Original subtitles

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(EPIC MUSIC)

Welcome back to Ninja Island

and the show that, last year, took the whole country by storm.

They came from all across the country -

everyday Australian men and women

taking on the toughest obstacle course in the world.

FREDDIE: Oh, yeah!

BEC: I've never seen anyone do that better.

Go, you good thing!

They inspired a nation.

People would never believe

that someone that's had a broken back could actually do that.

We were ambushed.

Some bullet fragments went through my face.

I'm here to prove anything is possible.

And they created history.

I can't believe it!

Andrea! She is the first woman up the Warped Wall.

In 2018, our heroes are back and they have a score to settle.

Mt Midoriyama. Mt Midoriyama.

Mt Midoriyama, I'm comin' for you.

I'm very determined to do better than last year.

I'm wakin' up at 4am in the morning to train.

The last 365 days, I've been training for redemption.

After missing that Warped Wall,

I definitely feel a lot of pressure to get up that thing.

I've come up with something that I think will really give me the edge.

I've actually built Mt Midoriyama.

This time, I'm getting to the top.

Mt Midoriyama!

But they're joined by a new crop of ninjas,

each determined that they will be the first to conquer the course.

I've got what it takes to get to the end.

Ordinary people...

I'm a hard-working mum.

I'm a primary school teacher.

I'm 64 years young.

..willing to push harder...

You do more with one leg than most people with two legs ever achieve.

..and reach higher.

It's what I'm made for.

They're all focused on just one goal -

to beat the world's toughest obstacle course.

And I just want to be that one person that does it.

Australian Ninja Warrior is back.

And Ninja Island comes alive.

Come on!

Yes!

Who will write the next chapter?

You can't have doubts. You've just gotta go hard.

That is phenomenal!

Yes!

What was that?

It's ninja against the course.

BEC: Dig really deep.

I hate losing and this course is not gonna defeat me.

The challenge is there to be met.

Can she do it? She does!

Who can be Australia's first Ninja Warrior?

The original and the best obstacle course in the world returns

and, with it,

some of the everyday athletes that have become national heroes.

Back tonight, DJ Ben Polson, Olivia Vivian

and the one and only Tarzaniel.

With a year to prepare,

now's the chance to prove they've got what it takes this time.

Not only that, we have a whole new bunch of ninjas

who sat on the lounge last year and said, "I can do that."

Everyday athletes who think they've got what it takes.

This year, we've made the course even bigger and tougher.

Our athletes have been rated amongst the best in the world

but, remember, only two ninjas in eight seasons of the US show

have ever conquered Mt Midoriyama.

This year, our prize jackpots to $200,000

but our ninjas are going to have to conquer tonight's obstacles

for a chance at the finals.

Let's take a look.

To earn a shot at Mt Midoriyama,

our ninjas will ultimately have to complete 38 obstacles.

There are six in tonight's first qualifying heat

and all competitors, male and female, take on exactly the same course.

First up, the traditional start, the Quintuple Steps,

five angled platforms a metre and a half apart.

Touch the water and you're out.

The T-Slide to Punching Bag tests hand-eye coordination.

Ninjas grab the T-bar and slide down to the punching bag,

timing their dismount to reach the platform.

The Bridge of Blades is back but the blades are set off axis,

making this a much tougher obstacle than last year.

Next up is Ball Swing to Cargo Net.

Athletes must traverse across all three balls to the cargo net,

then climb down to safety.

Then we really ramp it up with the Flying Shelf Grab.

Ninjas must take a massive 2.2-metre leap of faith

to grab each shelf with only their fingertips.

And finally, everyone's nemesis, the Warped Wall.

All 4.2 metres of it.

Ninjas have three attempts to reach the top and complete the course.

It's the top 20 who go the furthest and fastest tonight

that will make it through to the semi-finals.

Well, Freddie is course-side for a close-up view of all the action.

The atmosphere down here is electric.

You can feel the tension in the air.

Ninja Warrior is back and I for one can't wait.

OK.

Let's bring out our first competitor for 2018.

This guy is a firefighter and an adventure junkie.

He's a lifesaver, ironman, marathon runner

and now he's training camels for a 40-day desert crossing.

From Perth, it's Steve Choate.

I'd describe myself

as an ordinary person who likes to do out-of-the-ordinary things.

Righto. Have a look.

So, I went to the Antarctic a couple of years ago

and competed in a 42km marathon.

It was negative 20 degrees.

And it was my first marathon.

There's Steve finishing.

Winner!

Yeah, as parents, we're extremely proud.

Steve doesn't sit still, you know?

He does look for adventure

and I think that's what motivates him in life.

The next adventure is to cross the Great Sandy Desert -

a total of 1,200km over 40 days.

There's a fair bit involved in training five wild camels.

You know, they are 500kg and they bite, they kick

and do want to pull away from you.

I'm very determined to finish everything that I start,

so, if I get to Mt Midoriyama, I'll leave everything on that rope.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, Ninja Warrior is officially back.

We have a ninja stepping up to the plate

and doesn't he look the part, Steve.

Six foot on the old scale.

88kg.

There's mum and dad, the whole family on the sideline.

Buckle up. Here we go.

Quintuple Steps.

Here we go, Freddie.

Steve Choate trains camels to cross the desert.

He's a camel trainer.

Not sure that's gonna help him tonight on the Ninja Warrior course.

Hang on a minute - you don't know that, Freddie.

This is a brand-new obstacle now, the T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Here we go.

We didn't see anything this tough until the semis last year.

Steve Choate is through!

Good work!

Bridge of Blades now.

It is different this year.

It's tilted over so you can only step on one side.

Smashed it.

We learnt a lesson last year, Bec,

not to go making bold predictions, but here I go.

Steve Choate is going up the Warped Wall.

Have a look at the bloke. Big call, Ben.

Let's see how he goes on the Balls to Cargo Net.

Onto the balls.

Steve!

In the water.

The slightest mishap causes the biggest catastrophe for Steve Choate.

Steve, no!

Poor old Steve.

He looked so good but he just got this all wrong.

Now, see the straight arm.

That means all the work is being done by his hand.

Then he twists off the platform

so his grip on the second ball is even worse.

It just goes to show one mistake on this course and you're gone.

I know you've done some pretty impressive things in your time.

You've run across Antarctica, you train camels.

How does the Ninja Warrior course compare to all of that?

Mate, that is...

I think it's a bit harder than it looks.

It looks hard, don't worry about that.

It's amazing.

Something so small knocks you out

but what a crowd, what a really good night and awesome to be here.

Our first newcomer has had a crack at the course.

Let's see how someone with Ninja experience goes.

You'll remember her from Season 1.

She broke her back in a car crash.

This super-mum claims Ninja Warrior has changed her life.

Lisa Parkes.

My hope for being on the show is to be an inspiration.

BEC: It was, in fact, a drunk driver

who smashed into Lisa, told she would never walk again

and here she is

about to take on the toughest obstacle course in the world.

I was inundated with phone calls and messages.

Disabled people calling me and asking me about different exercises.

Hello. Hi.

And so I wanted to reach out and help paraplegic and quadriplegic clients.

It's really nice to speak to somebody

who's been told that you're paralysed and you're never gonna walk again.

Whoo-hoo! Do a little hip dance.

Lisa's got this strength inside her.

I just think that she's super-human.

I mean, you grow from every failure in life,

with Ninja Warrior, especially.

You can fail, you can get up, you can try again

and you can come back bigger and better next time.

I want to do better than I did before

and more determined to go all the way this time.

Here we go, Lisa Parkes. Determined 44-year-old.

Life has changed since Series 1.

She says she's loving life, thinking positive.

Look at her smiling on the start line.

Giving a little bit of a boogie as well.

