Time flies, especially when you spend much of that time in the air. What started as a gathering of 6 girls has powered through the last 4 years, and once again girls from all over the world came together to slackline and highline in Ostrov, Czech Republic.
My intention of starting the
GOSF was to connect women with each other. Highlining is a male dominated sport, like much of outdoor athletics, and this fact can be intimidating for women. I've observed and experienced that women can be quite competitive, and I was curious to see what would happen without men in the picture. The result? A completely uncompetitive atmosphere. This festival exudes positive energy. As it is international, the girls learn to break down language barriers, and encourage one another on the lines, and have a good time in the evenings as well. Support is not lacking! I think women are most inspired seeing what other WOMEN can do, and the
GOSF is the perfect environment for that. Each girl has her own goals and success is personal. The whole event also acts as a kind of filter; the women who show up genuinely love highlining and slacklining and want to be at an event that celebrates them and where the time is totally devoted to them. It is a gentle atmosphere, but hardcore by it's own right. Girls know how to push themselves to their limits!
My original hope was that this idea would spread worldwide, especially since not all girls can fly to Czech Republic to partake. Last year was also the birth of the
All Girls Festival in USA, and there was another Girls Only gathering in Chile! I hope that in the future, enough girls will slackline that we don't have to keep out the boys, but for now this special atmosphere is so important to the progression of females that I will happily guard the perimeters with a pitchfork!
So, enjoy a beautiful film by my dear friends and professional filmographers Jan Simanek and Judith Dozieres.
Girls Only Slackline Festival IV from
Judith et Nemo on
Vimeo.
