I recently met Antonia during her travels to Zimbabwe for a highline project over the breath-taking Victoria Falls with Lukas Irmler. I eagerly asked to hear more about her story. Antonia Rüede-Passul is a slackliner from Miesbach who grew up close to the Lake Constance in Germany.
Tell me about your first slacklining experience
I first experienced short slacklines between trees during university. Shortly after meeting Lukas I had my first experience seeing and then trying a highline. My first time on the line was with Lukas at the midline over the Isar river in Munich. Being on the line was super scary and I did not know how to sit-start or chongo-mount. However, seeing the highliners walking confidently looked so exciting. So I started to train sit starting on a slackline.
What was your first piece of slackline gear?
My first piece of slackline gear I bought was my leash. Next, I bought my own harness. I have been lucky to do projects with experienced highliners, like Lukas, and have yet to buy my own webbing.
Photo of Antonia Rüede-Passul in Bravarian Prealps
Do you have highlining experiences that stand out for you
Yes, all the first experiences. Getting up for the first time on a highline, taking the first step, and the first send which was really unexpected. My first send was on an alpine highline which was only rigged for one day during an expedition in the Bavarian Alps. The direct exposure was around 20 meters, but the perceived exposure was immense.
Tell us more about this Highlining Achievement
After a year and a half of slacklining I joined the project to highline in the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland. It has an 800-meter North wall within which there is a tiny rock tower. We rigged an incredibly beautiful 20-meter-long highline above the huge vertical face. I was so scared on the line that I walked it without falling!
Antonia sending the Eiger Pilz Highline
Favourite webbing?
Pinktube from Slacktivity. This is the webbing I have the most experience with as well as my personal best achievements on. I do not own my own piece as I am lucky to share the many lengths of webbing in our basement.
Photo from Antonia Rüede-Passul in Fränkische Schweiz
Do you have any tips for beginners hoping to highline?
I could suggest practicing walking and sit-starts on a slackline. I use a sit start with my left foot in front, and started to practice the technique before trying highlining. If I had to start again, I would focus on walking slacklines more as this would have saved me hundreds of leash-falls on the highline.
Share a little about your past walking experiences
My longest send as of today is 50-meters, with success walking similar lengths on longer highlines at different altitudes.
Video of highline by Lukas Irmler
Do you aspire to highline elsewhere in Africa?
Not yet, this is my first time travelling to the continent, so I am yet to explore the opportunities. In Zimbabwe, we recently visited the Matobo National Park where there is great potential.
Are you practicing any Freestyle highlining?
I am new to freestyle highlining and started to practice the sit-bounce on the midline we have at home as well as to simply stand and bounce. I have yet to try sofa or Korean rolls, as I am still focused on walking highlines.
Thanks Antonia for sharing more about your slacklining story.
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