This Is A Travasty!

Dooleyoc-1 · Post by **Dooleyoc-1** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:32 pm

Jeremy, awesome video man. you were killing it on the wave!

Eli, I agree. It's open canoe rodeo! It was stupid to go away from the name rodeo.

Also, I will say it again. Open canoeing rocks! See you at the Gauley next week.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:15 pm

So... let's cut right to the meat and get back to the original topic... who exactly is or may be pushing to eliminate the OC class from the Worlds... this time and why?

I'll say this once again as I have said before though... if we don't show up and compete or don't show strength in numbers... they will keep trying to eliminate us from their events. It sucks and I'm by no means in favor of it... but that's the reality folks. They find the venues, organize the events, get sponsors, judge, etc. and if only a few of us show up to compete what is their incentive to keep us around... really? If there isn't at least three people competing is it really even a class? The numbers tell the truth. It's up to us to show them we want a place at the table.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 4:47 pm

I'm doing my best to reach a sensible level to go for the 2011 GBR trials; (I could get myself to the 2010 one's next month but that feels unrealistic of me to jump in a boat for the first time in 7 months and expect to have a pop at the european champs; or is it?).

In any case its nice to know that at least a half dozen people in this tiny english speaking slice of the paddling world want to keep the rodeo alive.

pmp · Post by **pmp** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:36 pm

hi guys, interesting thread, gotta add my 2 cents.
Despite their being a couple oc boaters who have pushed the boundary of the possible (thanks guys) i think OC rodeo has been dead for a while...at least in the rec oc boater eye. It was unavoidable, but the day the skeeter showed up was the start of the decline in interest from the general paddler. that was 1997. in '97 there was a huge turnout for team trials. it was big boat big air pirouttes cartwheels etc old school. the superfly and quake were out by 1998 team trials..there were 3 people at trials..and one of them couldn't roll. #'s have since dropped.
Let's face it dudes, people like river running & creeking and front surfing which their boats can do. they won't spend the time or $ to learn how to drive a decent freestyle boat.
-in the time i've been paddling it, guess how many people have wanted to know where to get a boat like my cu fly....
back to the drawing table now
paul

RodeoClown · Post by **RodeoClown** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:16 am

pmp wrote: in '97 there was a huge turnout for team trials. it was big boat big air pirouttes cartwheels etc old school. the superfly and quake were out by 1998 team trials..there were 3 people at trials..and one of them couldn't roll.

In 97, worlds were on the Ottawa. In '98, trials were for an event on the other side of the world. I've got to think that fits into the equation as well.
I remember the first time I saw a Skeeter. At the time, I only kayaked, and didn't do rodeo, but I wanted one!

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:56 am

.

spot on Paul (pmp)...

I quit rodeo when you had to turn over to win. Prior to that, the name of the game was to stay up right. Even when getting big air (enders) the goal was to pirouette, land upright, and go back for variety points. Not everyone stayed upright (

spectator

appeal

), but the premium of getting multiple moves in really decided the winner. The goal of purposely flipping your canoe over is this alien idea to me, the antitheses of open canoeing. If I wanted to throw ends, do pan ams,

phonic monkeys or loop something, then I'd get a decked boat

. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly glad that folks still rodeo in canoes, freestyle or whatever it's called; however the boats have become so specialized. They are frankly outside the realm of what open boats are for most open boaters.

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:41 am

So, Photon...for a side event in AL this Spring are you proposing a rockspin/pirouette show?! Sounds Sweet!

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:45 am

If you combine it with the 2010 OC Slalom on the Locust we could offer 40+ classes...

wetnobby · Post by **wetnobby** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:58 am

Craig,
Josh needs to answer the question for his comments..however there was and always is a lot of rumour and speculation....

What i will say is i am aware that the vultures are waiting.....probably for the first time that not enough competitors turn up at a major international event!!
The squirt event nearly never happened in Thun for just that reason...
All i can say to people worldwide is, if we want to keep OC1 rodeo alive we need to be out there and doing it...

Chris

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:55 pm

Ah yes; as I originaly said this originated from a bloke I know on the ICU's Irish Freestyle Comittee (who in turn have a say at the ECF and ICF); I suspect that he was letting his mouth get ahead of himself, but as everyone seems to be saying... rumours of this sort have been circulating for some time.

Dooleyoc-1 · Post by **Dooleyoc-1** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:22 pm

Paul and Phil, you are both right. If the competition mandated using traditional canoes 10' and up and comps took place in holes like hades hole, the ottawa, the one in Germany in '95 etc... there would still be 30 people competing at worlds and tons showing up for team trials.

Frankie sent the sport in another direction when he came out with the skeeter, then he took things even more extreme with the super fly and then he really went radical with the cu-fly. Having said all of that, I enjoy paddling the little boats and competing in rodeo. I'm probably a lot better overall paddler as a result of the time I've spent in the little boats.

Here's hoping they keep OC in at the next worlds. Hopefully there will be a big turnout. I don't know if anyone has noticed but the same countries usually come back with OC year after year: US, Britain, Canada, Germany and Spain. The only way to get more boats at the worlds will be to get OC's from other countries to show up. Hmmm... I don't know very many OC paddlers that live in countries other than the ones I just mentioned...

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:22 pm

You guys can use the OCA or even the "Rodeo" if you want to... but I'll stick to the Super-, Spanish-, CU-, Salsa and Black-fly lineup.

If there's a big hole on top that water can pour into, if you are kneeling and using a single bladed stick... to me... it's an OC

Oh... and Phil... I'll take your Spanishfly off your hands to save you any future embaressment... cuz "that ain't no canoe Holmes"

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:28 pm

Phil... where'd your post go?

That was hilarious!

Dooleyoc-1 · Post by **Dooleyoc-1** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:39 pm

Craig, I like the little boats. I paddle all of them. heck, I want a black fly!

The only point is that they limit the number of competitors. I'm not saying I want to go back just stating the facts.

See you at the gauley. You may find me on top of a rock doing a rock spin 360 in a spanish fly!

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 4:00 pm

that's what i don't get... no one ever said you couldn't compete in bigger old-school boat... right?

yeah... i'm trying to find a way to make it to the UY next Friday and then the G on Sat/Sun... hand be dern'd

C-Forum

This Is A Travasty!

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