jlmiracle 7 #26 June 1, 2004 QuoteQuoteThat is an excellent statement! I had always heard skydiving is not an olympic sport because we had to use an airplane to get to our "arena". Judy The difference is they COULD walk...We CAN'T skydive without an aircraft. Again its the IPC's hangup...I personally think that skydiving is an incredably boring sport to watch unless you do it. Just put on a video in a room full of whuffos...They will watch at first, then after its just the same stuff over and over...They will lose interest. There is not a market for skydiving as a spectator sport...Just check out the X games. They took out skysurf, and went with things like skatebording...Something 12 year olds can do. What if we used a balloon? JudyBe kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 7 #27 June 1, 2004 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1097814#1097814"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlmiracle 7 #28 June 1, 2004 Quotehttp://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1097814#1097814 Come on Ron, you really need to retype the whole thing again for me. What about if they had swoop competition, and they jumped off the top of a building? JudyBe kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 7 #29 June 1, 2004 QuoteWhat about if they had swoop competition, and they jumped off the top of a building? Then it would be BASE, not skydiving. And the title of this thread is OLYMPIC SKYDIVING..Not BASE. And I presented why the IPc does not want to include skydiving. People have been trying for years and the people in this sport need to just come to grips that this is not a popular sport..Nor will it be. And in my opinion it should not be."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #30 June 1, 2004 QuoteNo other Olympic sport uses powered vehicals as part of the event. True, but Water skiing has been an exhibition sport in the Olympics and many people are bidding to have it included again... But I think that the main stumbing block for sky diving being included as a an olympic sport, is the logistics of making it visible and accesible to the gerneal public and also...... that it just isn't as much fun to watch as it is to take part. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Praetorian 1 #31 June 1, 2004 Quotepeople in this sport need to just come to grips that this is not a popular sport..Nor will it be. And in my opinion it should not be I agree, I don't want skydiving to be mainstreem, and I've never understood why people in general and especially skydivers want or need any validation from others. That and I hate listening to hasbeens or 2nd rate former athletes talk over sporting events can you picture a wuffo or a total novice (like me) comentate on skydiving competetions .. gag me Good Judgment comes from experience...a lot of experience comes from bad judgment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #32 June 1, 2004 QuoteQuoteNo other Olympic sport uses powered vehicals as part of the event. True, but Water skiing has been an exhibition sport in the Olympics and many people are bidding to have it included again... But I think that the main stumbing block for sky diving being included as a an olympic sport, is the logistics of making it visible and accesible to the general public and also...... that it just isn't as much fun to watch as it is to take part. several existing sports have the same issue, Fencing is a prime example..it is most definitely NOT a spectator sport (the uninitiated and even low experienced and or uncurrent fencers have difficulty following the action) it does however has the advantage of being an existing sport since the inception of the modern Olympics...of course the IOC continues discuss removing it in favor of more 'marketable' sports... the Olympics have been all about marketing for quite sometime now…when is the last time you actually saw any of the Fencing (or other non-mainstream events) covered during the Olympics?? of course it doesn’t help that the US sucks comparatively the networks hate to show events where the US gets it handed to them regularly, if your not a winner the media doesn’t really care unless they can get a 2min human interest story out of you for filler…. so much for pure athleticism.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisL 2 #33 June 1, 2004 Quote also as for a burner not being a motor: Motor n. 1. Something, such as a machine or an engine, that produces or imparts motion. 2. A device that converts any form of energy into mechanical energy, especially an internal-combustion engine or an arrangement of coils and magnets that converts electric current into mechanical power. adj. 1. Causing or producing motion: motor power. So a burner WOULD be a motor. I stand corrected __ My mighty steed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #34 June 1, 2004 Quote No other Olympic sport uses powered vehicals as part of the event. Equestrian is in the ballpark. But I think that distinction doesn't matter for all the other reasons presented. Quote Also, you don't want to change the sport just to make it popular....You lose that battle every time. What happens is you end up with a sport that is nothing like what it was....And you still don't have any popularity. When was the last time you cared who won the local track event in your state? Can you even tell me when the last event was? Triathlon definitely took a hit since Sydney. The olympic form has been redubbed 'draftathon' since the bicycle stage is no longer a time trial style event and people can sit in the back of the pack saving their energy for the run. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjasantos 0 #35 June 2, 2004 Hi, This is quite an old issue, and I think it will become older and older ... ========== FAI NEWS: Olympic Parachuting Bid Moves Forward 04/02/2002 http://www.fai.org/news_archives/fai/000062.asp#000062 ========== FAI NEWS: Parachuting in the 2008 Olympics ? 23/04/2002 http://www.fai.org/news_archives/fai/000060.asp#000060 ========== FAI NEWS: Sport Parachuting and the Olympic Programme 03/09/2002 http://www.fai.org/news_archives/fai/000127.asp ========== Blue Skies! ----------------------------- Mario Santos Portugal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmchristian 0 #36 June 2, 2004 If they were to add skydiving as an Olympic venue, which discipline would they cover? I would think you would want something that would be quantitative such as accuracy, RW, or even swooping. I'm sure watching skydiving is boring, but jeez how much golf or tennis do people watch in a day. But I agree with idea that only accuracy or swooping would take off. But why not freeflying. Gymnastics is a similar arena in qualitative analysis of scoring. Now hows about adding a Biathalon type event to skydiving. Shooting targets while swooping. Swoop and Shoot, now that sounds like a sport to me!! Chris -------- "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body; but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'Holy s#$* what a ride!'" