From barrier rope to recreational sport

Robby Speck

Slackline is a narrow band, approximately two and a half to five centimetres wide, for balancing. The five to eight metre long piece of sports equipment is stretched at knee height between two attachment points, such as trees. For beginners, the challenge is to stay on the belt for as long as possible and possibly take a few steps. The pros, on the other hand, try to conquer the belt with tricks and jumps. Robby Speck, 36 years old, has also taken a liking to this sport and wants to bring slackening closer to the people of Chemnitz. That's why he and others are organising the Chemnitz Slackfest, which will take place from 18 to 20 August in the Küchwald forest around the Sigmund Jähn Cosmonaut Centre.

How did you come up with the idea of organising the Slackfest in Chemnitz?
Robby Speck: It was originally the idea of a few slackers from Dresden, Freiberg and Chemnitz who did it as a hobby. They wanted to get together to show other people how to slack. I joined the group for the second Slackfest and then grew into the organisation. Together with three colleagues, solaris FZU gGmbh Sachsen and Walden e.V., we are now organising the 11th Slackfest in Chemnitz.

Who can take part in the Slackfest?
It's a festival for everyone. Anyone can try their hand at slacking, try their hand at short distances or attend workshops. There are also international professionals at the start who compete against each other in various competition categories: Individual speed, tricks, high jump and team speed.

Do you slack yourself?
Yes, because I climb, I used it as balance training. Then I started to enjoy it more and more and tried to stretch the slackline longer and longer, even trying out the odd trick. That's how it became my hobby. What I like so much about it is that you can focus your concentration. With good music playing in my ears, I like to try to walk long lines, i.e. paths on the slackline.

What do you need to learn how to slackline?
Just try it out! It takes everyone a different amount of time before you can stand well on the slackline for the first time, half an hour for some and a little longer for others. The body gets used to the new feeling of balance relatively quickly, and you can even try your first steps on the line relatively quickly.

Slacking is a relatively new sport. Climbers in Yosemite National Park, California, used to pass the time on rainy days, which did not allow them to climb the mountains, with balancing exercises on barrier chains and safety harnesses. Through increasingly sophisticated tricks, techniques and materials, slacking then developed into a sport in its own right. Slacking was first practised in the USA in the early 1980s and has spread to major German cities over the last ten years. But how did the sport come to Chemnitz? "It was all word of mouth! There were around 20 slack fans at the first Slackfest and we now have 1,200," says Robby Speck proudly, who personally appreciates the meditative nature of slacking.

Is slacking a trend sport or an established sport for everyone?
It became a trend four or five years ago. The first slackline manufacturers picked up on the trend and produced the first mass-produced goods. Before that, slacklines were simple lashing straps that were used to secure lorry loads. Then the tensioning strap manufacturers also produced slacklines, as both the material and the tensioning system are the same. Nowadays, these sets are also available for little money in discount stores. It has become a sport for everyone. One slackline set, two trees: that's all you need.

Where are the best slackline spots in Chemnitz?
Definitely in the Küchwald forest. There are lots of trees here, so you can stretch many lines of different lengths. Of course, any park with trees will do, and Chemnitz has a lot of them. I only realised how green the city is when I started slacklining. In Freiburg, for example, people are not allowed to vape in public parks. Chemnitz is more open in this respect. All you have to do is put up a tree guard and then everyone can start balancing.

You also run the Chemnitz high ropes course, which has moved from Augustusburger Straße to the Kosmonautenzentrum. Are there similarities and differences between the two sports?
The high ropes course has more of an educational background and is less of a sport in its own right. It is particularly suitable for school classes to strengthen social skills and communication skills. When climbing on the high ropes course, the subjective fear of heights prevails and everyone shows their true colours. Trust in your fellow pupils who secure you and in yourself is trained. Slacking is more of a recreational sport, but self-confidence and empathy also play an important role here.

You studied sports science. Do you also look at sport from a scientific perspective?
I got into it through my degree. At first, I had a part-time job as a trainer at a high ropes course. Then I did further training and became a project manager. I then started to think about how the sporting level could be brought to children. They have a different perception of time and children perceive an hour of sport without a sense of achievement differently. With the help of games, methodical series and workshops, I tried to appeal to young people in particular. Slacklining is a great way to do this because it's considered cool among young people and that makes it easier to approach them.

Are the people of Chemnitz open to such sports?
When the sport was new and I was out and about in the park with my slackline, people of all ages came up to me and were curious to find out what it was and whether they could try it out. Every year, more and more people came to the Slackfest. From toddlers to grandpas, everyone has stood on the slackline.

Is there a slackline club in Chemnitz?
Slacklining is more of a leisure sport. There is no club in Chemnitz, we are more of a loose organisation. There are clubs throughout Germany, but they are mainly responsible for organising the professionals.

Chemnitz is applying to be the Capital of Culture 2025. Where do you see Chemnitz and yourself or sport in Chemnitz in eight years' time?
I hope that the Slackfest will still exist then because it is an important part of youth culture. We also involve young people in the organisation and implementation of the Slackfest every year. Chemnitz has a very mixed youth culture. From young people from middle-class backgrounds to alternatives, everyone joins in. Everyone can come together to slack, it's not an expensive sport. You don't need much for it and the scene is very open. People socialise well through slacking. Especially against the background of migration movements, slacklining together contributes to integration. For example, we have organised slacklining workshops for refugees to offer them a change of pace. Slacklining encourages people to get out and do sports, discover beautiful corners of Chemnitz and revitalise the parks. That's how I imagine Chemnitz in 2025.