Late last year, 23-year-old German ‘slacker’ (as in ‘person who slacklines’), Alexander Schulz, broke the world record for the longest slackline walk, with a successful attempt of 370 meters. The rope was secured 100 meters up between two limestone karst peaks near Yangshuo, Guangxi.
Despite appearing similar to tightrope walking (and appealing to a similar breed of fearless nutjobs) slacklining is different to traditional highwire. The line – as the name suggests – has a bit more give than a tightrope. During Schulz’s world record walk the rope sagged up to 15m.
Alex happy and tired after the successful walk.
“The biggest challenge was connecting the rope between the rocks,” Schulz tells us. “It took us one week to fight through the jungle, get the ropes above the power cables and finally pull it up at the other side.”
“I had to get up early every morning in freezing weather, and hike up the loose rock mountain to prepare. I fell a few times [Schulz had a safety rope attached] and at one point thought it was impossible. Eventually, though, I learnt to deal with the movements of the webbing [the line].” It took the madman 42 minutes and was chosen by Red Bull as one of their top 10 records of 2014.
“It was incredible,” Schulz adds. “Hundreds of people watched us and we had the privilege to perform our sport in a unique place which we had never been to before.”
Alex loses balance and catches the slackline with both hands.
Alex falls in the leash (safety rope).
During walking the German listens to music.
The slackline rope sagged up to 15m.
Alex on the last meters of the 375m long highline.
[Photos courtesy of Alexander Schulz]
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