Urban Freeflow: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Sports company in UK}} |
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'''Urban Freeflow''' (often abbreviated to '''UF''' or '''U$F'''{{Fact|date=March 2008}}) is a company that was started in [[2003]]. Urban Freeflow is a large, [[UK]] based [[free running]] group that is involved in [[mass media|media]] work and promotions, seeking to make money from the work of young team-members. |
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{{primary sources|date=July 2012}} |
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'''Urban Freeflow''' (often abbreviated to '''UF''') was a [[United Kingdom]]-based [[parkour]] and [[freerunning]] related company that was founded in 2003. |
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Five Urban Freeflow members left the group after participating in a 2009 corporate-sponsored race that featured only Urban Freeflow runners,<ref name="runwiki"/> effectively ending the organization's business operations. |
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==Urban Freeflow International team== |
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The ''"UF team"'', known as ''Seidojin'', consists of the following individuals: Asid, Bam, Blue, Ez, Kerbie, Livewire, Spidey, Pip, Niel and Sticky. As all are involved in work and media deals, they only train when they can, which may vairy. Not as much as they used to, and EZ - Paul Corkery - has not been able to practise for several years due to injuries sustained from misguided training techniques.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://urbanfreeflow.com/uf_team/uf_team.htm |title=Urban Freeflow International}}</ref> |
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== |
==History== |
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Established in 2003, Urban Freeflow was founded by Paul Corkery (known as Ez), a former [[Boxing|boxer]] who saw an opportunity to connect the international parkour community through an online forum. As the [[First-mover advantage|first mover]], the company managed to be profitable as the momentum of parkour and its popularity grew. |
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[[David Belle]],<ref name="DB-Warning" /> Parkour.NET<ref name="rivalry-free">{{cite web |
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|title=Keeping parkour rivalry-free : JOIN IN ! |
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|publisher=Parkour.NET |url=http://parkour.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9539 |
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|date=[[May 1]], [[2007]] |
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|accessdate=2007-05-11 |
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The corporate structure of the group was compromised in 2005 when [[Companies House]] dissolved the trading company for failing to meet their statutory filing obligations. At this time, Ez and former partner Mark Toorock (M2) split and Ez formed a new company, Urban Free Flow.<ref name="runwiki">{{Cite web |url=http://www.streetstunts.net/wiki/Urban_Freeflow |title =Urban Freeflow |publisher=Free Running Wiki |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803204702/http://streetstunts.net/wiki/Urban_Freeflow |archivedate=3 August 2020 |accessdate=15 October 2024}}</ref> The company sold branded clothes, many of which feature the Urban Freeflow trademarked Glyph logo. |
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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |
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|title='Jumped-up' plan to stage world competition sees free runners falling out |
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|author=Paul Bignell and Rob Sharp |
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|publisher=The Independent |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2472154.ece |date=[[April 22]], [[2007]] |
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|accessdate=2007-05-11 |
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}}</ref> bad or inaccurate portrayals of Parkour through its website<ref>{{cite web |url=http://parkour.net/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=1592&view=findpost&p=22216 |title=How Seidojin used to think... |publisher=Parkour.NET}}</ref> and the media,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/parkour.htm |
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|title=How Parkour Works? |
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|author=Cameron Lawrence |
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|publisher=How Stuff Works? |
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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/fashion/28PARC.html?ei=5007&en=4aae95ef408b02c6&ex=1395810000&partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=all&position= |title=New Way for Teenagers to See if They Bounce |
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|author=Anna Bahney |
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|publisher=The New York Times |
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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article685163.ece |title=Look Mum, watch this! |author=John Elliott |publisher=Times Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article632781.ece |title=Get fit for: Parkour |author=Andy Dixon |publisher=Times Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/child_health/article649660.ece |title=A leap of faith that could keep our children healthy |author=Richard Morrison |publisher=Times Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.mailtribune.com/archive/2004/1231/life/stories/01life.htm |title=Parkour, anyone |author=Alex Dominguez |publisher=The Associated Press}}</ref> the introduction and usage of the term ''Freestyle Parkour'', the claim that "flips are or can be part of parkour",<ref>{{cite web |
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|url=http://www.urbanfreeflow.com/the_core_level/pages/archives/singapore_planet_parkour/54.htm |title=Planet Parkour documentary |
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|quote=The speed that [the rail spring] was executed was quicker than any regular muscle up we'd seen before out of a cat leap. An efficient movement or just another flip? This one little run will dispel much bullshit with many people, while at the same time piss off those who consider themselves purists. |
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}}</ref> the undermining of David Belle,{{Fact|date=March 2007}} its masquerading as the "official worldwide parkour network" while it is neither multilingual nor affiliated with the founder of parkour,<ref name="DB-Warning">{{cite web |url=http://www.sportmediaconcept.com/parkour/Avertissement-mise-en-garde_a45.html |title=Avertissement mise en garde |
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|language=French |
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|accessdate=2007-05-14 |
