why aren't we participating in olympics yet?

[yurbai 0]

Ok here is the question: why arent we there yet?? I mean somthing like hourse riding is there which takes more of the hourse skill then human and skydiving isn't. any thoughts???

[TALONSKY 0]

Although it is being considered, skydiving is not a popular sport for the masses. We have a very limited market and lets face it, unless you are into skydiving most spectators would find it boring to watch 4 way or CRW. The only one that is crowd friendly is swooping.
Kirk

[billvon 3,111]

>why arent we there yet??

Cause it's hard to build a stadium 13,000 feet tall. It's not a spectator sport. Personally, I'm glad skydiving is not an olympic sport - we will do far better as a niche non-mainstream sport than as a Pepsi-generation, everyone-does-it thrill ride.

[jjiimmyyt 0]

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Although it is being considered, skydiving is not a popular sport for the masses. We have a very limited market and lets face it, unless you are into skydiving most spectators would find it boring to watch 4 way or CRW. The only one that is crowd friendly is swooping.
Kirk

Actually I thought CRW was one of the most spectator friendly areas of our sports. When the military boys do displays over here people lap it up.

"This isn't an iron lung, people. You can actually disconnect and not die." -Dave

[Remster 30]

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than as a Pepsi-generation, everyone-does-it thrill ride.

Sorry Bill... I think we're there already....

Remster

[chuckbrown 0]

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unless you are into skydiving most spectators would find it boring to watch 4 way or CRW. The only one that is crowd friendly is swooping.
Kirk

Hate to disagree, but CRW just absolutely blows whuffos away. Most people have no concept of what can be done with a parachute. Will agree that swooping is crowd friendly as well.

[Remster 30]

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but CRW just absolutely blows whuffos away

How many people can you gather for a few hours in front of a jumbotron?

Edit: typos

Remster

[chuckbrown 0]

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but CRW just absolutely blows whuffos away

How many people can you gather for a few hours in from of a jumbotron?

As many as the stadium will hold. Besides, of the people who actually watched the competition, how many actually witnessed it live? More fans see sports electronically than live.

[Remster 30]

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As many as the stadium will hold

I think you have an elevated view of the interest wuffos have in the sport. My friends started to glaze over 1/2 through most of my videos, and they were edited, with music, and some of the best skydiving around: RW, FF, CReW....

It probably would gather as much interest as sailing does. People into sailing would follow it, people of the medalists countries would watch the highlights, and thats about it. I dont think 80,000 people would gather in a stadium to watch a few boats circling around in water. I wouldnt.

I'm glad for Sailing its in the olympics, and I'm sure most top level skydivers would love to compete in olympics too, but I dont see it happening, nor am I too fussed about it now.

Remster

[TALONSKY 0]

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unless you are into skydiving most spectators would find it boring to watch 4 way or CRW. The only one that is crowd friendly is swooping.
Kirk

Hate to disagree, but CRW just absolutely blows whuffos away. Most people have no concept of what can be done with a parachute. Will agree that swooping is crowd friendly as well.

My statement is based off of reading Parachutist and what they stated I believe last world games and other articles about swooping. Which stated that the most viable spectators sport seems to be swooping (or something very similar)
Kirk
Kirk

[chuckbrown 0]

Oh I agree, I doubt skydiving will make it into the Olympics, nor am I fussed about it. My point was that of any sport's viewers, the overwhelming majority view sports through an electronic medium (TV) and not in person, so the fact that you can't view skydiving in a stadium is not critical. How many people watch sailing in person?

On the interest of whuffos in the sport, I'd bet that their interest in skydiving's many disciplines would be elevated beyond their interest in sychronized swimming, curling, and many other Olympic "sports." But hey, I recognize I'm biased.

[flypunk 0]

The only reason skydivers are not in the olympics is cuz beer drinking is not an official sport, contrary to what we've been told

...

[kelpdiver 2]

Equestrian is just one of the many useful war skills around at the revival of the olympics at the turn of the 20th Century. Had it been up for addition now, I suspect it would be declined.

[Ron 10]

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Ok here is the question: why arent we there yet?? I mean somthing like hourse riding is there which takes more of the hourse skill then human and skydiving isn't. any thoughts???

Name an Oylimpic sport where you have to spend fossil fuel.

Besides most whuffos could not care about skydiving. It does not look difficult and they can not relate to it at all.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Name an Oylimpic sport where you have to spend fossil fuel.

