Alt Goes Mainstream: How Surfing, Skateboarding, and BMX Became Olympic Events
The Tokyo Olympics will be novel in more ways than one. Aside from the challenges of mounting the games during a pandemic, there will also be a range of new sports competing for fans’ attention.
As well as baseball/softball (being reintroduced after a 12-year hiatus), karate, and basketball 3x3, four youth-focused action sports will debut: surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing and BMX freestyle.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the inclusion of these new events is “the most comprehensive evolution of the Olympic program in modern history”.
For many fans, however, the addition of action sports raises big questions: are they really Olympic sports, and do they deserve to take the place of more established events?
Akiyo Noguchi of Japan is a star of the sport climbing world (GettyImages)
Competition for younger fans
Our research shows the process and politics behind this decision go back over 20 years, part of the IOC’s big goal of making the Olympics more attractive to younger spectators.
While the Summer Olympics are considered the most-watched sporting spectacle in the world, the numbers of young viewers have been declining for decades. The median age of the US TV audience for the 2016 Rio Games was 53.
Aware of this, the IOC has tried to attract younger audiences by incorporating newer action sports in both the summer (windsurfing, mountain biking, BMX racing) and winter (ski cross, big air) Olympic programs.
Since its controversial inclusion in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, snowboarding has become the darling of the winter games. With X Games-inspired presentation and youth cultural icons such as Shaun White and Torah Bright, snowboarding was credited with a 48% increase in 18– to 24-year-old viewers at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Since then, a new generation of young, cool snowboarders such as Chloe Kim have continued to inspire and attract global audiences. That success is driving the inclusion of more action sports at the Summer Games. But the IOC has also pursued other key initiatives, such as the Youth Olympic Games and an Olympics YouTube channel.
Since 2010, the Youth Olympics have been an important testing ground for new sports, social media innovation and concepts like the Sports Lab in Nanjing in 2014, and the Urban Park in Buenos Aires in 2018. Not everything makes it past the trial stage, but much does.
Agenda 2020 and the new vision
The arrival of IOC President Thomas Bach in 2013 and introduction of the Agenda 2020 policy accelerated the modernising process.
In 2015, the IOC worked with the Tokyo Organising Committee to shortlist five new sports – karate, baseball/softball, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing – for possible inclusion in the 2020 games. When all five were confirmed for Tokyo, Bach proclaimed:
"We want to take sport to the youth…With the many options that young people have, we cannot expect any more that they will come automatically to us — we have to go to them."
Following a review to measure the overall performance of all sports, various international federations developed strategies to become more youth-friendly. The International Cycling Union approved BMX freestyle, and the International Basketball Federation added basketball 3x3 for Tokyo.
This pressure to attract younger fans has had a knock-on effect, with other sporting bodies wanting to bring new events into the fold. The current battle over the possible Olympic inclusion of freerunning (also known as parkour) is a case in point.
BMX freestyle competitors are scored according to difficulty, originality, execution, height and creativity.
Nostalgia and progress
With the action sport economy plateauing, many in the industry have actively supported Olympic inclusion. But the countercultural heritage of many of these sports has led to tensions.
Many participants view them nostalgically as alternative lifestyles rather than conventional sports. The associated value systems they celebrate – self-expression, creativity, fun – are often considered at odds with the disciplinary, hierarchical, nationalistic Olympic ethos.
This saw the initial proposals to include surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing in Tokyo hotly contested by many within the wider action sporting cultures, worried about the loss of autonomy and control of “their” sports.
Australia's surfing Olympic team
While the Olympic athletes are enthusiastic ambassadors for their sports (and likely to see significant economic and cultural rewards), there are those within the action sport worlds who view Olympic inclusion as just another money-making stunt — part of a longer process of “selling out” with little benefit for their sports.
Our research shows it has been mostly older male “core” participants who’ve been most opposed to the inclusion of action sports.
However, an international survey showed younger participants and women were much more enthusiastic. Those under 19 were most supportive, with 80% agreeing with the statement: “I think this is a great idea and I would likely watch more of the Olympics”.
A showcase for female athletes
The new-look games have also had their logistical challenges. Action sports organising bodies have had to navigate complex new terrain, including determining how athletes will qualify, competition formats, equipment, uniforms, drug testing and venue suitability — all complicated by the pandemic.
