I'm stoked skiing is included, but regarding the "look how far we've come in such a short time," comments, I think we owe a lot to snowboarding. As much as I hate the Flying Tomato, I think he did as much or more for freestyle skiing's inclusion in the Olympics as Tanner, Dumont, Yater-Wallace and Wallisch combined. There, I said it. Now flame me.
^^^^My guess is that AFP will likely have a growing influence as a more inclusive ranking system (and maybe one that more people will actually care about). Along with a progress in the AFP system, there will hopefully be a better developed ski side to the Grand Prix series with 3 or 4 stops per year for slope and pipe that may or may not coincide with snowboarding Grand Prix
interested in the debate regarding why this could be bad. exposure is what our sport has needed for over a decade, but it could also be what kills the "rebellious spirit" (ismokerox) that has been so important to us all as freeskiers. I think that hte only certain thing is that freeskiing will never be the same, for better or worse...
Does anyone know, if the AFP ranking will be the one for the athletes to Qualify to the Olympic games, or should it be based on FIS points like the rest of the Olympic games?
I think freeskiing will finally get the respect it deserves, with our pros actually being counted as athletes by the rest of the world. We can still keep our rebellious spirit, since the vast majority of us don't go to competitions and is just focusing on having fun. Sure, freeskiing will have two branches from now on, but I really don't think it's that bad
So, im pretty sure the reason they have and AFP reaction is because when you really look at it the AFP just got FUCKED. Making slope and half pipe Olympic events just ensured that there will be a move over to FIS pions and FIS WC event, and this is because its the US Ski Team and USSA that are picking the athletes that we are going to send to the games, and USSA likes FIS events and point because there is drug testing involved, basically skiing in the games equals good bye half the field and a lifestyle change for 90% of the athletes, kinda sad.
I think publicity is good for our sport, I just hope being in the olympics wont do to pipe and slopyestyle what it already did to ariels and freestyle.
if you feel that you are fed up with skiing because you dont think its "bad ass" anymore than you dont love skiing for what it is. if you love skiing, you love skiing. if you care what people think its a different story. "go USA!" but most of all "go skiing"
@dark_knight - agreed broski! i am so stoked because this means to me skiers get to get even more coverage and i can watch some fellow canadians compete for their country in a way they never could before.