portion 22 will bear most or all of the tension loads under normal operating conditions as the tension load on the rope 20 exceeds the load threshold associated with the first set of tension failure characteristics the first portion 22 of the rope 20 begins to deform marking the beginning of the first stage of the tension failure sequence typically this deformation takes the form of elongation of the first portion 22 as the first portion 22 of the rope begins to deform the tension load on the rope 20 is eventually at least partly borne by the second portion 24 and the second portion 24 of the rope also begins to deform typically the deformation of the second portion 24 of the rope 20 also takes the form of elongation the first material is selected such that the first portion 22 will break before the second portion 24 the breaking of the first portion 22 marks the end of the first stage and the beginning of the second stage of the tension failure sequence after the first portion 22 breaks the entire tension load on the rope 20 is borne by the second portion 24 at this point the rope 20 has not completely failed and the still intact second portion 24 continues to deform after further deformation the second portion 24 of the rope 20 eventually also breaks marking the end of the tension failure sequence when the first portion 22 breaks at the end of the first stage of the tension failure sequence at least a portion of the potential energy introduced into the rope 20 by the tension load is converted to kinetic energy however the intact second.