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The Petr Vorisek interview
The new pro member of the team Equilibrium ! A badass killer called Petr Vorisek who likes slack and chocolate, just like us ! He can do trick on longline, so yes he is a new generation mutant.
Tell us who are you ?
Petr Voříšek, the smiling guy with poo on his head.
Where are you from?
Liberec, Czech Republic
What do you love most about your home town ?
Our lovely slackline community
Since how long do you slack ?
since 2008
How did you enter in Equilibrium team ?
For a past few years almost everywhere I went slacklining, I was with the guys from EQB team. And I knew they want me;) The only problem was my membership in competing companies.
Do you managed to live ONLY by slacklining ?
Not yet.
The longest longline you’ve ever walked ?
I don’t know exactly. 200m+
We know that you love playing the longline, what is your favourite trick ?
Backbounce! And recently turns while surfwalking.
What did you do last sunday ?
I had a walk on crutches with my girlfriend in Adršpach rocks. (I’ve broken my foot two weeks ago in Poland, right after the River Crossing World Championship)
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
I want to have stronger bones.
A phrase you say often ?
hahaha
A common misconception about yourself is :
That I can sleep on a slackline.
Your biggest fear is :
About a year ago, while walking a highline freesolo, an unexpected fear came to my mind in the middle of the line. I think that was the biggest fear I have ever had. I can’t do it since that day.
Your biggest worry is :
Now it’s my exams. Or rather the dates of exams, because I don’t know if I can be in time for the French Riviera Highline Meeting.
Your biggest weakness is:
Tatranky – Czech hazelnut biscuits
A guilty pleasure of yours is :
Hours and hours of discovering new music on the internet.
An excuse you use often ?
I forgot.
Something you could use more of in life is :
yoga
Something in your refrigerator ?
3 weeks old meal in jar
Where did you travel in 2014 ?
I was in Iceland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Italy…
Where will you travel in 2015 ?
Still somewhere to Europe.
What webbing do you usually use ?
3 ton PES
Your favourite possession is:
RE pulleys – so cute!
Your first thoughts upon waking up are :
What’s the time? Is it weekend today?
What passions did you have before slacklining ?
Aggressive inline skating
The last line you walked was :
The competition midline at the River Crossing World Championship.
Do you listen to music by slacklining ? and what’s your favourite song to ?
I don’t usually listen to music while walking, but when I do, it’s something like 90’s deep house or dub techno. When I was walking my first 100m+ longline, I was listening to Crystal Castles.
The last meal you ate was :
A green apple
The last text message you sent was:
“Cus, mas predstavu v kolik bysme mohli jet?”
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
I can’t remember. (maybe this one: the less you know, the happier you are, haha)
The best word to describe your life is :
luck
Slackline in one word is:
Webbing
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
single-mindedness
One mistake you’ve done rigging a highline ?
Didn’t fix myself while rigging.
Highlining should be completely free or there should be rules ?
Every highliner should know some rules about safety and protecting of nature.
You think solo is :
Next step after ankle leash.
What was your best slackline memories during the last year ?
The last highline of our Iceland trip. Heavy wind, beautiful scenery, birds flying around…
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
100m highline would be nice. And to learn some new longline tricks. And try them on a highline.
Do you like chocolate ?
Love!
Last Word :
Love!
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The Faith Dickey interview
That Slackline girl, and not any girl… She is the best female in our community, and one of the best highliner in the world. She understood that slackline is not a matter of muscles or gender, but it’s about passion, boldness, patience and willpower. She is popular, but abordable, she does crazy things but she is smart, she does free solo but she speaks in conference, she lives free but she cares about causes, she can slack alone but she organizes events, she is dead serious but do mindblowing stunts, she is an artist, she does free solo, she climbs, she does skydive, she highlines with costumes, with high heels, under the rain ! she is one of the outstanding extreme sport athletes of the 21th century ! Austin should someday have a street named after her.
Tell us who you are ?
My name is Faith Dickey, I am 26 years old, a professional slackliner for a living, a vagabond at heart, and a beginner ukulele player.
Where are you from and where do you leave now ?
I am born and raised in Texas, where I am still a resident, and I live part time in California on the central coast.
What do you love most about your hometown ?
Austin is great! I think I love the live music and the food the most.
How do you enjoy slacklife ?
I love living my passion. My world revolves around equilibrium and the experience on the line. The sport of highline takes me to beautiful and unusual places, where I experience new cultures, languages and foods, and then I get to be in space, where normally only birds fly.
Do you manage to live by only being a pro slack athletes ?
I often tell people being a pro-slackliner just means that your gear is worth more than your bank account.
Since how long do you slack and how did you discovered slackline ?
I’m a slackliner since 2008 and a highliner since 2009. I found slacklining in my hometown of Austin, Texas, at a park, and highline entered my life when I went to Europe to travel.
How did you enter into Balance community ? Was it your first sponsor ?
