Xavier Vivas first experienced slacklining while living in Montreal in 2009, and quickly fell in love with it: the movement, the fluidity, and focus required to balance on the line.
“I tried and, of course, I failed, as everyone does on their first attempt. I was so amazed, not even by just the walking, but by seeing the art in it,” says Xavier, who moved to Vancouver a short while later, picked up his own line, and jumped onto slacklining with both feet. “I started learning by myself and I started learning tricks. Little by little, I just got addicted to it,” he says.
Xavier has become part of the fabric of the slack line community here – organizing meet-ups, promoting the sport, sharing tips for setting up lines, and selling equipment through his business, Absolute Slacklines.
“It was popular in Montreal, but the rest of Canada knew almost nothing about it. So I started a website to promote the activity and provide information. Everyone was asking me, where do you get this or that piece of equipment, and I thought it was a good idea to start this project as a hobby, as a passion, as a way of life, and a business as well.”
Absolute Slacklines is an outlet for Xavier's slacklining passion. The company sells equipment, slacklines, ratchets, tree protection, tethers and more, and organizes exhibitions and promotions as well.
