On Sunday, October 11, 2026, the La Cassya association included a slackline workshop as part of its charity run, the La Cassya Run, on Yverdon-les-Bains Beach, on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel. For six hours, runners, walkers, families, and spectators were able to test their balance in the heart of the race village between two starts.
Slackline Events, a Swiss company specializing in slackline workshops and performances based in Veytaux (Vaud), set up, supervised, and took down this open-access slackline activity entirely on its own, without electricity or equipment provided by the organizer.
In short
- Client: La Cassya, an organization that supports people affected by cancer (Yverdon-les-Bains, VD)
- Event: The 2026 Cassya Run, 4th edition: 8-km run, 4-km walk, and family course
- Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Location: Race Village, La Plage, next to the Restaurant de la Plage, Avenue des Sports, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains
- Activity: Open-access introductory slackline workshop, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (6 hours)
- Setup: a flat area of at least 100 m², battery-powered sound system, no electrical power required
- Logistics: arrival at 8:30 a.m., setup until 10:00 a.m., takedown from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Audience: race participants and their companions
Goals: To get the village moving through a race against cancer
According to the announcement for the 2026 edition, the Cassya Run has a twofold objective: to raise awareness about the reality of cancer and to raise funds to finance additional services for people affected by the disease. The La Cassya association, founded in 2021 in Yverdon-les-Bains by Assya Gendre, funds integrative medicine, wellness, sports, and recreational activities before, during, and after treatment.
In addition to the races, the organizers wanted to offer activities for participants and their guests. In her request dated June 12, 2026, Alicia Ravey, event manager at La Cassya, explains why she is interested in slacklining: the activity encourages people to move, try new things, and step outside their comfort zone. These are the values the association aims to promote at its events.
The workshop therefore had three roles:
- liven up the race village between starts;
- to offer caregivers a physical activity they can do at their own pace, regardless of their fitness level;
- Convey the organization's message—"dare to try"—through a simple gesture.
Background & Challenges: A Village Open Before the First Races
At a running event, the organizer’s schedule sets the tone for everything. The La Cassya Run village opened to the public at 8:30 a.m. for race bib pickup. According to the practical information for La Cassya Run 2026, the 8-km race started at 10:30 a.m., the 4-km walk at 11:15 a.m., and the family course at 2:00 p.m. The award ceremonies took place at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and the event ended at 4:00 p.m.
Slackline Events 's original schedule called for arrival at 9:00 a.m. and a workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This posed two problems: our vehicle would have had to enter and unload amid the first visitors, and the workshop would have continued for half an hour after the village activities had ended.
Added to this was a common challenge for an organization: a tight budget. The Cassya Run relies heavily on volunteers, and the activities are not the main focus of the event. Before making a reservation, Alicia Ravey also had to present the project to her committee on July 6, 2026. A fully self-sufficient workshop—requiring no equipment or staff to be provided by the organizer—met this requirement.
Our solution: a standalone slackline workshop, tailored to the race schedule
The solution was to align the workshop with the village’s schedule, rather than the other way around. At the suggestion of the organizer—who expected few attendees before 9:30 a.m.—the final schedule was confirmed on September 3, 2026:
- 8:30 a.m.: The " Slackline Events" team arrives before the crowds show up;
- 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: setup;
- 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Open-access slackline workshop, running continuously for 6 hours;
- 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Cleanup and departure.
This time slot covered the three starts, the award ceremonies, and the raffle. Everyone could stop by to give it a try, head off to cheer on a loved one along the course, and then come back.
The logistics plan consisted of four points, which were sent to La Cassya on August 26, 2026:
- a flat area of at least 100 m²;
- No electrical connection: the workshop's sound system is battery-powered;
- vehicle access as close as possible, for unloading in the morning and reloading at the end of the day;
- A parking space for the service provider: La Cassya has indicated the parking lot next to the Restaurant de la Plage, which is free on Sundays.
As with any supervised slackline introductory session, the workshop includes lines suited to different skill levels, professional instructors, and balance games for younger participants. Reservations were made online through our workshop booking platform, with full payment required in advance.
