-defying stunts, is set to dazzle his hometown once again with a heart-stopping high-wire performance. Born and raised in Carmarthen, Grover has earned international acclaim for his audacious feats, including balancing on a wooden chair suspended from a cinema roof and walking 150 meters above a quarry. Now, he’s gearing up for an awe-inspiring spectacle that will leave spectators on the edge of their seats.
Having traversed the UK and beyond to showcase his fearless talents, the 30-year-old is embarking on a triumphant return to Carmarthen. In just two weeks, on August 12 at 7 pm, Grover will undertake a hair-raising 100-meter-long, 10-meter-high wire walk across the rugby pitch at Carmarthen Park. What sets this daring endeavour apart is that he will attempt this feat without any safety support, relying solely on his unwavering confidence in his own skills.
“I’ve had the idea in my head for a long time to come back home and do something in the town. It’s like a gift to the town, which means a lot to me, to show local people what I’ve learned over the years. A lovely synchronicity for me is that the town taught me what I do,” expressed Grover, reflecting on his roots and motivations.
Grover’s journey into high-flying stunts began in his youth at Carmarthen Park. It was there that he honed his abilities by mastering the art of balance on railings, especially the historic circular railings surrounding the velodrome. This iconic venue, steeped in over 120 years of history, is where Grover’s fascination with heights took shape and ultimately shaped his career.
His commitment to this extraordinary passion is unwavering. “I climbed on the rooftops when I was a teenager. I got into heights and I started to fall in love with that. The longest balancing challenge I used to do was the railings which circle the velodrome – I walked it all when I was 14 or so. I didn’t know then that it would become my career so it’s special for me to come back,” Grover reminisced.
Despite a whirlwind 2022 marked by thrilling challenges across the globe, from the rugged coast of Pembrokeshire to the vibrant streets of Mexico, Grover remains connected to his hometown. “I learned a lot of my first tricks at Carmarthen Park, and I spent a lot of my youth just hanging out there so this performance has always been a long-term thing for me,” he emphasised.
With a repertoire of breathtaking accomplishments under his belt, including a daring 130-meter tightrope walk above a quarry and a 270-meter stroll across Penarth beach’s open sky, Grover’s August 12 stunt is poised to be another unforgettable highlight. His philosophy on safety and preparation lies in maintaining a calm and focused mind. “The art of high-wire walking is to be calm and controlled in dangerous situations and keeping a high level of focus. A lot of the preparation is in my head – I will visualize the walk in my head a number of times before I do it,” Grover revealed.
While his dreams of conquering even grander natural landscapes and traversing the globe persist, Grover’s heart is set on a single destination on August 12: his beloved hometown. “It’s incredibly special for me to be able to come back and perform for a local crowd,” he confessed, acknowledging the significance of this homecoming. “It feels like the most important thing I have ever done really. It feels like a real milestone.”
As the date approaches, anticipation mounts for Elis Grover’s courageous homecoming performance—a testament to both his remarkable skills and the boundless spirit of human achievement.
