Andy Lewis (performer)

Andy Lewis (born October 7, 1986), is a professional performer and speaker, stunt/safety coordinator, Tandem BASE jump master, slackliner, and internationally recognized extreme sports athlete. Lewis started a Tandem BASE Jumping Company in 2018 called “BASE Jump Moab,” and is currently running it professionally. Lewis is most famous for his efforts as a slackliner. Lewis has completed numerous accomplishments as a highliner and trickliner, and is also a distinguished BASE jumper and rock climber. He has created new "slack" vocabulary, new slackline disciplines, and is an ambassador to the sport.[1]

Andy Lewis
Lewis at The Gibbon World Cup 2010
Born (1986-10-07) October 7, 1986
Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
OccupationSlackliner
Known forSlacklining, BASE jumping, Super Bowl Halftime 2012
Lewis performing a tip stand in Munich, Germany, 2012

Lewis grew up in Greenbrae, California.[2] He graduated valedictorian of the class of 2008 from Humboldt State University.

Slackline accomplishments and exploits

Lewis played a major role in developing the sport of competitive tricklining, becoming the first ever slackline world champion in 2008 in Fort William, Scotland. He repeated the feat in 2009, 2010, and 2011 winning Champion Overall at the Gibbon World Cup Series‘.[2] Andy is also known for his many "first across” (F/A's) highlines where both scouting the line and figuring out how to rig the line are required before being the first one to walk across. He also holds the American record for longest highline, longest free solo, and highest walked slackline (between two hot air balloons.) He was the first to successfully rig and walk a 55m+ highline (2008, California – "Ruin's Highline"), the first to walk a 60m+ highline (2009, France – "King Line"), and rigged and walked the world's first 100m+ highline ever (2010, Moab – "Afrodisiac").[3] Andy is also renowned for his "free solo" exploits, having walked more than 100 different highlines without a safety leash. Andy's record for longest free solo highline held up until August 2015, with a 55m crossing at 60m high up— no leash. His leashed crossing in 2018, was nearly 3000’ long, walking 888m onsight (first try.)

Andy was included in Peter Mortimer's Reel Rock 2011 film, featured on MTV, and on other international TV networks. He is credited with taking slacklining from an obscure hobby of a small portion of rock-climbers to the world media forefront on Sunday, February 5, 2012, when he performed on a trickline while Madonna sang behind him during the halftime show of the NFL Super Bowl. Saturday Night Live and Conan O'Brien's Late Night TV show parodied Andy's halftime performance in the week following the Super Bowl.[4]

Andy is also a sponsored athlete of Atair Canopies, Apex BASE, Gibbon Slacklines, Sterling Rope, Go Pro, Red Bull, Hippy Tree, Line Grip, and BASE Jump Moab.

"Slacklife"

Andy spelled out his approach to life – dubbed "slacklife" – in a November 2010 interview with Brenden Gebhart. Slacklife is:

A concept adopted by slackliners who live a life consistently and continually inspired by slacklining. Slacklining is not considered a sport by society. There is no slackline magazine. There are no set rules. No set definitions. No standardized equipment. No statistics. Most importantly, there are no true professionals. In fact there is pretty much no reason to slackline except for the sake of slacklining itself. That is the slacklife. Rules and regulations involved in the habitual and ridiculous effort to remove RISK entirely from society has made living the slacklife inside of society damn near impossible. Liability and insurance are the two words crippling the sport of slacklining today. "Slackers," living the "slacklife," instead; travel the globe in search of the most inspiring places to practice slacklining. Tricklining, longlining, highlining, and free solo are all separate facets of slacklining. Training all of these facets is an incredibly positive way to stay physically and mentally fit. This training is becoming a pseudo-religion amongst the community of slackliners; otherwise called the "slacklife." Living in the moment, being immersed in the wilderness, challenging your body, developing your mind, confronting, controlling, and conquering one's fear of death, and pursuing the pure, true, and honest unbridled feeling of freedom to do what you want is the foundation supporting the Slacklife.

Notable highline feats

"First across"
  • The Lucky Horse Factory: 230m Long/ 128m high Established with the Frenchies Nov 2015, Andy's Longest Established/ Sent highline.
  • Airwareness Highline: 105m long / 140m high—October 16, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nev. (largest urban highline)
  • Leviathan Highline: 85m long / 250m high—Quite possibly the most exposed highline in the world. (fisher towers, UT)
  • Afrodisiac Highline : 103.5m long / 110m high — September 10, 2010, in Moab, Utah (rigging help by Ryan Matson) (2)
  • The Dgark Wizard: 128m long / 110m high- April 20, 2015, He established this highline in the name of Potter and Hunt.
  • King Line : 60m long / 25m high — June 28, 2009, in Millau, France (Rigging by Michi Acshaber)
  • Ruin's Highline : 55m long / 35m high (middle) — July 18, 2008, in Marin Headlands, Cal. (Rigging help by Scott Antipa)

Free solo (without safety leash)

Rigged most of, and walked 100 lines in 2011, 62 he walked free solo.

  • Great Bongzilla Highline : 55m long / 60m high- Highlands Bowl, Moab, Utah (World Record for 4 years)
  • Shakes McCoy Highline : 40m long / 32m high — November 27, 2010, in Moab, Utah (World Record for 1 year)
  • Max Power Banana Bomb Highline 32m long / 25m high - November 1, 2010, in Germany.
  • Lost Arrow Spire Highline : 17m long / 900m high — June 2009/ June 2010 (naked) in Yosemite National Park, Cal.
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References
  1. Marikar, Sheila (February 6, 2012). "Andy Lewis, Madonna's Slack Line Dancer, on 'Scary, Spectacular' Super Bowl Show". ABC News.
  2. Jason, Will (November 25, 2010). "In 'slacklining,' Redwood High grad finds his passion". Marin Independent Journal.
  3. Afrodisiac Highline Footage. YouTube.com.
  4. Longman, Jeré (February 6, 2012). "That Guy in the Toga? Call Him a Slackliner". The New York Times.

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