Lukas Irmler is a professional slackliner from Freising in Germany. He is 35 years old and has been slacklining since 2006. Thanks to his sharing spirit, Lukas opened the invitation to Cary, Leighton, and myself to lend him a hand on a dream project. During the memorable week of highlining in Zimbabwe, we sat down with Lukas to ask him some questions.
Lukas at Victoria Falls in 2014 – Photo by Jacques Marais
Tell us about your first time seeing a slackline?
I first saw a slackline in my neighbour’s garden in 2006. He is a climber, and we would cross paths in the climbing gym, so I approached him to try the line. This first experience was on a 5-meter-long rodeo line and didn’t go well as you can expect. It was immediately apparent I had no chance of walking on it, and I concluded this would not be my sport.
Not long after, our climbing gym installed a short slackline. I walked past it often which reminded me of my previous defeat. So, I decided I had to try again to cross it.
Spaceline at GGBY in 2012
When was the first time you saw a highline?
I first saw a photo of a highline in Yosemite Valley. My friend had a poster of Dean Potter walking the lost arrow spire on his fridge.
View Patagonia’s Poster of Dean shared on Slackchat by Mark Mckee
What was your first piece of slackline gear?
The first piece of slackline gear was borrowed from my neighbour. Soon after this I bought a piece of tubular webbing from the climbing store. The clerk was surprised I wanted 50m of webbing which I informed him would be for a slackline. It was impossible at the time to rig it any longer than 20m without a tensioning system.
The line had knots and was tensioned with only the force of a few humans pulling directly on the webbing before wrapping it around the anchor. We played around with carabiners before the Ellington technique made it possible to easily tension and rig longer lines.
Do you remember your first time crossing a line?
The first line I crossed was in the climbing gym about ten meters across. Making it from one anchor to the other side left me with an incredible feeling. In only a week of trying, I managed to cross the line that had previously appeared impossible.
This inspired confidence in me and was a lesson to persevere when things seem impossible. Any impossible feat can be achieved if you simply practice. I could not imagine where these small achievements would take me, growing to the career I have had until today.
Laurence, Antonia, and Lukas in Victoria Falls – Photo by Cary Small
Where in the world have you slacklined?
I have slacklined and highlined across six continents, with a visit to Antartica remaining as a dream of mine. I have slacklined in more than 35 countries. I thoroughly enjoyed my travels to Brazil and America. I realised slacklining could be a tool for me to travel and get to know locals who live there.
I have visited South Africa twice. The first journey is significant as it was my first overseas trip with Adiddas. I met with Warren Gans in Cape Town, and he shared some of his favourite spaces around the city.
You can watch the ‘Sightseeing on a thin line’ series on youtube here.
The highest altitude that I have highlined was 5820 meters high in Peru. Our goal was to highline across a volcano, and it just happened to be the highest highline in the world at the time in 2017. It was not only high, it was also 400 meters long, and proved to be very difficult to walk as it had many twists, turning the flat webbing into a round shape. The Sulphur dioxide gases were something to contend with too.
How does it feel to return to Zimbabwe for this project?
The journey back to Victoria Falls is a great reminder of why I love this sport. Getting to share the line with my girlfriend Antonia, you, Cary, Leighton, and the TV presenter Ulrich makes it even more special. When I am asked what my favourite highline has been, I am quick to answer Victoria Falls as it is hard to beat for its natural beauty.
Where-ever you look while on the line, it is a fantastic sight. I feel fortunate to experience the unique views from the line, such as the circular rainbow that forms when the rain is below you and the sun above you. I feel very fortunate to have a second chance to walk this line.
Lukas on ‘Nyami Nyami’ highline, Victoria Falls, 2014 – Photo by Jacques Marais
Do you have a favourite webbing?
My favourite webbing is Pinktube. It is fun to walk loose or tensioned and is great for tricks. It naturally has a limit for the ideal length, being about 100-meters so for the project this week we used Y2k to make the line easier for Ulrich the presenter of Terra X to walk.
Lukas doing a handstand on a highline – you can watch the video here
Have you had a mainline failure?
Not specifically, but I have had an anchor failure. A bolt blew out during tensioning, as the anchor was constructed with a triangle of death. The crew added a ton of tension whereby the bolt blew out and the backup anchors were in place to catch it.
We have had a line struck by lightning which destroyed a section of the mainline while no one was on it. We concluded it may have been caused by the contrast of the webbing being wet while some sections beneath the tapes stayed dry. Our leading theory is that the wet sections conduct electricity well while the dry sections do not, which creates a charge.
With the long highline in Asbestos we experienced a complete failure due to wind. Thankfully no one was on the line due to the windy conditions.
Watch Lukas walk the world record Lapporten highline here
Thanks Lukas for sharing your love for slacklining with us.
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