Originally I was sponsored by Gibbon, but after a few years of cooperation it was apparent that it was not a good fit, as highline was not the focus of their company. I have known Jerry (the owner of BC) for years and consider him to be an inspirational character with lots of integrity, so I was honored and happy when he offered to sponsor me!
You are the most accomplished and famous slack female. How is it like to be a girl in the slack community ?
To be a girl in the slackline community is similar to be a girl in all outdoor sports where there is a male majority. It has its benefits and disadvantages. I strive to change perceptions of gender and behavior resulting from social conditioning, and I look forward to a day when there is balance in participants of outdoor and extreme sports.
How was it to do the volvo truck video ? Was is hard to do it ? and how many tries did it take to walk the line on full speed ?
The volvo stunt was one of the most difficult lines I’ve walked, though I lost count of how many attempts it took. The rehearsal and shoot lasted 2 weeks, with many attempts. Normally I am the one moving the highline, and in this case the movements were unpredictable and caused by two moving trucks! I enjoyed the experience but I prefer the mountains.
The longest line you ever walked: highline and longline, free solo ?
My longest Highline is 350ft long, my longest longline is 728ft, and my longest highline free solo is 92ft long.
What did you do last sunday ?
Last Sunday I walked and derigged the famous Yosemite Falls Highline, then hiked down the 3.5 mile steep descent.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
It is a hard question! I guess I would choose to always be aware of my ego and not let it direct my emotions, words or behavior. I could use some more patience too!
A phrase you say often is :
Come On!
A common misconception about yourself is :
That I am fearless.
Your biggest fear is :
Losing people I love, being alone and death.
Your biggest worry is :
That changes daily.
Your biggest weakness is :
Ice Cream.
A guilty pleasure of yours is :
Facebook.
An excuse you use often is :
I’ll do it tomorrow.
Something you could use more of in life is :
Meditation
Something in your refrigerator ?
Hot Sauce and Butter, always.
What country would you most like to visit ?
At the moment, Madagascar and Cuba.
What webbing do you usually use ?
Type-18.
Your favorite possession is :
My Ukulele
Your first thoughts upon waking up are ?
That depends on the day!
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
Fashion Design and Art.
The last meal you ate was :
Creamy Salmon Pasta.
The last text message you sent was :
“That Too ;)”
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
It is what it is, Let it be, and This too shall pass.
The best word to describe your life is ?
Ramble.
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
Patience, ease.
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
Forgetting the leash.
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
There should be protocol, etiquette and ethics, like in Climbing.
You think free solo is :
Fascinating.
Where did you travel during 2014 and what are your best slackline memories ?
I traveled to the Puget Sound, in Washington (US), Yosemite Valley and Joshua Tree, California (US), Austin, Texas (US) Moab, Utah (US) and in Europe I traveled in Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. My best slackline memories are in most of these places—Yosemite is always humbling, Europe is always wonderful, and Moab is where I beat my record with great friends!
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
400ft Highline, 1000ft longline, better self-marketing, more surfing.
Do you like chocolate ?
I love chocolate. Dark chocolate is my favorite!
Last word :
Advice for beginners: Keep taking steps, no matter how shaky, and when you are absolutely exhausted and cannot possible go any further, try one more time.
The Nathan Paulin interview !
Nathan Paulin is a hell of a nice guy and one of the top pro slackliner in the game ! His performance are unreal : 170m exposed highline and 600+m longline. Yes he is a slack mutant ! You can follow his performance on his website : http://nathanpaulin.com/
If you meet him, go talk to him since he is a really cool person. What’s next for Nathan ? Well, it depends how many meters of webbing he will get from his sponsor since his limits are not his own human abilities but the length of the webbing he gets to slack.
Tell us who you are ?
Nathan Paulin, 21 years old, 1.97 meters, in relationship, slackliner
Where are you from and where do you live now ?
I’m from and I live in le Reposoir a small mountain village in Haute Savoie, France.
What do you love most about your hometown ?
I love the landscape. I need to leave in the mountains.
How do you enjoy slacklife ?
I enjoy slacklife by traveling and meeting people around the slackline.
Since how long do you slack and how did you discovered slackline ?
I slack since 3 years and a half. I discovered it with a friend and I quickly became addicted.
How did you enter into slack.fr ?
When they created the Slack Team they asked me to be part of it. I know the slack.fr crew since the beginning of my slacklife with the slack tour in 2011. Now we are good friends.
The longest line you ever walked: highline and longline ?
170 meters highline, I hope more soon!
601 meters longline, the current world record.
What did you do last sunday ?
Chilling after a wedding party… But this Sunday I will play on a biiiig highline !
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
My addiction to the mayonnaise.
A phrase you say often is :
What do we eat?
A common misconception about yourself is :
I’m not born on a slackline.
Your biggest fear is :
Be bored.
Your biggest worry is :
Begin to walk a line and perceive that I have not tied the leash .
Your biggest weakness is :
My addiction to slackline.
A guilty pleasure of yours is :
Eating nutella with a spoon.
