Slacklining trend attracts attention on Front Campus

When the weather is cool a common sight on Front Campus is a rope stretched between two trees. This is not just any rope, it’s a slacklining rope that is the base for a new trend on campus.

Colin Maldonado is one of many students enjoying the new trend of slacklining on Front Campus.

Slacklining requires a bit of specialized equipment but there is no team needed or competition necessary. It involves a 25-30 foot piece of nylon webbing stretched between two trees or other objects. The line is then tightened using a series of pulleys making it able to support human weight.

Charmaine Tesina | gcsunade.com

Sophomore criminal justice major Chris Williams maintains his balance while slacklining on Front Campus. Students tie a nylon rope between two trees and attempt to walk the length of the rope. Experienced slackliners can perform tricks such as catching flying discs.

According to Maldonado, slacklining is “not as hard as it looks.”

The slackliners goal is to make it across the line. There are no specific rules or regulations governing the crossing of the line. Some simply walk, some run. More advanced slackliners do tricks as they make their way across. How high the rope is tied may vary as well based on the slackliners skill.

“People who are really good can do things like lay down in the middle of the line and then jump back up,” Maldonado said. “It’s all about practice, anyone can do it.”

Though it brings to mind circus tight rope walking to the untrained eye, Maldonado says slacklining originated from rock climbing. It uses a lot of the same equipment and attracts the same type of people.

“Slacklining is a hobby for outdoor enthusiast,” Maldonado said.

To master the art of slacklining, you need to master control over your body. It’s not only about balance but about how your feet feel on the rope. To an outsider, the act of actually getting up on the line is what appears the most challenging.

“It’s a single transfer of body weight from the ground to the rope,” Maldonado said.

Though it does not take an extreme amount of athletic ability, many people are intimidated by the sport.

Senior Communication major Kevin Hall is leery of slacking for fear of injury.

“I don’t think I would try it,” Hall said.

Others are on the fence about whether to give slacklining a go. Junior creative writing major and never before slackliner Caitlin Pendley had a sense of humor when asked if she would give it a try.

“How am I supposed to walk on a rope in the air, I can hardly walk on the ground,” Pendley said.

Posted by TristanHarrison on Oct 1 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.