Introducing the Parkour Earth Board - Janne Laurila (Finland)
Who are you?
I'm Janne Laurila, 32, married and father of two, and I live in Finland.
How did you get into parkour?
I bought a DSLR when I was 17 and not many had those back then, so in the autumn of 2004 two of my friends asked me to take my camera and shoot this "new thing they found online". It took me about five minutes to put down the camera and try it myself.
How have you been involved in your national community?
I connected with the Finnish community in 2005 and was an active member through forums and events. I was elected to the board of Suomen Parkour ry (Finnish Parkour Association) in 2013 and have been part of it since then. During these years we've been officially recognised as the National Governing Body for parkour in Finland, hired a full-time CEO, built our own coach certification, and united the parkour organizations in Finland.
Why are you invested in Parkour Earth?
I've always felt welcome to the community and I think that this spirit has got us this far. I believe that the only way to nurture our beloved sport and way of life is through unity. Even with our different strengths and passions we are all equal against concrete. Let's embrace the obstacles we will overcome.
*Photos by Viktor Andersson, used with permission.