An excuse you use often is :
It’s too sunny to not go slacklining.
Something you could use more of in life is :
The English language.
Something in your refrigerator ?
Beers
What country would you most like to visit ?
I have no preference, I like to discover.
What webbing do you usually use ?
Maverick from slack.fr.
Your favorite possession is :
My van and soon the new slack.fr webbing with rounded edges !
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
The trail running.
The song you usually listen when you slack ?
On my first fight for new personal best highline : Sail from Awolnation
The last meal you ate was :
Bred with Nutella…
The last text message you sent was :
I love you
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Do what you love to do.
The best word to describe your life is ?
Indeterminate
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
Open-mindedness
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
Forget to close a quick link…
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
Intelligently free.
You think free solo is :
Not for me.
Where did you travel during 2014 and what are your best slackline memories ?
2014 was a good travel year for me, the best. I visited Czech Republic, Poland, Iran and Turkey. My best slackline memories where the highline battle in Lublin, Poland and the full exposure on a 100 m line in Iran (photo), Awesome….
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
Continue to have fun and why not beat other records 😉
Last word :
Long life to the sag!
The Lukas Irmler interview
Should we really introduce Lukas Irmler ? He is one of the only pro slackliner on our planet. His job his slackline only ! Great attitude, 3 times longline world record owner, first to do the skywalker, highline altitude record, natural anchors… Lukas is the ultimate man. More sponsors than a soccer player, we have a lot to learn form him. He works hard to get the job done properly with style !
Tell us who are you ?
Lukas Irmler, pro slacker
Where are you from ?
Germany
What do you love most about your home town ?
The climbing gym 😀 The closeness to the airport, some pretty sweet training spots, the closeness to the Alps and of course some amazing people.
Since how long do you slack ?
Its over 8 years now. I started in 2006 and got addicted straight away!
How did you enter in Elephant slackline ?
I can remember when I first met Bernd. He was an amazing trickliner and a cool guy. When he started building up the Scene in Munich and also starting to work for Elephant I thought it was great work! It took some more years until we got reunited and now I am a happy Elephant.
What are your others sponsorships ?
Over the years I have gathered some long lasting partnerships. With adidas Outdoor I found a really strong and commited sponsor to tackle big dreams like Victoria Falls Highline. I have a rather new sponsorship with Petzl and also have some smaller sponsors like Bosch, MyMuesli, Archimede Watches and a local partnership with the VITAGO, which is a innovative training facility. Red Bull I would not call a sponsor, but rather a strong partner to push the sport forward.
Do you manage to live ONLY by slacklining ?
Yes. Well its a bit more complicated than that, but in fact I am a professional Slackliner making a living off of it. Sponsors play a big role in it as well as shows, events and projects.
The longest lines you ever walked ?
In Longlining I am pretty active hunting records and could gather a few of them during 2010-‐2013 pushing the Limits to over 300m on polyester with my then to be world record of 310m. After that I also set a new european record with 425m on dyneema in 2012 which is still my longest Longline. In Highlining I was able to walk a few Lines above 100m and my longest with 115m. On Water I could set my personal record to over 130m on polyester last summer.
What did you do last Sunday ?
Slackline 😀 Well it was „just“ a Longline in the park. I am pretty addicted to bounce tricks these days. – so I love to set up a 60m double webbing and just bounce the s**** out of it surf it and just have fun playing around…
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
Uff…would it too imprudent to say I am quite happy with myself .Well I would like to have some more skills in Slacklining so. Seeing so many young kids crushing makes you feel a bit old, haha.
A common misconception about yourself is :
Well with all the great chances I got during the last years and with all my efforts to become a professional sports man many people think I am one. Well to be clear, I like to be thought of as a great Slackliner but I am not a „star“ in any means. I am just a Slackliner enjoying my sport and open to anybody who shares a passion
Your biggest fear is :
Failing to become what I want to be. Falling short to m own expectations and not being able to reach out for my goals.
Your biggest weakness is:
I am indeed very impatient sometimes and just cannot stop trying something, even if I should. For example with the Luke Skywalker. I did some 60+ tries on one day, not landing it but completely wrecking myself –‐ but I was so close every time. I couldn’t stop. Well in the end it just took 5 days of recovering and 7 more tries the next time to land it easily… sometimes stepping back and waiting for the right moment is just so much more efficient.
A guilty pleasure of yours is :
Doing more sports than my body can take!
An excuse you use often ?
I can’t! I need to go slackline 😀
Something you could use more of in life is :
Time. 24h a day is just not enough, if you wanna Slackline, study, climb, adventure and on top of it keep your girlfriend happy!
Something in your refrigerator ?
Orange juice.
Where did you travel in 2014 ?
Too many places to remember! Well not that much either, just about 12 countries or so, among them Brazil, Zimbabwe, Russia, France and China.
Where will you travel in 2015 ?
Hopefully to as many wonderful places as the last years!
What webbing do you usually use ?
