Slackliner Jaan Roose Slides Over a Frozen Waterfall and into History Books, in His Socks!
What’s slacklining.
Slacklining is simply a balance sport that involves walking, bouncing, or performing tricks on a narrow, flexible piece of webbing tensioned between two anchor points. Typically practiced outdoors, slacklining requires focus, core strength, and proprioception to navigate the dynamic surface. The line, often made of nylon or polyester, is tensioned to create a flat, bouncy surface that reacts to the slightest movements.
Beginners start close to the ground, gradually progressing to higher and longer lines as they improve their skills. Slacklining offers a unique blend of physical and mental challenges, promoting concentration, coordination, and mindfulness.
It is often seen in parks, beaches, or other open spaces to share tips, tricks, and camaraderie. Beyond its recreational aspects, slacklining has gained popularity as a form of exercise, therapy, and performance art, with competitions and festivals held worldwide.
Estonian slack liner Jaan Roose, who nabbed a world record by crossing the world’s longest single building highline in Qatar in 2023, achieved another remarkable unique feat. Roose and team rigged a highline across the Valaste waterfall, Estonia’s tallest cascadeand he did it in his socks!
Quick Snapshot:
Jaan Roose, an Estonian slackliner, successfully conquered a highline across the Valaste waterfall, Estonia’s highest, in freezing winter conditions.
The highline was set at 50 meters above the ground. Roose prepared for the cold with five layers of socks, anticipating the wear from each slide.
The feat is the latest in Roose’s series of record-breaking slackline achievements, including a world record slackline crossing in Qatar, a 500-meter highline in Kazakhstan and the longest slackline in Africa at 580 meters.
– Valaste, situated in the village of the same name within Toila municipality in Ida-Viru County, boasts a drop of approximately 30 meters, making it the tallest waterfall in the Baltic region. Roose’s route took him along a highline set at a notable height of 50 meters above the ground, with Roose reaching speeds up to 22 km/h.
– The conditions Roose faced were extraordinary: a sharp 13-degree angle of the line, slippery surfaces, and chilling temperatures. To combat the cold, Roose, donned five layers of socks and footwear, a necessary precaution as he noted each slide would wear through a layer.
– To successfully complete the feat brought unique challenges, Roose explained: “It’s not just walking slowly on a slackline, but instead sliding, where the force of friction also plays a role. You must slide well there, because if I get stuck, I fall and slide against the post.”
The Estonian champion slackliner has a legacy of daring accomplishments. In 2022, he traversed a 500-meter highline in Kazakhstan, set 200 meters above ground in challenging weather conditions. That same year saw him balance across the Maas River in Rotterdam on a line merely two centimetres wide, a 625-meter traverse between buildings, completed in 49 minutes.
– Adding to his list of records, in 2023 Roose set the African record for the longest slackline, completing a 580-meter stretch between two rock formations.