Yeah, Lisa!

Oh, look at those beautiful kids on the sideline

with Lisa's mates, Jamie and Caitlyn.

Lisa! Whoo!

In Season 1, Lisa went out in the heats

after falling on the fourth obstacle.

She is no doubt looking to go further this year.

46kg, so there's not a lot of her,

but that didn't hold her back last time around.

You can do it, Mum!

Think about it!

The T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Lisa, Lisa, Lisa!

Let's have a look at how she handles this.

That punching bag is waiting and she's got it.

Oh, no, the weight of the bag's dragging her back.

Oh! She's in trouble.

Yes, she does! Great rescue.

She stays - a brilliant save.

Come on, Lisa. You got this!

Bridge of Blades now. Speed here is the key.

Hang on. Hang on.

Speed is the key but Lisa Parkes is throwing that rulebook out.

Super slow but she does it!

Uses her lightweight frame to outsmart the Bridge of Blades.

Oh, only a very experienced ninja would even attempt this.

Slow and steady wins the race sometimes.

You're right about that.

OK, this is where Steve got it wrong.

Now, Lisa's grip is a lot better.

Her hand over the top and she's light.

That should help. OK, up on the balls.

She's showing a bit of hurt on her face at the moment.

Gee, this is tough.

You gotta feel for her.

Oh, here we go.

How's she gonna make this transition onto the third ball?

Oh! Oh, poor thing.

Lisa in the pool. Oh, no.

Lisa had good technique

but this obstacle is designed to shred your forearms.

She just didn't have the endurance to hold on in the transfer

but, still, little Lisa Parkes made it just as far as Steve Choate.

Goes to show size does not matter on the Ninja Warrior course.

The Bridge of Blades.

We don't usually see that technique.

That's obviously something you've thought a lot about.

Yeah, I was umming and ahhing before I went on which way to do it.

It's a pretty big leap for me so I'm not too heavy,

thought I'd give it a go and smashed that so I was pretty happy with that.

There's still a chance you could make the top 20,

depending on the rest of the ninjas and making it through

to the semi-finals, so it's gonna be an anxious wait but good luck.

Ladies and gentlemen, Lisa Parkes.

It's Freddie.

So, we've already seen gender's not an issue on Ninja Island,

nor is size, so what about age?

Up next, the oldest competitor ever to take on the course.

G'day.

I'm Ian Newland, otherwise known as Rambo,

and I'm 64 years young.

I don't look at age being a big deal.

I don't want to live forever but I'd like to live well as I age.

I watched Season 1 on television

and I thought - gee, I'd love to give it a go.

I've always been fit and involved in sport.

I was a competitive gymnast,

competitive paddler, having paddled from Victoria to Tasmania.

I'm going this way.

Unlike a lot of the other grandparents,

I get actively involved with my grandkids.

Keep going.

A lot of people would say, "Grow up."

But it's him

and that's the way he's keeping himself young and fit and healthy.

Well done!

I'm gonna go out there, give it the best I've got

and have a lot of fun anyway.

How was that one?

And the crowd goes crazy for grandpa.

Tell you what, if you chopped his head off, could be a 25-year-old.

Well, every ninja who sets foot on this course

has passed a series of strength and endurance tests

so tough that most of us mere mortals would never even attempt them

and the man you're looking at passed those tests with flying colours

and I reckon he's about to give this a big shake.

Cheering on the sideline there

is Ian's wife, Ann, son Chris and seven-year-old grandson, Max.

You can do this, Pa!

64 years of age and on the Ninja Warrior Course - amazing.

Pa Rambo, starting off well on the Quintuple Steps.

Come on, you can do this!

He's got one more leap and then he's through the first obstacle.

Oh, yeah!

Comes up to the T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Gives himself a little pump-up.

Let's see if he can grab a hold of this punching bag

at the end of the slide.

I hope he makes it there. Oh, he'll get there.

He'll get there.

Come on, Pa Rambo.

Yes, he does it.

You ripper!

Anyone that's at home that's about 60 years of age,

you'd be thinking, "Golly, this guy is not 64. I couldn't do that."

The Bridge of Blades.

This is gonna be tough.

It's tough for anyone.

At 64, you can beat them.

You can beat the Bridge of Blades.

Oh, psyching himself up. Look at that, look at that.

Go on, Ian, run. Sprint, sprint.

Yes!

Come on, Ian!

Oh, Rambo lighting up this Australian Ninja Warrior course

and the crowd is going nuts.

Ian Newland, at 64,

should be enjoying retirement, getting his free bus pass.

Not this fella.

He's on the Ninja Warrior course

and he's about to take on the Balls to Cargo Net.

I'm gonna say it again.

64 years of age.

Our oldest competitor ever on Ninja Island.

The crowd is going crazy.

He's got the Ball Swing to Cargo.

Now, just as far as his strength goes, Bec, he was recently

in his local newspaper for bench pressing his seven-year-old grandson.

Can he get through the Ball Swing to Cargo Net?

Oh, look at the upper body strength to be able to hold himself up.

This us gonna be a real challenge for him.

Oh! Oh, one hand.

Look at this guy.

Oh! Oh!

Splash! And he got Maddox wet too.

He bashes the water and he's disappointed with himself

but I think he's the only person on Ninja Island

unimpressed with his performance.

That was spectacular.

I give him a ten out of ten.

Pa Rambo, our oldest competitor,

is the first to reach the third ball on this very tricky obstacle.

He looked to have the balls covered

but notice that third one has a much shorter chain.

It doesn't swing like the other two

and, as he rotated through, his right hand just slipped.

How did Grandpa do?

He tried his best and I'm proud of him.

I hear you can bench press your grandson.

I promised to do that on his 21st birthday.

Oh, yeah, do you want to do it now as well?

Bring it on.

Yes.

Ladies and gentlemen, Pa Rambo!

How cool was that.

Amazing stuff.

Our oldest competitor.

What a hero.

There's plenty more action coming up.

Don't move a muscle.

Ahead on Australian Ninja Warrior,

she was defeated by the Warped Wall last season.

Come on! No!

But Olympic gymnast Olivia Vivian is back to make amends.

Do you think I'll make it up the wall?

Yeah. Yeah?

BMX champion Daniel Walker,

who's already put his body on the line for his family.

Favourite ones are these ones.

Remember super supporter Amy?

Whoo, baby!

She's back but, this time, she's off the sideline and onto the course.

And Tarzaniel.

Being one of the finalists last season made him a local hero.

It's pretty funny when people yell out "Tarzaniel" from their cars.

I give 'em a wave or a shakas.

He's coming back and, this time, he's brought his mum.

The Ninja phenomenon has gripped the country

and we are back to serve up another exciting season here on Ninja Island.

This year, more than 8,000 applied to compete on the course

but just the best 300 were selected to take their shot at Mt Midoriyama.

One of them is going through his final warm-up now,

elite speed skater Armstrong Lazenby.

He's been performing on the big stage since age 14.

I'm feeling focused, feeling confident, feeling good.

Need to be in the right mindset before I start off.

That's the most important thing for me,

so I'm really getting myself in that headspace.

I was competing on the Australian team for five years.

Biggest highlight of my own career

was winning a 3km senior national race.

General training scheme was six mornings a week

and that's of hard, intense training.

It was the hardest thing I've ever done.

My grip strength is actually quite good but the problem

is actually that my legs are like anchors, just weighing me down.

As an ice skater, I cover 125 metres in eight seconds.

Wait till you see how fast I take down the course tonight.

Look at the size of this lad's legs.

You can see he's a speed skater.

That's gonna be hard to lug around this course.

They're like tree trunks, aren't they?

He's a big boy.

95kg.

A lot of muscle, though.

And he'll have good cardio from all of that skating.

