Interestingly enough, the Olympics are back in Greece, but the slinging component has never been re-included.  Slinging was an event in the early days of the Olympics, and was considered a notable event.  The Greeks produced many different coins to celebrate the sport.

http://www.slinging.org/images/3971.jpg http://www.slinging.org/images/slingthrower150.jpg
http://www.slinging.org/images/wres1-a.jpg

I don't see why all the other projectile sports (hammer, shot-put, archery, javelin, archery, discus, and even rifle and air gun shooting) are included, but the oldest and uniquely Olympic sport of slinging is left out.  Something to change after we're done with Project Goliath aye.  

Chris

I could not agree with you more, Chris!   However,  they probably feel as though the interest in, and depth to the sport is no longer sufficient to warrant it's inclusion.  I am sure they would feel otherwise upon proper review of the contingent of athletes we have here!   Of course,  I for one would feel a bit self conscious unless I ever get around to losing my beer gut!  Seriously though,  I perceive for a certainty that should the sport be allowed back into the Olympics,  it would garner much interest!

Nice slinger coin Chris, from Aspendos, city of Panfilia (South of Asia Minor). They were very frequent in that area but have been found similar ones in others places. Have you more information about this coin? Can someone translate the inscription and what does it means de legs-star on the right?

Another curiosity is the position of the sling to the left of the head. Corresponds this to a pictorical convention to not hide the head of the slinger on the coin or they really used that position (and not to the right like in my icon) to have not to raise the sling over the head when initiating the spinning? What do you guys think about?

These coins are really great, Chris... nice primary sources. Really, really cool.
I think that slinging is no more included in the Olympic Games for many reasons: it is no more practised by a lot of people; our sport sounds a bit "rustic" for those who don't practise it; and we can't forget that it needs  big places to be practised... I would feel mcu happy if we could help to increase this sport among poor people, who don't have money to buy expensive equipments to play some other sports...  I have been researching traditional sports and games for almost 10 years, and one thing that I can't understand is why so many nice games,from around the world, which required a few and inexpensive equipment, were substituted by other ones which need so much money to be practised... ??? ??? ???
I have nothing against these more expensive sports, but it sound sme a great mistery why some traditional ones- many of them are virtually extinct - have been replaced by them...

The olympic games have become a television business.  
 
The shot with sling is not business for the television chains, and therefore I see very difficult that some day the shot with sling can participate in some olympic games.  
 
You don't crucify me for this expression, it is only my opinion.

Greetings,
Vicente


wrote on Aug 14^th, 2004 at 10:43pm:

I don't see why all the other projectile sports (hammer, shot-put, archery, javelin, archery, discus, and even rifle and air gun shooting) are included, but the oldest and uniquely Olympic sport of slinging is left out.  Something to change after we're done with Project Goliath aye.   Chris

Get a rope......lol.   Sad to say, but you are quite right.

The inscription on the coin is a weird spelling of the town's name (Aspendios)---on the coin the town's name is spelt 'Estf(?)endpus'.  It is thought that the coins depict a slinger because 'Aspendios' sounds similar to the Greek word for slinger (sphendonetes).

I have a less cynical view of the reason why there isn't a sling competition in the Olympics: there isn't an international governing body regulating slinging competitions.  If there were such a body, it could petition the IOC to introduce slinging as a demonstration sport, and, eventually, as a regular part of the games.

The three legs was the national symbols of Sicily, and more recently, the isle of man.  It's an ancient symbol, but I don't know much about it.  

http://www.fabrisia.com/triskele.htm

Some additional description about the coin with the black backdrop:

"this highly sought after Greek silver Stater of Aspendos with two wrestlers. This classic coin is especially noteworthy since it commemorates the ancient athletic heritage which forms the foundation of the upcoming 2004 Olympic Games. This gorgeous coin was minted between  370 - 333 BC and is well centered and struck on both sides.

Pamphylia, Aspendos, silver stater; w: 10.3 gr. 23 x 24 mm. Obv: two wrestlers, between  them, monogram; Rv: Man r. brandishing his sling; triskeles and club near him. "

Additional information on the coin with the white backdrop:

"Pamphylia. ASPENDOS.

3rd century B.C. AR stater.