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|quote=Nous ne cautionnons pas les sites web, groupes/organismes et/ou associations suivantes: Le Freerun, ou Free running, Urbanfreeflow, Yamakasi, Pawa. fr, Le-Parkour.com, Adrenaline. Qui ne sont que des interprétations et des mouvements détournés, copiés et dérivés du Parkour. Ainsi que les membres affiliés à ces organismes et/ou associations qui utilisent et communiquent sur le Parkour de DB sans y avoir été autorisés ou mandatés par DB ou son représentant. |
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Ces mouvements dérivées ne peuvent être assimilés au « Parkour ou à l'art du déplacement » de David Belle. |
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}}</ref> the suppression of free speech in its forum, the feud against [[Worldwide jam (magazine)]],{{Fact|date=March 2007}} among other things. All these have led to severe damaging of Urban Freeflow's credibility among the community, which views the former's members as "black sheep". In 2206 all of the experienced members of UF, including all of its French affiliated members, walked out due to the clear exploitation of the discipline and the team members at the hands of Paul Corkery. Although it was fashionable in the past to badmouth Urban Freeflow members, in 2006 the global Parkour community started to urge its members to simply ignore any events that are related to Urban Freeflow. Some critics have even gone as far as making public demonstrations against urban freeflow |
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<ref>{{cite web |
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|title=2nd National Australian Parkour Conserve - Urban Freeflow shirt burning |
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|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B27VYmjknhQ |
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}}</ref> |
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Urban Freeflow was criticized for organizing freerunning competitions sponsored by [[Barclaycard]]. The critics believed that freerunning, like parkour, should be a non-competitive activity. There are also complaints of the corporate nature of the event, many freerunning sites saying that the introduction of [[merchandising]] and sponsorships would compromise the true nature of the sport. Ez has replied "The people who are saying this are the ones who don't have any sponsorship."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/jumpedup-plan-to-stage-world-competition-sees-free-runners-falling-out-445746.html |title='Jumped-up' plan to stage world competition sees free runners falling out |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=22 April 2007 |last1=Bignell |first1=Paul |last2=Sharp |first2=Rob |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615025846/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/jumpedup-plan-to-stage-world-competition-sees-free-runners-falling-out-445746.html |archivedate=15 June 2009}}</ref> |
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== Jump Britain == |
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Urban Freeflow played a small role in the Channel 4 documentary [[Jump Britain]]. Members of Urban Freeflow along with other free runners visit some of the U.K's most iconic landmarks and go on a 'pilgrimage' to [[Lisses]] in France, the birth place of Parkour. |
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==See also== |
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*''[[Jump Britain]]'' – a 2005 documentary about freerunning that includes members of Urban Freeflow |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Parkour]] |
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==External links== |
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[[Category:Entertainment companies established in 2003]] |
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[[Category:Clothing companies of the United Kingdom]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Clothing companies established in 2003]] |
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[[Category:2003 establishments in England]] |
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[[Category:British companies established in 2003]] |
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[[Category:Entertainment companies disestablished in 2009]] |
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[[Category:Clothing companies disestablished in 2009]] |
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[[Category:2009 disestablishments in England]] |
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[[Category:British companies disestablished in 2009]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:08, 15 October 2024
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Urban Freeflow (often abbreviated to UF) was a United Kingdom-based parkour and freerunning related company that was founded in 2003.
Five Urban Freeflow members left the group after participating in a 2009 corporate-sponsored race that featured only Urban Freeflow runners,[1] effectively ending the organization's business operations.
History
[edit]Established in 2003, Urban Freeflow was founded by Paul Corkery (known as Ez), a former boxer who saw an opportunity to connect the international parkour community through an online forum. As the first mover, the company managed to be profitable as the momentum of parkour and its popularity grew.
The corporate structure of the group was compromised in 2005 when Companies House dissolved the trading company for failing to meet their statutory filing obligations. At this time, Ez and former partner Mark Toorock (M2) split and Ez formed a new company, Urban Free Flow.[1] The company sold branded clothes, many of which feature the Urban Freeflow trademarked Glyph logo.
Urban Freeflow was criticized for organizing freerunning competitions sponsored by Barclaycard. The critics believed that freerunning, like parkour, should be a non-competitive activity. There are also complaints of the corporate nature of the event, many freerunning sites saying that the introduction of merchandising and sponsorships would compromise the true nature of the sport. Ez has replied "The people who are saying this are the ones who don't have any sponsorship."[2]
See also
[edit]- Jump Britain – a 2005 documentary about freerunning that includes members of Urban Freeflow
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Urban Freeflow". Free Running Wiki. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ Bignell, Paul; Sharp, Rob (22 April 2007). "'Jumped-up' plan to stage world competition sees free runners falling out". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009.
Categories:
- Parkour
- Entertainment companies established in 2003
- Clothing companies of the United Kingdom
- Clothing companies established in 2003
- 2003 establishments in England
- British companies established in 2003
- Entertainment companies disestablished in 2009
- Clothing companies disestablished in 2009
- 2009 disestablishments in England
- British companies disestablished in 2009