Slacklining

Are you ready for a new challenge considering trend sport?

General facts

• Trendy kind of sport

• Something in common with tightrope acts in a circus

• Slacklining= balance on slackline

• Sportler: composition of

balance concentration coordination

• Good training for other kinds of sport e.g.climbing,skiing,etc.

• Only balancing> try tricks or jumps

General facts

History

• Relatively new kind of sport• Before becoming a single kind of sport,climbers

just used it for practising• USA: start: 1980s in Yosemite Nationalpark• Main idea: climbers also train during bad

weather > another possibility: rope on a car park• Europe: 70s and 80s climbers also balanced on

a rope ( independent actions)

Yosemite national park

Characteristics

• Line between two points

• Really moves> depends on the user‘s weight

• Slackline: very dynamic, have to pay attention > do not fall down

• Do not look like a tightroper> do not very elegant

• Even out the balance with legs

Comparison between and

• circus • slackline

Professional slackliners = artists ,although a lot of things in common, differences, too

• Circus• For audience

• Very elegant

• Strict rope > easier to walk on it

• Slackliner• On their own and for

their own• Trying tricks > result

knowledge of the possibibilities during this sport

• Very dynamic > moving > very hard to have a good balance

Material

• Not very much > most important: slackline

• Width: 25 mm

• Biggest width: easiest > is not so flexible

• Materials: different traits > challenge = same tricks on ropes with different widths

Right material > put up right

• Two points > good distance, e.g. 2 trees

• Protection by using some stuff before putting line

• Not difficult > easy for everybody > sport for everybody

Kinds of slacklines

• Different difficulties

• Everybody: choose the right one for themselves

lowline

• For beginners• Length: 10-12 m• Height:30-70 cm• Because of very low height

> not dangerous• Can balance during

walking + standing > try little tricks

• Underground: very soft > reduce/avoid injuries

Longlines/highlines

• Length: 20 m (just for walking+ balancing)

• Length: 100 m > special challenge• Slackliners: very calm and concentrated• Reason: line start moving > cannot stop• Highlines: breathtaking heights,

e.g.between cliffs• Very difficult for mind and body• Special line for your safety

Waterlines• Special underground (over water)

• Good in summer > new tricks: do not work out > just fall in water > before doing this: have to check water depth

• Also over rivers: weird > reason: move, are not at only one place

Darklines

• Without light > really big challenge

• Due to injuries, really good safety necessary

• Just for professionals

Criticism

• Some environmentalists: not good for trees which are needed

• Difficult topic• Slackliners: really careful,

protection > no damage• Since a lot of people have done it

> is forbidden in some public parks

• Opinion most people: not true• Trees not endangered if good

protection

Good protection

Good protection

Result: be not concerned about the trees

The end

Julie Rausche

Sources of information

• Text: wikipedia; slacklinen.de

• Pictures:google (e.g.Köln Nachrichten; slackfest.de; wikipedia)