screw the x-games we need wakeboarding in the olympics!

maybe in an alternate universe

Imagine the water you would have to ride in, in china! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Efff that...

yeah but i dont think the olympics would agree on taking a sport that was dropped in the x-games <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/sad.gif" ALT=":-(" BORDER=0> <BR> <BR>personally i dont think snowboarding nor wakeboarding really "fit" into the olympics, but eh, i guess it is more exposure for the sport.

Wakeboarding will never be in the Olympics because of the nature of the sport. Being towed by a motorized vehicle really doesn't cut it in my mind. It also doesn't fit the standards of the Olympics because there has been no standard judging system for the entire history of the sport. To me judging a sport like wakeboarding is impossible to do because styles change all the time, wakes get bigger, and obstacles change. I can understand why snowboarding halfpipe may have made it in to the Olympics due to the consistency of the course. I don't think snowboarding slope style ever will or ever should be in the Olumpics. <BR> <BR>Anyway, that is my rant. I am all about the Olympics though. I think they are a great thing for everyone.

BMX is in the olympics.

Slalom skiing has been trying for years to make it in the Olympics and keep getting denied. Apparently due to the boat being inconsistent, which is crazy to me with timed speed systems on slalom boats and courses, but apparently its still an issue. <BR>I've been told that its more likely we'll see cable skiing before boat skiing. <BR> <BR>So I guess it would be the same for wakeboarding in the eyes of the Olympic comity. <BR> <BR>Do a search in the archives there has been some topics on this over the years. <BR> <BR>Personally I think we'll see Vert then Park (skate/BMX/inline) and three event skiing before we see wakeboarding.

"BMX is in the olympics" <BR> <BR>Your vehicle is under your own power whereas in wakeboarding it is not. The boat is the problem. Maybe cable??

"Imagine the water you would have to ride in, in china! " <BR> <BR>Looks pretty glassy to me? <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/611704.jpg" alt="Upload">

The IWSF has been petitioning the IOC for decades, to no avail. It will never happen, again it all goes back to popularity, money. Look at our own Nationals, a dismal turnout.

contaminated glass, you can keep. <BR> <BR>I read something about cable and olympics, but can't remember where it was! I think it was wakeskate... I can't remember... <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/angry.gif" border=0>

They seem to be against anything involved with mechanical power. <BR> <BR>The Chinese really went all out on that opening ceremony, I haven't watched one before and that thing last night made the super bowl look pathetic. <BR> <BR>Did anyone catch Bush sitting in the cheap seats? He had to get up once to let someone by, that was hilarious! <BR> <BR>One of my friends worked in the mainland for 2 years in the 90's and slalom skiied in one of the rivers there, he said he dock started and made sure he ended back on the dock when his run was over.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/611709.gif" alt="Upload">

Last year we had the Pan Am Games here in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro and Wakeboarding and Watersking were part of the games. <BR> <BR>Pan Am games are a smaller version of the Olympics; where we have other sports as well that are not part of olympics, maybe a trial for the IOC to add or not that specific new sport into the olympics. <BR> <BR>But honestly I don´t think wakeboarding would look good in olympic games, I don´t know.....maybe.... <BR> <BR>Regarding X - Games, it´s getting worst every year......

thats a good pic steven, was it taken during the day!!!!! <BR> <BR> <BR>kal<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>

i watched the x games once this year and fully enjoyed it <BR> <BR>whearas snowboarding pipe is consistent. you could argue that someone that rides the pipe first has better conditions than the person that rides last

Same as Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Luge or any other winter sport where the conditions will change on the course. But the pipe is consistent in the fact that a pipe is a pipe and falls within parameters of being such and such long, such and such height etc. Instead of one year having 2 kickers, then a fun box, then hip and then a down flat down. The next time down flat downs are played out so it becomes an A Frame or something like that.

What about kiteboarding? The vehicle is under the power of the elements.

Snowboarding has also been somewhat "inconsistent". Each halfpipe is made differently to some degree. Just a handful of years back "superpipes" were considered the new thing and are now the norm. I would rather not see snowboarding in the olympics. It usually brings out the competition only guys that don't throw nice looking tricks, rather just throw to get a trick done. Not a good representation.

it really doesnt matter if the halfpipe is inconsistent from year to year because the athletes are judged against each other for that year only and the judging isnt compared year to year as in beating world record times.

Ryan Taylor Nailed it!

It was irrational for me, how they choose which sports should be in the Olympics and which not. Ok, we have the classical olympic sports - track-and-field athletics and heavy athletics... then we have cycling... Ok cycling - yes - skateboarding - no. WHY? <BR> <BR>Then again - what about the show? 4 billion people has been watching the open ceremony. So, if we talk about the show and TV ratings, think again about freestyle (extreme) sports. Its the BEST show. How about 15 minutes nice wakeboard shots just after 1 hour shooting and before 2 hours of weightlifting? <BR> <BR>I thing they will do it when they realize that young people just want it. <BR> <BR>P.S. Actually I don't want wakeboard to become popular and be in the olympics. Its a freestyle sport and its all about fun and doing it your own way. Competitions are all against that. I hate them. How they evalluate what style is best when its FREESTYLE? How is it supposed to be fun if you are competing for a medal? Wakeboarding should stay in show/festival way. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by georgi on August 11, 2008)