Obverse: Two naked athletes wrestling.
Reverse: Slinger discharging sling; triskeles in right field.

24 mm. 10.76 grams. Obverse die blockage on one of the figures as shown. perfect metal and virtually as struck."

Chris

Thanks for the good information, Chris and Shale. I´ts surprising the celtic origin of the triskele and how the simbols are wide spreaded. I agree with you, Shale, that the reasons of not being the sling an olimpic sport is other than economic. There are olimpics sports much less spectacular than slinging. I think the reason maybe that the last use of sling has been as a shepherd tool, wich is nothing epic and so it has not arrived to the sport at the time in which modern Olimpics games emerged. So we are delayed in the way followed by others sports. But now that the sling is almost only and ethnological objet, we are in the right way to incorporate it to the sport, spreading not its last use but the ancient epic and historic heritage it has. I trust in the future of the sling!!

I agree with Hondero! ;D I think that people would be fascinated by the sling. Maybe some creative ideas for competion would help.

How about having each slinger walk through an obsticle coarse with different types of targets to hit along the way. Some stationary ones of different sizes, some moving ones, some quick pop up tatgets, some requiring manuvering around branches or other obsticles that could tangle up your sling.

At the concrete place I sling at, I have several different targets that I try to hit. I shot at each one until I hit it and than move to the next. You could have different points for the targets based on the difficulty factor of each.

What other ideas do you guys have??

Hondero,

Yes, I also noticed the position of the sling behind the head. In fact, I tried slinging that way a few days ago. I simply dropped the pouch, letting it fall vertically, and then went into the overhand release. I could not get as much power with so little motion but it did help to make a more verticle motion release. I need to try it again.

I just had another idea for a sling competition:

use a target with a number assigned to each ring, increasing towards the center of the target. use radar to measure the speed of the sling stone, and average the speed with the number that was hit, to calculate the final points for each shot. Then give each slinger 3 attempts or so, and add the points from each shot to calculate a final score. This would give the public watching on TV some idea of the both the incredible speed and accuracy a skilled slinger can attain.

I also had a question:

Does anyone know how the ancient greeks conducted slinging competitions?

If ANYONE can get the sling back in the Olympics.....it's Chris.   Not puffin smoke up yer Kilt mate......but honestly, I can think of no one more devoted to furthering public awareness of the sling's history, advantages, and future.  

Sending the OC a finished copy of the growing compendium that is the 'Goliath Project' just may pry open a few eyes and doors......who knows?  Now that is what I call.....a GOLIATH PROJECT!

Considering that men are throwing a 16lb hammer over 250ft. and 2lb. Javelins similar distances,  any potential  organizing body for Olympic slingers may want to avoid any stifling rules, such as one which limits the slinger to releasing ammo only above the elbow.  As it is my opinion that reaching only double the distance that can be achieved with a 16POUND hammer may seem rather,  dare I say,  anemic.     :-/

Hello LMarshall,

Something like that as what you comment is what we are making us in our competitions, I explain to it:
 
The slingers throw to a target formed by a board with an iron circle in the center, to do following picture of the scheme with measures.  
http://www.tirdefona.com/pic/diana.jpg
 
And here a view of the real one  
http://www.tirdefona.com/pic/dianareal.jpg

In the modality aim, each slinger throws 5 stones from the following distances:  
Children and women 15, 30 steps  
Men 30 and 45 steps  
(1 step = 65 cm)
 
The punctuations are the following ones:  
Children and women distance 15 steps, impact board = 1 point, impact iron = 2 points  
Children and women distance 30 steps, impact board = 2 points, impact iron = 4 points  
Men distance 30 steps, impact board 1 points, impact iron = 2 points  
Men distance 45 steps, impact board 2 points, impact iron = 4 points  

In total they throw 10 stones each slinger  

The sum of the points of all the launchings is the final punctuation, they have prize the three first of each category.  
 
This is to big features like each competition is developed, during the year it usually has between 12 and 15 competitions, at the end of the year it is proclaimed the champion of children, women and men .

