Estonian daredevil and professional slackline athlete Jaan Roose has accomplished a new feat by walking the longest highline in Africa.
Suspended between two rock formations in Samburu County, the 580-meter slackline walk marked the first-ever highline in Kenya.
The accomplishment demonstrates the possibilities of sports beyond traditional ball sports. Roose is a seasoned athlete, having competed in several competitions and won various titles, including the 2016 Slackline World Cup Championship.
He visited Kenya in late 2022 to showcase his skills and introduce the relatively uncommon sport of slacklining to the country.
Roose broke the continental record at the Cat and Mouse rock formation, chosen for its unique rock formations and cultural significance to the Samburu people.
To complete the feat on their native ground, Roose was traditionally blessed by the Samburu elders. The rigging process took 16 hours and 30 minutes, aided by the local climbing community and Climbing Life Kenya.
The slackline was suspended at a height of 151m at Cat and 195m at Mouse, presenting a unique challenge as it sagged most of the time, making Roose walk at an incline.
Despite the harsh sun and crosswinds of up to 30kph, Roose battled through the elements and completed the walk in 58 minutes.
