Just a few days to go now before the ASICS PARCOURING CHAMPIONSHIP 2008

• Extension of the ASICS PARCOURING Tour
• What’s new in ASICS PARCOURING World Championship 2008
• SMINT is the official sponsor of the Spanish National Parcouring Team
• Background information on the sport of PARCOURING

Frankfurt: The successful ASICS PARCOURING Tour is being extended: on 26th October members of the German National PARCOURING Team will be showing off their impressive skills at the Dresden Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon.  

The ASICS PARCOURING Tour has successfully taken place at seven venues in Karlsruhe, Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Dortmund, Dresden and, most recently, in Hamburg. These formed the backdrop for the German National Parcouring Team's presentation of this new trend sport over an obstacle course specially designed for parcouring and constructed in front of the Karstadt sports shop in each of the cities. A further fixed component of the tour were the free-of-charge workshops for all interested parties - whether beginner or experienced parcourer - where a hearty welcome was extended to everyone.

The ASICS PARCOURING Tour offered the perfect opportunity for training, discussion or simply relaxed spectating.

At the final venue in Hanau on 25th October, the Parcouring Show will be taking place directly in Hanau City Center (Kurt-Blaum-Platz 8). One day later, on 26th October, the Parcouring Professionals will be putting in an appearance on the Opernplatz in Frankfurt in conjunction with the Dresden Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon.

The oldest city marathon in Germany, which has been sponsored for 20 years now by the sportswear manufacturer ASICS, offers, in addition to the runners themselves, a great street party featuring a Band Contest, drummer groups, a sales exhibition and now, for the first time, an additional Parcouring Show.

On the ASICS PARCOURING Tour, the title sponsors ASICS, who are responsible for completely kitting out all the officials and volunteers at the World Championships in addition to the National German Parcouring Team, will also be making sure that participants in the workshop are wearing proper footgear. It is only the support of the sportswear manufacturer that makes it possible to hold the workshop. In this way the new trend sport of parcouring has been brought within the grasp of thousands of interested sportsmen and women.

As far as the active parcourers of the region are concerned, Frankfurt will be their last opportunity this year to train with the professionals.  

The second Parcouring World Championship is scheduled to take place this year in association with festivities to mark the Day of German Unity holiday. From 3rd to 5th October, the HafenCity area of Hamburg will act as an arena for competitions between teams of athletes from more than ten countries.

Here the backers for the Spanish National Parcouring Team will be SMINT Power Pastilles. Their support will make the five sportsmen from Málaga, Madrid, Valencia and Castellón the "freshest" team in the World Championship.

The athletes will be competing in two different disciplines:
In the Speed Contest the parcourers are called upon to overcome the obstacles as fast as possible.
In the "Style"discipline, performance, flow, show character, creativity and degree of difficulty of the 45-second presentation are assessed. The jury is made up of two internationally renowned free runners and the stunt professional, Christian Kneissel, from T-Action of Nuremberg.

The ASICS PARCOURING World Championship nevertheless offers more than just exciting competitions. To round off the three day event there will be a comprehensive supporting programme; in addition to the well-known break dance group Mission Impossible from Berlin, further highlights of the event will include appearances by a Japanese drummer group, a slackline professional and a cheer leader group.

Interested journalists can be accredited in the press area at www.parcouring.com for the ASICS PARCOURING World Championship 2008 or by simply sending an email to pr@kultos.de and requesting the accreditation form.

The ASICS PARCOURING World Championship 2008 is supported by a number of strong partners. Way out ahead, of course, is title sponsor ASICS. There is also Power Pastille SMINT ensuring essential post-run freshness, Web TV partner YUR.tv with its own Parcouring Channel and Obstacle Bauer Funtrade, Karstadt sports, who, with a Mitsubishi L200, will be providing a special obstacle for the World Parcours Championship. Mitsubishi Motors Deutschland GmbH will be appearing as official automotive partner whilst the Le Royal Méridien Hamburg will feature as exclusive hotel partner.

<sub>Background Info to the Sport of Parcouring
Parcouring is the term used to describe the new method of locomotion in the urban environment. This new trend sport has its roots in the Caribbean island of Martinique. The French Marine Officer Georges Hébert organised an evacuation in the face of a volcanic eruption, thus saving the lives of 700 people. A special type of physical and mental training in nature subsequently evolved - the Méthode Naturelle, as it is known.

Today's sportsmen and women endeavour, on the basis of this method, to pinpoint the most efficient route through the city. Body control and creativity play a part here in the same way as stamina and the ability to bounce back. By applying some cool tricks and elegant techniques a very wide range of obstacles can be overcome.

Parcouring represents an alternative, artistic and acrobatic form of locomotion. When it comes to parcouring, speed counts every bit as much as style. Athletes, for example, are welcome visitors at parcouring contests because of their stamina.

This form of movement has become a focus for enthusiasm on the part of thousands of sportsmen and millions of spectators worldwide.

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