Greetings,
Vicente


wrote on Aug 17^th, 2004 at 6:49am:

I just had another idea for a sling competition: use a target with a number assigned to each ring, increasing towards the center of the target. use radar to measure the speed of the sling stone, and average the speed with the number that was hit, to calculate the final points for each shot. Then give each slinger 3 attempts or so, and add the points from each shot to calculate a final score. This would give the public watching on TV some idea of the both the incredible speed and accuracy a skilled slinger can attain. I also had a question: Does anyone know how the ancient greeks conducted slinging competitions?

I would imagine that, if slinging is ever accepted into the olympics, the most effective throwing styles will quickly reveal themselves.  I would argue that the only regulations regarding throwing style, sling construction, etc. be regulations to keep any one group from having an advantage over another group -- although you may want a standard sling length.  Does anyone know what regulations there are for Olympic archery equipment?  How is archery scored?

Nice info Vicente,  now i know what to do for aim training :)
last Monday i was training with a softdink can placed over an iron lumber at 1.50 m height  i tried from several distances and i was close to hit it lot of times so i think it would be nice to try  a 50 cms circle over a 1,2 m board at least i would get some points ;D
How many points get an average slinger (men category)?

Slightly OT, but I just saw the first Olympics event in Olympia in a long, long time. They wanted to have a discus throw there, but modern athletes throw too far. Apparently ancient discus throwers wouldn't even qualify! So they brought the shotput to Olympia as first event, which is kind of funny, since that wasn't an original Olympic event, it's from Scotland. ;)

Vincente posted a great link to the FTBF web pages, where you can look at past results and records. Make sure to choose the Catalan (red and yellow striped field flag) pages rather than Engilish as the english pages are still incomplete.

http://www.tirdefona.com

Some pages with scores are under "resultats-classificacions" Looking at the men's (homes) results for CAMPIONAT DE MALLORCA 2003, we see that the average looks like about 5 points on ten throws (5 from each distance) taking into account that many of the slingers may not have competed in every event. I imagine that his means ~3-4 hits. The best scorer averaged more than 11 points, and the best individual score was 18 points.

The total available points are 30 (for men) hitting all iron, and 15 scoring only board hits. Scoring 18 is pretty impressive, and hitting 4 of 10 is no mean feat either!

I'd personally like to see more throws. 10 is ok when spread over 15 meets, but wouldn't be enough for a national championship or the olympics. Maybe Vincente can fill in the pieces here?

As for the archery check this page:

http://archeryweb.com/archery/olympics.htm

On thier way to a gold medal, and archer will shoot 168 arrows over 7 rounds. After a ranking round where each person takes 72 shots, competetion is single elimination head to head matches based on your rank out of the first round (which is thus pretty important). The rings are scored simple 1 to 10 - archery having the advantage that the projectiles "stick" to the target... (I know, I know... lead sticks nicely to concrete walls when slung at high speeds ;))

How did I do Vincente? Close?

Matthias

Well, the first of all, maybe I would recommend them that if you visits http://www.tirdefona.com they make it by means of the link in Spanish language (the flag of the center) because this way if they have necessity to use a translator it will be they easier to find a translator of Spanish to English that of Catalan to English.  
 
The pages in English language is quite abandoned because we need that somebody translates everything to the English language, and this somebody it doesn't exist.  
 
As for the records, Matthias has exposed it very well, me alone he could add that they notice the established record of children for example in 23 points of 30 possible, and even more spectacular in the short distance, all the categories have established the record in 9 points of 10 possible, mark very difficult of overcoming.  
 
In the section "Resultados > Actas Tiradas" you can see what has happened in each event.  
 
The next event is on Saturday August 21, if I can, I will try to make some pictures and I will publish them for you.

Greetins,
Vicente


wrote on Aug 18^th, 2004 at 11:10am:

