World Records Slackline Tightrope Walk
‘Not of this Earth’ Christian Schou’s daring undertaking to cross a Norwegian fjord in Kjerag, Norway at 3,280 feet (1000 meters) — the equivalent of 3 Eiffel towers high — earned him the Guinness World Record title for the highest slackline — or tightrope — walk.
An expert in slacklining, Christian’s highlining achievement was accomplished on August 3, 2006 as he walked on a nylon line 39 feet across and 1 inch wide. Unlike tightrope walking, a slackline can bounce.
He now shares the title alongside his colleague Aleksander Mork who repeated the audacious feat in September 2007.
Longest Slackline
The longest slackline on record was performed by Damian Cooksey on July 10, 2007 in the English Garden in Munich, Germany, at a length of 506 feet (154 meters).
Damian set the record with his 3rd attempt after spectacular struggles to battle against strong winds and pouring rain in his previous efforts.
Longest Slackline History
Long slackline walking was pioneered most notably by Dean Potter, Shawn Snyder, and Braden Mayfield. 200 to 300 foot slackline walks have been rumored in the past, however there is no known official line length record from this period.
Photo Slakkline
Extreme climber and photographer Heinz Zak was one of the first to go on record for long slacklining with his walk of a 328 foot (100 meter) line in August 2005. His record stood until March 4, 2007, when Damian Cooksey walked a 405 foot (123.5 meter) line in Warsaw, Poland.
On May 31, 2007, Andreas Thoelke set a new record by walking a 443 foot (135 meter) line. This record was then broken by Damian Cooksey in 2007 with his 506 foot slackline walk — a record which still stands today.
Slacklining
Slacklining is a balance sport which utilizes nylon webbing stretched tight between two anchor points. It is distinct from tightrope walking in that the line is not held rigidly taut — it is instead dynamic, stretching and bouncing like a large rubber band.
The line’s tension can be adjusted to suit the performer and different types of dynamic webbing can be used to achieve a variety of feats. The line itself is flat, due to the nature of webbing, therefore keeping the slacker’s footing from rolling as would be the case with an ordinary rope. The dynamic nature of the line allows for imposing tricks and stunts.
Photo Slakkline
Highlining
Highlining is slacklining at a high elevation. The line is set especially strong with precautions taken to ensure nothing goes wrong while the slacker walks across a gap anywhere from 20 to several thousand feet off the ground. Most highliners wear a climbing harness with a leash attached to the slackline itself, but unleashed walks of highlines are not unheard of.
Tricklining or Lowlining
Tricklining — or lowlining — is the most common type of slacklining since it can be set up from nearly any 2 secure points. A relatively new sport, tricklining is performed low to the ground
Some of the basic tricks performed today include standing, stand start, walking, walking backwards, turns, knee drop, opposite turn around, and bounce walk.
Various intermediate tricks include the moonwalk, sit mount, Buddha sit, mantle start, sitting down, lying down, jump start, cross legged knee drop, surfing forward, surfing sideways, jump turns, and ‘Carroll’s mount.’
Advanced / expert tricks involve backflips on the line and back onto the line, jumps referred to as ‘ollies,’ tree plants, front flip and back flip dismounts, doing push-ups, tandem walking, the tandem pass, piggy-back rides across the line, and jumping from line-to-line.
Freestyle slacklining — or rodeo slacklining — provides a wide array of opportunities for both swinging and static maneuvers. A freestyle slackline has no tension in it, while both traditional slacklines and tightropes are tensioned. This slackness in the rope or webbing allows it to swing at large amplitudes.
Photo Slakkline
History of Slacklining
While rope walking has been around in one form or another for thousands of years, the origins of modern day slacklining are generally attributed to rock climbers Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington, living in Yosemite Valley, California, in the early 1980’s.
They began their ‘walking’ on loose chains and cables alongside parking lots, and over time progressed to stringing up their climbing webbing and walking it. The sport flourished from there among climbers in the valley, and then branched out elsewhere throughout the world.
Common Setups
A slackline is commonly constructed with 3 sections of webbing — a long section 30 to 100 feet (9 to 30 meters) strung tightly between 2 trees, using ‘tree slings’ 8 to 12 foot (2.5 to 3.5 meter) long as anchors on either end. Padding should be used between the slings and the trunk of the tree to avoid damaging the tree and fraying the webbing — oftentimes cardboard or carpet scraps.
The most difficult and widely discussed element of a slackline setup is the tensioning system. Common setups include simple friction methods, using wraps of webbing between two carabiners, a ratchet, a carabiner pulley system, a roped pulley system, or a commercial slackline kit.
Amazing Slackline 3000 Feet High
Leo Houlding slacklining at 3000 feet. Video was shot to promote the
Berghaus Big Wall clothing range.
Slacklining – Moab Utah
Slacklining at Gemini Bridges near Moab, Utah
Slackline World Record 405 Feet Long
Damian Cooksey walks a 405 foot world record length slackline at
Pole Mokotowskie in Warsaw, Poland. March 4, 2007
Slacklining Ilkley Quarry Highline
How to Set Up a Slackline
A simple method for setting up a slackline with 5 carabiners.
This setup should not be used for highlines.
Source: Wikipedia
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Whatever happened to golf and bowling for leisure?
Hahaha, I guess for some it’s simply not enough, Jaki
Looking for Little Shawn. We miss you. From the Pacific Northwest your friends from the HI Desert – Lo and Laura
That are amazing photos and videos. They guys are really courageous, i wish i could also do same.
…Which reminds me about the good saying: everyone loose their own minds in their own ways. But looking at the photos and videos I envy these guys because they found what they like to do and they’re doing it. And not just something boring but rather adventurous and exciting. Good luck to them!
George Loughton’s last blog post..Wireless network setup problems: tips, tricks and advice
theres a new longline record, its 203m set by Stefan Junghannß on 16.03.2009 in Dresden, Germany