Watch: Gnarly! Hundreds turn out for first day of extreme sports competition in Wolverhampton
Hundreds of people turned out for the opening day of the FISE Experience sports competition in Wolverhampton.
Bmx'ers, scooter'ers and break-dancers flocked to Wolverhampton's Market Square on Friday to attend the first day of the FISE Experience sports competition.
The sun was shining as officials cut the ribbon on the event, marking the beginning of the three-day free competition that will see bike, scooter and break-dancing athletes from across the world visit the city for their chance to take the top spot on the podium.
The first day of the event featured a mixture of BMX freestyle riders, ranging from junior, amateur and intermediate levels, all taking to a half-pipe-and-spine course to show their skills.
The first day of the event also saw hundreds of spectators come to cheer on the amateur riders, with some visitors even bringing their own bikes and scooters to have a go at the temporary skate-park.
Visiting the event, Rebecca and Drew Potter, of Wolverhampton, said: "It's been fantastic, we have been here for a few hours. It's quite scary how high they get on the big ramp really. It's really good to watch.
"It's great to see events like this come to Wolverhampton. You don't normally get a chance to see these alternative sports events without paying a lot of money. We really need more of these types of competitions."
Visiting the event with his 10-year-old daughter, Layla, Marcus Tanner, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: "It's a really good event I think. Layla is really enjoying it, she is really into BMX at the moment so, she was really excited to come down.
"I used to ride myself and there wasn't really a lot of place to do it for free without feeling like you were in the way – It's good that there is an event like this that's free where anyone can come ride or watch. We need more of it."
The competition takes place over a three-day period, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday, with visitors invited to watch their favourite riders or break-dancers for free.
Jas Tutt, 40, from Wolverhampton was visiting the event with her son Jaiden, she said: "We have loved it. Jaiden is mute, but he loves any sort of transport, so he really likes seeing the bikes go high in the air.
"We are coming back on Sunday to see the professionals ride. We really can't wait."
Rider registration for Saturday and Sunday is still open, with both days featuring a mixture of freestyle BMX, breaking and freestyle scooter.
For more information on the remaining days of the event, visit the FISE Experience website.