Blue Wing or the brand new Passion from Elephant Slacklines.
Your favorite possession is:
My body
Your first thoughts upon waking up are :
Different every day…
What passions did you have before slacklining ?
A lots of different sports,.. Kung Fu, Athletics, Swimming and Parcour to name it as well as climbing but I still love to do that.
The last line you walked was :
My training longline close to my home.
Do you listen to music by slacklining ? and what’s your favorite song to?
I do! Most of the Nme it is pre<y lights. Favorite some would be „finally moving“
The last meal you ate was :
Muesli for breakfast for sure the best and thanks to MyMuesli always on stock.
The last text message you sent was:
To my girl –‐ I love you, have a nice sunday!
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Relax! By Julian Mittermaier
The best world to describe your life is :
awesome
Slackline in one word is:
awesome
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
Persistence
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
Not closing the maillon! Was while rigging a mIdline with Alex Schultz and was one of the almost accidents. Just glad we noticed in time and had time enough to derail before it snapped.
Highlining should be completely free rules?
There have to be rules. Especially the more people do it. But I would rather call them ethics than rules. Besides the obvious safely „rules“ everyone should know and strictly follow.
You think solo is :
A way to walk the line –‐ thought it is not my way.
What was your best slackline memorie during the last year ?
Crossing the Victoria Falls line in Zimbabwe –‐ a long awaited dream and a superb Line in really hard conditions.
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
Walking the highest Highline above 6000m in altitude.
Do you like chocolate ?
Sure –‐ who doesn’t 😀
Last Word :
Keep it Slack!
The Samuel Volery interview
Samuel truly loves slackline. I have never seen anyone more devoted to that sport ! He does everything : tricks, longline, rodeoline, highline, waterline, tight rope… no matter what is the season. Have you seen anyone doing waterline in a freezing cold winter ? He also do videos, how to, test products, give pro tips and he even started his own slackline company Slacktivity ! Who would have thought that a Swiss guy could have so much energy ? It seems that Ueli Steck in not the only power machine in the swiss game ! We managed to ask Samuel some questions and here is what we’ve got :
Where are you from ?
Uster, Switzerland
What do you love most about your hometown ?
The lake – specially in the summer
Since how long do you slack ?
8 years
How did you enter into Slacktivity?
I’m one of the two founders of Slacktivity.
The longest line you ever walked ?
210m longline,
101m highline
What did you do last sunday ?
Longline on a super heavy line (210m long; 178g/m)
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
I’m happy how things are… Nothing to change.
A phrase you say often is :
Oh, come on, don’t be a pussy!
A common misconception about yourself is :
That I’m talented in slacklining… I just try and train to reach what I want to reach. It is not talent – it is patience and not giving up after falling.
Your biggest weakness is :
If many cool things take place, I can’t decide which one to join
A Guilty pleasure of yours is :
Drinking a lot of coffee
An excuse you use often is :
Sorry, no time for that – I have to go higlining.
Something you could use more of in life is :
Time to make rad things
Something in your refrigerator ?
Guacamole
What country would you most like to visit ?
South American Countries
What webbing do you usually use ?
I try to switch often to get used to different dynamics. Mostly redTube or Black/White of Slacktivity
Your favorite possession is :
My little camper bus
Your first thoughts upon waking up are ?
Oh Fuck, Stupid Alarm Clock! The bed is so cuddly, I don’t wanna get up…
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
Climbing and FreeSkiing
The last line you walked was :
211m double Black/White (178g/m) – but far away from sending it
The song you usually listen when you slack ?
Klischee – Tin Tin
The last meal you ate was :
Pasta Pesto
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Get out of your comfort zone.
The best word to describe your life is ?
Fun
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
Straightforwardness and honesty
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
Loads…
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
It should be free of rules what to do on a highline. But environmental rules should be respected.
You think solo is :
Totally unnecessary danger. Specially with environment dangers lurking. Like wind, getting dirt in your eyes, somebody shouting unexpectedly, etc. Definitely nothing to promote!
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
I do have some really nice and rather big highlines in mind… The goal is not to send them but to play hard on those lines
Thanks !
Samuel in the Nokia ad in case you missed it
The Jakub Hanus “Kwjet” interview
Jakub is one of the pioneer of modern slacklining. He walked more lines than you can ever imagine. He is the nice guy behind Equilibrium who is working hard to develop new products for slackline. You would probably enjoy to sit down with him and drink a cup of coffee to talk about life and slackline. Here is his interview.
Tell us who you are ?
My name is Jakub Hanuš but in the world of slackline I am better known as Kwjet.
Where are you from ?
I come from the north of the Czech Republic, but last 8 years or so I live in Prague.
What do you love most about your hometown ?
I love the landscape around my hometown (lots of forests and rocks) and the cultural side of Prague as well.
Since how long do you slack ?
I started slacklining in fall 2007 on my own and the next season was a big breakthrough for me – I got to slack festivals, I met more experienced slackers and immediatelly fell in love with slackline.