Vincente posted a great link to the FTBF web pages, where you can look at past results and records. Make sure to choose the Catalan (red and yellow striped field flag) pages rather than Engilish as the english pages are still incomplete. http://www.tirdefona.com Some pages with scores are under "resultats-classificacions" Looking at the men's (homes) results for CAMPIONAT DE MALLORCA 2003, we see that the average looks like about 5 points on ten throws (5 from each distance) taking into account that many of the slingers may not have competed in every event. I imagine that his means ~3-4 hits. The best scorer averaged more than 11 points, and the best individual score was 18 points. The total available points are 30 (for men) hitting all iron, and 15 scoring only board hits. Scoring 18 is pretty impressive, and hitting 4 of 10 is no mean feat either! I'd personally like to see more throws. 10 is ok when spread over 15 meets, but wouldn't be enough for a national championship or the olympics. Maybe Vincente can fill in the pieces here? As for the archery check this page: http://archeryweb.com/archery/olympics.htm On thier way to a gold medal, and archer will shoot 168 arrows over 7 rounds. After a ranking round where each person takes 72 shots, competetion is single elimination head to head matches based on your rank out of the first round (which is thus pretty important). The rings are scored simple 1 to 10 - archery having the advantage that the projectiles "stick" to the target... (I know, I know... lead sticks nicely to concrete walls when slung at high speeds ;)) How did I do Vincente? Close? Matthias

Thanks in advance for some pictures of your competitions Vicente!  

Where do they all get the stones that are used? Are they all different sizes? Do they each go to a big pile of stones and pick/ choose the ones they want to sling?

The slingers catch their stones in the torrents or in the beaches, it is curious, but when they finish throwing all the slingers in each distance they run to pick up all those that have not broken to be able to use them again. There are also slingers that use normal stones, caught of the garden.
 
The sizes are diverse and to pleasure of each slinger, I will make pictures and you will be able to see the stones

David, no, they don't go a big pile of stones, each slinger brings its stones and he also has them very jealous.

Greetins,
Vicente


wrote on Aug 19^th, 2004 at 6:34am:

Thanks in advance for some pictures of your competitions Vicente!   Where do they all get the stones that are used? Are they all different sizes? Do they each go to a big pile of stones and pick/ choose the ones they want to sling?

Pictures of the stones would be very nice. Do you have restrictions on the weight of the stones or rules of how small or large they must be?

Also Vicente, what is the "5 cm" mark on the bottom of the target drawing?

David,

No, there are not restrictions on the weight of the stones, not any rule

5 cm mark indicates the width of the paw / foot of the target. you know

Greetings,
Vicente


wrote on Aug 19^th, 2004 at 7:09pm:

Pictures of the stones would be very nice. Do you have restrictions on the weight of the stones or rules of how small or large they must be? Also Vicente, what is the "5 cm" mark on the bottom of the target drawing?

wow maybe I should have posted my olympic comments here instead.  As I sit here thinking on it where do the fans stand? I mean with Archery and rifle if you stand behind the shooter your chances of getting hit approach 0.  But with a sling the point of release is anywhere within a circle around the slinger.  Seems like you'd need some sort of netting or something to catch stray stones.  Maybe like what they use at golf courses only more robust.

Slings in the Olympics! That would be a dream come true. If it ever happens, I'm trying out. I wonder how many hopefuls there would be? It seems we are a niche community but there could be many more out there that don't post. I for instance read this Forum often, but don't really post. Maybe there are a lot of closet slingers in the world.

I think that if the sling was in the Olympics, then Spain, the USA, Poland (because of Yurek, naturally), Peru, Ecuador and other would win consistently.  I think also that the sling could have a net like that for the hammerthrow, as with that, the point of release is virtually anywhere in 360 degrees.  The net would of course have to be finer.  Slingstone size would naturally regulate the size of the net loops.

Old topic, worth reading.

Willeke

thanks willike.  very interesting stuff there, perhaps even more so because of talk of the ISF in the other area.

Thanks Willike for bringing this forward.

Vicente,

you wrote that the FBTF is looking for somebody to translate into English. Unfortunately that's not what I'm best at. But I translated the FBTF rules into German several months ago. If that is of interest for you I would be glad to send it to you.

funda iucunda

It Definately seems that way and reminds me of a quote outta Brave New World. I don't have that particular manuscript in front of me but from what i remember. the games practiced in that anti-utopian novel required lots and lots of expensive gear, while the stuff that was simple to do was either banned or discouraged. It was an attempt in the novel to drive consumerism....

