This expression side of the sport is the one with the tag of 'extreme' and the one linked in spirit to the other freesports of skate boarding, bmx etc. I love watching extreme sports and so was delighted to see a documentary last night on Channel 4 called 'Jump Britain'.
The documentary featured a relative new-comer to the world of freesports called 'Parkour' or 'Free-running'. It's amazing to watch. Imagine a sport akin to skateboarding, but without the skateboard. Athletes with acrobatic skills moving through an urban landscape, using their environment as a stage for expression of freedom and movement. Bollards, walls and fences are no longer barriers, but pieces of equipment to be jumped, hurdled, somersaulted and climbed. This is running in 3 dimensions.
The program focussed on Sebastien Foucan, the French founder of the sport, and his new band of British followers, who took up the sport after seeing the previous documentary 'Jump London' in 2003. We were treated to Sebastien and co putting on a fantastic display using national monuments such as the Giants Causeway, Edinburgh Castle, the Millenium Stadium, and the Birmingham International Conference Centre (the roof is Parkour heaven!), amongst others.
In the preamble, we were treated to Sebastien back in his French home-town, running up a vertical wall onto a roof (!), leaping from building to building, and jumping down from great heights, rolling out of the landing, and straight back upright to carry on into the next dazzling array of stunts. This guy is an amazing athlete (and what a body!) We've seen stunts like this created in films such as The Matrix, with the aid of wires and CGI, but he does them for real!
Back on British soil, we were treated to some of the antics in the gym trying to perfect new moves - the cat leap with somersault - very entertaining, before Sebastien and crew descended (or rather ascended) on the monuments of Britain. The sight of Sebastien leaping the gap between the two halves of the Millennium Stadium roof was spectacular. The whole display was beautifully filmed.
On the windsurf racing circuit we used to have a lot of downtime waiting for wind. We developed an interest in circus skills - my favourite being unicycling (I kid you not!). I suppose it was the balance and coordination element that complemented windsurfing well. Another favourite downtime activity of mine was running along the tops of the bollards on my local stretch of seafront - very Parkour! On the water, the elements of conquering your fears and mastering the environment links my love of wave sailing back to the same elements in Parkour.
I love watching the human body in motion. Athletics, gymnastics, kung fu movies - bring it on! Parkour combines all I love about running and windsurfing. I hope they put more of it on TV.
You won't find me doing it though.Too bloody dangerous!
For more information about Parkour go to the Urban free flow website.
3 comments:
I loved the programme too - I fancy a go myself, although I think I'll give the gap between the sides of the Millenium Stadium rof a miss!!
Think I must have some of this in my blood too - I used to skateboard a lot as a teenager. Serious ramp stuff and everything. I got into windsurfing about 18 months back but had to stop for a bit due to an eye injury when they told me not to go in water like that!! Going to get back to it soon though :o)
Pavarotti,
I'm doing a reverse monkey gybe. Sometimes it is just a spectacular way of falling off, but on this occasion I did actually make it! (And I was being photgraphed! Smug or what!?)
It involves turning the board through 180deg (gybe), while making life very tough for yourself by spinning body and sail 360deg. The more experienced windsurfers might spot that the board is straightening up as my weight shifts and in the last frame I'm struggling to control the power in the sail - the sail is now pointing into the wind - hence it has to be kept low. It wasn't pretty, but I did manage to complete the manoeuvre - first time I'd managed it on a small board in strong winds.
XFRB, Nice to hear you're a windsurfer!
I saw it too - just picked it up as was staying in a hotel and channel hopping - great programme, would love to be young and fit enough to do it,
now windsurfing, have not done that for 20 years, would love to have another go.
Post a Comment