In a stunning display of skill and bravery, German slackline athletes Friedi Kuehne and Lukas Irmler have broken their own world record by walking across a slackline suspended between two hot air balloons at an altitude of 2,500 meters (8,202 feet). The daring stunt, which has gone viral, shows the athletes maintaining perfect balance while walking above the clouds, capturing the attention of extreme sports fans worldwide.
This new record surpasses their previous achievement of 1,900 meters set in Brazil in 2021. According to the International Slackline Association, the feat pushes slacklining to unprecedented extremes. The duo faced numerous challenges, including strong winds and the physical demands of maintaining balance at such high altitudes. Their slackline was tethered between two hot air balloons, providing both breathtaking views and significant risks.
Kuehne and Irmler are both experienced slackliners, known for their record-breaking achievements. “This is the craziest slackline world record Lukas and I have done together so far,” Kuehne said, reflecting on the scale of their accomplishment.
The athletes are no strangers to pushing the limits. In 2019, Irmler set the world record for the longest distance walked on a slackline, covering an impressive 2 kilometers. Kuehne, renowned for performing stunts without safety devices, achieved a remarkable feat in 2017 by walking a 110-meter-long slackline at a height of 250 meters.
Watch:
RECORD ⬇️Los funambulistas alemanes Lukas Irmler y Friedi Kuehne establecen un nuevo récord mundial atravesando una cuerda floja tendida a 2.500 metros de altura entre dos globos aerostáticos. 👍 pic.twitter.com/exOvLsBJog
— José Alvarez (@IngJoseAlvarez) November 14, 2024
Despite their success, the athletes face challenges in obtaining the necessary permissions for such high-risk activities. Kuehne noted the strict regulations in Germany, which make it difficult to execute extreme stunts. He also shared his dream of skydiving off the slackline during one of these events, though that idea has not yet come to fruition.
Slacklining is a sport that involves balancing on a flat webbing line suspended between two points. While similar to tightrope walking, slacklining requires exceptional balance, strength, and focus. There are various types of slacklining, including highlining (walking at great heights), waterline (slacklining over bodies of water), tricklining (performing tricks on a slackline), and yoga line (combining yoga and slacklining).
