Jaan Roose walks a 500-metre slackline 180 metres above Warsaw, linking the Palace of Culture and Varso Tower

The 'Red Bull Linia Czasu' project

On the morning of Sunday, 31 May, Estonian extreme athlete Jaan Roose successfully walked a slackline stretched between two of Warsaw's most iconic buildings. The event, part of the 'Red Bull Linia Czasu' (Red Bull Timeline) project, physically and symbolically connected the Palace of Culture and Science, a post-war symbol of the city, with Varso Tower, the tallest building in Poland and the entire European Union at 310 metres. The line was suspended approximately 180 metres above the ground.

The walk across the sky

Roose began his walk at around 9:00 a.m. from a terrace near the Millennium Clock on the Palace of Culture and Science. He traversed the roughly 500-metre distance on an elastic tape just under two centimetres wide. The crossing took him approximately 30 minutes, with organisers having estimated a window of 25 to 35 minutes. The entire performance was broadcast live online, drawing thousands of viewers.

Sometimes at that height I couldn't breathe. (...) I had to remind myself to calm my body down. Now the emotions are subsiding. I feel great, standing on two feet again, not on a tape suspended over the city.

Battling the wind and the city

Strong, gusty winds were the primary challenge. Roose noted that the first 250 metres were significantly harder than the second half, as the wind caused the line to shake continuously and the surrounding tall buildings created air turbulence. The weight of the athlete also caused the tape to sag by several dozen metres, meaning the final section was walked slightly uphill. City noises, including sirens and construction sounds, added to the difficulty.

The biggest challenge was finding the right moment to start. At the beginning, conditions were very difficult and changeable.

Who is Jaan Roose?

Born in 1992 in Estonia, Jaan Roose is a three-time world champion in slacklining. He discovered the discipline at age 18 after initially training in parkour. Roose is also a professional film stuntman, specialising in complex action scenes and realistic falls. His past achievements include walking a slackline across the Bosphorus Strait, symbolically connecting Asia and Europe, and crossing the Strait of Messina from mainland Italy to Sicily.

Thanks to the fact that I feel fear, I immediately calculate how to do it safely, how to properly attach and secure myself so that nothing falls. Then the brain starts working at full speed.

A safe landing at Varso Tower

Roose was secured with a professional harness and lanyard system throughout the walk, ensuring that a loss of balance would not result in a fall to the ground. Upon reaching the viewing terrace of Varso Tower, he expressed relief and joy, even stepping onto a shorter line to perform jumps and acrobatics. He emphasised that the success was a team effort, crediting the meticulous planning and timing by the entire crew.