But, the inclusion of the new sports (with equal male and female representation) has also helped the Tokyo Olympics come the closest ever to the IOC’s gender equality targets, with female athletes making up 49% of all Olympians.
For women in action sports, the Olympics are creating more opportunities for athletes and leaders in activities long dominated by men.
The phenomenal talents of female athletes showcased in Tokyo – including 13-year-old skateboarder Sky Brown (Great Britain), surfer Carissa Moore (US) and climber Akiyo Noguchi (Japan) – may well see the gender dynamics shifting in these sports post-Olympics.
Competitive breakdancing, coming soon to the Olympics (www.shutterstock.com)
A changing Olympic landscape
Without spectators, alas, Tokyo won’t be the urban festival envisioned pre-COVID, with live music, art and a youth-friendly vibe at the urban and beach locations.
Nevertheless, the action sports central to that concept aren’t going away. Paris in 2024 will see the addition of kiteboarding and breaking/break-dancing, part of a trend that will continue at the Los Angeles games in 2028.
Traditional ideas about which events are (or aren’t) legitimate sports will also shift over coming years as the IOC stakes its claim in an increasingly competitive sports and leisure market.
With the survival of the games so dependent on viewers and sponsorship dollars, the IOC will only fight harder to stay relevant to the next generations of Olympic fans.
// HOLLY THORPE and BELINDA WHEATON
This article first appeared in The Conversation
Comments
I'm actually really embarrassed for the surfers being used by the IOC grubs to try and regain some relevance in a new world. I urge any pro Olympic supporters to read "The Great Olympic Swindle" by Andrew Jennings. "Caught taking bribes from cities bidding for the Games, the old men who run the Olympics promised to change. Andrew Jennings, the British journalist who first exposed Olympic corruption and the Olympic President's fascist past in two bestselling books, didn't believe in their speedy conversion. He kept on digging and what he found amazed him. Using the old men's own secret battle plans, The Great Olympic Swindle reveals how the spin doctors who told us tobacco wasn't dangerous, worked their magic for an old fascist and his cronies, outwitting governments and the press". Its a great read, and really is all about why we as surfers should have nothing to do with these scammers. Look at John Coates behavior just yesterday, what a misogynist bully.
So I was playing the 'Sports administrators rule the world,' line as a bit of a joke, but you're telling me it's conspiracy-fact now?!
Couldn't agree more Surfalot, the book is an excellent read. Those that run the majority of the world's sporting bodies are as corrupt as they come and resemble terrorist organisations in that, as soon as the head leaves/retires/dies, another takes his place at the well and publicly funded trough. Coates is a perfect example and the sooner he goes, the better.
Not that different from the Wozzle then eh?
So the Australian Olympic surfing team comprises 4 surfers and 7 other people?
I'm sure they all have important jobs to do.......But really?
Does seem like a lot of hangers-on. I'm sure someone will tell me that there all legends and HAVE TO BE THERE though
A ratio of four athletes to 7 support staff is pretty absurd.
I can name some faces in the photo... The guy standing on the chair in the back is Jason Patchell (Psychologist), far left is Chris Prosser (Chiropractor), next to him is Kate Wilcomes (Surfing Aus Performance Director), Bede is hiding behind at the mask over Owen's right shoulder.
Highly unusual for an Olympic team to have a Chiropractor on deck. It's almost entirely the territory of Physios, Doctors and Massage Therapists.
Also, could someone have afforded the blazers a once over with the iron?
Or that fit - check far right guy
would you prefer they rocked up with just a soft board and a pair of trunks, this is the Olympics mate not some red bull air shit show. have 100 people by your side, just win Australia gold, im sure you would piggy back a trip of a life time if you could
What's with the guy standing on the seat at the back? .... big boss man...
its a really weird photo.
oh - I might get it now... its a parody that's highlighting the absurdity of it all.
classic hahaha
As a debut sport to the Olympics and representing out fine country, surely the promotions team could have made a bit more effort for the team photo...
I've seen better State of O team shots.....after 80 minutes of footy in the rain...
What were they thinking with horrible coats which look soo daggy with the green shorts.