What pushed you to develop Equilibrium ?
Actually we started first with Slackshop.cz during our studies in 2008. The idea was that we can do stuff better and cheaper than others 
In 2010 we fouded EQB as a brand to be able to distribute our gear to other shops as well.
The longest line you ever walked: highline and longline ?
My personal best in longline is 327 m (os halfman) and in highline it is 79 m (both on Zion – Czech PES / Dyneema hybrid webbing)
What did you do last sunday ?
Last sunday I spent woodworking – a friend of mine is currently makind his own bar and I am helping him with furniture and some other stuff
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
I would like to get better in multitasking. Usually I can focus only on one thing and I donť care much about others.
A phrase you say often is :
“To se stává” which means “That happens”.. which means you shouldn’t worry too much about things that you cannot influence or that do not matter that much.
A common misconception about yourself is :
Maybe that I am “lazy”. And I am really not a super productive person But when it comes to a real challenge or something that matters to me, I can be surprisingly efficient.
Your biggest fear is :
I am affraid of heights. But you can get used to it
Your biggest worry is :
That my life visions won’t be fulfilled.
Your biggest weakness is :
My fingerstrength. I realized I have to work on it a lot to get better in holding one- and twofinger pockets while climbing Besides that, my regime should get much better as well.
A Guilty pleasure of yours is :
I still like to smoke weed althought I guees this phase should be kind of over by now.
An excuse you use often is :
“To se stává” which means “That happens”
Something you could use more of in life is :
Social interaction. Sometimes I like to be alone and some of the times I feel like I might regret it when I will be older.
Something in your refrigerator ?
Not much actually. Some cheese, vegetables, yoghurt and stuff like that. But I don’t really eat very healthy.
What country would you most like to visit ?
I always wanted to visit Canada. And New Zealand. And maybe Nepal or Tibet. But I am not much into traveling generally.
What webbing do you usually use ?
I like dyneema webbing for longer lines And actually I like a 2 ton PES webbing for lines about 60-80 m long since it has a nice stretch and I spent probably most of the time on these lines (that were pretty common here in Czech back in the day when I started slacklining. And I like threaded tubular for shorter highlines.
Your favorite possession is :
That changes in time. Right now I guess it is woodworking. I love the process of getting into something and revealing the secrets of the topic. That is what I love the most in life.
Your first thoughts upon waking up are ?
It depends. Sometimes I wake up with some briliant idea in my mind. And sometimes I just think about never getting up.
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
I was a passionate grower (of you-know-what). I spent few years doing reaserch, making my own systems, I had to know about every aspect of it. Which really paid of, when I wrote my diploma thesis based on this knowledge (technical part of growing plants). But after I started slacklining, this passion left me and I gave everything to my new hobby..
The last line you walked was :
Pretty short
The song you usually listen when you slack ?
I love to listen to some psy-chill that lasts and lasts and lasts… That music really turns the inner engine of focus and helps me to get in the zone.
The last meal you ate was :
I just had some donut and coffee for breakfast.
The last text message you sent was :
That I might be a little late in the office since I went sleeping at 4 am (due to our woodworking / bar project).
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Hard to remember, but I guess it had to be something about not worrying much about life. No idea who told me
The best word to describe your life is ?
I always said my motto is: “Life is a game.” And I still believe in that.
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
Honesty. And peacefulness.
Tell us about your crew with Faith, Jan and Jordan and the projects you did:
I took part in the team a while after they got together. And it was amazing, we did some cool stuff in various countries, established new lines here and there… I really liked the trip to Morocco since it was a whole new experience for me.
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
I pulled out a tree. It wasn’t in the park and noone was hurt, but I still felt ashamed for that tree.
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
I am not a big fan of rules in general, but same as climbing, highlining should be restricted in some kind. It is about safety of people and the nature as well, it is fragile and cannot defend against damage.
You think solo is :
Pretty nice experience. But maybe not for everyone. You have to think a lot about it before you do it but you can say the same about many interesting things in life.
Where did you travel during 2014 and what your best slackline memories ?
Last year I spent almost only in czech rocks (except for few small trips abroad and slackfestivals). But since the community is really international, I met a lot of friends which is the best thing about slacklining for me right now.
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
I have some plans to increase my fingerstrength and climb some projects, that are too hard or too sketchy right now. And I have to finish my camper van conversion before spring so I can be super comfy out there in nature 😀
Last words ?
Keep on slackin’ , life is a nice thing so play the game and don’t disturb yourself with stuff you cannot influence. Simply don’t worry, be happy
The Jan Galek interview !
Jan Galek is a slack Master: Longline, highline, solo, trad climbing, bouldering, expeditions, new terrain: he does it all. Jan is not the new kid on the scene but he is the guy who inspired slackliners for the past decade. He is one of the most accomplished slackliners and you can see him on great films where he is exploring vertical and horizontal limits on different locations around the world. Go talk to him if you meet him : he is an amazing person and he will motivates you to go out your comfort zone.
