I saw slacklining in a park when I was 19. I thought it was impossible upon first attempt. A couple weeks later I tried again, and after taking a few steps on it, I suddenly realized it was possible. I was motivated to try it because the person who had set up the line looked like they were having fun, and they encouraged me. I had free time between jobs and I wanted to be outside.

The first time I highlined the experience was so intense, I felt like my slacklining skills disappeared. I never thought I was afraid of heights, but once on a highline it seemed that I was. My whole body was shaking. It was almost as if it is was too much information for my body to experience. I now know that it was an adrenaline rush like I’d never experienced before.

Over time, after highlining frequently, the lines became less frightening. Soon, I was able to look at every highline as physical and mental challenge, but the fear of death was no longer present. The fear itself can still be present, but it is much more a fear of failure. After almost 10 years, I do not experience the same fear, excitement or pleasure from highlines as I did before. I still like it, and seek it out, but I find myself looking forward to trying new activities. Highlining was my whole life for about 5 years, so naturally I got a little burnt out. I try to do more projects that combine other sports, like climbing and alpinism, to keep it interesting.

The idea comes if the line itself is really easy to walk, if it doesnt require much thinking or effort. In that case, I ask myself “How would it feel to do it solo?” Then i walk the line with less and less security; starting with a swami belt, then an ankle leash. It is the last walks with the ankle leash that tell me if I am confident and stable enough for the challenge. The moment of committing comes as I sit on the line in chongo mount, but standing up is the final committment. Its easy to get off of a line when sitting on it, but standing up solo means I have to catch the line or sit down in order to give up, and that movement itself is scary with no leash. I do not solo often, but when I do I make sure I am 100% able to overcome the challenge safely.

My other major victories include holding the same highline record as men briefly (back when 67m was the record haha) after only 6 months of highlining. I was also the first woman to break the 100m distance on a highline. But, perhaps the biggest victory of all was turning slacklining into my career successfully for the last 9 years :)

Slacklining (and highlining in particular) taught me that I can do anything I want to if I work hard enough for it. These days, I am trying to figure out exactly what I want so I can do just that!

The sport itself changed my course in life, lead me to some of the most beautiful places in the world, and helped develop my love of the outdoors. It also introduced me to some of my lifelong friends. It showed me the importance of meditation, and introduced me to the concepts of mindfullness.

The community has grown a lot since I started, and to be honest I feel less “part of it” now than ever before. I think it will have many cycles of growth, and I think its ok to be more of a symbol than to be IN the community intensely like before. I see my own role as leading by example, that gender has nothing to do with ability, that passion is enough to achieve anything, and that women can do whatever they dream of.

I worry at times that the community has become too fixated on records, numbers and social media. This is not only a slackline community problem, it is a developed world problem. Now everyone wants an online identity, and so there is a lot of “look at me” that has seemed to infiltrate our community too. As a professional athlete, I HAVE to use social media in order to get work and sponsorships, but for me it is not a pleasure, so perhaps I just don’t understand why so many people want to do it for free. What they might not realize is that once they have created an online persona, they have also created a pressure to maintain that persona, and it can detract from the pure reasons they started slacklining in the first place.

My other concern about the community is a lack of awareness. Most participants in slacklining come from privileged backgrounds, and many seem to think that real world problems such as sexism and inequality somehow dont exist in our little microcosm. Unfortunately, thats not the case, and I hope the community will realize that we have to strive to be equitable just like any other group.

The positives of the community that were true when I started and remain so, is that you have friends all over the world thanks to the shared love of slacklining. Thats special.

The problems related to the number of women participating are not unique to slacklining. They exist in all outdoor sports. There are so many factors involved, but one must only look at history to realize that we have a long way to go until we are equal. It was only 50 years ago that women were expected to stay in the home and cook and take care of children.

Women need female role models. Women need to see other women doing these things. If you grow up in a society without seeing women participating in a certain activity, its hard to develop the mindset that its something you can do. Its changing, slowly.

If I could change something it would be how women are represented. There is far less media representation of women doing slackline and highline, and much of the media that exists shows women “looking good” rather than “being good.” If women were celebrated for their achievements and uniqueness rather than how photogenic or sexy they appear, it would encourage a lot more women to get on lines. We need to have a value system that is equitable. Men are represented on highlines for their abilities, and we should hold women to the same standard.

Also, men need to be allies of women. They need to put the gear in the girls hands, and LET THEM RIG. Teach women to setup their own lines, so they can teach other women. Put gear in the girls backpacks, they can carry stuff too. We need to stop perpetuating the roles of women as weaker.

You are your biggest competitor. Dont compare yourself to others. Try until you are destroyed, until you absolutely cannot try again, and then, go one more time.