A group of athletes descended on Nexen Beach last weekend to celebrate the emergence of an activity that is teetering on the cusp of widespread popularity. The inaugural HevyFest introduced the uneducated to the sport of slacklining on Saturday (July 26), and gave the more experienced slackers elevated grounds to showcase their controlled wobbling.Allen (Hevy) Stevens, 58, said he created the festival because he recognized that slacklining, which involves balancing on a line of nylon webbing stretched between two anchors, is becoming more than just something climbers do to pass the time. "It's a growing genre and I think it's going to become a modern urban sport. Europe is already five years ahead of us," said Stevens.Slacklining differs from the traditional tightrope walking one expects to see at the circus. It's more difficult than walking along a taut line because the sag requires the slacker to react to the line's trampoline-like movements. However, the best slackers can dance, juggle and practice yoga while slacklining.Squamish has a slacklining facility at the base of the Stawamus Chief thanks to HevyFest co-ordinator Ashley Green. A big supporter of the sport, Green was getting tired of asking visiting slackers to take down their lines because they were damaging trees. She gave them an alternative by creating a slacklining area complete with four poles to attach their gear.Green and Stevens installed seven slacklines on Nexen Beach for HevyFest, including a long highline suspended about two metres over the water attached to two pillars. Those who weren't afraid to get wet took on the challenging line.Avid slackliner Robin Avery, 23, was able to make it about two thirds of the way across before losing his balance. For Avery, slacklining is as much a meditative practice as it is a physical activity - especially when he is high lining across mountain peaks and other rock features (while wearing a harness, of course)."The exposure alone is just huge," he said. "But really it's all in the mind."The physical strength and mental acuity needed to stay on the line extends to more sports than simply climbing. Mountain bikers, skateboarders and even hockey players can benefit from having fun on a slackline, said Slackers Slacklining director Jason Charlton."It's a great crosstrainer. Anybody you talk to who has done any sport and then have gotten on a slackline - they come back and say it's improved them tenfold," said Charlton, whose local business offers various slacklining kits. "They're not falling over as much and they're more focused on what they're doing as well."Like many, Charlton moved to Squamish for its climbing in 2001. He was soon introduced to slacklining, but discovered the equipment was only available if shipped from the United States at a high cost.Slackers Slacklining will soon offer three kits of varying difficulties via its website www.slackersslacklining.ca starting at $135, which includes line and ratchet systems. All lines are produced in Squamish. He also plans to distribute the kits to climbing and skateboard shops around the country.