Ok enough cerebrics :) Just something I vaguely remembered while going through threads

Marc Adkins


friebejr wrote on Aug 15^th, 2004 at 3:43am:

These coins are really great, Chris... nice primary sources. Really, really cool. I think that slinging is no more included in the Olympic Games for many reasons: it is no more practised by a lot of people; our sport sounds a bit "rustic" for those who don't practise it; and we can't forget that it needs  big places to be practised... I would feel mcu happy if we could help to increase this sport among poor people, who don't have money to buy expensive equipments to play some other sports...  I have been researching traditional sports and games for almost 10 years, and one thing that I can't understand is why so many nice games,from around the world, which required a few and inexpensive equipment, were substituted by other ones which need so much money to be practised... ??? ??? ??? I have nothing against these more expensive sports, but it sound sme a great mistery why some traditional ones- many of them are virtually extinct - have been replaced by them...

Chris, where did you get your source for slinging in the Olympics??????

Hondero wrote on Aug 15^th, 2004 at 3:23am:

Nice slinger coin Chris, from Aspendos, city of Panfilia (South of Asia Minor). They were very frequent in that area but have been found similar ones in others places. Have you more information about this coin? Can someone translate the inscription and what does it means de legs-star on the right? Another curiosity is the position of the sling to the left of the head. Corresponds this to a pictorical convention to not hide the head of the slinger on the coin or they really used that position (and not to the right like in my icon) to have not to raise the sling over the head when initiating the spinning? What do you guys think about?

I was reading this old topic and just wanted to say that I use the style shown one the coins. You just bring the sling back around your head till it's pointing straight back then whipit forward over your head trying to keep your arm straight as possible

hondero is slinging left handed the slinger on the coin is slinging right handed - no confusion should arise hereafter :-)

Let's face it they've put some really daft sports in the olympics. I could mention:- horse riding (who jumps the fences ? not the athletetes) clay pigeon shooting, tennis, soccer etc.
At least slinging belongs:- ie it's entirely about the skill and training of the athlete, it's an original sport, non-commercial.

Hell slinging embodies the olympic spirit far more than many f the modern events. But horse riding, what's going on there - how in the name of all that's holy is that about anything other than the horse.
Now if they all had to ride the same horse - it would be valid. But as it stands it's just plain stupid (ah hmm, and that's my daily axe ground :-)

Well horse riding is tiring and requires a lot of skill. Training a horse is an art as well. But you are right, it doesn't depend on the athlete entirely but a lot on which horse he could afford to buy (perhaps even a pre-trained horse).

PS: Everybody on the same horse?! :o

Curious Aardvark wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2007 at 8:03am:

hondero is slinging left handed the slinger on the coin is slinging right handed - no confusion should arise hereafter :-) Let's face it they've put some really daft sports in the olympics.

heck, I've heard about people trying to put poker in the olympics! that's just too crazy!

well obviously everybody using the same horse would do it individually :-) Otherwise you'd need a really big horse and it would be even more pointless than it is now :-)
it would take more time as the horse would have to have a full days rest between each competitor.

But the point is that every other event uses standardised equipment, so the difference is the athelete. In horse riding it's the horse that's doing all the work and the rich stuck up ponce on top who gets the medal (I REALLY don't like olympic horse riding :-)

Curious Aardvark wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2007 at 12:02pm:

But the point is that every other event uses standardised equipment, so the difference is the athelete

It is standardised equipment, it's called a horse :). It's just that the standard is a little bit loose.

Being new to the forum, I'm pleased that this topic has once again surfaced.  Many thanks to all for their contributions, past and present.

More to the point, how do we go about generating enough interest in this fascinating sport and bringing it to the attentions of an olympic committee?  So far, the Spanish are leading the way with their organized events, (excellent photos!)

This entire site is ripe with the seeds of broadening interest.  Being retired, I can no longer bring my hobbies to the work place; but now, I find myself carrying a sling with me everywhere I go.  A recent sojourn to St. Pete beach, Fl., caused a crowd to gather watching me enjoy a second childhood, slinging coughed up stones back at the sea.  Either I was good enough to warrant the attention or those white faced Canadians were starving for entertainment  ;D

Seriously, we collectively need to start an olympic movement.

