Zenith International Parkour Games, San Diego CA 2024

Wid Eriksen
Jun 22, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Jun 23, 2024

Zenith International Games started from a desire to create a collaborative competition series that will grow and expand with the sport and the athletes. The objective is for partner gyms and organizations to work together to develop competitions that meet the needs of gyms, organizations and athletes alike while working towards world recognized competitions.

This event was International between Canada 🇨🇦 , USA 🇺🇸 & Mexico 🇲🇽 .

DAY 1: FREESTYLE PARKOUR FINALS

at Rouge Parkour Gym, San Diego, CA

Inside of the Rogue Parkour Gym in San Diego, CA

Time limit: 45 seconds

Criteria: Flow, Execution, Difficulty, Creativity and Versatility: Drops | Vaults | Walls | Bars.

I was only present at the 17+ competition and I was the only one in my division, which was a little bit disappointing. I ended up getting 🥇1st place because of that. Even though I believe in myself always, the victory doesn’t taste the same without a battle.

I was wearing my TUMBADO TEE & my GOLD DIAMOND PANTS from WATERINDESERT.

In the 17+ women's division, there where 3 participants. I am always happy to see more people deciding to try a freestyle competition, that’s awesome! I come from a generation of senders so I would of like to have seen more flips, but that’s what I like, and that is just my personal opinion.

I definitely believe Alleya did a 1st place-worthy freestyle line; she tried hard and she also was able to throw an Angel Drop in a flat wall for her first time and put it into her comp line. That was fantastic to watch live, she lost by 2 points out of 500 (a difference of 0.4%), taking silver place 🥈

I would have liked to know the numerical judging system for freestyle. We were told they are judging each criterion (Flow, Execution, Difficulty, Creativity and Versatility) on a scale of 1-100, but did the judges just write a number based on what they believe it is worth? Execution and variety were relatively straight forward, with deductions being given for each poor landing and not utilizing the different elements of the course, respectively. However, there is more nuance when it comes to judging flow, difficulty and creativity on this broad of a scale. What is the difference between the judges saying, 'Oh that was cool, I'll write 75' or 'Oh that was cool, I'll write 73'?

Anyway, it was awesome to be present at this freestyle event.

Alleya was wearing the PASSION Wristband from WATERINDESERT.

PASSION DIAMOND - Wristbands

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DAY 2: SKILL & SPEED PARKOUR

at Waterfront Park San Diego, CA.

SKILLS

Skill parkour set-up for the Zenith International Parkour Games at Waterfront Park, San Diego

Time limit: 1.25 hrs

4 Skills: Precisions | Walls | Vaults | Bars

5 Levels per skill

Ages 5-7, 8-10, and 11-13 mixed divisions

Personally I felt that for a Skills Finals in an international competition, there was too much time and too many challenges. However, I liked that you could attempt any level without needing to complete the challenge from the levels below it first (ie. you could try the level 5 bars challenge without needing to do the levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 first.)

As is often seen in kids competitions, parents can sometimes impose upon the judges. I overheard a parent trying to challenge the judge for a point when their kid was trying over and over again but not getting a proper stick-landing. The judges were good about honouring the criteria and judging fairly. Parents gotta understand that they are not the judges and that a parkour judge has the years of experience for the right criteria, (so don’t be that parent!)

The kids gotta understand the value of good technique. They might get the point and celebrate because the judge gives them the point after 3 seconds on the bar without control and then obviously losing control afterwards, but that is not control. That is not good technique. It gives them a false confidence in their abilities for which they may pay a high price for in future trainings, indoors or outdoors.

I understand that they are kids and they're there to have fun, but a competition is not a training session. It is a competition, and we all gotta understand that.

Ages14-16 mixed and 17+ Men and Women Divisions

The format for the teens and adults was the same as for the kids, but the challenges were proportionally more difficult. They had us all doing the skills at the same time.

Again I was the only one in my division so I ended up getting 1st Place 🥇 because of that. Despite being the only one, I pushed hard and decided to go for all the Level 4 skills and as many of the Level 5 skills that I could.

One of the participants in the Women's division injured herself during the Skills competition and couldn’t keep going. Alleya still pushed herself to complete as many challenges from all levels as she could and ended up getting 1st Place 🥇

There were some occasions where I saw the Judges allowing some minors changes in the skills to accommodate the athletes. I don’t have any problem with that. I personally think that even when I see the challenge as impossible for myself, I am still going to try it and I will not be fully satisfied if I achieve a skill challenge because it was modified to my possibilities. We gotta keep in mind that a challenge is a challenge. That's the fun of it, even if we don’t get it.

SPEED

3 Courses: Point A to Point B, Floor is Lava + Touch Points

2 attempts only per course.

Once again because I was the only one in my age division I ended up getting1st Place 🥇 but I still pushed myself and tried to beat my own time in all 3 courses.