In an attempt to set a record for the longest slackline walk ever, Jaan Roose— an Estonian slackliner of fame— crossed the Messina Strait from Italy to Sicily. The distance he covered was 2.26 miles (3.6 km) which made it a landmark display of how much skill and commitment is needed in slacklining. Unlike tightrope walking, slacklining uses flexible polyester webbing that can stretch, move and bounce; thus making it quite different from other sports due to this added difficulty level. This sport came into being in the 1980s and usually features slacklines about 15-20 feet (5-6 meters) long, suspended just a few feet above ground level.
Roose set out from an altitude of 870 feet (264 meters) at one electrical transmission tower in Santa Trada, Italy; his end point was another power line tower located in Torre Faro, Sicily. The width of the slackline was only 3/4-inch (1.9 cm), yet it spanned across the Messina Strait— an infamous water body referred to as the “ship killer.”
Despite facing numerous challenges during the nearly three-hour journey, Roose fell just 262 feet (80 meters) short of his goal, only four minutes from completion. According to the rules of slacklining, a fall invalidates the record attempt. His safety harness caught him, and after a brief rest, he resumed his walk, only to fall again shortly afterward. Determined, he rebalanced himself and finished the walk, although the attempt did not count as an official record.
Despite this, Roose surpassed the previous longest slackline walk record of 8,891 feet (2,710 meters), covering 11,699 feet (3,566 meters) before his fall. Reflecting on the achievement, Roose said, “I feel ‘jaantastic,’ … I am super happy, a bit tired and worn out … I made history … I walked 3.6 km across the Strait of Messina! It was a long walk, full of surprises from start to finish. I had some difficulties, but the weather was good. I expected more wind.”
Roose, 32, is a three-time world champion slackliner and the first to perform a double backflip on a slackline. His credits include stunt work in Hollywood films such as Assassin’s Creed and Wonder Woman 1984. This latest attempt, although not officially recorded, stands as a testament to his extraordinary skill and determination.