Why isn't slalom skiing an Olympic sport?

[DW]

The cable system to eliminate the mechanical device is interesting in concept until we as skiers consider the implication of poking the boat manufacturers in the eye. Consider the Olympics would be an incredible marketing opportunity, doing without a key partner may be simply another step towards killing the sport we know. Think Malibu Open, Big Dawg, etc.

[BraceMaker]

To me it's a sport that doesn't exist (tracked skiing). If that becomes a workable sport somehow and grows in popularity it might save the sport and make slalom water ski mainstream to more people. And if that happens more of those people will want ski boats to get out on more water.

 

It won't happen backwards ie. Inventing it for purpose of a ski event in the Olympics

[Wish]

Hmmmm....UK still in the fight I guess. :D

 

 

 

 

 

[Horton]

@Wish

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/fe497dd337d9af8479bb6398b9565d16/tumblr_inline_mg6n5ltl6X1rxe4lt.gif

[Nando]

At Paris they could use the same wonderful site at the '17 Worlds...

[Wish]

Don't hate the messenger. Heck my eyes damn near rolled outa my head. Thought it was funny as hell. Can't help it if you don't have the below emoji. But I'll take the triple panda as a huge badge of honor. Thank you @Horton

 

 

[unksskis]

Surfing and skateboarding added for 2020 Olympics. What do you get when you combine those two? Cable wakeboarding by 2024? Crazy as it sounds, that may be waterskiing's best option. Get a watersport in, and may it expand from there. Snowboarding brought slopestyle and halfpipe skiing into the mix, which are arguably as big if not bigger than the racing nowadays. Maybe any watersport can open the door for additional disciplines. Cable wakeboarding seems it be the most applicable and attractive initial sport to add.

 

It is an interesting topic how the development of a truly usable artificial wave has helped surfing become more mainstream accessible, but they have the right people involved and have maintained control at the highest level, not allowing the IOC to sabotage a sport/lifestyle.

 

It makes sense for a host country to push for a trial sport, especially if the venue is convenient.

[ShererSkier]

Wow a triple panda, I was half expecting that when @PacMan started this thread. I agree that there are sports that could eventually lead to having slalom become more mainstream. I would prefer it not using a cable fow towing. It is still weird to me that a boat pulling someone would matter. I’m starting to jump more on the Xgames bandwagon. Wakebording is there, we need to get some of the Xgames officials to see how intense slalom can be! I do like to see there are other people trying to support the sport in other ways!

[Jody_Seal]

Talking to a cable park owner in the past I asked him about skiing with the cable vs boarding. He told me yea! we can run the cable as fast as 38mph however the service life on the components goes down exponentially. Cost to service and up keep grows incredibly.

So I don't see cable growth for waterskiing any time soon here in the USA.

 

Where we continue to miss the bus is growing the sport with a true professional level. Our own organization refuses to take out of the rule book "there shall be no distinction between amateur and professional" It is a stumbling block. Over the last 25 years many of us have been involved with the jr development programs and have built a platform for our young skier's with no where to go! they figure out real quick that all that hard work and training is for naught as once they realize the meager existence for a "professional Water skier" they move on to what we call the real world.

 

If we as a sport concentrated and focused on title events even at the class "C" Tournaments and got away from the performance ideology our sport would would gain at least by a leap. The few professional event's Moomba, Masters' and Malibu open are about all there is for these athletes. Yea a few other Low paying events around the globe but if they were connected and part of a true professional series with a common finale this would be a better solution for growth and mainstream participation.

It is truly time for our sports leaders to regroup, loose the USOC participation, forget about Olympics and move on to a beneficial direction that does not continue to eat up Resources and monies that could otherwise be useful in making our sport a true competitive successful sport.

[Horton]

Lucy = IOC

Football = Olympic Dream

Charlie Brown = Skiers

 

https://youtu.be/055wFyO6gag

[Horton]

@Jody_Seal I do not get why the distinction between Pro and Amateur makes any difference. How would things be different if there was not a distinction??

[unksskis]

Wakeboarding is not, and has not been in the X Games since 2005.

 

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@horton I think the pro vs amateur is more of a mentality than a rule distinction. From the perspective of the typical AWSA member or junior skier, AWSA puts virtually no energy into “professional” or elite level events. Their focus seems to be more on how to level the playing field at nationals than what could be done to develop and promote the world class athletes.

 

Sure there is the occasional announcement that Freddy and Regina are “athletes of the year”, but can you point to anything that AWSA or Usawaterski has actually done to really promote the elite level skiers? If so, how effective was it?

[unksskis]

Add SafeSport to the list of requirements/expenses for USAWhateveritisnow to meet USOC affiliations.

[Jody_Seal]

@Bruce_Butterfield

Home run!!

[LeonL]

@Horton , Lucy, football, Charlie Brown --- excellent analogy.