Tell us who you are?
My name is Jan Gałek. I am 26 years old (born in 1988). I consider myself slackliner and a climber 😉
Where are you from?
I am from Poland, Wrocław (2nd name – Breslau).
What do you love most about your hometown?
Damn, that’s a hard question as I spent here big chunk of my life, but I guess what I like the most is great location (not too far to Germany, Czech Republic and other great climbing/highline location in Poland) as well as great slackline and climbing community.
Since how long do you slack?
I am slacklining since summer of 2005 so it’s almost 10 years right now. Goddamn, I will have my first big jubilee soon. I guess I am becoming old and a slackline dinosaur …
How did you enter into Balance Community?
I’ve been working with quite few slackline companies as my slackline interests evolved and I finally stuck with BC for a few reasons. First of all I really like Jerry, his a friend, great slacker – I think inspiration to the whole community and I just wanted to cooperate with slackline company in which I fully believe. What I mean by that is that I truly believe it’s the best gear, really good company philosophy and I can truly recommend it to friends not because I get paid, only because … it’s true!
The longest line you ever walked: highline and longline?
The longest longline so far was 232m OS-FM on polyester webbing “Octopussy” from a friend in PL and highline “Master of Universe” 96.5m in my favorite place Ostrov in CZ.
What did you do last Sunday?
I did some bouldering with my best friend in Ostbloc, Berlin.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would like to be more organized human being.
A phrase you say often is:
No pain no gain!
A common misconception about your self is:
Well, I don’t know if you’re talking about others misconception about me, or my misconception about myself so I will answer to both. I think people generally think at first I am hardcore and hard to approach but if you get to know me/talk to me it is totally not the reality and I am just silly and goofy slacker. I guess my biggest misconception is usually I think small of myself – not trying to say I am super cool in reality, just I am lacking some self confidence so when I surprise myself and send hard something I totally didn’t expect it is really good feeling.
Your biggest fear is:
Not being able to move at all.
Your biggest worry is:
As for now, sadly just normal life; trying to get healthy after my accident and earn enough ‘dolla, dolla bills yo!’ so I can live and go on the next slackline and climbing adventure.
Your biggest weakness is:
I think it is impossible to explain urge to train everyday – have to force myself to rest.
A Guilty pleasure of yours is:
Definitely ice cream, any kind – I will eat it!
An excuse you use often is :
Not enough time? I don’t know you can use whatever you want – excuse is always trying to cheat your self 😉
Something you could use more of in life is:
Lazy day activities …
Something in your refrigerator?
Actually way too much … I love food.
What country would you most like to visit?
I would like to drive across whole Southern America and finish in Patagonia for some time …
What webbing do you usually use?
Aero or Mantra MKIII
Your favorite possession is:
My range finder …
Your first thoughts upon waking up are?
Let’s have a productive day!
What passion did you have before slacklining?
Well, I had quite a few. I finished music school on a classic guitar and since I was a kid I played quite a few instruments. From more active passions – cross-country running and MTB biking.
The last line you walked was:
Longline on Aero webbing in a park …
The song you usually listen when you slack?
Jesus, that’s a super hard question. I am a music freak so I listen to a lot of different stuff. For slacklining I usually prefer something electronic, which takes my mind off unnecessary thoughts. Some dark, melodic dubstep or ambient electronics do the trick
The last meal you ate was:
I had some scrambled eggs with some veggies and avocado.
The last text message you sent was:
‘Gonna a bit late for training buddy’
The best advice you’ve ever received was:
Focus on one thing at once.
The best word to describe your life is?
Unpredictable.
What quality do you admire most in other people?
Being persistent in being a generally good and conscious human being
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line?
There was way too many, starting from all time classic – ‘oh shit, I forgot to put the rings on!’, but I guess ripping what I thought to be a solid tree out of the ground and dragging it with the 160m line few meters on the ground in front of people chilling in a park during sunny Sunday. The funniest thing was no one said anything to me. I felt so dumb …
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules?
I think it should stay free in terms of where a person wants to take it and which direction evolve with it. On the other hand I think it would be good to put some rules for rigging and safety because that can and eventually will safe some lives, as the sport grows bigger. I think it wouldn’t be stupid also to discuss some rules and standards for world record sends, but that’s it.
You think solo is:
That’s an interesting topic. Personally I am really interested in free soloing and people associate me mainly with that activity, which I am not sad about but I am all-round slackliner and have accomplishments on different grounds too. But that’s how it goes and I am fine with it. I like to share it with people because the videos of Dean Potter free soloing classic L.A.S. highline and then Andy Lewis repeating this line really inspired me and showed me anything is possible; especially since I have witnessed Andy’s first ascent of this line back in 2007 and it was most shaky yet impressive walk I’ve seen 😉 I want to inspire people to so that’s why I think sharing pics or videos is ok as long as you show the amount of preparation and don’t say openly go free solo to anyone. If someone chooses to because of me, I am fine with it – it’s always serious and conscious decision. I don’t believe beginner or especially someone new to slacklininig would go free solo because of the video – I mean if you think of the feeling sitting on your first highline and not wanting to stand up in a harness and then add up to the equation no safety – no f’in way 😉
Where did you travel during 2014 and what you are your best slackline memories?
