Seventeen athletes from Brazil to South Africa have travelled to London to take place in the World Freerun Championships.

Freerun, or parkour as it also known, is about getting from A to B as quickly and efficiently as possible, using only your body and letting no obstacle stand in your way.

There is also an emphasis on individual expression, creative flow and artistic merit.

It has fast been growing into a respected international sport-come-art able to attract big-brand sponsorship and blockbuster movie appearances.

Competitior Yusuf Yirtici who represents Turkey has been in training by shinning up lamp-posts and leaping over stairways.

He said: "Freerun is about risk, and risk is all about calculating."

Yirtici said: "You make a calculation with your body. If you see a jump or a move that you feel you can do, then you should do it, even if you are scared. If you are afraid, and you don't make the move, then you are letting fear beat you. You have to overcome fear, and be successful."

Urban Freeflow, the sport's main representative body in Britain and the United States, gives detailed tutorials on its web site of the fundamental techniques - including such moves as a "crane moonstep" and a "360 wallhop".

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