22 Dec 2023

Life on a line hundreds of metres up with Gavin Alexander Lewis

From Nine To Noon, 9:35 am on 22 December 2023
Gavin Alexander Lewis on a highline with the Remarkables in the background. The photo was taken by Will Nelson and is used by RNZ with permission. Will is crouched in the snow on a small ledge at 1400 metres, operating a drone to take the photo.

Photo: Will Nelson

Walking across a tightrope suspended hundreds of metres above a lake sounds like a terrifying nightmare for most people.

But for Gavin Alexander Lewis it is a way to focus and relax.

Alexander Lewis, along with fellow highliner Angelo Swan, both from Queenstown feature in the documentary Flow State, streaming on TVNZ+.

The film is the project of three Massey University students, and centres on the two friends pushing each other in the sport, as well as the role it has had in their mental wellbeing.