I can see plenty of leg strength -

bouncing between the Quintuple Steps.

You'd expect that.

He's competed in over 15 international World Cup events.

He gained a scholarship to attend the Victorian Institute of Sport,

Australian Institute of Sport.

A 2013 Australian Junior Athlete of the Year,

so he's well equipped, although this is all new to him.

Onto the punching bag.

Oh, it just slipped through his fingers.

He's disappointed with that.

Armstrong didn't get enough distance off the T-bar.

You can see now he's so low on the punching bag

he can't even wrap those big legs around it

and it was very thin ice from there.

No joy for Armstrong and our next ninja knows that pain all too well.

Last season, the Onesie Ninja, Laura Edwards,

missed the semis by the narrowest of margins

and she's determined not to let that happen again.

She's the Onesie Ninja.

The first season of Ninja Warrior was an incredible experience.

I was really proud of my run

but, unfortunately, I came off going from rings to cargo net.

Go, you can do it.

Oh! No!

Why?

I missed out by one person going through to the semis.

It was really tough missing out just by that tiny mark.

The reaction that I got after Season 1 of Ninja was really incredible.

I work with a lot of men

and sometimes, as an exercise physiologist who is female,

there isn't always that respect that I have the right skills

to train them but, after they saw me on Ninja Warrior,

it just completely changed the respect that the patients had for me

and they call me Ninja to this day.

Last year, I missed out on semis by one person.

It's not gonna happen this year.

I'm gonna make it up that Warped Wall,

I'm gonna hit that red buzzer and I'm going all the way to the end.

Laura Edwards. 28 from New South Wales.

Returning to the Ninja course.

She was a crowd favourite last time.

She was determined, very, very determined.

Partner Annie on the side cheering her on too.

Coach Onesie, it says on the front.

She is a coach and that's a onesie. It is indeed, Freddie.

No woman has ever made it up the Warped Wall in the heats.

Will Laura be the first?

She's hoping so.

It's a careful start.

She's only 165cm tall, so getting across those Quintuple Steps

is no mean feat but she's done that.

And now she faces the T-Slide to Punching Bag

and there's a real art to this.

You've got to go with its momentum and then find your way

onto the punching bag.

Just go for the ride, you're safe. She's going for the ride.

She's off. She's home. She's OK.

Now, that is how you deal with the punching bag.

The Bridge of Blades.

She's just psyching herself up.

And she makes it across with an enormous jump.

And a big response here on Ninja Island.

Now, get ready because no-one's made it to the cargo net so far

because these balls are a killer.

Let's see how she navigates her way.

Two hands on the second ball.

Now onto the third.

Doesn't want to let go of the second

but she has to and now she's got that net.

She fell off the cargo net in Series 1.

She won't want to do that again.

She'll want to make amends for that mistake.

Her family right up against the pool,

almost wanting to get in there and give her a hand.

She's moving pretty quickly through there, Freddie.

Needs to keep her bottom up, doesn't need to sag down.

Any part touches the water

and it's an instant disqualification.

So good, babe.

So good. Here she goes.

One foot, two feet. What a relief.

Well done, Laura Edwards.

You're the furthest on the course so far tonight.

Now, Bec, as Ninja Island celebrates,

I think it's worth having a look at this nightmare obstacle.

This is the Flying Shelf Grab and Laura Edwards is the first to try it.

Have a look at the gap between shelf number one and shelf number two.

Well, it's a whopping 2.2 metres, Ben.

Here we go, Laura Edwards.

OK, and then she's got a little shelf

and this is all about finger strength, this one,

and this is a huge lashay to the second...

Oh, she's got it. No, she hasn't.

Just slipped at the last minute.

What an effort, though. You were great!

Super effort and she knows it.

The 2.2-metre distance to the second shelf is so daunting

and Laura almost swung too hard

and her effort went up, not out, and that meant that all of her weight

was falling when she tried to grab that narrow shelf.

She just couldn't hold on.

Laura, that was an amazing effort.

You look pleased with your work.

Yeah, I am so happy.

Really, really happy coming back from last year,

nearly making it, not quite getting there.

Hope this is enough tonight to take me through to the semis.

Me too.

Ladies and gentlemen, big round of applause for Coach Onesie!

Great effort. Well done. Brilliant. Amazing.

Here's hoping for the Onesie Ninja.

Remember, the top 20 who go furthest fastest

qualify for the semi-finals

and, so far, no-one's even made it to the Warped Wall.

Coming up, Ravi rivalry.

Last season, David outdid his little brother Mark

on the Ninja Warrior course.

Unbelievable.

Anytime I beat him in anything, he just immediately comes back with,

"Yeah, but who did better on Ninja Warrior?"

And it's been a long wait for revenge.

Come on, Mark. Oh!

She flies attack helicopters for a living and rock climbs on weekends.

Mel Polkinghorne is a Ninja Warrior weapon.

Australian Ninja Warrior,

I'm really hoping to fly right through this course.

And, next up, BMX Ninja Daniel Walker.

We love ya.

He reckons his young family saved his life

and it's time to return the favour.

We are back here on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Much more coming up right after this.

Welcome back to the return of Australian Ninja Warrior.

We've already seen

the course is winning against some everyday athletes

and, over the break, three more ninjas met their match.

Former cop Adam Brown's progress

was arrested on the T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Come on, Adam. Oh, no!

Oh, Adam, that's a pretty spectacular wipeout.

Pete Cornish is a Harry Potter nut

but found himself spellbound

and spun out on the Bridge of Blades.

No! Straight into the water, sadly.

Looked a proper muggle then, didn't he?

And Lucy Rozsa had no sooner dipped her foot on the course

and then she dipped her foot in the water.

Oh.

Lucy, what can I say?

It was all over before it began.

Hoping she can do better is an amazing young woman.

Mel Polkinghorne is one of only three women

to fly armed reconnaissance choppers in the Australian Army.

At 15, my parents bought me my first flight in a plane.

It was a Cessna 152 and it was for my birthday

and I thought it was fantastic.

After that, every birthday present,

Christmas present was one more flight.

I love flying so I'm grateful for any opportunity I'm given.

I finished my university, did a year of army training

and then finally got to get my hands on the Tiger

which is the armed reconnaissance helicopter

and that's our armed attack platform within the Australian military.

In December of 2012, my mum got diagnosed with early-onset dementia.

She's still there in person,

so it's still her body, but she's not the person that I grew up with.

Recently, my mum got a lot sicker

and my dad was struggling to look after her on his own

so I chose to come back to Brisbane in a ground job.

I love flying but flying will always be there.

There'll always be helicopters in the world

but my mum won't always be there.

Sorry.

Mel's mum, Geri, can't be here tonight, sadly,

but she's got her dad, Stewart, brother Liam.

They're here for support.

(CROWD CHANTS 'YODA')

Wearing the YODA T-shirt.

It stands for Young Onset Dementia Awareness.

Quintuple Steps first.

Now, she's not a tall woman, Mel.

161cm or 5'3".

But, on top of all that military training,

she's also an accomplished rock climber

and we know from Season 1 of Ninja Warrior

that rock climbers tend to do well.

So, high hopes for Mel.

She may be a helicopter pilot.

She's gonna go for the flight of her life here.

No joystick, no blades.

Here she goes.

Oh, wow. Almost made it look easy.

The Bridge of Blades.

Most of our ninjas

just try and jet through this thing as quickly as possible.

We've seen one tonight go slow.

Oh, we're now seeing another. Here you go.

Mel Polkinghorne is also going the snail approach.

Go, Mozza!

Yep, it was Lisa Parkes who pioneered this technique.

It was. Oh, yeah.

The females on this course tonight are deciding to go slow and steady.

She's only 58kg so it's probably easier

for the lighter women in the competition to balance.