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 7 #37 June 2, 2004 QuoteI would think you would want something that would be quantitative such as accuracy, RW, or even swooping Style would work easy enough...The audience can relate to "Well you have to do this then this, then this, and it is timed to see how fast you can do it." The Accuracy would work well also..."You see you land on this quarter sized target." Both are easy to understand... Freeflying is not so easy...In fact some times there is a hard time judging it....So it is even harder to understand the scoring. Swooping is the same thing....I did a demo this weekend, and I did a cool down wind hook turn (BIG ass field)...I had people comment on how I looked out of control....They didn't understand the idea...However two others landed straight in...(Both with 500 jumps, one didn't stand it up) Some thought they did better since they were slower."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #38 June 2, 2004 QuoteQuoteI would think you would want something that would be quantitative such as accuracy, RW, or even swooping Style would work easy enough...The audience can relate to "Well you have to do this then this, then this, and it is timed to see how fast you can do it." The Accuracy would work well also..."You see you land on this quarter sized target." Both are easy to understand... Freeflying is not so easy...In fact some times there is a hard time judging it....So it is even harder to understand the scoring. Swooping is the same thing....I did a demo this weekend, and I did a cool down wind hook turn (BIG ass field)...I had people comment on how I looked out of control....They didn't understand the idea...However two others landed straight in...(Both with 500 jumps, one didn't stand it up) Some thought they did better since they were slower. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ron, You just described a major point that half the people who hold EJR/Demo ratings never get: what looks stylish on the DZ looses points in front of whuffos. Pond swooping has the best chance of making it into the Olympics. Simply because it can be done in the stadium in front of a large audience, with simple rules. None of the freefall events will make it because they are too difficult for the audience to watch. What I am really waiting for is the day when blade-running events are flown in wing suits! Hee! Hee! Let the carnage begin! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpy 0 #39 June 2, 2004 Well apparently Skydiving is an olympic sport just not one thats in any olympics. There's something like 105 olympic sports (i know it was a number like that but don't quote me on that). Theirs tons of sports that are classified as olympic sports that have not necissarily been in any olympics. I don't really feel that skydiving would go very well. It might even be bad for our sport, depending on the people in the olympics and also who organises it and how professionaly they do so...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #40 June 2, 2004 I think the biggest reason is that it just isn't a spectator sport. Unless you can get an entire audience to jump with the altheletes and watch them, the most you can see is little black dots in the sky. Video cameras were tried for the X-games and skysurfing, but that got canceled - without the cheer of the crowd, it's not as exciting. OTOH, I wouldn't be surprised at all if BASE jumping was part of the Olympics in another 50 years. That's something you can really watch from the ground, and it has a lot of associated excitement. 100-meter BASE, 200-meter BASE, and 500-meter BASE, with points for exit-style, distance tracked from object and low openings Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #41 June 2, 2004 I think what a lot of you don't realize is that many Olympic sports (long distance running, cycling, snow skiing, bob sledding) are not great spectator sports in a live venue, but they look good on TV, where the majority of the Olympic audience watches them. I'm pretty sure the Olympic committee is much more concerned with TV viewer interest than the handful of people who actually show up to watch the games in person. --DouvaI don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #42 June 2, 2004 Another issue to think about is the standerds needed to get to the Olypmics. Can you imagine how many jumpers would be cut due to the drug testing alone? Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #43 June 2, 2004 QuoteI think what a lot of you don't realize is that many Olympic sports (long distance running, cycling, snow skiing, bob sledding) are not great spectator sports in a live venue, but they look good on TV, where the majority of the Olympic audience watches them. I'm pretty sure the Olympic committee is much more concerned with TV viewer interest than the handful of people who actually show up to watch the games in person. --Douva Can video flyers send a live feed, or does that entail far too much gear for a jumper? The first few exits and flights would look good, but viewer fatigue may quickly set in if each run looks the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
relyon 0 #44 June 2, 2004 QuoteAnother issue to think about is the standerds needed to get to the Olypmics. Can you imagine how many jumpers would be cut due to the drug testing alone? I'd venture few to none. I'm not aware of any cuts in international skydiving competitions as a result of drug testing in recent years (it was done in Gap). Serious skydiving competitors and weekend jumpers are very different. It takes a lot to get to a world meet and the folks I know wouldn't jepardize themselves or their teammates for a buzz. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #45 June 2, 2004 Quote (long distance running, cycling, snow skiing, bob sledding) All of these events have spectators that line the paths of the athletes. You may not see them on every given camera angle, and for long distances (running, biking), they are spread out at check stations. But they are there. You can't have spectators line the path of the freefall.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #46 June 3, 2004 QuoteCan video flyers send a live feed, or does that entail far too much gear for a jumper? Yes, this can and has happened at both U.S. and World Events. It does include a bit more gear to wear, but it's not that big a deal. Unfortunately, the feed wasn't always consistent and when it failed they went back to the 'old' way of doing it....dubbing it for viewing after landing. I believe the abandonment of the live feed for all Open teams came from the hassle of set-up and use...plus it not being consistent at -all- times. LTDIVER Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #47 June 3, 2004 QuoteQuote (long distance running, cycling, snow skiing, bob sledding) All of these events have spectators that line the paths of the athletes. You may not see them on every given camera angle, and for long distances (running, biking), they are spread out at check stations. But they are there. You can't have spectators line the path of the freefall. Yes, but the point is that each spectator only sees a few seconds of the event. Likewise, spectators at skydiving events would only see the landings. The Olympics are more media event than live event. --DouvaI don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
