Remember the German youngster Alexander Schulz who set a new world record for highlining at 375 meters in Yangshuo, China, back in November 2014? On May 9th this year, the 23-year-old Alexander once again took the length record of slacklining to an even more extreme level—610 meters. No one has ever even set up a line this long before, let alone walked it in its entirety.
Inner Mongolia Slacklining Record Parameters
Slackline brand and specs: Elephant Slacklines dyneema, 34g/m
Length: 610 meters
Sag: 30 meters
Pre-tension: 3–5 kilonewtons (kN)
Walking tension: 4.5–7.5 kilonewtons (kN)
But this wasn’t the most extreme challenge for Alexander: in mid-July 2014, he successfully tightroped between two unstable glacier cable cars, 150 meters above the ground, atop Germany’s highest peak. Then in early August, he set a water slacklining record of 271 meters on the island of Helgoland in the North Sea. Soon after, Alexander traveled to Eibsee Lake near the Zugspitze, setting up a 327-meter slackline and breaking his own previous water record. Before long, he and his team came to China, where they created the strongest highlining record yet—375 meters between hundred-meter-high cliffs in the famous outdoor destination of Yangshuo. Looking at these continuously shattered records, perhaps Alexander is the undisputed master of the slacklining world.
What makes us feel especially connected to this German youngster is that this 610-meter record was once again set in China—this time, between two sand dunes in the barren desert of Inner Mongolia.
Once More to China
Their return to China was a matter of serendipity. Alexander and his team, One Inch Dreams, were invited by the German Embassy in China to perform at the “German Embassy Open Day” on April 24th. That day, they set up a roughly 50-meter-long slackline about 15 meters above the front courtyard of the embassy, walking back and forth continuously for ten minutes—two full laps—and left the on-site audience completely stunned.
Since they were already in China, the group decided to take the opportunity to find a unique location and go big. So, they made their way back to Yangshuo for another visit, then traveled to a park in Changsha where they tightroped 140 meters above a fountain-filled lake, attracting crowds of spectators and being interviewed by local TV stations.
Zugspitze, Germany: Slacklining between glacier cable cars 150 meters above the ground.
After the loud and crowded performance at the park, Alexander and his companions were especially eager to find a quiet and unique natural environment. The Inner Mongolian plateau, which they had seen in photos, left a deep impression on them, so they headed straight there. When they finally set foot on this land, Alexander was moved by the beauty and tranquility of this corner of the Earth. “The unique landforms, the different hues—it’s amazing. It’s so peaceful here, the perfect environment for what I do.”
Unfortunately, however, the northern Chinese desert did not return Alexander’s devotion. “This is the hardest slackline setup we’ve ever done!” Facing winds over force seven and being blasted in the eyes, nose, and ears with fine sand, Alexander was forced to shout out those words. There was no doubt that dragging a 600-meter-long slackline across undulating dunes and valleys was a battle between man and nature.
Yangshuo, China: World record highline at 375 meters.
Finding the Right Spot
The dream was ambitious, but reality proved harsh—but Alexander and his team didn’t give up. Although finding a perfectly suitable site was extremely time-consuming, everything still went ahead according to perfect standards, especially considering they were challenging a 600-meter slackline.
“A slackline this length will have quite a bit of sag—possibly dropping as low as 30 meters,” explained Marinus Spatzier, the team’s setup technical expert. “Therefore, the ground conditions must be just right, so that Alexander isn’t too high off the ground without a harness, which would be dangerous.”
Other tasks also kept the whole team sweating profusely every day. “The biggest issue is that there might not be a 100% perfect place,” Alexander said. “In fact, while I was walking the slackline, sometimes I felt I was about to touch the ground, and other times I’d suddenly be several meters in the air—the sand dune surface isn’t flat.” So, he and his team had to figure out how to level some small dunes and clear obstacles.
The next day, the wind calmed down and sunlight poured down as Alexander, like a warrior, set out to attempt the 610-meter ultra-long slackline.
“When you’re on the slackline, you have to reach a state of complete calm, almost like meditation,” Alexander explained. “You have to focus as much as possible on the here and now. Your muscles shouldn’t be overly tense—in fact, it’s more about using muscle memory—your muscles remember how to handle every sway, and they always do the right thing to keep the line balanced.”
Helgoland Island, Germany: Water slacklining record at 271 meters.
New Record Set
The day of the challenge arrived. Weather conditions weren’t ideal, with wind blowing. They tied small weights along the slackline every hundred meters to prevent excessive up-and-down swaying. The first five attempts saw Alexander step onto the line, only to step off shortly after.
At around 7 p.m. local time, with sunset just moments away, it was the final try. This time, after walking on the 2.5-centimeter-wide slackline for an hour, Alexander finally found his rhythm. When he reached the 600-meter mark, everyone erupted in cheers, but he remained fully focused, walking the last inch as if in a tunnel. Finally, his last step landed firmly on the ground, and Alexander joyfully embraced his teammates as the champagne was popped.
“No matter how many thoughts are in my head, I keep telling myself: don’t care!”
Alexander said, “My mind has already relaxed, so trying again will be much easier.” Alex probably won’t rest for long — there will surely be a new adventure soon. But for now, they need to celebrate: right this moment!”
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