The Olympics is a commercial operation - no different to x games /WSL, except they get to change laws to benefit their profit margins and pretend it is equal to all. The pay packages of governing bodies of olympic sports (employees - non athletes) is ABSOLUTELY INSANE - sickening,.
The olympics has had it's day, all they are achieving is making these sports look more boring by confining them to rules and regulations that just dont suit them - it slowly kills them, because this is the very thing that keeps these sports/arts interesting creative and progressive... while most traditional olympic sports are boring AF - but someone makes a $ on the way.
Why should someone be paid a full time wage to train and compete in some of these sports where there are hardly any participants in many countries.. give it to more needy/higher participant sports.
I personally don't understand the hate on the Olympics and the debate as to whether surfing or skating are a sport. There's been cheesy corporate competitions and mainstream conversion attempts for both surfing and skating (Xgames, Dew Tour etc.) since the 1970-80s and both sports have kept their soul.
Olympics or not, there is always going to be kids grinding gutters, groms frothing on 1 foot slop or older chargers out on the big days.
Some people treat surfing/skating like proper sports and put in the time to train accordingly, why the f*ck shouldn't they be able to compete for a gold medal at the highest level? Why are they any less deserving than the synchronised swimming gold medallists (the most novelty Olympic sport I could think of haha).
Yes there's some dodgy sh*t associated with the olympic committee, awarding cities etc., but as if old mate who wins the gold cares about that when he puts it up in the pool room or tells his grandkids he won a gold medal at the olympics.
Dont like it then dont watch it. I know I'll be watching.
In Japan but…..the best surfers in the shittiest of waves….has a nice Olympic ring to it don’t you think? My problem is they have just stuck it in almost by panic. Japan is the last place anybody would travel for surf and the beach where they are having it looks particularly shite. The person who wins this shermozzle will be the luckiest not the best. Yeah real Olympic quality that one.
Is this just a gee up? The last place to travel for surf? Have you ever been to Japan? It pumps on its day and I've had good waves there (Miyazaki Prefecture!!). Also Japan has a sizeable surfing population so I think that the "last place" statement is just a bit off the mark. Sure Chiba's not awesome and Japan's overall consistency for surf over 2 foot isn't great, but it does have good surf.
Also by your logic you can say winners of many WSL comps are "the luckiest not the best"... but I think Italo and Toledo might disagree. Consistent results in small or shit surf shows that they're not the "luckiest" by any standard.
Smorto, not sure why you are so defensive and I am not sure what you call world class consistent surf but I reckon anybody would agree that Indo leaves just about anywhere for surf for dead, and that is what you need to test the best - stuff that you and I would think twice or more about and consistent. Remember if the Olympics are supposed to be the ultimate test, then shitty Port Phillip Bay wind slop - which is what has been and is normally served up at Shitshitta, sorry Shidshita - is far from going to cut it. You travel for interest, adventure whatever and surf is the added bonus - except Indo which is just about bankable - even the Hawaiians go there, and Mexico in season. "Japan's overall consistency for surf over 2 foot isn't great" says it all and these are the top of the pops, the equivalent to Moto GP riders and we are making them drive around a parking lot on scooters, then saying he managed to inside such and such so wow he is the winner isn't this incredible to watch??!! The idea is not to keep the "sizeable surfing population" in Japan entertained it is to test the best in the best. Cmon give me a break it is a sad joke and should be called out as one. This makes Narrabeen look awesome and it was shithouse.
Yeah maybe defensive but that's because your coming my comment with so much hate. Like the first line of my comment I don't really get it. I mentioned Japan's surfing population because you're acting like it's land locked and it's choice of venue is outrageous, when it does have a genuine surf population.
Olympics the ultimate test? Not sure that's what its about, at least not in terms of the venue. It's about even competition between countries. Otherwise why not add a few more chicanes in the road cycle circuit or do the whitewhater kayaks in a massive rapid?
There's people all over the world who grind out comps in 2 foot drivel every weekend and the vast majority aren't surfing or let alone competing in waves like perfect Indo anywhere near as much as they're surfing 2 foot slop. Why can't a competion in what they surf most be valid in your opinion?