Balls to Cargo Net now.

Only Laura Edwards, the Onesie Ninja, has made it past here.

Come on, Lozza!

It is brutal on her grip strength.

Yeah, she rock climbs three to four times a week,

so, when it comes to sustaining her own weight, she's got plenty...

Oh!

Mel Polkinghorne in the pool.

I spoke too soon.

Mel started very well on the balls.

You want that chain jammed right between your fingers just like that.

But you can see, when she brings up her other hand,

she just loses her grip and that's where it all went wrong.

This tricky obstacle claims yet another first-time ninja.

And, out in the warm-up area,

you can see ninjas are starting to worry about that obstacle,

practising their overhead grip which is so important.

It's too late for our next ninja to practice, though.

Here's BMX champion Daniel Walker.

And he wears his love for his family right across his chest.

I've been into BMX riding for ten-plus years.

Rode for Australia with potential to ride in the Olympics,

hence the name BMX Ninja.

The way that Daniel looks, he can be seen as intimidating.

But, getting to know him, he's so much different.

I just like tattoos.

Me favourite ones are these ones.

I've got Kai, my step-son,

and I've got Isabel, she's my first girl,

so she's right there on my heart.

Izzy loves looking at it.

It's, like, her favourite tattoo I've got.

What do you think Daddy's gonna do?

Press the button.

Isabel's everything to me.

She just wants to do everything Dad does.

Do you want to be a ninja when you get older?

Yeah. She's super excited.

I think she's more excited than I am.

How loud are you gonna cheer for me? Yeah!

I love being a dad,

just watching my kids grow up, watching them be proud of what I do.

I wouldn't be where I am without them, I don't think.

Love you, girl. Kiss? Love you, Daddy.

Mwah.

That's a fair bit of ink on Daniel Walker there.

Oh, Isabel's excited.

Yeah, if the kids ever wondered how much Dad loves them,

well, it's printed all over his body.

Go, Daddy. Come on.

Former BMX competitor.

Gave it up for a number of years and now he's back on the bike

and now on the Quintuple Steps.

He's used to competition, this bloke.

Hopefully, we don't see him get stacked tonight.

Oh, yeah.

"Yes," says Isabel.

Daniel Walker.

Taking this course by its horns. Isabel screaming.

We're all screaming for you at home.

To the Ball Swing to Cargo.

Taken out a lot of our ninjas tonight.

All about grip strength.

All about upper body strength.

All about speed as well which Daniel's showing in abundance.

Yeah, the strength required on those balls

to hold up your entire body weight blows my mind.

And look at him scramble his way down this net.

This BMX bandit is looking good.

Watch those shorts there, Freddie.

Oh, just a little slip there.

Oh, centimetres from the water.

Don't go near that water.

Oh, Isabel's nervous.

So close. I can't watch.

He's so close.

He's turning himself on the side.

Wants his head on the mat before his feet.

Oh, wow.

What an extraordinary run for a first-time ninja.

Have a listen to that scream.

Now, this is the Flying Shelf Grab.

We haven't seen anyone master this obstacle yet tonight.

Will he be the first?

He's just kicked it.

We need you to grab it.

Yes! Hey, this guy is an awesome athlete.

This is the big swing. He's nailed it!

He holds it and now he's got a shot

at being the first competitor tonight to take a shot at the Warped Wall.

Yes! Daniel Walker.

And, all of a sudden, Australia says, "Here we come."

Dad! Do it!

This is the opportunity

to make his way up the Warped Wall at the first attempt.

He's a winner!

He's done it! Daniel Walker!

The BMX bandit is up the Warped Wall!

You did it!

How good was that?

He loves this moment. How does that feel?

So good. Too good.

Enjoy it.

He did it! He did it!

Yes, Isabel, he really did do it.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the first ninja to complete the course, BMX Ninja Daniel Walker.

His athleticism showed through every obstacle tonight.

He flew across the massive 2.2-metre gap between the shelves

and looks like a champion in the making.

Daniel, that was unbelievable. Oh!

Oh, come here. I don't mind, I don't mind.

Mate, you seemed to be in a bit of a rush,

wanted to set a good time tonight?

I wanted to finish. No-one's finished yet.

First finisher.

Did you think you'd get to the top of the Warped Wall?

Yep. I had every... No doubt, no doubt.

How well did he do? Good.

Yeah? You think he can win this? Yeah.

Yeah, we probably think so he can as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, Daniel!

Amazing.

Hey.

Can you believe that?

Is anyone gonna forget what we just saw in a hurry?

I don't think so.

Just a reminder,

only the top 20 of tonight's heat will go through to the semi-finals.

Let's have a look at the leaderboard.

Daniel Walker has marched right to the top

ahead of Onesie Ninja Laura Edwards,

who's the only other competitor to pass the Cargo Net so far.

Based on time, adventurer Steve Choate is next,

followed by Lisa Parkes,

chopper pilot Mel Polkinghorne and Pa Rambo Ian Newland sits in sixth.

Still to come tonight, Adam Matusz

is taking up the challenge for every ordinary dad sitting on the couch.

My kids basically told me,

"I'll let you do it if you don't embarrass yourself.",

Espen Hjalmby, the Viking Warrior from Norway, is on a mission.

I'm here to conquer the mighty Australian Ninja Warrior course

just like the Vikings conquered the sea.

And what about these two?

Last year's super supporter Amy is back, cheering on fiance Ryan.

Yeah, baby! Whoo!

Go, baby! Go, baby! You've got this.

That'd be how...

Yeah, that was me.

But, this time, she's having a crack too.

The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

all want to make it through the course in record time.

But it's the ninja who goes furthest and fastest

that will be given the title of Performance of the Night.

Thanks to Berocca.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Three more ninjas took on the course over the break.

Free runner Agustin Rodriguez

flew through the flying shelves then, strangely, hit reverse.

Oh!

Big wipeout.

Boxer Tommy Browne

fittingly made it to the punching bag but, sadly, no further.

Oh! Oh!

And his little girl can't believe Daddy's out.

And Melbourne hipster barista Ashton Miller started off full of beans...

Have you got anything on under there?

Oh, thank God for that.

..but was ground down by the Bridge of Blades.

Oh!

On the course right now is jetskiing plumber Ryan Solomon

who made it all the way to the Grand Final last year.

Ryan!

With help from girlfriend Amy on the sideline.

They got engaged during the year, they've been training hard together

and Amy's going to be running later tonight.

But, first, she's back in familiar territory, supporting Ryan.

Yes, Ryan.

Amy, she is so excited. Last one.

She wants her fiance to get up the Warped Wall,

even further than Season 1.

Come on, Ryan. Come on. Beat the wall, Ryan.

I reckon he is going straight up the Warped Wall.

You get the feeling he's gonna be faster, stronger, higher.

Ryan Solomon does it again on Season 2 of Australian Ninja Warrior

and says to the rest of the competition,

"I'm here, I mean business, I'm gonna be even stronger this time."

Oh, the other ninjas

have just started to quake in their boots, Ryan.

That was ten out of ten.

Mwah.

Killed it.

So proud of you. Thank you.

Emma, you've yet to run. How are you feeling?

You're gonna join him in the semi-finals?

Oh, look, yes, I'll try my hardest

if I don't vomit up on the first stage.

Don't vomit in the pool, Amy. Nobody wants that.

Any advice for her? Just have fun.

I agree. I tell you what, these two are beautiful.

Imagine their babies.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Solomon!

Well done, mate. Great effort. Top man.

Next up, 37-year-old teacher Adam Matusz.

Like millions of others,

last season he sat on the couch watching with his kids.

They said he couldn't do the course.

He's here tonight to prove them wrong.

