No world record. A man alone in the middle of the sea for almost 3 hours Jaan Roose, who after more than two and a half hours of walking on the waters of the Strait falls a few meters (about a hundred) from the arrival in Messina. But July 10, 2024 on the Strait will remain in history thanks to the incredible feat (never attempted before, never even thought of) of the Estonian athlete of Red Bullwho glided before the eyes of thousands of spectators, both those present and those connected, on a slackline just 1.9cm wide and 3600 metres long. For the 32-year-old, who had just touched 2700 metres, breaking the previous world record by one kilometre, there was therefore no official validation due to the fall. Only glory for him who, however, already halfway across the crossing had beaten his own record (established in Guadalupe).
And the hypothesis that Roose could try again tomorrow or in the next few days fades away. In fact, the rumors that had been chasing each other this afternoon have been denied.
The arrival at Torre Faro was the most difficult moment. Between the fatigue of the distance he left behind and that last stretch before the finish line on the pylon which was practically uphill. The start was taken at around 8.40 from the Calabrian sideto 265 meters (higher than the tallest Italian skyscraper), the arrival in Sicily to 230 meters. Jaan therefore faced a difference in altitude of approximately 130 metres between the starting height and that of the central part.
In a mixture of “fear and excitement” (he himself declared it a few days ago) Roose set sail from the Santa Trada pylon in Villa San Giovanniharnessed at 250 meters high, towards an extraordinary challenge: the Messina Crossing. To ideally unite the Peninsula to the Island with a file that physically links the two shores. Jaan He brought with him a small radio to talk to the team that followed him from below, a hat to protect himself from the sun, a backpack on his shoulder, his music. And, most importantly, a pair of shoes to mitigate the humidity of the slackline (which would otherwise be excessively slippery) and the pain that inevitably comes from such a walk.
The wind conditions (the great enemy of these days) were favorable. The safety cable that Roose walked on with his feet obliquely (the tape was too narrow to go parallel) was anchored to the yellow rope on which he walked, composed of pieces of about 200 meters connected to each other by a textile material as resistant as steel (the breaking load is 4 thousand kilos). He himself participated in all the assembly and mounting phases.
Looking ahead (never looking down, even thinking about the moment of arrival would have been a source of stress that could potentially have compromised the success of the mission), sustained pace (between the stops made to regroup), controlled heartbeat, open arms to balance the equilibrium as well as to counteract the stresses of the wind and tense muscles on a rigid cable that in the long run made all its “weight” felt..
An incredible challenge, in Red Bull styleto enhance the unique panorama of the Strait of Messinawith a temporary installation that will respect the unique landscape and environment of the location.
“It will be a special undertaking due to the uniqueness of the place, suspended between the coast of Calabria and the Sicily. I have been preparing for a year, both physically, walking long distances, and mentally, focusing on the ability to stay focused for 3 or 4 hourswithout distractions. It is essential to take care of hydration and find ways to rest the arms, but my biggest concern is the weather forecast: in the hours leading up to the attempt we will have to check the forecasts, because we will be playing with the rules that nature establishes”, declared Jaan Roose in the last few hours.
The entire live broadcast of the event was streamed live on Tgcom24 And Sportmediaset.it. Fastwebone of the leading telecommunications providers in Italy, supported Red Bull’s exceptional feat as a partner by providing live streaming connectivity across its coverage 5GThe sporting challenge is sponsored by: Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment of the Sicilian Region, Municipality of Messina And Municipality of Villa San Giovanni.