okay just got through typing this out on the world record thread so here's the idea:

[quote]I thought I was cynical - and then I heard of techstuff lol

david engvall was making sure that he was not stating that it was a 'traditional' sling. It is technically still a sling and despite ts reported  change in regulations the record still stands.

I personally would like to see two records. one for a pouched sling and glande and one for the engvall style hi-tech sling.

The way it's going to have to be done is that a world authority on slings (and there is only one as far as I know, all be it a sort of consensus authority) come up with a standard against which a record can be applied.
The throw being adjudicated as technically and accurately as possible by at least two people judged to be of sound character and integrity (bugger, might just have disqualified myself from judging).

If you look at it most athletic records are judged and administered  by the relevant athletic associations.

It does not have to be in the guinness to be a world record. It just has to be judged and measured by several trusted and qualified indviduals who everyone else will believe (yep that's me out) and approved by an appropriate association with enough membership to make it stick.

So on that unexpected note (honestly hadn't thought of any of this till I started typing) what say slinging.org makes up some rules and regulations for new sling records. we can trial them out in september and fine tune for a standardised system of throw measurement that can be used anywhere 4 or more slingers are gathered with the appropriate measuring kit.[/quote]

If we can come up with a body or official organisation (membership fees may be required, or not) that is recognised by other organisations then our records will stand the test of time.

It's something that's been hinted at on and off since chris set the site up.
But I think it might be time we started to seriously think about becoming official and getting some standardised throw and competition guidelines down on paper.  

IF we want a proper world slinging record or records - I don't see any other worldwide group of people out there who can set it up and make it stick.

what do you think ? (and before you all start moaning about admin- such things are not an insurmountable obstacle, given the breadth of membership, education level and intelligence of the average member).

I say we can do this, I believe we should do this. Better than spending a few more years wingeing about guinness surely :-)

Also copied from the David Engvall topic:
Dale wrote on May 17^th, 2007 at 1:26pm:

(actually I was going to volunteer dale as grand poobah ;-)
the balearics. Cover balearic style and competitions only and are not what I'm envisaging. Plus they tend to have the (no actual offence intended here) niche mindset. 'This is our sport, this is how it's done, anything else is wrong and we don't recognise it'. And I don't read spanish ;-)
The balearic slingers have made no attempt to promote their sport outside of the balearic isles and seem to keep it almost as something outsiders are discouraged from doing (this may not be the case but it is the impression I get).
Slinging.org takes an almost opposing view in that the sling can be for everyone and if your style and kit isn't classic - well who cares.

Initially what is needed is a reliable set of methods and regulations to govern how a distance throw is measured. Again I don't think it would pay to be too pedantic. gps, bike wheel measuring, even long measured bits of rope - would all work for me. As long as each throw was properly documented and witnessed I would consider it valid.
Only 2 categories are needed.
1) traditional pouched sling (using any materials you wish and any throwing style)
2) non traditional sling to cover compound slings and dart slings and whatever else anyone  comes up with that isn't two bits of cord joined by a pouch.
Anything else is overcomplicating and utterly unnecessary.

My idea is to try and put the whole concept of recorded throws into the realms where everyone with a minimal set of equipment can give it a go. IN yureks case he would have to have found the glande to document that it actually went that far - other than that it ticks all the boxes. IN that the distance was measured, and the throw witnessed.

If we can get it down to a sensible set of guidelines then that is a solid platform to start building a proper association upon.
But the emphasis has to be accessability.

Quote:

Curious_Aardvark, what you wrote encapsulates several lengthy discussions amongst ourselves and with Vicente.   Vicente represents the FBTF, and we went around with him several times before coming to a civil understanding.  In fairness to him, he went to a good deal of effort to communicate with us, but he appears to have depended on Google Language Tools or Babelfish or other computerized translators, for his English.  This in itself caused a good deal of difficulty.

The FBTF folk do allow anybody to acquire a license to participate in their contests ... but one must travel to Mallorca or a neighboring island to participate; no sanctioned contests occur elsewhere.  This may be simply because no one elsewhere has gone to the trouble to set up a "branch office" of the FBTF.

The FBTF exists for a specific reason; to preserve the tradition of slinging that is so prominent in their history, just as various longbow shooters seek to preserve the archery tradition in England and Wales. To that end they allow no synthetic material at all which excludes most of our slings, and their requirement for two full rotations and high release excludes all Greek style variations, Fig.8 and all under and side arm styles, ie. just about all of us are out because of the way we sling as well. How pointless! The purpose of slings, just like any other weapon, is to hit the target with sufficient "killing" force. Those should be the only criteria. Anything set up by Slinging.org should not be in opposition to, but still independent of, what they do. I think their targets and point scoring system are great but their restrictions on style and equipment are just un-necessary for those who are not a part of their particular tradition.

yeah, what I said :-)

For the Wyoming Slingfest...

Distance stuff isn't that simple... we have a good landing area bounded on one end by a reservoir and on the other end by a field of alfalfa... the landing area works if we stand in the alfalfa and throw toward that landing area (clear ground).  Distance matches require you have the ground (500 meters plus) and that you can verify the spot the projectile lands (ground clear of brush, grass, crops, boulders, etc.)

Anyway...  we will be throwing from west to east and it just doesn't work any other way (unless we stand in a boat on the reservoir...  ) and when the wind blows it is usually out of the west.  (hoping for a real calm day at this point)  We will be meeting over two or possibly three days so we'll make it work (I have found about 5 am it is almost always calm around here   )

C_A, since you are soming from Europe, 5am might be easier than you think . Do I just say jet-lag?