proswoopingtour 0 #1 January 26, 2003 From the headquarters of the Pro Swooping Tour... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: Jan 25, 2003 Location: Jacksonville, Florida USPA Board Meeting: Adam's Mark Hotel Subject: PST's proposal of first World Cup of Canopy Piloting (A.K.A. "Canopy Swooping") Today, in downtown Jacksonville, the organizers of the Pro Swooping Tour (Jim Slaton & Lyle Presse) gave two seperate & intense presenations to the board members of the USPA. At 9:00am EST the PST presented the USPA competition commitee with a presentation to hold the first "World Cup of Canopy Piloting". The presentation included the PST's proposed safety/training program, entry requirements, qualifications, history of swooping, pilot categories & competition events. The presentation also focused on swooping's appeal to the athletes, media & sponsors. After a lengthy question & answer session that followed the PST's presentation the USPA competition commitee voted unanimous to move forward with the first World Cup of Canopy Piloting. After a three hour break the issue moved forward to the main floor where the PST was to give the proposal to the entire USPA board for a final vote. At 3:00pm EST the PST presented the USPA board with the entire proposal and within the hour got another unanimous vote from the board members of the USPA. The organizers of the PST will now travel to Brazil to give their final presentation to the IPC (International Parachute Commitee) for approval of the first World Cup of Canopy Piloting. SlatonAirSports.com CanopyPiloting.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sarge 0 #2 January 26, 2003 Is this a 'press release' or an advertisement...? .-- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #3 January 26, 2003 I was wondering if they would do that. I mean there the CReW awards and all that so, it would be nice to get "Canopy Pilot" Awards & Badges too. The event being sanctioned with USPA is THE big move. I think thats been long needed. -Grant_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #4 January 26, 2003 No, I think you're missing the point of the entire Pro Swooping concept here.. The point is that this is, perhaps, the only event which -could- be covered on live television with a built-in audience for sponsors in a cost effective manner. It's probably the only event to which the masses could sit up close and watch the action right in front of their eyes and the televisions camera could see spectacular images of canopy piloting -- or spectacular images of -almost- canopy piloting (the occasional spectacular biff-in). This of the difference between, for instance, X-Games skateboard half-pipe and skysurf. (You'll notice that skysurf isn't actually IN the X-Games anymore.) It's way too freeking difficult to cover (helicopters, weather, venues), doesn't have the kind of crash and burn sort of action that half-pipe does and most importantly, the audience just can't relate to it. Pro Swooping solves all of this and has the added benefit of opening the door to other skydiving events for Olympic purposes. It's a good thing. (It ain't -my- thing, but damn, I sure as hell do see why it makes a LOT of sense.)quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #5 January 26, 2003 I was thinking "small scale" rather than BIG PICTURE. I do see your point but, Greece is comming and "No Glory". They don't even want IT in 2008. Olympics mean eveything in our family and after the response of the IOC, I gave up on hopes of seeing there. The obvious of the venue having to fill the stands and be enjoyed on TV but, IOC (ref.Bejing) also attemps lesser methods of brush off ei. safety. I took us over 7 decades to get Skeleton back into the Olympics on claims of safety when in fact it was FIBT that wanted to keep the 4-Man Bobsled event in the "Glory" spot and Curling was "in". I keep praying but, at times I get wore down and I overlook new angles. _______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #6 January 26, 2003 I hope to god thats not the thinking behind this... If it is, BASE or anything else might get my attention rather then swooping. I'm all for using this as a good trainer and a showcase for those that are the top 1%, but unless everyone is ready for a huge increase in fatilities its best of things like swooping stay off the nightly television recap of sports. Showing Joe Whuffo that swooping can get you into the Olympics is a sure fire way to get them doing HP flight well before they are ready to... since they saw it on the television during the last olympics.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crazy 0 #7 January 26, 2003 QuoteThe point is that this is, perhaps, the only event which -could- be covered on live television with a built-in audience for sponsors in a cost effective manner. It's probably the only event to which the masses could sit up close and watch the action right in front of their eyes and the televisions camera could see spectacular images of canopy piloting -- or spectacular images of -almost- canopy piloting (the occasional spectacular biff-in). great! now, we need a cost efficient way to launch a pilot into the landing pattern. If people could train at 5$/landing, then it would make the whole thing really interesting (and the spectacular biff-in not that occasional). Winching with a trolley (or a boat) for take off? Next step could be the indoor swooping festival.-- Come Skydive Asia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkySlut 0 #8 January 26, 2003 I think that one of the reasons that the PST has qualifiers and training camps is to prevent prevent people from failing to yeild to an oncoming planet. the olympic commitee needs to see that there are some sort of regulations of safety & training for someone to be in this sport. Of course, any joe schmoe can pound themselves in on any given day at any given dz...but unfortunately that seems to be happening anyways without these training camps & qualifiers. I think the PST is going to be great for the sport!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #9 January 26, 2003 I agree with Skyslut! Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkySlut 0 #10 January 26, 2003 Interesting thought...if Swooping did make it to the Olympics:What would they find in the piss tests that they make the competitors take? