Extreme goes mainstream

Risky business

Despite the momentum, a lack of education in safety and insufficient facilities have hamstrung extreme sports in China, with one recent high-profile incident in particular exposing the risks.

Wu Yongning, known for climbing skyscrapers barehanded without safety equipment, died in November after slipping off a 62-story building in Changsha, Hunan province while live-streaming his daredevil stunt.

Wu's camera, which he placed on another part of the building, captured the moment that he struggled to get back up on the ledge, lost his grip and plummeted 20 meters to his death. His body was later found by a window cleaner.

The video recording the 26-year-old's fall went viral online, triggering heated debate on the safety of some extreme sports such as roof-riding, parkour and wingsuit flying.

In April 2013, Wang Zijian, a parkour runner from Luzhou in Sichuan province, was killed when he apparently misjudged the height of a bridge as he jumped off it.

Parkour practitioners overcome obstacles, usually in urban spaces, by climbing, jumping, flipping and various other risky maneuvers to get from one point to another. The term is also known as "free running". In China, parkour is called pao ku, which literally translates as "running cool". Without designated facilities in urban areas for such activities, more training in risk prevention, first aid and equipment management is needed within China's young extreme-sports community, say insiders.

"My mom, she hates it that I do (extreme sports). She calls me every day, asking me to be careful or persuading me to do 'girls' stuff' like piano and ballet," said Chen Yanni, the sole female contender at a recent parkour contest in Beijing.

"But I like it to be different and this sport gives me a chance to be what I want to be. Still, it's risky and it's crucial to be prepared with safety precautions every time you run." Beijing skateboarder Yu Yang used to practice regularly at the St Joseph's Church square near the capital's landmark Wangfujing shopping street. However, he and his friends have been forced to train elsewhere, and finding a new venue is proving problematic.

"We've been constantly coming up against square maintenance staff and others, who find our activities annoying and dangerous. We are really in desperate need of safer training facilities," the 25-year-old said.

In addition to official government efforts, amateur clubs should set up supervisory groups and impose safety standards to run training and competitions in more secure and orderly environments, said Sun Jie, a national parkour champion and founder of the Urban Monkey parkour club in Beijing.

"Only by doing things responsibly and safely can we progress from seemingly 'disorganized street stunt men' to extreme sportsmen, and attract funding from sponsors at the same time," he said.

Contact the writer at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn