Parkour athletes to tackle 999-step course in China's Tianmen Mountain

CHANGSHA, China, Aug 14 (Xinhua) -- Over 70 parkour runners from home and abroad will compete at the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, on August 24-25.

Competitors are supposed to execute a series of jumps and flips down a nearly 300-meter-long slope with a 150-meter vertical drop, from the top of the 999-step staircase leading up to the iconic Tianmen Cave, arguably the most difficult course in China.

Organizers have arranged 108 sets of props along the steps as obstacles, requiring competitors to maintain their balance and execute skillful maneuvers at full speed.

This year's competition features the speed race and the skill contest, along with some fun events.