Skiing, ski jumping, bobsled, etc, etc, etc. How the #### do you think they get to the top of the mountain?

Ice hockey, figure skating, curling, etc, etc, etc. How the #### do you think they cool the ice?

Let's also not forget the motorcycles which are used for the camera footage in the road cycling events, triathlons and marathons, etc, etc, etc.

Using fossil fuel is a lame excuse.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

Isn't motorcross in the 2008 Olympics? I believe a couple "younger" sports are being added for '08 and '10 in Canada so they can get some of the X-Games crowd.

Why? Look at how many empty seats there were in Athens.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[billvon 3,111]

>Skiing, ski jumping, bobsled, etc, etc, etc. How the #### do you think
>they get to the top of the mountain?

Originally? Their feet.

>Ice hockey, figure skating, curling, etc, etc, etc. How the #### do you
> think they cool the ice?

Originally? By planning such events in the winter.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Come on Bill. We're not talking about the stone age here. I'm just trying to make a point that using fossil fuels as an excuse for not allowing a sport into the Olympics is lame. Yes the freefall disciplines of skydiving would likely not be a hit with the fans, but the Pro Swoop Tour guys should prove to be a hit. Of course swooping is a judged event and we could open up our sport to the same controversies that exist in figure skating and gymnastics.

And don't tell me they won't include swooping because someone could die. World Cup skiers have died during competition in the past and hurling yourself down a mountain at 60-90 mph isn't any less dangerous than a Pro Swooper doing their thing.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[billvon 3,111]

>I'm just trying to make a point that using fossil fuels as an excuse for
> not allowing a sport into the Olympics is lame.

Hmm, I would be totally against Formula 1 racing in the Olympics, despite the tales of endurance that such a sport requires.

Most olympic sports have their roots in purely human-powered sports. Times change, and these become mechanized. But the basics of 10 meter platform diving don't change if you climb the ladder or take an elevator; the basics of skydiving change a great deal if you can't use an aircraft.

>And don't tell me they won't include swooping because someone could die.

Uh, OK.

[shunkka 0]

in the way that PRO SWOOP TOUR GOES i think in 2012 (maybe Beijing 2008)swooping will be at the olympics as a demo sport....
if we have SAILING i think swooping will have bigger audience
PS sorry for my silly english

-------------------------
"jump, have fun, pull"

[lewmonst 0]

Swooping might happen because it's a spectator sport.

Skydiving will probably never make it. Even with ground-to-sky live video feed, I don't think people like to watch sports they don't understand or can't go out in their back yard and try... which makes me wonder about handball.

http://www.exitshot.com

[whatever 0]

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the basics of skydiving change a great deal if you can't use an aircraft.

and you can build a stadium tall enough to BASE from

maybe this thread should should ask when BASE makes it into the olympics?

soon to be gone

[bbarnhouse 0]

Well since you asked...

check here

[Ron 10]

Please read the bold.

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In Reply To
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Name an Oylimpic sport where you have to spend fossil fuel.

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All of the sports you mentioned you don't NEED to burn fuel or have motorized vehicals. You can ski or skate on natural lakes that are frozen.

You don't NEED to burn fuel...It makes it easier, but you don't NEED to.

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Using fossil fuel is a lame excuse.

The Olympics are about HUMAN effort, not who can tune an engine better.

Notice there are no motorized sports in right now?

You can't skydive without an aircraft.

This may chance over time, but skydiving is not a good spectator sport anyway.

So even if they remmove the stigma of NEEDING an aircraft...Don't expect skydiving to suddenly become popular.

Remember we could not keep skydiving in the Xgames.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[TrickyDicky 0]

Thye have tried to get skydiving in, and it was ruled that skydiving is not a powered sport, but the "power" only assists in the set up, not the actual execution of the sport. So therefore it is admissable.

But, with it not being a very popular sport and not so spectator friendly, its probably not gonna get in any time soon.

For it to be eligable:
There must be a world championships in the sport (done)
There must be 75 nations over 4 continenets that actually do the sport (not necessarily compete. done I think)

There are actually several sports being removed from the olympics for bejing, which again doesnt help us.
These include: baseball, softball, canoe slalom, some equstrian events, modern pentathlon, lightweight rowing events, racewalking and the heaviest sailing class. (may be a few more).

This again isnt really good for the inclusion of parachuting.

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