Cheers,

Don

But, even if it can get into an official sport, it will be unfair.... Let's say the event is about throwing for distance, taller people generally can throw farther than shorter people, unless there is a classification for height. Then, for accuracy event, slinging is all about skills of the user, unlike all the fancy sights in the bows and airguns..... There will be no consistency.... :-/

This is just my opinion. I'd be very happy to see the slinging sport in the Olympic! ::)

That's OK. Back in the late 70's, there was a movement to put Disco dancing in the Olympics. Denny Terio lives!!

lol :D

I always thought range depends on how fast you can move your hand rather than on how tall you are. Else I should be able to throw a lot further: I am 185 cm tall.

Doesn't accuracy always depend on your skill? The utilities at the bow or at the guns might help a bit but in the end it is still you. Actually I would prefer having only a low tech device that mainly depends on your skill.

A problem I see with getting slinging into the olympics is that only very few people master this sport. I'd expect that Spain (because of the Balearics) always wins.

A taller person with longer arms has an extra advantage by longer leverage, that means more speed when ones uses the apache style, right? ::) But, of course a shorter person can sling just as fast with skills.

Edit: there should be an event called "free-style slinging"! ;D 8-)

as long as the sling is a standard sling and the ammo is standardised, then the rest is down to the individual - as it is with most olympic sports.

loh-ka-hoe - do you actually think before you type your answers ?

There is a possible element of height involved in most throwing events. But it is not always the tallest person who wins. It's the person who can impart the most velocity to the thing being thrown. That is a combination of skill, training and strength. I can throw and sling further than most people taller than me because I'm usually stronger and faster than they are and that imparts greater velocity to the missile.

The important thing is that everybody uses the same kit.

I suppose I ought to add bike riding to horse riding as the kit cyclists use is not standard either.

...perhaps, as olympic boxers/wrestlers are classified by weight/height--so too, perhaps different weight/height classifications for slingers?

...or swingers if its disco :)

edit:  ...yet runners don't seem to be concerned of unfair advantage offered by an opponent's longer legs.

edit:  (more afterthought)  I can see it now, winter olympics time future:  biatholon--cross country skiis, a bag of official sized stones and sling...

Can't see the point of dividing people into classes until you see whether there actually are significant discrepancies. Even when there are, people then just don't compete because the sport doesn't fit them well.

Most sports do not separate, except on the basis of gender... Ha! now let me see, one of the few which doesn't is C_A's favorite, horse riding. ;D - a nice egalitarian sport for you ;).

Seems to me that the standards at the Balearic sling meets are not prodigiously high, so Spain might not dominate - and even if they did, so what? Of course if they set the rules, then a lot of the techniques people favor on this forum are not legal.

Slinging, particularly for accuracy, is probably about as independent of body shape and size as any sport. You don't even need any significant strength.

"4. A taller person can use a longer sling for greater speed but they are a bigger target for game to spot or for an enemy to hit (Grandfather stood about 5'7")."

That's why. :P ::)

Quote:

Can't see the point of dividing people into classes

Good point, Wanderer.

The Spaniards only have two classes as far as I can see: lumping children and women into one class and men into the other.  Still, as ancient the skill is, the idea of placing it into modern olympics is a new concept.  If slinging ever reached the desk of the olympic committee for consideration for admission, I'm sure the rules will have been sharpened to a fine point by then.

Looking at all the paraphenalia, bows, arrows, rifles, bicycles, sailboats, skiis, tennis rackets, etc. that goes into the various olympic sports, slinging would be rather simple and inexpensive compared to the others.  An official size/weight stone and total length of sling would/might be the only items up for scrutiny by future judges.

edit:  confession:  I admit that I have not thoroughly read every post in this topic, and if I reitereated any point of view already presented I apologize.  Any shared conclusions are entirely by accident.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9818/images2zd8.jpg



Maybe, Leonardo's, Vitruvian man should set the standard for total length of sling, i.e., let no sling be longer than any participant's arm span (?)

Note to, Mordechaj:  I believe you have started something with your avatar.

tnx, but it's standard avatar on this site's avatar gallery. (not mine production)


would any design of slings be allowed? (TechStuff's ultra-low profile sling with a special release mechanisam that enables pouch to open and ammo to exit the sling without pushing of the string would kinda have an edge on range contests)
btw did anyone seen TS lately?