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #11 January 26, 2003 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Today, in north London, 12:26 EST whilst browsing the web for porn and drinking a beer I started reading your advertisement (sorry, I meant major breaking news). At 12:28 EST I adjourned to go take a leak. At 12:31 EST (never washed my hands) I finished reading the breaking news. Just kidding, looks quite good. As long as you don't go handing out special license nrs. and slapping TM on swooping.... Re. the X-games - skateboarding is watched by kids because they can then go and skateboard in their drives and dream of doing what they saw on TV. Not only can you sell advertising on this because there is a big market for skateboarding related goods but also because those kids will stay glued to the box for the entire competition. They can relate to it because they can do it themselves (admittedly not as well). How many viewers will stay tuned through an entire swooping competition? After a while even the chows get boring for the whuffos. If you don't believe me, get a copy of the most excellent swoop video from the Ranch last year - sit five of your whuffo friends down to watch it and see for yourself. Whether we swoop or not, we all like to watch swooping because we all land canopies. We can appreciate the skill that the top guys have - Joe Public doesn't have a clue. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 25 #12 January 26, 2003 QuoteIf people could train at 5$/landing...Last time I was there, hop and pops (3k) were $5 at Lodi. Is that the kind of thing you were looking for?-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sarge 0 #13 January 26, 2003 It is worthwile for me to mention that I have a built-in cynicism that responds to the alarm of a sometimes inaccurate 'hink-o-meter'. The reason the sky-surf etc did not make it as a product i feel has been well documented, at least, to my satisfaction. Simply stated, in economic terms; a "pathetic total failure." nobody could make $$$ off it. Not producers, sponsors, advertisers or participants. It is an entirely inaccessible product for any mass target market segment(s). Absolutely correct, BMX'ng, skate, and rollerblading is well, gag-me-with-a-spoon accessible! Could you see your town, building a swoop pond?? But they're using tax dollars in municipalities all over the country to build Skate Parks... Enter 'Pro-swooping.' Now i totally believe Swooping should be a USPA sanctioned competetive event. However, it was not i that coined the phrase, "follow the buck." Using that axiom in this application seems very appropriate. My reasoning is, that swooping competitions are (for some good reasons) essentially exclusive to a select few participants. Generally those participants enjoying the greatest success are funded and supported by corporate sponsors who enjoy the exposure their product receives. There are many other residual benefits as well. But few if any of these benefits are meaningful to Joe-average skydiver and laughably any whuffo! I can't beleive these aspects are being ignored? Look at NASCAR, F1 or Airplane stunt/racing as a few examples of my argument. These are products plain and simple. Totally inaccessible to Joe-average guy in any worthwile context as a (participant) consumer. What, do you think, 'oh thats cool, I'm gonna go buy a 10 mil $ F1 and go race?' LOL!! Those in the business of NASCAR, F1, or stunt flying, employees, sponsors, producers and advertisers are the only ones making any $$$. They would'nt be doing it if were'nt... or even more to the point if it were limited to even a smaller 'community' of profiteers, well then more $$$ for the elite. I am totally amiable to participants being qualified, 'not to kill themselves, or for the benefit of the future of the event.' But, considering that... beyond ones own expense to train and equip with the most expensive equipment on the market (coincidence?), and to be truly competitive he/she must have at least a few wings for any given event under any given atmospheric conditions! AND. to have to pay even more to get the subjective 'papal blessings' of what seems to me to be a popularity contest anyway... Humbug! Here's my cheer: GO USPA! GO big DZO's! GO Pro-Swoopers! GO swoop my @ss! Love and Kisses... .-- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #14 January 30, 2003 QuoteAs long as you don't go handing out special license nrs. and slapping TM on swooping.... Hmmmm, I think I've heard that somewhere before....It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
listo 0 #15 January 30, 2003 Next step could be the indoor swooping festival. *** INDOOR SWOOPING What a great concept, I have always invisioned an indoor skydiving arena......what the hell.....an indoor swooping arena would could be much shorter than an indoor skydiving arena OOOOOOO THE POSSIBILITIES Live today as tomorrow may not come Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
listo 0 #16 January 30, 2003 AHHHHHH.....I think that this is the door just coming into vision that opens to the world of great public recognition! I send my greatest congratulations to the good ole YANKS........Jim Slaton and Lyle Presse. Kudos guys! Everyone needs to look at the big picture here. For the most part, how many Nascar drivers start out with sponsorships? Not one, unless his/her father was a racer to start with. How many professional skate boarders, snow boarders or BMX'ers have sponsorships when they start out. None. People all over the world get hurt even killed while trying to learn how to drive fast, do tricks on the half pipes and get big air on the slopes. Yes, as skydivers we get into a higher lime light because it involves aviation, but the great thing about our sport is that even though we have to involve aviation, we are a seperate entity all together. Personally, I think that a world recognized sport such as pond swooping and high performance canopy flight is just what we need to make swooping safer overall. It would show the need for coaching as well as provide a reasonable basis for upcoming high performance wanna be's to see what is important about what we do. Sure, the cost of training would go up and there are going to be the few ignorant souls who appose it, but man oh man.......we would get better and faster and safer as time progressed........as a whole. People are going to go out and try stuff based on their own ........well ignorant securities. We can't stop that. However, having it recognized as a dangerous and highly rewarding event would lead to a much more educated group as a whole...... KEEP KICKIN ASS PST! GET US IN THE OLYMPICS BABY! Live today as tomorrow may not come Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