No hate just stating the obvious and frustration if anything. If you think it is good to have a surf contest of the best surfers in the world in 2 foot slop I am hitting my head against a brick wall. Enjoy your slop.
Its not the XGames and its not entirely for your entertainment! Your frustration seems a bit excessive and unwarranted to me so please dont bang your head against a brick wall. Dont watch if you dont like and no-one is forcing you to engage with the Olympics. Most surfers competing seem pretty proud to be there representing their country instead of their sponsor as per WSL comps!
Did you ever think that it might also be for those groms competing in 2 foot slop to be able top aspire to an Olympic medal just like their basketball or soccer playing mates?
Get over it and move on!
Spot on. How can luck be the biggest factor in picking the best athlete? The waves in Japan were absolute shit and so the best slop surfer wins!! But the whole thing is impossible to get a level playing field. Even if you did a Kelly’s pool - what about guys who rip in big gaping barrels? Where do they feature? A lot of them just fall away. But many of the lifelong surfers among us want to see THEM!! Who is pushing surfing to new frontiers - the truth is a wide mixture of different types of surfers. There simply isn’t a one fits all winner out there. Even if there was - the waves could take that away in a heartbeat in a final as no wave is the same in the ocean. It’s just never going to fit the clear cut - everyone agrees on the winner - scenario, like a 100m sprint where they all more or less start and finish in controlled conditions and the athlete is the defining factor. Still, interesting times and I’m not sure I’m against it - I just don’t consider it as credible and controlled as an event like sprinting, shot put, long jump etc…. I mean wouldn’t it be funny if the sand could shift around in long jump or the bar could move in high jump - haha then the same luck problem would plague those athletes as the surfers who just don’t get a good wave come their wave - no surfing probably shouldn’t be in the Olympics for that reason I reckon. It’s not less than an Olympic sport it’s more - it incorporates nature which will always give us surprises and keep us guessing. So a bit too uncontrolled to be an Olympic sport I reckon - not less, just different. That’s my two bobs worth!!
MEH !!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to all the athletes, but those masks FFS.
Mate
I’m with you on that …,
Out of all these comments everyone critiquing the blazers and what not but not those stinking masks ,..
Looks like they’re going out to rob liquor land ….
Couldn’t they have taken them off for 1 minute ….worthless pieced of shit that even Dr Evil in the US said 18 mths ago wouldn’t stop transmissions …
FFS it’s like nobody is game to question the narrative…
It's a proven fact that masks can reduce airborne transmission by 80-85%, including viruses like COVID.
"Dr Evil" (assume you mean Anthony Fauci) initially suggested they weren't needed for the general population in the US, an an attempt (perhaps misguided, in hindsight, given the hoax-theorists grabbed this and regurgitated it as misinformation) to prevent lack of supply for front-line health workers; also, at that early stage of the crisis when the airborne transmission impacts weren't clearly understood, it didn't appear necessary. The fact is, he changed / updated his stance on the mask-wearing requirement when the facts presented themselves and obviously endorsed it to help prevent the spread of COVID.
Claiming otherwise is simply misinformation; the actual facts for both situations are very easy to find with simple Web searches, and I recommend anyone who is not entirely sure of the facts or truth here does so for themselves.
So what your saying is Fauci deliberately misled the public so that frontline workers could get all the masks….
It sounds like he’s deliberately misled the public on numerous occasions…
Your MSM mantra is just a smokescreen to the fuck up on this whole thing…
The whole world should be dead by now if you take all the crap rammed down our throats every day …
Not agreeing to the things we’re told doesn’t make people hoax conspiracy theorists….
Why isn’t Sweden now like Chernobyl?
The wet market origins of this virus are now openly discredited….
And the CHO of the US is prepared to lie through his teeth if he doesn’t know mask prevent 85% of airborne viruses transmission…
And the fact the huge majority of Deaths with or from Covid are over 70’s means the healthy Olympians have nothing to worry about hence the joke of the team photo shot …
I’ve done my research too …..
But a wise man once said ..,
It’s easier to fool the masses than to convince them they’re being fooled ….
