urban environment

SLACKLINING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

INTERVIEW WITH BERND LOHMÜLLER, SUPPLIER OF TREND SPORT MODULES FOR ACTIVITY SPACES

Author Bernd Lohmüller, BLOACS, Germany

sb: Bernd, thank you for taking the time to talk to us about slacklining. Many people don’t even know what the term means. Could you briefly outline it for our readers?

Bernd Lohmüller: Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to spread the word about slacklining and generate awareness for this form of exercise. Slacklining came about in the early 1980s as an activity in its own right on stretchable webbing among the climbing community in Yosemite National Park, USA. From there, it slowly spread within the climbing scene to other countries and eventually around the world. The slackline trend in Europe got going in about 2006 with the introduction of simple slackline kits that allowed anyone to set up a slackline and practise on it.

Slacklining is a sport that involves balancing on a narrow strap of polyester or nylon tensioned between two attachment points. This strap or webbing is called a slackline. Users have to apply a high degree of balance, concentration and coordination. That sounds a bit like tightrope walking. Is slacklining inspired by tightrope walking?

You might think so. However, slacklining evolved entirely from climbing. Unlike tightrope walking, where a steel rope is tensioned extremely tightly, the slackline gives way under the athlete’s weight, so it stretches and requires constant balancing. Although slacklining is similar to tightrope walking, slackliners see themselves not as performing artists, but as practitioners of a sport in its own right.

So slacklining is a sport in its own right?

Absolutely. Slacklining is a sport with many disciplines, championships and professional athletes. The first national slackline association was founded in Austria in 2011, and Germany’s slackline association was launched in 2021. So all in all, it is still a very young sport that has emerged out of a trend sport.

Photo: Aidan Williams

Interesting. What forms and disciplines are there in slacklining, and is the sport also Olympic?

There are many different forms within the sport. The webbing differs in its length, thickness, width and elasticity. In addition, it can be tensioned more or less tightly. The bestknown disciplines are tricklining and highlining. Tricklining involves performing tricks such as jumps, rolls and flips on the slackline. Highlining is very spectacular, as the slackline is stretched at great heights between buildings or, for example, over deep valleys. Athletes in this case are protected from falling by a climbing harness. A third, very well-known discipline is longlining, which involves balancing over an extra-long distance and places extreme demands on the athlete’s stamina.

In Germany, the process of recognition as a sport by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has just begun, so the way to the Olympics is still long. Switzerland is already a step ahead of us here. There, slacklining is about to be recognised as an independent sport.

Recognition as a sport in its own right always raises the question of the availability of infrastructure for the sport. Is this an issue?

This is indeed a crucial issue. As with other established trend sports such as skateboarding and parkour, there has also been a development in slacklining from a natural environment and the creative use of existing (urban) infrastructure to that developed specifically for the sport and geared precisely to the respective requirements of the user group. In skateboarding, streets, railings, open spaces and pools were used and the various forms of skate parks evolved over time.

In parkour, buildings and built open spaces were used, resulting in specially designed parkour facilities.

Slacklining makes use of rocks, trees and buildings. Good and sensible infrastructure is now available, such as slackline posts, slackline benches and even entire slackline parks.

It doesn’t sound like a lot or elaborate infrastructure is required for slacklining?

It doesn’t actually need very much. That’s why slacklining is so ideal as an exercise option for public spaces. A slackline set essentially consists of a piece of webbing and a tensioning system. If the slackline is to be stretched between two trees, two tree slings and tree protectors may be necessary.

“It doesn’t actually need very much. That’s why slacklining is so ideal as an exercise option for public spaces.“

That sounds like trouble, though. Are the authorities happy with trees being used?

In fact, some municipalities ban the use of trees because of their high value and the damage caused to trees in the past due to ignorance. This underscores the need for the establishment of functional and sufficient infrastructure for slacklining. Certain elements, such as slackline benches and posts, and even slackline parks, are adapted to the respective user groups. This enables many users, especially beginners, to practise slacklining without trees, so that they are only needed by advanced users. In many disciplines, this sport cannot be practised in urban areas without trees, as longer and higher distances require higher anchor points, for which there is currently no technical solution.

Slackline parks sounds exciting. What do they look like?

Slackline parks where you can gain inspiration can now be found in 16 German cities (Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Cologne, Constance, Dresden, Freiburg, Halle, Hamburg, Ingolstadt, Leipzig, Munich, Rhine-Main, Stuttgart, Tübingen and Ulm).

Local authorities can obtain planning support from their local associations, the Deutscher Slackline Verband (German Slackline Association) and the International Slackline Association. Manufacturers can also be consulted at the initial stage for advice, ideas and further planning. There are sensible and proven products on the market that can be combined with each other as modules.

Photo: BLOACS

That sounds like what could be a pretty elaborate undertaking. But, in general, slacklining is easy to implement for exercise in urban areas, isn’t it?

Exactly. Slacklining is a great exercise for everyone. All you need is suitable anchor points. As I said, in urban areas, these can be trees, special elements such as seating elements with slacklining anchors, post systems, buildings, towers, etc.

Permanently installed slackline facilities with their own permanent beginner’s line are ideal for urban areas and as an exercise option for all. Here, anyone can take their first steps and many more without their own equipment, and the potential for challenge is immense. These beginner’s lines are ideal for leisure and sports areas, playgrounds, schoolyards and other open spaces. As an insider in the sport and as a manufacturer of a slackline facility that can be used long-term without users having to provide their own equipment, do you have any tips for building a slackline park?

It is important that beginner’s lines are no more than six metres long and that there is enough space around them. The wishes of athletes and the expertise of the local club should always be heard and taken into account as far as possible.

For competitive users, the advanced slacklining disciplines naturally require different kinds of anchor point. Slackline parks are ideal for this, as they offer a wide range of options in terms of slackline length and height.