Why halfpipe skiing was not admitted to Vancouver 2010

M

Mike_Crichton

Member
As most of you know, halfpipe skiing is officially not in the 2010 Olympics, must to the disappointment of many skiers.

For those of you not familiar with the process, you essentially need the blessing of VANOC (Vancouver organizing committee), FIS and IOC to get a new event in the Olympics. In the case of skiing halfpipe, VANOC was on board, and would have loved the event. Makes sense, because there's already going to be a snowboard halfpipe in place. As for the IOC, they basically do what FIS recommends. Therefore, it was up to FIS to push in favour of halfpipe if it was ever going to get in by 2010.

As recently as Spring 2006 the issue was still alive. Indeed, skier cross was not officially recommended for inclusion till November 2006 (http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/media_centre/press_release_uk.asp?id=1973). In spite of all of this, when given the opportunity to have halfpipe considered for 2010, the ONLY country that stood up for it was Great Britain. Not Canada. Not the US. No other European country. Here is an excerpt from the FIS meeting minutes where GB's motion was not seconded:

"- Olympic Programme – HalfPipe

GBR presented a proposal to request the inclusion of HalfPipe in the Vancouver OWG 2010.

GBR feels very strongly that this is an important item and should be considered by FIS, the IOC and the Vancouver 2010 organizers.

It was noted that the FIS Freestyle Committee has previously asked the FIS Council to propose to the IOC, that the HalfPipe event be included in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The FIS Council indicated they would follow the development of this event.

After some further discussion, this GBR proposal was not seconded."

The full meeting minutes are available here: http://www.ncdfreestyle.com/FinalMinutesVilamoura.pdf

The fact that, when given the opportunity to support halfpipe, our freestyle representatives did not voice their support, but rather through silence disapproved of halfpipe in 2010, is a betrayal to all of the amateur and pro athletes who have been working hard to some day compete in an Olympic Games, not to mention all of the coaches and other volunteers who have been pushing in favour of halfpipe. Apparently, Canada, US and other countries had already made up their minds about halfpipe and agreed they would NOT be supporting it, even though there was still a chance to do so as of Spring 2006.

Instead of supporting halfpipe, FIS freestyle has been pushing skier cross, which isn't even truly "freestyle". With all due respect to skier cross (which is not much in my opinion), it has already peaked in popularity. No one hosts events because the courses cost so much to make. Incredibly, Canada has been advocating for skier cross in 2010, but never hosted a national championships, ever, and won't till 2008 at the earliest! Not sure about the US situation, but it's probably similar.

In any event, the best thing to do is to write to the respective freestyle skiing associations to request that they truly represent freestyle skiers' interests by advocating for the sport of halfpipe skiing on local, national, international and Olympic levels. Unfortunately, until things change, the old boys club of dinosaurs making these high level decisions will continue to ignore the best interests of the sport and do what serves their own agendas.

-Mike

 
thats so stupid. they have it for snowboarding, so why not skiing? why do snowboarders get the advantage? they wouldn't need to make a course for skiers, we could share the pipe. so unbelievably rediculous.
 
FIS just doesnt want to loose more mogul and arial skier to halfpipe, there have already lost most of the field to newschool skiing, and if halfpipe became an oplympic sport they would loose even more talent in there favorite fields
 
good stuff. with a good .pdf link to the inside going ons...

It really appears to me that if a sponsor wanted half pipe then it would or could still happen.. Numerous mentions about needing corporate sponsors and pleasing the viewer audience, but for some reason it also, appears that if the FIS World Cup Skier 1/2 pipe is not well attended then it will never happen.

Why does the IOC tie FIS attendance of an event as a prequalification for inclusion?
 
i wont say im not dissapointed, but i did expect this to happen. There just wasnt enough corprate and international support to begin with. I spose we will all just have to wait untill 2014
 
I would rather see halfpipe over skier cross any day, but i had a feeling thsi would happen. we still have 2014
 
FIS would never let the halfpipe in. Newschoolers splintered off of them because of the amount of restrictions, you think their version of halfpipe wouldn't have the same amount of restrictions just out of spite?
 
the support for skiercross has always surprised me. Is there really any big fan base for the sport? Is skiercross a huge sport in some counties?
 
everyone knows that i want to be a pro skier. they always ask me if im going to be in the olympics and my repsonse is ALWAYS "haha no! the olympics are so over rated. there are such better athletes and better contest like the XGAMES."

being in the world of sports is like being in highschool. if you are in a sport where you can go to the olympics like dancing on ice or going fast then your a "jock" but if you are a dirt bike rider or skater or skier/boarder or something along those lines than you are not a jock and you dont get recconized for the great things you can do.
 
nothing is more prestigious than the olympics. would have been cool to see half pipe in it but i compete in moguls so i at least have a chance.
 
^^^ Yeah good point, is there really some people enjoying snowcross??

It's sad for skiers like Simon Dumont who have been killing the halfpipe scene for years but are never gonna win an olympic medal.. unless they are still at the top of their game 7 years from now (2014)..
 
labeling people like that is fucking retarded in my opinion. seriously, who cares? are you afraid of being labeled a jock because people are starting to notice what you are doing with your sport? first of all, its just a damn word, does it really change who you are or why you are in the sport to begin with? second of all, who doesn't like to be noticed? it feels damn good to have someone see what you are doing and be like "wow, that was so sick!" its about bringing legitimacy to the sport and mainstream attention so the atheletes can make a good living doing what they do. for al teh training and traveling that goes on they dont have the time to hold down a job on the side. whether its from the X-Games or the Olympics, why does it matter. stop being afraid of being labeled something you dont like and just keep doing what you love to do
 
olympic committees are just fucking old school... they don't care what the new generations of the world like, they want to keep it their way. plain and simple.
 