Wow. There's a lot to 'unpack' here, so let's go through it piece at a time:
"So what your saying is Fauci deliberately misled the public so that frontline workers could get all the masks….It sounds like he’s deliberately misled the public on numerous occasions…"
--> I don't know him personally so I can't say what his particular specific reason for advising against masks INITIALLY was; however, factual (date/time stamped) reports show that he was told at the time that there was potentially a shortage of masks, as well as the fact that at the time the entire medical and scientific community was unaware of the ability of the COVID virus to spread so easily via airborne transmission. So I guess they made a call either way to ensure there was enough masks for the people at the front-line. Would you want the Doctors and Nurses at your local hospital to be protected first, or would you rather the guy stocking the vending machine downstairs was protected? Simple math that those in the front-line need the protection first.
As we can see from various subsequent reports, they changed this advice as soon as it was obvious that a) there was enough PPE to cover the general population; b) the science showed that asymptomatic people were spreading it; c) masks could help.
Move on, nothing to see with this misinformation about 'Dr Evil', sorry.
"Your MSM mantra is just a smokescreen to the fuck up on this whole thing…"
--> "MSM" can mean a lot of things (unfortunately some of them are not in my 'domain' of knowledge at all...) but I assume you mean "Mainstream Media", given the context. Not entirely sure what you're driving at with this, but assuming it relates to Fauci, then it's not MSM, it's facts from numerous websites about what was said and when. Anyone with half a clue can find the same date/time stamped reports about this - it's public domain. Does that mean the multiple sources of reference are not good versus, what, Facebook posts from some hidden / anon poster? Hardly.
"The whole world should be dead by now if you take all the crap rammed down our throats every day …"
--> No, the COVID death rate is about 2.13% (196m cases / 4.19m deaths). Fortunately not the entire population.
"Not agreeing to the things we’re told doesn’t make people hoax conspiracy theorists…."
--> 100% agree with you. But not checking facts carefully, and/or believing posts / news feeds which have no basis in reality does. Always check the full picture and get context. Fauci's comments regarding this are a perfect example. Someone says something, that gets taken out of context, and then there's no subsequent context or details showing that the advice was changed. Misinformation.
"Why isn’t Sweden now like Chernobyl?"
--> Not too sure where you're going with this one. Sweden has 1,451 deaths per 1m, Russia has 1,052 deaths per 1m. Does that help?
"The wet market origins of this virus are now openly discredited…."
--> "discredited" is probably a little strong, but there's certainly questions to be answered about how this virus got started. Again, not sure where you're going with this one. I'd like to know 100% sure whether it was lab created, or simply 'jumped' via an animal or two in a wet market. We might never find out. A couple of things seem to lend strength to the argument that it wasn't lab created: a) other viruses (Ebola, HIV, etc.) have jumped from animals to humans, b) people who have actually worked at the Wuhan Institute of Virology suggested that their methods and safety standards were very good, c) most scientists believe it's unlikely it was lab-made (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01529-3), and also d) If China really did make this in a lab, why would they unleash it on themselves? Makes no sense.
Unless you are suggesting that it was made in the lab and then accidentally got out. Still possible, but "so what"? What difference does that make to wearing a mask, and having a pandemic? Jack all. We're still where we are, and the only thing that helps is the vaccines available. Do you really think it makes a difference either way? Are you suggesting that we'll get China 'to pay' for something?!? haha, "Good luck with that".
"And the CHO of the US is prepared to lie through his teeth if he doesn’t know mask prevent 85% of airborne viruses transmission…"
--> Uhm. What? Sorry, see above. This weird statement adds nothing.
"And the fact the huge majority of Deaths with or from Covid are over 70’s means the healthy Olympians have nothing to worry about hence the joke of the team photo shot …"
--> Yeah, generally speaking that's quite true. But why do you wear a seatbelt when you drive? Lowers your risk of smashing your face through the windscreen in that really low chance you crash into something, right? Same reason for the masks. Oh, you did see the current outbreak in NSW and the 30-year old woman who died this week, right? Or maybe you just think that's MSM bullshit too?...sure, tell that to her boyfriend left behind.
"I’ve done my research too ….."
--> Nice one.
"But a wise man once said ..,It’s easier to fool the masses than to convince them they’re being fooled …."
--> That same wise man said: "Fact check from several sensible / reputable websites.", "Read Between the Lies (in your FB feed)", and best of all:
"Everyone is a fool until the facts are presented. Then the real fools show themselves by shunning even that."
