Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose successfully crossed a 500-meter-long, 19-millimeter-wide tape suspended 180 meters above Warsaw’s city center on Sunday, May 31, connecting the Palace of Culture and Science with Varso Tower.
A High-Altitude Urban Crossing
The “Red Bull Linia Czasu” project saw Estonian athlete Jaan Roose attempt to walk the distance between two of Poland’s tallest buildings. Starting at the Millennium Clock terrace of the Palace of Culture and Science, the path spanned approximately 500 meters at a height of 180 meters, concluding at the Varso Tower.
The event began shortly after 9:00 a.m. following a weather-related delay. Roose maintained a calm pace throughout the crossing despite visible wind, with reports indicating his heart rate remained at approximately 100 beats per minute during the attempt.
Technical Challenges and Safety Measures
The 19-millimeter-wide tape posed significant challenges, including wind gusts reflecting off building facades and an estimated 25-meter sag in the center. The athlete was required to adjust his balance constantly as the tape moved and flexed under the wind and his weight.
Safety protocols included a harness connected to an independent secondary safety line. In the event of a fall, the system would catch the athlete a few meters below the main tape, allowing him to return and continue the traverse. The mission was officially completed at 9:34 a.m. to the cheers of thousands gathered below.
About the Athlete and the Project
The project was symbolically named “Red Bull Linia Czasu” to link two distinct eras of Warsaw’s history: the post-war Palace of Culture and Science and the modern Varso Tower, which stands as the tallest building in the European Union.
Jaan Roose is a 34-year-old three-time world champion in slacklining. Known as the first athlete to perform a double backflip on a slackline, his previous notable feats include crossings over the Bosphorus Strait, the Strait of Messina, and a highline project in Bogota.
