FISE Battle of the Champions begins with parkour action in Saudi Arabia

By James Diamond
Thursday, 14 March 2019

Erik Mukhametshin won the men's freestyle pro parkour event on day one of the FISE Battle of the Champions ©Getty Images

The International Festival of Extreme Sports Battle of the Champions began in Saudi Arabia today, with a day of parkour action in Al-Ahsa.

The annual invite-only contest, which also features BMX cycling competitions, skateboarding and roller skating, saw Ukraine's Erik Mukhametshin win the day's climax of the freestyle pro parkour challenge.

The 28-year-old, who has his own YouTube channel showcasing his extreme stunts, topped the standings in the Al-Ahsa Oasis with a score of 99.00 points.

That saw him beat Romania's 19-year-old Pedro Salgado by just one point.

Thirty-nine-year-old Dimitris Kyrsanidis, a two-time Red Bull Art of Motion champion, managed a score of 97.00 points for Greece.

Tomorrow will feature a mixture of skateboarding, rollerskating and BMX action, culminating with BMX freestyle park pro qualifying.

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