DETROIT, Aug. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend, twenty of the world's top free-runners swept through the Motor City for Red Bull Art of Motion Detroit. The global free-running competition transformed two of the city's most iconic locations, Russell Industrial Center and Hart Plaza, into a dynamic pair of urban parkour playgrounds over the course of the weekend. Between Russell Industrial Center's metal and timber-strewn track and Hart Plaza's pit of pavement, it was Sweden's Marcus Gustafsson that enraptured the four-person panel of judges in front of crowds of thousands.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110828/LA58765 )

Gustafsson's Saturday victory at Hart Plaza came as no surprise after he won over the judging panel with flips, twists, vaults and kongs during Friday's competition at Russell Industrial Center. Against the backdrop of Detroit's distinct skyline and the pressure of world-class competition, he dominated the plot of concrete walls, stone steps, metal bars, and wooden launch pads during the final day.

"It took a ton of energy to do what I did today," said Gustafsson. "Once I hit the course, everything just flowed. A lot of it was strength, and a lot of was creativity. It all came together."

Gustafsson was not the only competitor whose Saturday performance on the shores of the Detroit River borrowed from the previous day's momentum. Tim 'Livewire' Shieff and Luci 'Steel' Romberg both soared over obstacles after earning second and third place standings on the first day of competition.

After the day's first round at Hart Plaza, the field was narrowed down to the top eight athletes. Gustafsson, Sheiff and Romberg joined a pack of five other competitors from different disciplines of parkour to battle it out for the championship. Famed free-runner Nick Zaleski and hometown hero Rude Jude hyped the crowd as spectators packed in close around the pitted obstacle course. A captivating series of side flips, handstands and double back handsprings left Gustafsson with a victory. As he sprayed champagne from the top tier of the winner's podium, Shieff and Pip "Trix" Anderson stood by to claim their second and third place honors. Additionally, Floridian Marvin Ross was awarded with MINI's 'Sickest Trick Award."

"I've never seen a more intense set of competitors take to a parkour course before," said Red Bull athlete and judge Ryan Doyle. "The crowd was swept away by the energy and the competitors left everything on the course."

ABOUT RED BULL ART OF MOTION

Red Bull Art of Motion was established as the world's first free-running competition in 2007, challenging world-class athletes to execute a unique blend of parkour, the physical discipline of overcoming obstacles by adapting movements to surroundings, with free-running, a form of urban aerobics that acrobatics that challenges individuals to perform movements based on city landscape. Events take place all over the world, with each competition including its own unique spin on the integration of natural terrain ranging from staircases to the sides of buildings. Other 2011 competition cities include Japan, England, Brazil and Greece and Kuwait.

MORE INFORMATION:

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SOURCE Red Bull Art of Motion