Well, 2014 was pretty grim for me. I had a climbing accident just at the end of 2013 in which I had an open, multifracture, rotational break of my lower right leg (both tibia and fibula where broken). It was a quite a recovery process and it wasn’t pretty but I feel I learned a lot and what doesn’t kill you make you stronger. I think walking my first highline after almost one year since the accident was the most beautiful moment I had for a while. It was beautiful and I almost cried 😉
What goals would you like to achieve this year?
There is way too many and I have to choose wisely as I had to hold my needs because of my accident. Main goal is obviously to get healthy, I will have last surgery in one month, which will be removing all the metal stuff from my leg and then I can start thinking about all the goals I set for myself. All I can say is I will definitely do some epic stuff with Somewhereelseland Team and go big on Yosemite Walls this time not only highlining but climbing. I would love to get back to skydiving too as soon as my leg is back to its full strength.
Last word ?
SlackOn !
The trailer of High over Todra : a great highline film starring Jan !
The Helmut Netwerker interview
Helmut Netwerker is a longline master ! As you may have noticed in our record tab, Yuri Rhodenborgh is owning the longline polyester record. However the day Yuri did that record, he wasn’t alone : Helmut was there and he also walked the longline. He also managed to beat the longline nylon record the same day !! 405 m on polyester and 283m on nylon. Helmut is a recordman !
We managed to interview Helmut and to ask him the important question : “Do you like chocolate ?”
Where are you from ?
Vienna, Austria
Since how long do you slack ?
5 years
When did you send your two world records ?
On 24.10.2014
We know that Yuri crossed the 405m too, and we can read his traning story, what about yours ?
Philipp Gesing invited me to his event and I just wanted to know how bouncing a 400m line feels.
I didn’t train especially for this line. If I go slacklining, I always train or try to push my limits.
After rigging both lines, Yuri was the first who started on the 405m (skillshot) and as nobody else wanted to, I went to the 283m (Type-18). We walked it both.
Couple of minutes later I tried the 400. I wasn’t confident with this line in first place so I needed several tries to walk the first 100m. After playing in the middle I gave the last part a try. As I managed to walk the last part without any struggles, I was self-confident enough to sent the line, so I did it.
What the longest highline you walk ?
92m
Do you have any sponsor ?
No
As you can actualy see, in France there is a debate about the possible slackline federation, what about federation in your country and are you involved ?
In 2011, the three biggest slackline associations from Austria (slackline.at, teambalance, vienna-slackliners) found the austrian slackline federation.
At the moment I am president of the federation.
Highline should be completly free or should be rules ?
To avoid accidents with flying objects (helicopters, planes, paragliders…) we have a “highline declaration formular” at our website. If you rig a highline in Austria (or at the borders close to), please fill in the form :
http://www.slacklineverband.com/formulare/highline-formular/
What was the last line you walk ?
60m sonic at the park
Something in you refrigerator ?
pumpkin seed oil
What did you do last sunday ?
went highlining
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
not always being too late
A phrase you say often:
disco
Your biggest fear is :
to stop playing like a little child
Your biggest worry is :
don´t worry be happy
Your biggest weakness is ?
interested in too many things
A guilty pleasure of yours is :
slackline
Something you could use more of in life is :
spending time with my family
What webbing you usually use ?
it depends on whether I want to play with or I just want to walk
Do you listen music by slacklining, and what ?
I always listen to music while I slackline, it helps me to stay in “the zone”. I like different styles of music: hiphop, metal, electronic, atmosphere, … but my all time favourite is “Bobby McFerrin – don´t worry be happy”
The last message you sent ?
Sorry, I can´t manage to come to the ISPO
The best advice you’ve Ever received is :
to breath out through the nose
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
endurance
Where did you travel in 2014 ?
Turkey, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Italy
Where will you go in 2015 ?
Turkey, France, … ?
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
stay motivated, be more confident on the highline
What does it feel to walk 405m and during a looooooong time ?
it feels like: wow just 3 winddampers left … no wait , they are 5, … thinking about the distance between the dampers (nearly 50m), calculating, … shit … not even the middle
Last word :
disco
By the way, do you like chocolate ?
For sure ! That reminds me i wanted to buy some !
The Danny Mensik interview !
Danny is one of the most inspiring person in the slackline community and yes he does love chocolate !
He is an awesome person who takes life simply and trains hard to push our sport ! Thanks Danny for everything you do.
Where are you from ?
From the heart of the heart of Europe: Prague, Czech Republic
Since how long do you slack ?
Hm… damn it ..a bit more than 3,5 years! Time goes fast.
How did you enter into EQB?