You are 1/2 right and 1/2 wrong. There seems to be an old school procedural thing holding up the inclusion of 1/2 pipe in the Oympics. If you read through the of the minutes in the link provided above, you will see that the Newschool skiing was well represented and the increasin popularity was spoken about. There are numerous references to off-axis spins and there is even mention of some type of ban on speedsuits.
 
Knowing the Canadian freestyle system as I do, it's not even one little bit surprising to me.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that any canadian freestyle athlete with a dose of talent and a pinch of intellegence essentially told the canadian freestyle ski association to stick it up their asses and so forth invented the sport that is currently fuelling massive growth in skiing as a whole. When was the last time that anything that had to with CFSA or FIS fuelled growth of any sort? It certainly isn't mogul skiing. I'm sure they would love to rant and rave and pretend like they contributing to anything positive, but it's simply not true.

I'm sure that there are members of CFSA thinking "haha I got the last laugh you fuckers."

You should all write a letter. Although, then they might up the team fees for the canadian athletes because of all of the new paperwork that will be creating in reading your emails and letters. Each athlete might see an increased cost of 10 - 20k a year because of it. So after you write your letter, donate a dollar to a poor aerialist.
 
thats obnoxious. theres already a halfpipe being sculpted for the event, why not have another contest on it, especially since snowboarding is in it.
 
There is no halfpipe skiing in the olympics because FIS wants to protect itself (= the racers).

Look how popular halfpipe snowboarding was. Imagine a final with Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont, Candide Thovex, etc... this final would be the most popular item on the (already dying) winter olympics. It would piss all over every other event (skiercross, slalom, downhill, etc...) i.e. the racers become less popular, the sponsors abandon them, they lose.

Think about it. If you were FIS (an organisation of racers) you would do the same, protect your ass.

 
at this rate we'll all be to old and the next generation we'll have to do it, we'll i guess thats what were doing it for.

keep pushing they'll have to realize the facts someday!!
 
there was a huge petition put forward by someone, forgotten who, a english company anyway. i know i signed it and basicaly us British kick arse, (insert patronising patriotic remark)they we deserve a pat on the back for sticking there heads out and saying what needs to be done, i just hope the other countries can fall into line aswell.
 
There really is no arguing the prestige of an event like the olympics, the athletes have said themselves on multiple occassions how much they would love to win an olympic medal. I think it's a shame that halfpipe didn't get in to the 2010 olympics, we can only hope 2014 will be the year...
 
come on guys, we go bigger than the snowboarders, we have more styl, do more complex tricks in the pipe, NO WONDER why they hate it so much
 
I still think the way to get this done at this late date, is to find out who the large corporate sponsors are and hit them up.. (and hit them hard) :o)
 
I am so pissed, im 14 and my goal was to ATTEMPT to get into the 2010 pipe olymipcs in whistler along with my sister who by the way kills it, but i guess not. I dont understand
 
Well if its not too late, we should start rallying and advertising everywhere to get halfpipe in olympics. I mean, very rarely do I see banners and links and on web that say GET SKIING INTO THE OLYMPICS I mean if every single person on here ralied and pushed and pushed I bet sponsors would recognize it and stuff becuase pros and ams are all on this site. I bet we could still make a run...
 
Olympics matter kids.

It would put ALOT more money into "newschool" skiing and public awareness. Suddenly you can dream about a future of big money and fancy cars if you want to dream about being a pro skier instead of slim pickings.

Skiing for fun is cool but money talks.
 
As nice as it would be for the exposure, glory and all things nice of our sport, think of this: A kid sees nowboarding in the olympics and not skiing. He will become one of those posers that snowboarding is full of.

Ever wonder why anyone wanting to be cool on the snow snowboards? it's cuz they see it on the TV at the olympics.

The attitude of skiing and the tightness of the group, is why i actually ski. You can do tricks on both, skiing is just more fun, because of the people who do it.

Ps I'd still ski anyways, but that just contributes a hell of a lot
 
wtf? we had the chance to support britian in doing this and we didnt? skier cross is like racers on race skis trying to get down the hill the fastest. how can that be freestyle? so many people were so hyped up about the possible inclusion of half pipe. if wud of drwan huge crowds.

and to add insult to injury snowboarders have there own half pipe event.

such bullshit!!!
 
the dumbest thing, is that skiers are outskilling snowboarders in the pipe by performing bigger spins, more tech tricks and boosting far higher. Yet snowboarders get pipe at the olympics? wtf
 
I have heard several times from the average guy on the slopes that watching skiers in the pipe is better than watching snowboarders.
 
someone sticky this so more people will read this...but it's ridiculous that the Olympic committee didn't take skiers in the pipe...all its gonna do is bring in a little more money.

but does anyone know whats happening with snowboard slopestyle in the olympics?
 
As a kid i used to adorn the Olympics, thinking it was the end all in competitive sports.

As I grew older and realized some of the political bullshit that goes on behind the scenes, and how the majority of people put so much emphasis on a single event, you begin to realize how it doesn't matter.

The Olympics are the biggest commercialized circle jerk in the history of humanity.

 
I think the Olympics, all said and done, would have been great.

Some skiers would enter and slaughter it, rep their countries, and take home some gold.

All the while other skiers could be out filming dope movie parts and doing "other" things non-comp based. It would have spread out the varities of skiing even more.

It's a shame it's not in, but we'll be fine without it. I really wasn't pro or anti Olympics at anytime. There is plenty to skiing besides Olympic pipe anyways.
 
Frankly, I'm a bit upset that the CFSA did not take action to support their OWN members and support the bid. Same can be said about the USSF...

 
Yeah, I really don't care that skiing halfpipe didn't get in, but this is the part that makes me mad.
 
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