Should of sent the young guys, robo and morgs. JW & OW are done winning.
Far out! Just saw that photo!
If the olympic powers that be want to portray surfing along the lines of Jeff Spicoli / Fast Times @ Ridgemont High / Cheech & Chong / hopeless stoners they made a fucken GREAT start with that picture! Hilarious!!!
....and the random footwear (or lack of) is just the cherry on top.
Sponsorship deals.
yep its a classic photo, but that's what most surfers are like..so I think the photo portrays our culture beautifully....late for work, shit where's my shoes, can't find my keys, ahh fuck it, this will do
yep that is a fucking bizarre photo for what is supposed to be elite professionals representing their country. Imagine the shit storm if the swim team or the national cricket team came out with something like that.
To be honest I could not give two fucks about professional surfing but that photo gave me a laugh.
Love the Volleys though. They should have been the footwear of choice for the whole Olympic team.
The competition so far has been like the 80's. Difficult to watch.
@ringmaster - thanks for pointing out the footware, or lack thereof! haha, classic stuff.
It's like they've tried to get every combination possible, slip-ons, flip-flops (jandals?) socks, shoes, bare feet, wtf!?!
@ringmaster yep. The ties outside the blazers did it for me.
Plus the "one size fits all " fitment method.....
JW got the top button done up, but forgot the tie......nice look...
surfalot writes, 'Look at John Coates behavior just yesterday, what a misogynist bully.' Nice quoting of misogyny label from the media reports but you forgot to accuse him of 'mansplaining', whatever the hell that is. He needs to be draped in an aboriginal flag and paraded before the world in a horse-drawn cart around the Olympic stadium to pay for these mortal sins.
That’s your take away from this?? Okay T-Rex
How does breakdancing get in the Olympics before ballet?
Olympic Planking for Brisbane in 2032.
Shoes, barefoot, socks, sandals.... But socks with sandals !
Yep Shaggydags, obviously a sign of respect for our British heritage, combined with the Nimbin fashion sense, plus the washed up on the beach look.....
All very Orstralian......
Bet the guy standing on the lounge has a man bun!
Alternative sports have been eyed off for a long time - here is the BMX from California Games on the C64 from early 1980-something: Righteous!
Yess, I used to love this game!
This is how you get perfect 10s.
Edit: the moves! So far ahead of it's time!
Haha, all time! I remember the snowboarding as well, maybe it was V2, but starting up the snow and ending down the beach?
In Hawaii.
Craig I dunno if we had V2, think I might have missed that. The noise it made when you did the flip on the BMX and stacked on your head, breaking your neck - devastating!
Done snowboarding something like that at Whistler-Blackcomb in real life - think I worked out the run from up top all the way down to sea level was 6000 or 8000ft or something, when you joined the runs together. Epic.
Played this a a lot back in the 90's. One time at mates house I won a round and launched into the air for a big kook claim. I smacked my head into a metal fan, knocked myself out momentarily, smashed my sunnies (sitting on top of my head) into smithereens and went to the doc's to get 8 stitches in my forehead. Good times. Ahh the memories.
hahaha! That's funny af - but my condolences. The fights bro and I used to have playing the player vs player basketball games... the game would end (controversially) and the real fight would begin!
whoa. was gunna play wii bowling with my Mrs today during lockdown....might rethink that.
heavy! He pushed it and pushed it...
No shaka from our Sal?
Zoom in on her right hand and rejoice
Looks like shes got a hold of Jdubs bellend to me
Hahaha gold, as is the ill fitting garments, lack of budget or just couldn't give a fuck???
The shaka is there, it's hidden in plain sight.
Why? Because there is money to be made in the associated 'lifestyle identification' industries.
Totally uncool!
That lineup just needs a scoob hanging out the kangaroos mouth.
Late news : 'Tiddly winks to be entertained for 2032 Olympics. Sally and Owen endorse proposal' Source : D-Rex
BTW surfaloot. 'Palaszczuk said there were no issues between her and Coates after the exchange.
"Yeah absolutely. He’s fantastic,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“If we didn’t have John Coates this will not have happened," she said of the successful Brisbane bid.
