Sylvain Quimene is the 2009 Air Guitar World Champion. (Heikki Saukkomaa/AFP/Getty Images)

A Parisian man decked out in skin-tight golden tights, headband and sneakers snagged the title of world's best air-guitarist on the weekend at the 2009 Air Guitar World Championship, held in the northern Finnish city of Oulu.

Sylvain Quimene of France, who performed under the moniker Gunther Love, dazzled the audience and the competition's five-member jury with his imaginary guitar performances, complete with backflips and glitzy outfit.

The 28-year-old scored a winning 35.1 points in the competition — narrowly beating out 2008 champion American Craig "Hot Lixx Hulahan" Billmeier and compatriot Andrew "William Ocean" Litz, who tied for second place with 34.8 points.

Oulu has hosted the competition since it began in 1996.

Imaginary guitarists from as far as Australia

This year's 21 competitors, who hailed from as far away as Japan and Australia, began by performing a 60-second routine from a song of their choosing for the jury, who judged the contestants based on stage presence, charisma, technical merit, artistic impression and choice of music.

The 10 finalists then had to perform a compulsory song: Animal by Finnish group Sweatmaster.

In the final, Quimene distinguished himself by leaping off the stage to perform amongst the crowd of thousands gathered to watch the competition at a market square in Oulu.

Along with the title of air guitar world champion, Quimene's first prize takings included an actual handmade Flying Finn electric guitar.