On July 15-17, 2022, the first World Championship of High Altitude Flat Belt was held at the Galactic Resort in Laaxlac, Switzerland. Thirty-one top athletes from more than 10 countries came to Switzerland for the final after being selected for the global preliminary contest. After several rounds of intense competition, the 27-year-old French player BENOIT BRUME won the high-altitude flatband race, the same French player LOUISE LENOBLE won the women's group of free-altitude flatband champion, and DAVIS HERMES from the United States won the men's group of free-altitude flatband.
Located in the Rhine Canyon in the Alps in eastern Switzerland, Laax has a spectacular mountainous landscape, a mature ski resort, mountain bike, hiking and other rich outdoor sports experience. It is also a preferred holiday destination for family tourists. The venue is chosen at the top of Sony Rong Mountain, which is 2252 meters above sea level. It is also the hub of the Alpine Cable.
The Milky Way Resort on the top of the mountain has a 360 degree panoramic dining room, a comfortable mountain hotel, a freestyle skateboarding field, a small pump lane, a runway, a trampoline park, etc. It is also a travel point for mountain lanes and hiking trails, which can meet the needs of mountain outdoor vacation guests. The final venue of the World Championship is here precisely because of its magnificent landscape and rich outdoor atmosphere. At the same time, the World Championship has become a highlight of Lacks town publicity, playing a complementary role.
What is the Flat Belt ?
Flat band is an extreme movement that can walk on a soft rope fixed between two points, maintain body balance, and even perform various technical actions. At first glance the movement of the flat strip is a bit like walking a steel wire, but it is not. Strip walking is much more difficult than wire walking, while safety is almost the highest in extreme motion. The reason is that the strip is usually made of nylon about 2.5cm wide. Athletes need to rely entirely on their body balance to control the arbitrary swing of the strip. Ordinary people may not be able to stand on the strip for three seconds, while athletes need months or even years of hard work to walk on the strip. In addition, the straps are rigorously constructed and equipped to ensure the safety of all users, and safety equipment should be worn correctly on the high-altitude straps to prevent the safety risks from crashing.
Flat strip venues include low altitude, high altitude, water, hot balloon, etc. Plays include distance, speed and fancy action challenges. The World Flat Belt Championship in Switzerland selected the most popular and attractive high-altitude race and free style.
How does the high-altitude strip competition take place?
The high-altitude strip race is usually a two-to-two match. This World Championship of high-altitude strips has built four high-altitude strips for speed and freedom, two parallel 100-meter strips (for racing) and two parallel 65-meter strips (for free use).
The rules of the race are relatively simple. A runner needs to walk on the flat band at the fastest speed throughout the race. Once a crash is decided to fail, the winner wins with the least amount of time.
The Freestyle Aerial flatband race has 110 points, including 45 points for difficulty, 25 points for action combination, 30 points for action control and posture, and 10 points for excitement. Players need to declare their own action before a match. The referee will score them according to the completeness of the declared action.
The Flat Belt in China
Flat band is still a very young sport compared to other extreme outdoor sports, but its excitement and challenge have attracted a large number of enthusiasts and professional athletes in Europe and the United States. In recent years, with the promotion of sports, festivals and professional flatband athletes and enthusiasts in China, more and more people are aware of this special outdoor extreme sport. Shi Hailin, the Chinese flatband athlete, has also received an invitation from the International Flatband Federation, the sponsor of this high-altitude world championship, to represent Asian players. Although the flatband Federation failed to take part due to the epidemic, it also represents that Chinese athletes have the ability to step on the world stage. He hopes that more Chinese athletes can go to the world in the future, and that this small crowd sport will take root and sprout in China. Drive more people to choose green and healthy outdoor life.