I kept telling my kids that, when they go to sleep,

I fly into the night and go into the city

and help people out as a Superman.

My kids basically told me, "That's bull."

You're touching the water.

You're touching the water.

I'm hoping that I'll prove to them

that their dad, even though I'm not a Superman, will at least be a ninja.

I'm from Poland, I've been here for ten years

and I'm proud to be from Poland, so...

I wear Australia on the back

because I'm as much Polish as I am Australian, I hope.

Maybe become the first Australian Ninja Warrior

being a Polish person which would be cool and strange, maybe.

OK, I'll be the first one to say it.

Adam doesn't look like your classic ninja

but we've long since learned that that doesn't count for anything.

His kids have written him off already.

They've said,

"Dad, there's no way on earth you can complete this course."

That's his motivation.

The whole family is here tonight.

There's his wife, Maria,

best mate Dane and his kids, Jakob, aged five, and Hannah, aged eight.

Here he goes.

Adam Matusz.

Quintuple Steps.

180cm or 5'11".

He's 81kg.

If he's nervous, he isn't showing it at all at this point.

Bit of style and grace - hands in the air.

Almost swan-like.

Adam's background is actually rock climbing

and we learnt from Season 1

that the rock climbers had a real advantage

because they're very good mentally

and they're also extremely tough in the upper body physically.

Now the Bridge of Blades.

Will he take the fast or slow approach?

He takes the fast one, Adam Matusz, and nails it.

Well done.

Oh, isn't he happy?

He's reached the fourth obstacle.

And that is the Ball Swing to Cargo Net.

Just working out how he's going to navigate these quite small balls.

He's got one ball and now he's got another ball in the other hand.

That's the easy part.

Now it becomes a whole lot trickier.

Oh!

Oh, no, this is gonna be hard.

He's gotta get enough momentum happening, get that swing.

Yep, he's up. He's got it.

He's got it but we've seen so many of our good ninjas

fall right at this point.

It's the chain on the third ball.

It's much shorter than the others,

it doesn't have the same amount of swing,

but he's on the net and down he goes.

Shake it up, shake it up, shake it up.

Freddie will keep a close eye to make sure

that no piece of clothing hits the water.

Any part touches the water, it's an instant DQ.

This is where the rock climbing skills should come in.

That grip strength, that upper body strength.

And everyone else can see how close they are to the water but they can't.

His kids on the sidelines are beside themselves with excitement.

They're going, "Please, Dad, get to the end."

He's done it.

And now the Flying Shelf Grab.

And look at him - he just has that look of,

"Oh, OK, here we go, this is going to be no walk in the park."

Breathe.

He's looking to his kids for that extra bit of inspiration.

From our perspective up here,

it even looks harder

because we can see how far each flying shelf is away.

Go, Daddy!

It is a huge 2.2-metre leap.

Now, look at this gap.

It's a big gap.

He's gotta get the momentum, he's gotta nail the catch

and then he's gotta hold his whole body weight, Bec,

and already he's starting to feel the pinch.

Oh, this is so taxing on your upper body.

Hanging there in a dead hang.

Oh, no. A reverse faceplant.

He had to check out because he'd realised

he just did not have the energy left to do it but he's done well.

He's made it to the second-last obstacle in the heats.

It was a great effort but, by the time Adam reaches the shelves,

he's got the classic straight-arm hang.

He hasn't got the strength to lift himself up the swing

and eventually the grip just lets go.

Well done.

Kuba! Kuba, come on.

Hey. Kuba, say something to the camera.

Was he good?

Better than good. He was great.

Earlier, Ryan Solomon had his go and now it's time to turn the tables.

Come on down, Amy Jenkinson.

She's made quite a splash on the sidelines cheering on Ryan.

Now it's Amy's turn to have a go herself.

Come on, Amy.

Have fun. Have fun.

Good jump.

It must be very different for our competitors

who were on the sideline last year or watching at home

and they think to themselves, "Yeah, I'll have a go at that."

And then they actually get here and then they're on the podium

and then they hear the buzzer and it must be honestly terrifying.

Good job.

Yeah, Ryan Solomon, we saw him go up the Warped Wall

and Amy Jenkinson would love to be able to do the same.

Hang on tight.

Grabs the T-slide.

She needs to go for a nice, quiet, calm ride.

No, that doesn't look calm. That's alright.

That's alright. That is good.

Good girl, Amy.

It's better than alright. That is good.

Now she gets down low, getting ready to go, go, go.

Oh, it's that last blade.

No, no, no.

Whoo!

But how good was Amy giving it everything she had?

She just sadly did not have the speed

to beat that fourth blade as it swung around.

Not the first ninja that's happened to and she won't be the last.

Is it a lot, lot harder than you ever thought it would be?

I think it's a lot better on the sidelines for me.

I'm just looking forward to cheering on Ryan in the semi-finals.

Still to come,

he was one of the fastest ninjas in Season 1

and was unlucky not to go further.

Launches himself onto the net. Wow!

Now Tarzaniel's back,

facing off against the toughest opponent of all...

Oh, I'd be pretty happy actually if I did beat him.

..his mum.

Last season's ninth-place finisher Ben Polson is up next.

Another near-perfect run.

And he's got something he'd like to tell you.

Olivia and I have certainly become an item,

I'd like to announce, Australia.

Ben Polson and Olivia Vivian, the ultimate Ninja power couple.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

We've reached the halfway point of Heat 1.

The top 20 ninjas tonight that go furthest fastest

will secure a place in the semi-finals.

Let's see how things are shaping up.

BMX Ninja Daniel Walker is still riding high at number one.

Onesie Ninja Laura Edwards

still very much in contention for the semis,

in fourth place.

Over the page, Steve Choate is down to sixth

and Pa Rambo Ian Newland is in ninth place.

How good does our course look.

Let's have a look at the warm-up area, though,

because I've been waiting all night to see this pair.

It's Season 1 sensation Tarzaniel, aka Daniel Weston,

and, believe it or not, that's his mum.

Oh!

Last year, I was on the sideline.

It was great watching him get through to the final.

I'm really proud of him.

Me and my mum, we usually train together

so, when I seen auditions for Season 2,

I just, like, told my mum she has to do it with me.

I want to have a go. I want to have a crack at this.

I reckon everyone's mum should be able to do it.

I'm definitely gonna be that, like, fit when I'm old so... or older.

Played a lot of hockey at state level.

Represented national level at cross-country.

Daniel is being really supportive.

Oh!

Obviously, I want to do better than him.

It'd be pretty funny, my mum beating me.

I don't think that's gonna happen.

Michelle Weston looks as fit or fitter than her 20-year-old son.

Come on, Michelle.

Are we sure that's his mum?

Yes, Freddie, it is Mum.

She's back here on Ninja Island

but this is her first time competing.

Oh, go, go.

She actually had a Ninja obstacle course built in her backyard

but, can you believe it, she suffered an accident on the bars and fell.

She broke five vertebrae but she's still here.

Amazing.

Yeah, Mother.

As she approaches the T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Now, mentally, this one is quite challenging

because you've got two really important manoeuvres to make.

The first one, you just go for the ride.

Oh. She finds the pool.

Not in the way that she'd intended.

Look at Tarzaniel.

Why is he laughing?

His mum's just done a massive faceplant.

Don't worry, Michelle, you did him proud.

Now, they say the best way to do this obstacle is to keep your arms bent

so that they're like shock absorbers at the end of the slide.

Sadly, Michelle's grip could not hold the force.

Maybe Daniel can show her how it's done.

I tell you what, Michelle,

you want to have words with your son after this.

He's on the sidelines laughing his head off.

I can imagine. I've done a good job for him, hey?

I won't hear the end of this.

Ladies and gentlemen, Michelle Weston.

Where's your hug? Give him a hug.

