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Video: Watch city's freerunners in action
The lithe teenager stands on top of the 6ft wall, muscles tensed and ready to jump. Then suddenly he takes off and leaps cat-like across a 4ft gap, expertly grabbing hold of the lip of the higher wall opposite as he lands.
His legs flip up and he's under the bars of the railings in one fluid movement before bounding down a stairwell.
Welcome to the world of the traceur, practitioner of the growing urban sport of parkour, or free running – a new way of moving around the built environment involving athleticism and grace.
Now the activity that began in the Parisian suburb of Lisses is going global – David Belle, the man credited with starting the movement, is starring in a newly-released action movie, District 13, and the upcoming James Bond movie Casino Royale will feature 007 chasing a terrorist traceur.
Meanwhile, enthusiasts have set up their own club in Portsmouth – Team 101 – as they attempt to emulate the French master of parkour. Traceurs also meet in Chichester, Fareham and Winchester.
Team 101, which came together last summer, gather most Sundays in Portsmouth city centre to try out the moves they have spent hours honing in gyms – where they can fail without fear of injury.
But during their 'jams' – the name they give to their practice runs – the traceurs will leap and bound across the urban jungle from the city centre down towards Southsea seafront, taking in Guildhall Square, the law courts and the Pyramids Centre en route.
Sam Parham, 19, of Team 101, says: 'When the documentary Jump London was first shown on Channel 4 in 2003, that kickstarted a lot of people, and I was one of them.
'I checked on the internet, went through some forums that I found and it went from there.'
Now you can see Team 101 in action. Simply click here to watch the video of the group jumping Portsmouth.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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