Parkour site opens in Lancing

The new facility at Monks Recreation Ground, in Crabtree Lane, has been praised by young and old alike, with those using the site saying it’s a great way to practise.

Parkour, also known as free-running, is best known as a sport where users leap from one obstacle to another in the fastest and most efficient way.

Parkour fan Sam Phillips, 16, of Lisher Road, Lancing, started fighting for the facility a couple of years ago.

He said: “I originally thought nothing was going to be done as many people thought we were just yobs jumping up on things.

“Once I started talking about it as my passion and how much I loved it, they started to listen.”

He said by having a parkour site in Lancing it was putting the village on the global map.

He said: “The community is massive around the world – people from Denmark are planning to come next March and people from Australia and America want to come over next year.”

Alister O’Loughlin, from Urban Playground, said the park was a great place to learn the fundamentals of Parkour.

He added: “Parkour is simply about expressing yourself through movement which is safe, efficient and fluid. It’s not a danger sport, and it’s not competitive.

“It’s open to everyone, and the council here is being incredibly long-sighted in providing this free facility for those local people already interested and others who may become interested.”

For the full story and more pictures buy the November 3 edition of the Lancing Herald.