propacker 0 #1 October 20, 2009 I've often wondered why there are seperate catagories for men and women in style and especially in accuracy. aren't those two disciplines something in which they could compete equally? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MakeItHappen 15 #2 October 20, 2009 QuoteI've often wondered why there are seperate catagories for men and women in style and especially in accuracy. aren't those two disciplines something in which they could compete equally? It mainly comes from the historical legacy. Many years ago the number of rounds were different. Men had more rounds and women had fewer rounds. This is similar to the current rules in tennis that have different number of sets per gender and also to the golf tees offs that have the women tee off closer to the hole than men. It's all based on a long sordid history of marginalizing of women. Believe it or not, but at one time women were not 'allowed' to jump at some DZs. .. Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #3 October 20, 2009 I think the men like it that way so they can still medal. Haven't seen results from this year's nationals, but I'm pretty sure last year, no men would have been in the top 3 (or more?) in classic accuracy if men and women were combined. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robskydiv 0 #4 October 20, 2009 Hey, I was keeping up with the "Live video feed" all of last week. Today I tuned in and got to see some of the CF competition & one guy (Stuart) do a style series. I really wanted to see an Accuracy round or two. Did they air those as well? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #5 October 20, 2009 QuoteI think the men like it that way so they can still medal. This is not true. There are a few exceptionally good women in these events. But if thrown into the same pool with the men, they would not be winning nearly as often as they do now. Cheryl Stearns gets a lot of media attention for winning a lot, but that's partially because there isn't much competition for her in the women's category. Angela Nichols has now been whooping her the last several years. If Cheryl had been competing with the men all this time, she wouldn't have been first all those consecutive years. I'm not knocking Cheryl or her skills. She's darned good, no question about it, and she deserves recognition. But there are men who can beat her in any given year, and those men don't get nearly the same attention by the skydiving media. There is, in my opinion, a media bias towards women. Look at the accuracy competition just completed at this year's Nationals: http://www.uspanationals.com/results/USPA2009%20Week2-Male%20Accuracy-Results-0001.html http://www.uspanationals.com/results/USPA2009%20Week2-Female%20Accuracy-Results-0001.html Nichols and Stearns were 1st & 2nd in women's category. Had the men and women been competing together, Jimmy Drummond beat both of them, and Wenger tied with Stearns. And I predict you'll hear almost nothing about Jimmy in "Parachutist". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #6 October 21, 2009 I've looked at those results for at least as long as you have, John. Cheryl would not win outright most years (although there have been years when she would). However she nearly always would do well, and longevity counts for something. Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #7 October 21, 2009 Quote longevity counts for something. Not for a trophy wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnDeere 0 #8 October 21, 2009 Quote Quote longevity counts for something. Not for a trophy wife. Thats great Andy!Nothing opens like a Deere! You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #9 October 21, 2009 Well, I was going off memory from last year. I looked up the results... a man would have gotten 2nd place last year, but 1st and 3rd would have gone to women (if they were combined). I can't say I follow every acc competition all year to see how the competitors compare, but last year Cheryl had 1 cent after 10 rounds and would have kicked everyone's butt. Top man (2nd place overall) had 4 cents over 11 rounds. Obviously this year a man would have won. There would have been a jump off between a man and woman for 2nd place. I was obviously kidding that men wouldn't ever medal if they were combined. But I think it's pretty clear that men and women are pretty even. I'd like to see them combined, so they can all actually compete against each other. Husbands vs. wives, boyfriends vs. girlfriends, etc. But the men are wussing out... Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
