Parkour devotees display their talents +Photos

FEARLESS: Louis Gower does a diving front flip at Majestic Square. PHOTO/DEVYN STAINES

Parkour artists poured into Wanganui from near and far - some coming from Palmerston North, and others from Auckland - for this year's MoveFest.

"It's easier than what people think," said Adriaan Schipper, who runs the yearly event as an anniversary of the first parkour class he taught.

"A lot of people have the impression that it's all flips off of buildings or big stuff - that's what they see on YouTube.

"You see the flips and the tricks and the big jumps and that, but that doesn't explain why we do it."

The philosophy of parkour to Mr Schipper is "personal growth" and "challenging self-development".

"You can't push yourself unless you're willing to," the 28-year-old said.

"Some of these guys can do a standing jump 11 feet on to a rail."

Over the weekend, Mr Schipper had about 35 people from the New Zealand Parkour Association come to MoveFest.

"That's pretty good, considering when they have the national gathering they have around 50 or so."

The male-dominated sport was open to females as well, and Mr Schipper said they stressed that point.

"If you get the technique right you don't need so much strength, but there are things like pulling yourself up a wall, it's all about the muscle."

Mr Schipper said they had had some injuries over the weekend, but these mainly happened while inside.

"It's that false sense of security," he said. "Outdoors you pretty much don't do anything, unless it's in your limit or just beyond."

During their parkour session at the Wanganui Boys' and Girls' Gym Club one man had dived too far and kneed himself in the mouth, he said.

Injuries happened when people were "being silly and mucking around".

Mr Schipper said he'd "99 per cent confirmed" a new parkour class starting at the Gym Club, and encouraged Wanganui residents to keep an eye out for it.

His youngest student is 10, and his oldest is 27, but Mr Schipper's two children, aged 7 and 4, were also learning parkour.

Photo Gallery

Image 1 of 10: Parkour Move festival in Wanganui's Majestic Square. Benjamin Hia????