Why freerunning can't be a competition?  If it were it wouldn't be under some weird trick-basis rule, it would be a single run, that could be judged (like ice-skating) as a whole.  I think that cometition would inspire many to be better, and that it woudn't take away from the sport at all.  Think about it like surfing or snowboarding; sure there are competitive levels, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun just to do it for the heck of it!

By the way...I know that some people on here have some serious gusto behind anti parkour-competition notions, but could freerunning (Which to these same purists is like the tainted spawn of parkour), have competition without catching flak?

No problem with freerunning competitions.  Just no Parkour comps.  It has to explicitly say that it's geared toward freerunning.  I think that ultimately might be hard to quantify a victor, though, unless you have it in two divisions (competing for speed/competing for aesthetics).

Sebastien Foucan has said that he thinks it'll probably be freerunning that becomes organized competitively.  He laughed after that, too, so it seems like he doesn't have a problem wihti t.

Games are okay.  tag and whatnot are actually really good training devices to learn quick-thinking and learning how to move very quickly, using your arsenal with it.  The thing is that organized competition seems to be entirely pointless in Parkour and even contrary to the spirit and purpose of Parkour.  Whereas freerunning can be seen as a recreational activity that's meant to be fun and enjoyable and flashy, Parkour's roots are in altruism and spirituality.  The idea is to learn how to help people.  That said, competition for training purposes alone aren't really an issue because some people need it to give them that extra boost (though they should learn the discipline to go without it).  Competition for other purposes seems to be very contrary to the nature of Parkour.

Freerunning, on the otherhand, isn't limited by that.

some (ayn rand, other minimal-state supporters) would say that "altruism" is evil...

competative parkour could exist, and i can think of two ways that this is possible (there are probably more)

a race, whoever can cross the environment separating point A and B in the shortest time wins.

or, tag, switch off chaser and the chased, and see who's "catch times" are shorter over a few rounds.  or just some other tag version, you get it?

I don't think he wants to end the separation, I think he wants to go about it peacefully, which would be a nice change from the .net crew.

To me, there should be a separation in definition only, not in the people who practice either one. The only point of discussing it should be to help people understand the difference. Anything else is a waste.

what channel?

Animus, can I get a link to the source of that info (no doubt it’s true).  However I don't think saying it will probably happen and laughing suggests that he is o.k. with it.  I'll have to see for myself.  If he truly is o.k. with it then he should update his website.  If you go to parkour.com it still says "Sébastien believes in the concept of "No violence, No competition, No Groups, No Chiefs.""  If he still feels that way, and we follow freerunning the way its founder has set it up, then there is certainly a problem with competition.  But if we disregard what the founder of freerunning says about his own discipline then there is no problem.

kaos, I actually can't.  I'll talk to you privately some time.  And remember I said it -seems- that he has no problem with it.  The laugh could've been a laugh of dread.  Or rather, what he sees happening in the future isn't necessarily what he agrees with, but he believes it is inevitable, anyway?


From David Belle's blog...


There are countless other sources from Jerome, PAWA, David, etc. that mark the "altruism" aspect of Parkour explicitly.

...I don't see how David using his skills to get paid contradicts the altruism aspect.  That can exist outside of Parkour (since he used more than just Parkour skills in the films).  Furthermore, that can exist independently and work side-by-side with altruism.  Your argument, I assume, is that competition can exist independently, as well.  And I agree.  Competition -can- exist entirely outside of Parkour, just as David getting a job can exist outside of it.  :p  (Clarify what you meant by that...?)


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