"John Coates has been the driving force behind us securing the Olympics." Source: reuters
Yeah, my take is that you're a bleeding-heart tosser, using another source's words as your own (it's called 'plagiarism' FYI).
Lol - a politician said “there’s no problem”. Well, that settles it then. Cheers for clearing this up T-Rex. Face palm
Owen looks he's ready to beat the living shit out of someone.
.. Caarm on Ozzie, oi oi oi!!!
Doesn’t affect me in the slightest but I’ll put my 3 cents in...
Unless winning Olympic gold is the pinnacle of your sport, (is surfing a sport?), then I don’t reckon it should be in the Olympics.
"The art of riding waves on a board is said to date back to ancient Polynesians living in Hawaii and Tahiti. Surfing was popularised by Duke Kahanamoku, from Hawaii, who won three gold medals in swimming at the Stockholm 1912 and Antwerp 1920 Games when competing for the USA. Kahanamoku is considered 'the father of modern surfing' and planted the seed for surfing's future Olympic inclusion by expressing his dream to see the sport become an Olympic sport while accepting his medal on the podium at the 1912 Games."
https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/sports/surfing/
Well it took 109 years since the Duke won gold to get Olympic surfing happening on 28th July 2021.
PS. I didnt know they tap dance in Japan; this old man learns sumfin....
Lets face it, any surfer at the Olympics is only there because they have massive egos. One bald headed Floridian is busting for JjF or Andino to break down so the ‘alternate’’ can step up. John Coates, well he’s just like all those other corrupt Olympic officials. Good on Andrew Jennings for exposing them all. Olympics is just a business with spin offs to major players. Don’t be so daft and gullible folks to watch an event that still allows convicted drug cheats to perform time and time again. Sickening.
As Micheal Franti once said, “Television Is The Drug of The Nation” . Quite true as we all still suck that cathodic nipple.
Nailed it BF
What about those video gamers as olympic sports . The ones that are filling stadiums everywhere ! Farkme its getting ridiculous what constitutes a sport these days . And sports that already have their tours , world champs and peak events like golf , tennis and surfing , do they really need to be at the olympics ?? it always struck me that an olympic gold at tennis / golf is a distant second to winning Wimbledon or the Masters . leave it to the Grecko/Roman wrestlers and the discus throwers to have their moment in the sun .
Totally, Mr Sheep. E-games are growing at incredible rates. Their sales have overtaken movies iirc. I'm not very good at them myself, but I can get into watching the games I like. Starcraft II is a bit of a meme, but here's one game. At first you would be a bit like 'wtf' but it's basically build a base, control resources, then attack and overwhelm your opponent.
Sounds like my ex-wife's tactics.....
"it's basically build a base, control resources, then attack and overwhelm your opponent."
Perhaps she would have been a good RTS player... (real time strategy - the game genre, I think!)
Why modernize? I wanna know who can chuck a spear furthest. Who's the fastest dude/ette. Who can hit the bullseye most? Downhill skiing is great. There's a mountain, whoever gets to the bottom fastest wins. Surfing isn't really an Olympic sport imho. 'I know you did an air too but I just didn't like your style so much, Bronze for you.'
I think that photo backs me up. The footwear lol. I'm wearing Sox&Sandals but I'm only representing my country in random comments from the couch
Where's the irukandji mascot?
I pretty much agree with the last few comments above,...but then seeing big Owen stride out casual as onto the Olympic arena last night was kinda epic amongst all the Olympic hoo ha and looked so....odd!!
Yeah it's kind of ok, kind of meh.
Great shout out for downhill skiing, what an event.
Terje Haakonsen boycotted the first Olympics with half pipe, Shaun White made it cool.
Shout out for the men's street final tomorrow, should be an epic battle between Nyjah and Yuto Horigome, pitty there'll be no crowds to go mad for the local. But as touched in above, would Olympic gold be more valued than an x-games gold or dew tour championship, dunno...
They forgot our new flag in the photo.
The American uniform is really nice.
Just adding a bit to the history...nothing's ever locked in!
Saltwater Surfers leapt from Surf Craft at speed onto Sea critters + balanced Surf craft in wave zones.
907-60 BC - Chinese Stand Up "Board" Surfing...
http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/glossary.php?searchterm=029_chao.i...