Where's your hug? I don't get any hugs.

Tarzaniel is coming up shortly but, next, something different.

Some of last season's very best performers

came from Western Australia.

Since then,

they've not only been training together at Perth's Ninja Academy,

they're also helping each other to try and beat this course.

We genuinely train together every day.

It's myself, Mark Ravi, Adam Chatfield,

Ben Polson and Olivia Vivian.

Since Season 1, some other gyms have opened up.

People have formed together and trained a bit more

but we've been doing this for longer than anyone else.

We have the best facility in Australia.

And we always push each other to our limit and it's become

a really nice dynamic between a group of friends and we absolutely love it.

First out of Perth's Ninja Academy

and up to the starting block is music producer Ben Polson.

He finished ninth last year and he's looking to go further.

He's got a girlfriend, Olivia Vivian.

She's on the sidelines. She's competing too.

It's been a good year for this lad, hasn't it?

Looks like it, Freddie.

And here he comes.

His return visit to Ninja Island.

He's our tallest ninja this season, Ben, 6'5", 85 kg, and so athletic.

T-Slide to Punching Bag - done.

And he won't waste any time here

on the Bridge of Blades - straight through.

And we've gotta remind ourselves

that a lot of our newcomers have bombed out around about here.

But, after 12 months of hard training,

Ben Polson isn't showing any signs of that at the moment.

This is looking like a great time too.

It's not ridiculously fast

he's gonna make a mistake but it is quick.

Take it slow.

And this is where Ben's height might hurt him.

He's got those long legs to hold up.

The net is only 90cm away from the water this year.

And that's not very far when you're hanging off the cargo net.

He's getting through quickly, though, and, if I have a look at the clock,

he's more than ten seconds ahead of the BMX Ninja, Daniel Walker.

2:20 is the time to beat.

He said, "Seriously, that cargo net has got tougher from last year."

Now, this is where he'll really excel.

You got this. A 2-metre wingspan.

That is a massive advantage to our other competitors.

Come on. Easy. You got it.

Yeah, the size of this bloke really blows you away and look at that -

there he goes, no issue whatsoever.

And already Ben Polson is having a think about the Warped Wall

which he's done with a degree of ease.

The music producer from Western Australia

goes to the top of the charts?

Yes, he does. So easy.

His return visit to Ninja Island is a huge success.

No doubt, he is the ninja to watch.

That was faultless. Ten out of ten, Ben Polson.

It's so great to have you back.

That was brilliant. That looked easy. Was it?

It did not feel easy. It did not feel easy.

Go and catch up with your new love.

Ben didn't just beat Daniel Walker's time, he smashed it by 20 seconds,

and, like all good athletes, he made the very difficult look so easy.

Now the big question - can anyone beat it?

Ah, good to see ya.

He's good, he's good. Have you finished?

You flew through the course tonight.

Was it easier or harder second time round?

It was honestly a lot harder.

I can guarantee you that felt a whole lot harder

than the qualifiers in Season 1, yeah.

I suppose that's testament to the training

with the Ninja Academy lads behind you.

You've worked hard.

Yeah, I love these boys. Always by my side.

I love training with those guys.

And, Olivia, you're gonna run tonight.

How are you feeling about getting up that Warped Wall?

I want to get up that wall so bad.

You're so sweet, the two of you.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ben Polson.

Well done. Amazing. Good job.

Coming up,

can the rest of Perth's Ninja Academy

follow in Ben Polson's footsteps?

Yeah, our Ninja Academy guys are gonna bring the heat.

For Olivia Vivian, it's been 12 months of torment,

reliving the moment the Warped Wall defeated her.

Come on! No!

And then I looked like a puppy trying to get up on the couch.

I'm gonna get out of here so... Good luck.

But, next, it's 20-year-old science student Bryson Klein.

Welcome back to Ninja Island

where Ben Polson was the first runner from Perth's Ninja Academy

to make it up the Warped Wall.

Then, over the break, they made it three from three.

Car detailer Adam Chatfield showed again just how good these guys are,

leaving the course in 3:15.

Well, you got a cramp.

I'm getting too old for this stuff.

Then eldest Ravi brother David

came back to test the rivalry as old as time.

Clock is ticking. Clock is ticking.

With little brother Mark on the sideline,

the pressure was on to get on top of the Warped Wall as fast as possible,

finishing in 3:12.

You've set the challenge for your brother now.

Do you think he can beat your time?

Well, let's not worry about him, yeah.

And on course right now is his brother, Mark.

You'll remember, last season, Mark crashed out in the heats

so David's had 12 months of bragging rights.

Mark has a score to settle.

12 months of regret,

12 months of disappointment would be going through his mind at the moment.

I think the tables are about to turn here, Bec.

Come on, dude, this is it.

And look at that comparison.

He's got a minute to make his way up the wall

and get the upper hand on his bro.

False start. Dries off the feet.

This is it, Bec. Mark Ravi.

This is your opportunity to get up the wall.

Oh, he just does it.

On his very first go.

Mark Ravi can't believe it.

A year of disappointment,

a year of regrets disappear in the blink of an eye.

Mark Ravi, that was your moment.

How are you feeling?

I just...

It happened. It really happened.

It did happen.

I've been dreaming of this

for, like, a year straight, been putting up with all his crap.

Oh, this feels so good.

Oh, my god.

Oh...

Updating the leaderboard and how quickly things can change.

Perth's Ninja Academy dominates the top ten.

Ben Polson sits at number one with a time of 2:00,

20 seconds ahead of second-placed BMX Ninja Daniel Walker.

Mark Ravi's fourth, just ahead of his brother, David,

and Adam Chatfield is sixth.

Laura Edwards is still placing well at eighth

but bad news for Pa Rambo Ian Newland who's slid down to 13th.

Remember, only the top 20 qualify for the semi-finals.

Now, from a bunch of Ninja veterans, we go to a complete first-timer,

an unknown, one of our youngest ninjas, 20-year-old Bryson Klein.

He's a science and engineering student from Sydney.

He's hoping his nerves don't get the better of him.

When I get to that starting line,

my legs will be shaking with nerves but, as soon as that bubber goes...

Buzzer goes, sorry.

Do you want me to do that ag...? I'm so bad at this.

I mumble a lot.

This might take more than one attempt.

I'm so sorry.

Perhaps people will see me as some young,

not particularly buff guy 'cause I'm not physically that strong.

He started climbing with me

mainly 'cause he was hopeless at all the other sports

that he was trying to do.

Come on. Let's go.

Oh...

And, no, he wasn't a natural.

My goal is definitely to make it all the way up Mt Midoriyama

but, realistically,

I'm just gonna give it my best and I'm gonna go as far as I can.

Oh, whoa, how young does Bryson look.

I bet he's up there thinking, "What have I got myself into?"

Yeah, that's his dad, Matthew, there and sister Tessa.

He's brought them along for some moral support.

Oh, Bryson, there's no turning back now.

How is this kid gonna go against the pros?

He is out of the blocks and he is wasting no time at all.

And he has nailed the Quintuple Steps on his first visit to Ninja Island.

Nice and easy.

T-Slide to Punching Bag.

Oh, nice technique.

Well done.

Hello, look at him go. Straight through.

How quick was that? So quick I nearly missed it.

Who is this kid?

I can't keep up with him. I gotta run.

He's already on the balls.

Camera crew can't keep up with him.

He's just flying through the course.

He's on the cargo net already.

He's like lightning. This kid is quick.

My biggest concern for him now is his T-shirt.

Look at his T-shirt dangling down at the back.

Tucking in the shirt, showing off the abs.

Oh, very smart for a young fella, very smart,

tucking the T-shirt behind his head.

