The official Website:
photos by Vacaspurpuras
The year before.... in 2009 was the beginning of my highline addiction. I travelled with Janek to East Poland, near the border with Ukraine, for a highline festival. I had only tried two lines previously, had not sent, and therefore was eager for another go. We took the bouncing-old trains across the country through flat, agricultural landscape, filled with houses topped with unfinished balconies (something I saw frequently for some reason.) I was able to stay with Janek and Damian as one of the guests, and though the festival was small we were able to rig a tree highline 100ft(30m) long and a world record length line (at that time, long since outdone!) at 60m. I finally sent the tree highline after many tries, and tried a few times on the 60m, but for my third highline ever it was a bit too big a challenge. We also waterlined, and generally had a good time in Lublin.
photo Jordan Tybon
This year was much better planned, as they handed almost the whole event to Janek to plan. He had Jordan and I become his lackies at the event, helping rig and organize the event. We drove from Berlin with Jordans flatmate, Iskar, in a tiny car.
photo Jordan Tybon
This year it happened at the same time as the circus festival, so there were many jugglers and performers roaming the streets of the old town. As organizers we were able to stay in a hotel, while our friends who attended camped out in a park area nearby the city. It was great how many fellow highliners and slackliners showed up! We had friends from Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and USA. Wojtek from
attended to take astounding photos of the event. Jordan also was there taking his usual beautiful pictures. With the both of them, almost nothing went uncaptured.
We set up two lines in the main square, both extended from the Town Hall windows.
photo's by Jordan Tybon
As anchors we used giant plywood pieces propped against the windows, then slung so the force pulled against the walls. As backup we had the same rig but against the doorways behind the windows. Both lines were type 18 webbing with a dynamic rope backup. These lines were sessioned by experts and beginners constantly throughout the festival.
photo Jordan Tybon
The other highline was on the old church in the town, at least 500 years old, our line stretched from the bell tower to a smaller decorative tower. This was trickier to rig as we were dealing with such an old and fragile building.
photo Jordan Tybon
The Alpaca ropes work guys who were volunteering at the festival were quite protective and would not allow me to venture out of the smaller tower unless harnessed in, so rigging took much longer then expected. We finally had the line up, with Gibbon proline and dynamic rope backup. This was a most asthetic line!
photo Jordan Tybon
photo Jordan Tybon
So, for 4 days when there was "security" at the lines, there was a line of people waiting for tries. So many sends! And so many beautiful photos.
photo by Jordan Tybon
photo by vacaspurpuras
We also hosted two trickline competitions; a Mens and Womens. I had to scrounge up three girl to compete, finally being myself, Karoline and Magda--a newcomer to the sport who was already showing great skills!
photo by Jordan Tybon
I was a judge and host for the Mens competition, and it was a great international competition! We set up three lines; threaded tubular, Gibbon jibline and a slackline tools flat setup.
photo by Jordan Tybon
The system went that two boys would compete with a certain amount of time, each allowed to choose any line they liked. By the end of the round the had to have done at least one thing on each line. I judged with Jerry and Bernhard, and we finally agreed on Janek taking first place, Lukas in Second, Kwjet in third and so on.
photo by Vacaspurpuras
In the girls competition it was agreed to format each section in this way: All three girls in a jam session, for said amount of time, each section being solely on one of the three different types of slacklines.
photos by Jordan Tybon
In the end, I came first (winning 50m of Type 18!)
Magda came second, winning 30m of the new czech webbing Red Dragon, and Karoline recieved a jibline for third place.
photo Jordan Tybon
It was a fun competition, quite relaxed and more about having fun then winning. I felt much less pressure then in my first competition at the Out Door.
photo by Jordan Tybon (L) and Vacaspurpuras (R)
Jordan and Wojtek were there taking photos, and I was thoroughly satisfied to have my first ever proper tricklining photos!
photo by vacaspurpuras
One day was devoted to Longlining. The original plan was to have a monster longline contest, however due to lack of a good park for setting up such lines, the whole day ended up quite delayed. We finally found an old soccer field with rusty light post towers to set up the longlines.
photo by Jordan Tybon
I decided it was about time someone tried to walk a slackline in a cardboard box...
A 100m threaded tubular, a 90m vectran and 180m Slackpro heavy webbing later and we were in business!
photo by Jordan Tybon
It was a cloudy day but really fun just to chill and walk. The prize for the longline competition was a linegrip! Lucky winner :) I gave the 180m my best shot, however after making it three fourths of the way I fell. It was also an insanely windy day!
The rest of the festival was spent on good times, enjoying the historical city and whatever performances we could catch in our busy schedule.
photo by Jordan Tybon
Lublin is a beautiful example of an Old Polish city. We hope to have an even better and more successful Festival next year! Thank you to all the friends who came and made it what it was. Thank you to Jordan and Wojtek for the beautiful photography, and props to all the beginners who tried or walked their first highlines!
photo by Vacaspurpuras
