Parkour Archive: Manpower
Manpower is without a doubt the most iconic gap in parkour, named for the business that used to be in the building, people have travelled from all over the world to Evry, France to jump and flip it, we've curated a timeline of all the progressions of the gap over the years.
Dates and names are based on when videos are uploaded and names provided on social media.
1998 - First recorded footage of David Belle jumping Manpower, he has said that he had done Manpower before this but it was never filmed until the famous 'Speed Air man' video. - You can see it at 1:31 in the video https://youtu.be/kWJHSyjVMY8
August 2009 - Peter Spoelma does the first standing jump, these days it's common for athletes to jump it standing but before this it had only ever been done as a running jump. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPacE1tjLiY
June 2013 - Kevin Fluri becomes the first person to frontflip the gap - You can see it at 0:37 in the video
July 2015 - Leo Urban is the first person to jump manpower without rolling on landing. - You can see it at 3:58 in the video https://youtu.be/ORIdrTaTU5k - There's also some alternate angles and full speed clips that were uploaded to Instagram a few years later https://www.instagram.com/p/BqckOm1FUAq/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/BqraAu6F7-3/
October 2017 - Harry Davies does the first standing sideflip over the gap - You can see it at 11:20 in the video https://youtu.be/mkiVs2Z-4s0
June 2019 - Leo Urban does manpower barefoot with no roll - https://www.instagram.com/p/ByslMs7IwLl/ and https://youtu.be/HxxOiQ9UvRI
September 2019 - Max Ward does the first hurdle over the gap - https://www.instagram.com/p/B1_b9y2laIe/ - you can also see it at 3:57 in this video https://youtu.be/ky4wxeQj8FE which is a segment from a feature length documentary of a Europe road trip which you can watch for free here https://youtu.be/F6VQBu6bpTA
September 2019 - Max ward also is the first person to jump manpower naked - Censored https://www.instagram.com/p/B19hXgGFMvk/ - You can also see it at 3:13 in this video https://youtu.be/ky4wxeQj8FE which is a segment from a feature length documentary of a Europe road trip which you can watch for free here https://youtu.be/F6VQBu6bpTA
July 2020 - Leonardo Roof does the first standing gainer over the gap - You can see it at 10:35 in this mini documentary in his journey https://youtu.be/yVY5ugnPGmM - You can also see multiple angles here https://www.instagram.com/p/CC_RZ8uHue6/ - and a slow mo angle here https://www.instagram.com/p/CCoN0oHH0KM/
August 2020 - First time Manpower is done from the lower level of the staircase - I can't find an original upload or even a name of who did it, but it can be seen at 11:08 in this mini documentary on Manpower from JimmyTheGiant, the Instagram account credited no longer seems to exist https://youtu.be/TPgSonoBWQk?t=669
January 2022 - Choukaye does the first cork over the gap using a platform built to provide a better run up and take off - https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWcUjIoeHH/ - You can also see it at 10:32 in this video https://youtu.be/dXsShgWH6yQ
February 2022 - Teddy Ponceau does the first double sideflip over the gap - https://www.instagram.com/p/CZmmzbhgCOf
March 2022 - Theophile Orvelin does the first 360 dive front flip over the gap https://www.instagram.com/p/CakaZeogmQK/
March 2022 - Dorian Charnaud does the first running 720 jump over the gap - https://www.instagram.com/p/Caus9wysbtL/ you can also see a compilation of his progression to it here https://www.instagram.com/p/CaxRJSAA117/
May 2022 - Lilou Ruel becomes the first Woman to jump Manpower - https://www.instagram.com/p/CdGk7iVlzqX/ and https://youtu.be/TIIftzd8sVE
If there is progressions of Manpower that we've missed or any footage we've not linked to then let us know in the comments below.