Highlights: Slacklining in the heart of the village of La Cassya Run
In the village, the slackline was set up alongside two other activities organized by La Cassya Run: a smoothie bike and face painting for kids, just a few steps away from the food trucks, which opened at 11:00 a.m.
The open-access format fits well with the pace of a race. Runners in the 8-km race, who were expected to finish by 12:00 p.m. at the latest, could test their balance after the race. Teams in the family course—comprising 2 to 5 people—had plenty of time to try it out before their 2:00 p.m. start.
Results & Impact: Six hours of activities with no financial burden on the volunteers
The primary benefit of a self-sufficient workshop for an organization is the absence of logistical burdens: La Cassya did not have to provide any equipment, electricity, or staff for the slackline activity. Its volunteers were free to focus on race bibs, refreshments, and the course.
Each edition of La Cassya Run brings together “several hundred participants,” according to La Cassya: the village is a true hub for a workshop open to the public.
The results for the 2026 edition are published by the timing company MSO.
Tips for Incorporating a Slackline Workshop into a Charity Run
Are you organizing a charity run, a trail race, or a sports festival? Here’s what we took away from the Cassya Run:
- Start with the race schedule. Time the workshop’s opening and closing to coincide with those of the race village, not with a standard time frame.
- Have the vendors arrive before the public. Avoid unloading in the middle of the crowd. Coordinate the village’s opening time with the actual expected turnout.
- Reserve a flat space and ensure vehicle access. For a large event, allow up to 100 m²; the space requirements for each format are detailed on our page about slackline workshops for events.
- Please specify a parking area and a single point of contact for the big day. The equipment will be delivered by truck early in the morning.
- Set up the workshop near the flow of traffic, but away from the starting and finishing areas. Participants are more willing to try things out when they're out of the way of the main traffic.
- Include the activity in your practical information section. The Cassya Run listed “Slackline” among the village activities.
- Nonprofits: Make it clear right from the start what you can offer in return, such as visibility. This makes it easier to discuss the budget.
For more examples in the Vaud region, check out our slackline workshop for Prilly’s Sustainability Day orthe slackline activity at the Animai festival in Vevey.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to La Cassya and Alicia Ravey, event manager, for their clear and responsive organization, as well as to its president and founder, Assya Gendre, the committee, and all the volunteers of La Cassya Run. Thank you also to the partners and sponsors of the 2026 edition, including the City of Yverdon-les-Bains, and to the MSO timing team. Follow La Cassya on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and support its mission on its donation page.
Organize Your Slackline Workshop
Are you planning a charity run, a sports day, or a community event in French-speaking Switzerland? Slackline Events sets up and runs slackline workshops for races and sporting events—completely independently—and can also combine them with a highline show. You can book your workshop online or browse all our case studies. Let’s discuss your project!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of activities should be offered in the village during a charity race? A free slackline workshop brings life to the village during a charityrace without interfering with race starts: at the La Cassya Run in Yverdon-les-Bains, it was open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and ran concurrently with the starts of the 8-km race, the 4-km walk, and the family course. Runners and their companions can try it out whenever they like, before or after their race. Details on the workshop formats are available on our introductory slackline workshop page.
What time should we set up a slackline workshop if the village opens before the races? The team must arrive no later than when the village opens, before the crowds arrive, so as not to unload equipment in the middle of the crowd. At La Cassya Run, the village opened at 8:30 a.m., and the Slackline Events team arrived at 8:30 a.m., setting up until 10:00 a.m.: the organizer expected few people to arrive before 9:30 a.m.
Does a slackline workshop need electricity at a race venue? No: At La Cassya Run, the workshop operated without any electrical hookups, using a battery-powered sound system. The organizer only provided a flat area of at least 100 m², vehicle access, and a parking space.
Why does slacklining align with the values of an organization that supports people affected by cancer? For the organization La Cassya, slacklining embodies the idea of moving, trying new things, and stepping outside one’s comfort zone—values it aims to convey through its events. Everyone practices at their own pace, under the guidance of an instructor, making it an activity open to all participants in a charity run.
How long does a slackline workshop stay open during a running race? It remains open for the entire duration of the village activities: at La Cassya Run, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.—a continuous 6 hours—until the end of the event. Takedown follows, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.