An Estonia thrill-seeker has become the first person to walk from the Italian mainland to Sicily — by slacklining nearly two miles high above the Strait of Messina. Jaan Roose, 32, made the walk in 176 minutes — just under three hours — where he battled high winds and blazing hot temperatures Wednesday, all while balancing on a slackline less than an inch wide. The slackline, which hangs looser than a tightrope, was strung between a pair of transmission towers on Sicily and the mainland.
At its lowest point the line was about 330 feet over the water, while at its highest it was more than 800 feet. “I am super happy ..
. even though I am a bit tired,” Roose, a slacklining world champion and Hollywood stuntman, said after making the crossing. Roose set out around 8:30 a.
m., carrying nothing but a backpack with water and rations, and a radio in case of emergency, according to the Telegraph . His journey was not without high-drama — about four minutes from completing the trek Roose lost his balance and toppled from the line at about 820 feet.
People could be heard screaming in terror as he plummeted — but he was saved by a safety belt fastened to the slackline. He clambered quickly back up onto the line and continued on to the end. The fall meant Roose did not break the Guinness World Record for slacklining distance — currently 1.
7 miles — but he still made history as the first person to cross the enormous stretch of water. “I had some problems, but there was a.
