On September 1st and 2nd (2023), the city of Porto, Portugal, hosted the first Jump Rope Urban International Meeting (J.R.U.I.M). Jumpers from all over the world came together for an event that perfectly combines freestyle jump rope and urban tourism. The proof that is possible to visit the city, have fun, and exercise at the same time.
A Different Concept
Imagine um grupo de pessoas pulando corda nos pontos turísticos do Porto. Parece divertido? Foi exatamente isso que aconteceu! A JRUIM trouxe um conceito urbano onde os saltadores exploravam a cidade enquanto praticavam pular corda. Em cada parada nos pontos turísticos do Porto, eles exibiam a beleza e a criatividade do pular corda estilo livre, deixando moradores e turistas maravilhados (e talvez querendo pegar uma corda também).
Event Activities
First Day:
- Participant Gathering: The event started with a lively gathering among participants, creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
- Specific Games: Jump rope competitions that challenged the skills and creativity of the participants. Some even nearly tied their ropes in knots out of excitement!
- Lunch Gathering: A visit to traditional Portuguese “tascas,” where jumpers enjoyed local cuisine and found that jumping rope with a full stomach is a challenge of its own.
- Double Dutch: An energetic double Dutch session by the river, ending the day with lots of energy and laughter.
Second Day:
- Morning Gathering: The day began again with a meet-up among participants, strengthening camaraderie.
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Continuation of the Meeting: A morning full of more activities and games, continuing the challenges started on the first day. The atmosphere of friendship and healthy competition was contagious.
Urban Competition: A friendly competition at Alfândega do Porto, where the participants’ talents shone brighter than the Portuguese sun.
Participant Testimonials
“It was amazing to jump rope in such a beautiful city like Porto. The group’s energy was contagious!” – Cris, a participant from Portugal.
“I never thought freestyle jump rope could be so dynamic and engaging. I can’t wait for the next event.” – Diogo, a participant from Brazil.
Urban Competition Winners
In the first edition of the Urban Competition, we had:
- 1st Place: Mário Martins from Brazil, who made the rope look like a rainbow with his impressive performance.
- 2nd Place: Nadja Bernard, who wowed the audience with her technique (and infectious smile).
- 3rd Place: Diogo de Oliveira, who rounded out the podium with his moves!
Special guests and Judges
Our special judges brought a lot of expertise and extra energy to the event:
- Marco Maestro (The Master Personal Coach): “The city, the atmosphere, the weather. Brilliant! The High Jump, stay tuned!”
- Jump Rope Chris (CEO of Jump Rope Company): “It was fantastic! Exceeded expectations.”
- Geraldo Alken (CEO of Elevate Rope): “I was so shocked. I was not expecting something like this; I have no words.”
Closing and Expectations
We left Porto with hearts full of joy and a strong desire to return. The success of the first J.R.U.I.M fills us with anticipation for the next edition. The event was a celebration of freestyle jump rope, urban culture, and camaraderie among jumpers from all over the world. We’re already counting down the days to the next J.R.U.I.M. Get your ropes ready!
See you at the next J.R.U.I.M!
Deep Gratitude.
To everyone attending and helping the event, bringing your wonderful energy to our first gathering, thank you so much! Without you, this wouldn’t be possible. It will be a pleasure to continue seeing each other at future meetups and to watch our community grow more and more. Thank you all Masters!