Jaan Roose, the superhero athlete prepares a legendary feat. Here’s what

Jaan Roose and the Art of Slacklining. The Legendary Feats of the Estonian Athlete

A life dedicated to sport in search of uniqueness, freedom, a “road” that is uniquely his own. This, in a few words, is the profile of Jaan Roose, who at just 32 years old is already a world legend of slacklining and is preparing to accomplish, starting in July, the incredible feat of crossing the stretch of sea between Sicily and Calabria. The athlete will be suspended on a strip of fabric less than 2 cm wide, stretched for over 3600 m between the two majestic pylons of the former power line of the Strait of Messina. Only a multifaceted character like Jaan, who has been defined as “the biggest export of Estonia since Skype”, could attempt so much.

For him – who defines himself as an “athletic performer” – sports practice is on one hand an art form and cannot ignore the spectacular dimension; on the other hand, it is something deeply intimate, because all the challenges he takes on are first and foremost against himself, against his own limits and fears. Jaan’s training routine varies depending on his goals, but it is always very intense: on the slackline even a short distance can be exhausting, both physically and mentally, as much as and more than a marathon. Nothing can be left to chance, the weather is not always an ally, in particular the wind can turn into an invisible enemy: planning, the harmony of his team, the meticulous care of the materials of the webbing, of the choice of shoes are all essential factors and even just a small shortcoming can cost you dearly.

In slacklining, fear, pain, and fatigue are unavoidable companions: a large part of the training is focused on learning to live with them, to control your body without being overwhelmed, especially in unfamiliar situations or in front of an audience. In this sense, Jaan wanted to add skydiving to his personal repertoire of extreme sports… which he says is still less exciting than walking suspended.

Jaan Roose, the super athlete and the legendary feat. He will challenge the Strait of Messina

Self-taught, from a very young age he was inspired not so much by individual athletes or real people, but by superhero films and the desire to be able to achieve their same superpowers, to fly and cross distances at crazy heights. A mystical goal to always strive for, day after day, challenge after challenge. His sporting career has ranged from parkour, free running and acrobatics, then in 2010 the “love at first sight” with the slackline. After the first uncertain steps, with the stubbornness that is typical of him, he soon began to perform the first tricks. The desire to push himself “beyond” was the natural consequence: Jaan thus began not only to compete in international competitions, but above all to stretch the ribbon in increasingly daring and unlikely places, crossing increasingly longer distances and challenging the most hostile weather conditions.

Today his very personal list of achievements is pure gold, with three world titles and legendary records, as the first double backflip (a highly difficult backward jump) ever successfully performed on a slackline. He has also crossed skyscrapers, hills and valleys on a slackline in various countries around the world, and has even attempted to walk on a trailer towed by a moving truck. His commitment as a stuntman in the cinema is also noteworthy – he has appeared in Assassin’s Creed and Wonder Woman 1984, among others – and his participation in Madonna’s world tour. Despite such experience in sport and life, Jaan has never stopped feeling excited when faced with new challenges.

And the crossing of the Strait of Messina will be more special than the othersnot only for the distance to be covered, but above all for the setting, a millenary crossroads of ancestral stories and myths, which will perfectly frame the sporting gesture.