I was told that if I join them I will have lot of money and chics
The longest line you ever walked: highline and slack ?
Highline – 208m,
Longline – 380m
What did you do last sunday?
I was having lot of fun at cottage in the Czech mountains.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Nothing, I take myself with all the errors.
A phrase you say often is :
Sorry, I don’t drink beer. (Imagine how often you have to say it in Czech Republic!)
Your biggest fear is :
Wall street crash. To lost it.
Your biggest worry is :
To have nothing to be really worried about. =D
Your biggest weakness is :
chocolate, a certain girl
A Guilty pleasure of yours is :
uncontrolled amount of chocolate
An excuse you use often is :
God wants it like this
Something you could use more of in life is :
a comb
Something in your refrigerator ?
mousse au chocolat
What country would you most like to visit ?
Bhutan
What webbing do you usually use ?
Green Dragon
Your first thoughts upon waking up are ?
Sleeping.
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
icehockey, florbal, swimming, gymnastic, tenis, climbing,… and many others
The last line you walked was :
really short
The song you usually listen when you slack ?
I don’t listen to the music on line
The last meal you ate was :
chocolate
The last text message you sent was :
to my mum, that I have no more chocolate.
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Not to pee against the wind. First, i didn’t obey…
The best word to describe your life is ?
exponentialgradationofaggregateofluck
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
sincerity
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
One: not to be an idiot and use common sense.
You think solo is :
only for selfmurders with no respect of life who don’t like themselves and want just to show off.
Where did you travel during 2014 ?
Turkey, France, Germany, Poland, Iceland, Austria, Italy, Slovakia. And I also visited school couple times.
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
I wanted to do first real spaceline, but NASA doesn’t share my enthusiasm about this idea. Maybe Putin will like it.
Last words :
Take life seriously! =D
An awesome video with Danny that we find inspiring !
Jediah Doohan, Choco exclusive interview
The UK slack scene is not the most popular in Europe. However, you’ve got there a slack ripper called Jediah Doohan who is trying to push the limits of the slackline. No wonder why Jediah just entered the Balance Community pro team. We managed to ask him a few questions to know his personality a little better.
Where are you from ?
New Milton, Hampshire , UK
What do you love most about your hometown ?
I love that it is so close to the forest
Since how long do you slack ?
Since summer 2011
How did you enter into Balance Community ?
I realised that the direction I wanted to go with my slacklining ran largely parallel with Balance Community’s
The longest line you ever walked: highline and slack ?
longline – 237m
highline – 103.4m
What did you do last Sunday ?
I went rodeolining in the forest
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
I’d become more appreciative of how lucky I am to be alive
A phrase you say often is :
“WOOP WOOP!!!”
A common misconception about yourself is :
That I only practice longline and highline, I love all types of slacklining, it’s all just so much fun!
Your biggest fear is :
Not getting the absolute most out of my life
Your biggest worry is :
That I won’t fulfil my full potential as a human being capable of spreading love and happiness
Your biggest weakness is :
Lack of moderation
A Guilty pleasure of yours is :
Smoking cigarettes
An excuse you use often is :
I’d rather be slacklining
Something you could use more of in life is :
More sun
Something in your refrigerator ?
I am mostly living in my van – I don’t own a fridge
What country would you most like to visit ?
Chile, Patagonia
What webbing do you usually use ?
Type 18
Your favourite possession is :
Right now I particularly love my ProSeries swivel from CMC
Your first thoughts upon waking up are ?
Let’s go slacklining
What passion did you have before slacklining ?
Hedonism and playing bass guitar in bands
The last line you walked was :
My friend’s indoor rodeoline
The song you usually listen when you slack ?
Anything by Proverb.
The last meal you ate was :
Mexican Chilli beans and rice
The last text message you sent was :
“Cool, Life is great. What r u up to in your life at the moment?”
The best advice you’ve ever received was :
Do what it is in life that you love/ inspires you
The best word to describe your life is ?
STOKED
What quality do you admire most in other people ?
The ability to make the mundane into the amazing and the exiting
One mistake you’ve done rigging a line ?
I was using soft-release to de-tension a very tight 100m Nylon line at the “safety meeting” festival. I fed it through till it looked like it was almost totally loose and then let it go. The entire thing made a sound like a gun-shot and rocketed away from the anchor. Lesson learned.
Highline should be completely free or there should be rules ?
There are obviously basic principles which make sense to adhere to like don’t start in the “no fall zone” and rules would mean standardisation which means competition which means getting more money into highlining etc. However I don’t do highlining to compete with others, I do it to compete with myself and because the feeling of being on a highline is my favourite feeling in the world
You think solo is :
I now don’t free solo. I think that the wrong reasons to do it are if you are caring about what other people are thinking about you, or if you are taking pictures of it.
What goals would you like to achieve this year ?
My aim this year is to continue hanging out with awesome, stoked highliners and work on sending a 200m+ nylon highline
Thanks Jediah !
Posted in Interviews, News
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