He did those first three obstacles so quickly

but now he's taking his time

to make sure that he doesn't stuff this one up.

Whoo!

And just a time check. He's fast.

He's neck and neck with Ben Polson's time.

He's now got a foot on dry land,

then he just throws the rest of his body on there.

Go, Bry.

Onto the shelves now.

He moves quickly, this kid. He is amazing.

I don't know what they're teaching him in science

but it is working and the clock - look at the clock.

2:00 the time to beat.

He's gonna get there, Ben.

I can feel it.

He's gonna do it.

Yes. Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Ten seconds. He needs to get a move on.

Come on.

Too easy. Come on.

Bryson Klein takes one breath and he does just that.

Hit the buzzer. Yes!

That's the second-fastest time of the night.

What an amazing performance from 20-year-old Bryson Klein.

Bryson, whoo!

How good was that. Wow.

Where did that come from? No idea.

That was sensational.

Oh, my god, yes.

I did it. I hit that red buzzer. You did it, alright.

You did it in blistering pace too.

Bryson Klein, he's come out of nowhere

and left scorch marks on the course.

Barely one second behind the great Ben Polson.

It's early days but we have an unlikely new contender for the title.

You just flew through the course.

Your dad was saying you'd be disappointed

you was a little bit slow.

But was there any part of it which you found difficult?

Oh, honestly, I don't remember what happened.

It's kind of just all a big blur to me.

And do you do everything fast?

Oh, when it's important.

That is amazing.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bryson Klein.

Oh, we just love him.

Bryson Klein has set the bar very, very high.

Where did he come from?

That's one of the great things about Season 2 -

some fresh faces doing phenomenal things

and there'll be plenty more of that right after this

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Still to come, wowzers - can you do that?

Espen Hjalmby can.

He's a self-described full-blooded Viking Warrior.

Espen Hjalmby here to conquer the course

just like the Vikings conquered the mighty seas.

And we've seen his mum crash out.

Can Tarzaniel salvage Weston family pride?

He's warming up now.

Probably more nervous

'cause I actually have to back up what I did last year,

so... yeah.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior Season 2

and hasn't it been a brilliant first night?

We've seen fantastic newcomers like adventurer Steve Choate,

chopper pilot Mel Polkinghorne,

Pa Rambo

and, of course, the BMX Ninja, first up the wall.

How good was that!

Don't forget the old guard back from season one,

the furthest fastest female Laura Edwards

and the guys from the Ninja Academy completing the course.

But the surprise of the night so far

has been unheralded newcomer Bryson Klein.

He was just grease lightning.

This kid is quick.

What other surprises are in store as we get down to the final few runs?

Ninja favourite Tarzaniel is warming up.

But, next up, a self-described Viking Warrior

and yoga instructor, Espen Hjalmby.

So, I did a DNA test to find out where my heritage came from.

From the test, I was 99% Viking.

So, that's where the Viking Warrior comes from.

Vikings were the first in the world to cross the sea,

simply because of a belief system that enables us to see

that it's not the obstacles that define us,

it's actually how we respond to the obstacles that makes us who we are.

Persistence breaks down all resistance.

It's about just dedicating yourself to hard work.

My signature move is dropping into the splits.

That's what I'm gonna do when I hit your first buzzer.

Espen Hjalmby here to conquer the course

just like the Vikings conquered the mighty seas.

OK, Espen.

He's a bloke who clearly looks after himself.

179cm tall.

82kg of trim, taut and terrific viking.

Plenty of support tonight.

His friend, Kai, in the viking hat there,

his best mate, David, and girlfriend Rebecca.

Espen had a motorcycle accident in 2006.

He broke both his legs.

It's taken years of recovery

to get himself to this elite level of fitness.

And fit he is.

He reckons these days it's all about rock climbing and obstacles

and meditation, as well, so he's very chilled.

There you go - T-Slide to Punching Bag dealt with.

No time to relax here, though, on the Bridge of Blades and, oh, so quick.

How good.

Pumps himself up.

Getting all the energy he can from the crowd.

He's very precise in what he's doing on this course.

Locks his fingers.

The very top of the ball so he's got the very best grip possible.

And now reaches out with his feet and grabs

a hold of that net with the legs to make his way down the cargo net.

"Namaste, namaste," they're saying.

They must know that he's into his meditation.

Easy, easy.

Hips up. Keep your hips up.

But how do you stay chilled in a predicament like this,

where you make one small miscalculation

and your Ninja Warrior night is finished?

Almost there. Easy, brother.

Keep going, mate.

Well, I'm just hoping one of those ribbons

that are bound round his legs doesn't come loose.

Those ribbons are hiding

some of the biggest calves that we've ever seen on Ninja Island, Bec.

And now, just ever so gingerly, he gets up.

Whoo!

Just asking the crowd to lift to get him through to the end.

They're doing the Viking clap.

Icelandic style, not Norwegian.

Love you, babe.

"Love you, babe," comes the call from the sideline - onto the bar.

And then the first shelf.

This bloke's six-pack is phenomenal.

And, as he just comes across in front of us here on obstacle five,

this guy is a machine.

Can he grip it?

Yes, Espen.

He holds. He's gonna make it.

And now the big swing. Nice landing.

The Viking Warrior eyes off the Warped Wall.

He just pointed to the Warped Wall

and said, "You know what, you're mine.

"I'm gonna take you on the first go."

That is exactly what happened and the splits to boot.

Whoo!

Whoo!

Yes!

That was spectacular.

How's that feeling for ya?

It's ridiculous, mate.

You don't think, you just do, you know?

And you did. You did real well.

Thank you very much.

Go and enjoy it. Celebrate. Congratulations.

Looking forward to seeing you in the semi-finals.

Love you, baby.

Espen the Viking came, saw and conquered,

all shapely calves and abs.

He bounced through the course like an invading army,

then went up the Warped Wall as only a Norwegian would.

We'll look forward to seeing Espen again in the semis

but now it's time for chapter two in the Weston story.

Earlier tonight, his mum, Michelle,

didn't make it past the second obstacle.

But now coming out swinging is king of the Ninja jungle.

It's Tarzaniel.

The boy who took the tournament by storm last time round.

Look at him.

Looks like he's been working out this time round.

Hey, Dan, you alright?

Come on, mate. Right behind ya.

I know there's a danger in getting ahead of ourselves but he's gotta go

sub two minutes if he's going to beat Ben Polson and Bryson Klein.

Well, Ben, he was so quick last year

and seems even more confident this time around.

Yes.

Now onto the Bridge of Blades.

He'll just sprint through. Oh, no, he's used his hand twice.

Used his hand twice.

He'll get disqualified. No, he won't.

No, he used his hands. No, he won't.

Oh, my god. Oh, no.

What? You are kidding.

Oh, no, I don't want to do this.

This cannot be happening. What?

One of the favourites disqualified on the Bridge of Blades.

This is a huge disappointment for everyone.

The rules are clear.

You are not allowed to use your hands.

It's instant disqualification.

And with the new set-up, those blades come around a lot faster

and the Bridge of Blades claims a big scalp.

Daniel, I get the feeling you know what happened, don't you?

Yeah, my hand touched that thing.

How disappointed are you, mate?

Yeah, I'm pretty annoyed.

Are you? Yeah.

Alright, never mind. Will we see you again next year?

Yep. Top man.

Ladies and gentlemen, Tarzaniel.

Love you, Daniel.

Well, there's one for the mums.

With Tarzaniel DQ'ed,

Michelle Weston is officially the better ninja for 2018.

Coming up, Olivia Vivian prepares to take on her nemesis.

This year, I'm faster, I am stronger

and I am hungrier to get up there and conquer the course.

Olivia is up next.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Over the break, Season 1's furthest fastest Fred Dorrington

showed he's lost nothing in the past year.

