RED BULL TIME LINE: JAAN ROOSE WALKED A SLACKLINE BETWEEN POLAND’S TALLEST BUILDINGS. A HISTORIC FEAT ABOVE WARSAW
At 180 metres above the ground, suspended between an icon of history and a symbol of modern Warsaw, Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose accomplished something no one had ever done before. He crossed a slackline stretched between the Palace of Culture and Science and Varso Tower, the tallest building in the European Union. The spectacular project, “Red Bull Time Line,” transformed the heart of the Polish capital into the stage for one of the most remarkable urban highline crossings ever attempted.
Warsaw witnessed an unprecedented event. Jaan Roose began his attempt near the Millennium Clock terraces of the Palace of Culture and Science. Ahead of him lay nothing but a 19-millimetre-wide slackline suspended above the city streets, leading toward Varso Tower. His challenge was to traverse nearly 500 metres of aerial “roadway.”
The very first metres proved extremely demanding. The slackliner had to descend along the line directly above the open urban landscape. Between the skyscrapers, winds reached speeds of up to 8 m/s, causing constant vibrations in the line. Every step required absolute body control and complete concentration.
The most dramatic moment came near the end of the crossing. Under the athlete’s weight, the centre of the line sagged by several metres, meaning that the final section had to be completed uphill. Exhausted and facing continuously changing weather conditions, Jaan found himself battling not only gravity but also the limits of his own body.
“I could see people cheering for me from Parade Square and from the windows of Varso Tower. They had even prepared a ‘Good Luck’ sign, which was incredibly kind. I’ve been to Warsaw several times, and ever since I first saw the Palace of Culture and Science and Varso Tower, I imagined the perfect line between them. I’m happy that, thanks to Red Bull’s support, I was able to make that vision a reality,” said Jaan Roose after the crossing.
After 30 minutes and 7 seconds, the Estonian safely reached the observation deck of Varso Tower, completing a historic walk between Poland’s two tallest buildings. Notably, he achieved the feat without the use of a balancing pole, relying solely on core strength, balance, and years of experience.
Although the project was fully secured with safety systems, this did not diminish the challenge. Any fall from the line would have required an extremely demanding climb back onto a slackline suspended 180 metres above the ground.
For Jaan Roose, this marks yet another milestone in an extraordinary career. The Estonian athlete has previously completed crossings above the Strait of Messina and the Bosphorus, as well as a spectacular urban highline above the streets of Bogotá. The Polish project now joins that list as one of Europe’s most spectacular urban highline walks.
A replay of “Red Bull Time Line” can be viewed on Red Bull’s Facebook profile.
The project was delivered with the support of partners who actively contributed to its execution, including: PKO Bank Polski, Garmin, the Palace of Culture and Science, the City of Warsaw, HB Reavis, and CMS.
KEY FACTS ABOUT “RED BULL TIME LINE”
- Athlete: Jaan Roose (Estonia)
- Age: 34
- Route: Palace of Culture and Science – Varso Tower
- Distance: approx. 500 m
- Height above ground: approx. 180 m
- Slackline width: 19 mm
- Line tension: approx. 500 kg
- Maximum sag: up to 25 m
- Crossing time: 30 minutes 7 seconds
- Start time: 9:04 AM
- Finish time: 9:34 AM