History records makeshift Stand Up oared xings on drink troughs & such across Rapid river waves ...
With respect to Polynesia...presents in more modern Surf / board Cultures.
You'd need a lot of Stickerz to rewrite Surf History...'think they already have'...Ok! Forget tbb said that!
Surf / Skate Punk terminology & skills descend from our quick footed kick flippin' River surfers.
Surf rapids > split several Craft into one > end on end flip > 360 Log spin all while Pop smokes a pipe.
Rec' surfers of this period & today lack the skill set of linking as many quick footed varied maneuvers.
Big Wet signals Ocean rides down river out mouths surfing thru all line-ups for 30-50kms & back in!
1900 Olympic Life Saving
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_saving_at_the_1900_Summer_Olympics
1956 Oz Olympic Life Saving Carnivals
Surfers rode waves standing sideways on Fibreglass boards. (Exactly like Tokyo)
https://www.surfresearch.com.au/1956_Olympic%20Carnival_SMH.html
2021 Surfing was the cheapest Ticket at Olympics > Covid Emergency > Surfing as equal Status Event
Look Mum! I gotta Steph...But do you really need 3 Stephs!
2024 Surfing > Tahiti -Ultra White Colonialists 'mind my Covid laced towel'...VIP *****Exemption Event.
Really can't see this $Gazillion Pantomime happening...it's just absurd & so wrong on every level.
2028-2032 - ISA article follows up Swellnet Feature from the same day.
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/surfing-the-hard-work-starts-he...
Brisbane News : " Surfing's Olympic future isn't guaranteed beyond 2024!"
2028 LA > Surfing / Skateboarding - Santa Monica / Venice Beach (Not Locked in!)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics
2032 Brisbane > Surfing / Skateboarding (Not even listed as Qld events!)
Premier / Mayors / Sally have all backed Surfing on Goldie but never went on with it as a done deal.
Qldurr can share this hilarious piss take on Brisbane Olympic Surfing (No Spoiler) ...So funny!
https://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/palaszczuk-reveals-2032-ol...
2032 Qldurrz invite you into the blood thirsty cut throat fight for our Host Event/s ...a free for all scrap.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/on-track-for-brissie-rugby-league...
Gotta say...Surfing don't look up for the fight as yet.
Big Guns - SLSA > Cricket T20 > Netball > Rugby Numbers 5,6,7,8,9 etc > Rugby League ( Numbers?)
Surfing / Skateboarding look dead'n'buried in their own backwater...
Surfing can Compete in SLSA or as a Saltwater > Surf Rafting > Surf Skills Exhibition
Surfing Qld...would be all at sea with any meaningful historic crafty Exhibition...can turn off yer Telly.
Psycho girl should have been given a win immediately after threatening no sex for a month!
What colour are those blazers? The cream, the bone, the white, the off-white, the ivory or the biege??
Aussie Gold in the Skateboarding, wow!
He killed it too, nobody came close. And the comraderie between the competitors was good to see - no animosity or egos, all genuinely stoked for each other.
So sick!!
Womens and mens skateboarding was so much better than the surfing to watch..
Barely watched a thing since the surfing wrapped.
had a few goes at it, found nothing to grab me.
thats just randomly tuning in.
Athletics has been entertaining in the evenings. Become an armchair expert after a couple of beers. The amount of times my wife has come out with "I don't fucken see you out there doing it!".
haha love it!
@FR76 worth watching a reply of the the Aussie guy in the final.
That was pretty epic.
How's the camraderie!
where do I watch replay Amb?
https://7plus.com.au/olympic-games-tokyo-skateboarding
wow, that was nuts.
He surfs OK too...
But better on land...
Smooth!
Mens and womens finals in the skateboarding were truly epic, well done Aussies and the young kids like Sky!
So good.
So big, so technical, so critical.
Gonna be a lot of kids at skateparks.
(And at climbing walls too, btw. Office chat rates the Sportclimbing)
yeah, I wonder which of the sports will get that much sought after Olympic bounce?
My 11 yr old son was pretty nonplussed with the surfing ("why are they surfing such garbage waves Dad?)
soon as he saw the skateboarding he was straight down the bowl and frothing.