Fred Dorrington, it is so great to have you back.

Just Fred eased his way through the course in 2:40

with time to spare to socialise.

When are you gonna come over for a barbeque?

Mate, I'm in. Just invite me. Send the invite.

I sent you an invite. When?

The other day. Oh, this is awkward.

I'd love to have a barbeque with Just Fred.

OK, ladies and gentlemen.

This is our final ninja but what a competitor.

Olympic gymnast Olivia Vivian.

With a year of training behind her,

can Olivia be the first ever woman to get up the Warped Wall in the heats?

I love when people come into the cafe

because they've seen me on Ninja Warrior.

You did a really good job.

Yeah, did I look strong? Yeah.

I started the cafe The Leaky Tap

after my father passed away a few years ago.

I wanted to do something to honour him

and the Vivian's Plumbing business

that he ran through generations of Vivians.

Australia came on first season because I said - what would Dad do?

Straya!

He would've done something goofy and so I threw on the Straya.

I could see him wearing that.

Do you think I'll make it up the wall?

Yeah. Yeah?

BEN: Here we go. First attempt. No, she's well short.

After missing that Warped Wall and training so hard for a year,

I definitely feel a lot of pressure.

Will she do it down under? Come on!

No!

It's a symbol of something that I've failed before,

so getting up that Warped Wall

is gonna be so much more than just completing an obstacle to me.

Here's the reality.

Only one Australian woman made it up the Warped Wall last season.

That was Andrea Hah in the semis.

And it took six seasons

for a woman to make it up the Warped Wall in America.

Olivia Vivian is just so cool.

Oh, what an entrance.

She is used to the big stage.

She's competed at the Beijing Olympics

and took silver at the Glasgow Comm Games.

And Ben Polson.

It can't hurt to have him on the sideline.

He's already done it.

Remember, it's exactly the same course for the men and the women.

Chuck it here, Olivia.

Olivia, Olivia, throw it here.

OK, it's time to get serious now.

Sort of, sort of.

Completing this course is a mission she set herself after last year.

Now it is time to deliver.

Olivia, here she goes.

Her mind has been on this obstacle course for the past 12 months.

Yeah, Bec, there's no doubt she's ready

but, as we've seen time and time again, one slip is all it takes.

Oh, what style.

Come on, Olivia.

Come on, Liv. Come on, Liv. You got it.

Now the Bridge of Blades.

Straight through the Bridge of Blades.

Bit of an ugly landing but she taps her heart as if to say,

"Thank God I got through that."

Oh, the next one, though.

This is the one that worries me, Ben.

Several of our top ninjas have missed the grip on those balls.

She's got to be so careful.

She's got the short chain.

Has she got it?

Yeah, I reckon she's looking good here, Bec.

And the net's going to suit her.

She's got all the gymnastics training behind her.

She's got the strength to hold herself right up

and keep away from that water and she's doing well.

She's smart too.

She's on the edge of the net

where it's tighter and further away from the water.

Come on, babe. That's it.

Just be careful here, Olivia.

Don't give it away now.

She's left a big gap between her and the water there.

She doesn't want to risk anything.

She's looking very relaxed, calm,

strong and each manoeuvre is measured.

Look how close her hair is to the water!

Come on, guys, come on.

Bring your legs up.

Put one up. Yes, yes, Olivia, yes!

Olivia Vivian.

Two obstacles to go.

She's about to hit the two-minute mark.

And now she gets to eyeball this nightmare of an obstacle,

the Flying Shelf Grab.

Here she goes.

Yes, lands the first shelf.

The next one's the big one.

No woman has made it past this obstacle.

Can she keep going?

Yes, she hits it and holds it!

She's incredible.

What an athlete.

Oh, Olivia Vivian, putting on a show for the crowd.

She blows a kiss to the crowd

and now she's gotta get the momentum happening again.

She does it so quickly.

Oh, wow.

Yeah, she's here, Bec.

She's at the Warped Wall.

Now, this is David and Goliath stuff.

Let me remind you, just one Australian woman has made it up.

Olivia's tried and failed three times but that was last year.

Be the first female. Come on.

Can she be the first woman on Season 2 of Australian Ninja Warrior

to conquer the Warped Wall?

Here she goes.

No. Well, she wasn't even close there.

I don't know whether she slipped or whether she didn't get a good run-up.

As a reminder, everybody, she's not out.

You do get another two chances.

Come on, Olivia.

Time to shine.

This is for history.

Here she goes for a second attempt. Yeah!

And she's got it. Go, Olivia!

What? What? What?

How the hell did that happen?

You're nuts.

Yes! Oh, my goodness.

Oh, my god! Go, you, girlfriend.

You are the first woman to scale the Warped Wall.

Oh, my god. Oh, my god.

Whoo!

You are a champion.

You are the woman to watch this competition.

That was extraordinary.

Straya!

There it is.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...

ALL: Oi, oi, oi!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...

Oi, oi, oi!

Aussie... Oi!

Aussie... Oi!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie... Oi, oi, oi!

Yeah, she's scarin' me.

Wow, she is the woman to watch in this competition,

no doubt about that.

Unbelievable.

Last season, we had to wait until the semi-finals

before a woman made it up the Warped Wall.

Olivia has done it on the very first night and look at that style.

Ridiculous.

What an entertainer. What a ninja.

Olivia Vivian, come here.

Sorry, Ben. Sorry, Ben. It's all good. It's all good.

What's going on?

Olivia Vivian, you are the first girl in Australian Ninja Warrior history

to make it to the top of the Warped Wall in the heats,

the first girl in Series 2 to get to the top.

Can I ask ya or do I need to ask ya how you're feeling?

I have trained so hard for a full year to defeat that wall.

I am so happy right now.

I'm just so grateful to my Ninja community

who have helped me train for that 'cause it is not easy.

Could you be the first person and woman to make it up Mt Midoriyama?

That is the big question. How far can you go?

Let's hope all the way, Freddie.

Yeah, me too. That was amazing. Do you want your tutu back?

Well, history has been made on the first night of Season 2

of Australian Ninja Warrior

and you get the feeling that they've set the bar for much more to come.

With the top 20 ninjas progressing to the semi-finals,

Ben Polson takes number one spot,

a second ahead of exciting newcomer Bryson Klein.

The Ninja Academy boys dominate page two of the stats.

Olivia Vivian was the 12th and last ninja

to make it up the wall tonight.

Good news is Onesie Ninja Laura Edwards

has achieved her dream of making the semis,

as has adventurer Steve Choate.

Bad news for Pa Rambo who misses out.

Furthest fastest tonight was the incredible Ben Polson

but there's only one candidate for Performance of the Night.

Olivia Vivian with that amazing backflip up the wall.

Tomorrow night on Australian Ninja Warrior,

more of our heroes return for their date with destiny.

And nothing's gonna break me on this course.

But, setting foot on Ninja Island for the first time,

the newcomers, just as determined to beat the course.

I'm hoping to maybe even just do a Steve Bradbury.

You know, if everyone else falls off, I'm your winner.

Our first father and son ninjas.

I'm here to say that this old man has still got it.

And I'm here to show that he doesn't.

A professional rugby league player.

Everything I do, you always have fear of failure

and that'll be no different out there tonight.

And a son of two Olympians.

Most of the other competitors in Ninja

wouldn't be able to do what Jet does.

They've all got Mt Midoriyama in their sights.

This time, I'm getting to the top.

But their first goal is to beat the wall

and, after tonight, the only thing we know for sure, anything is possible.

Well, that brings us to the end of another history-making Ninja Warrior,

signalling the start of a season that promises to be bigger than ever.

Join us again tomorrow night with new obstacles, new ninjas

and a whole new night of exciting action

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Goodnight.