---------------


i can't find the picture of that sling design, but i remember that yurek (?) posted the same idea with simpler solution.


in short: you hold the both strings on your wrist (no wonder), but when you let go the release cord makes only few centimeters since it's tied to you just like the anchor cord is. the pouch has one end fixed on a large nail, near it's head,  and the other end is just put over the point of that same nail, so when you release the slightly longer cord point of the nail goes down, pouch slips off it because of the ammo in it, and ammo goes away without losing energy on pushing the cord in front of it.


(i hope that i describes this well enough that ppl that have seen this design can recognise what am i talking about, and perhaps fish out from some obscure place the pic of said sling, so that those who weren't so lucky to see the pic themself don't have to go insane by trying to imagine how does it looks like just by my description)


there is no point in dividing contesters by their height because it's not done in junping competitons, or in spearthrowing. it's done only when they have to face each other is some kind of combat.

Quote:

would any design of slings be allowed? (TechStuff's ultra-low profile sling with a special release mechanisam that enables pouch to open and ammo to exit the sling without pushing of the string would kinda have an edge on range contests)

:)  Modern sling catagory?--yep, all the judges agree.

I've yet to meet TS, being a noob here.

cheers,

yeah techstuff's not been around for a while now - maybe the government finally got him :-)
(actually last time he was absent his family hadn't been well - so lets hope it's just that he's been busy with other things)
You ought to look up some of his posts don, an extremely erudite individual who sometimes actually made sense :-) Also a very practical individual who could put the theories many of us have into working examples.

For the olympics the slings and ammo would need to be standardised - the people can be any shape and sex they like for accuray comps :-)
But probably best seperated into sexes for max distance.

Yep the egalitariansm of horse riding kind of makes my point. If a small woman can compete in the same event as a big man - it's all about the horse, the people don't really do much (they'd probably disagree lol).

Mind you I believe a lot more sports should be mixed sex.

I mean take ping pong (please, take it somewhere) there is no physical grounds for seperating the sexes.
Also things like diving, shooting, archery etc.
And why don't women play the same number of tennis sets as men ? No physical reason that's for sure. (sure tint will have an opinion here)

It's just ingrained social misogynism :-)

I think I saw TechStuff logged on about a month ago, but he didn't post.

I'm all for as few separations into classes as one can get away with. When these sports do separate and rearrange classes you can bet that the reason is more to do with committee wrangling or heavy lobbying than anything worthy of the modern 'Olympic Ideal'.

Shooting used to have mixed sex competitions in some categories, and I think maybe archery did.

Since we are talking here about a sport (is it a sport?) that has so few participants that most of us never see another slinger, I think it might be some time before it enters the Olympics.

On the class divisions issue.
As soon as I finish with my thesis, I am planning on using the Baleric federation rules to set up a slinging competition in the local branch of the SCA. Only classes I am planning on using are youth ( up to 18) and adult (18 plus). now we are still a very long way from rocks actually leaving the sling. but this is what i am envisioning.

Hope this helps

Marc Adkins

Excellent, winkleried!

Keep us posted on your progress--will be following with keen interest. <thumbs up>

Trust me I will, Know I just have to wait for bored professors to do thier jobs so I can bleeping graduate and then see what happens.

Marc Adkins


don1 wrote on Feb 27^th, 2007 at 8:41am:

Excellent, winkleried! Keep us posted on your progress--will be following with keen interest. <thumbs up>

I for one am aganst height and weight classes in slinging lol

I too am guilty of not reading all the posts in this thread but I'll go ahead and and say something which may have been already said and look stupid while doing so (I'm experienced... maybe even good... at that)...

There's a scripture in Proverbs stating "without vision, the people perish".  Well, without a vision of what a slinging competition could/would/might be like, it is "perished" from the modern Olympics... I believe.  With all the misrepresentation in the media of what a sling in the hands of a skilled user is capable of, their ability to envision several in a competitive field (range conditions or field conditions)... well, it just does not exist and I, for one, believe it never will until someone or some organization gets enough skilled slingers together to document what such a competition might be like.  All the size, sex, etc., etc., etc., issues could and would sort out if there was motivation... but without that vision of what a competition might be, I think it will never happen.

I got into it with a migrant worker at a Boy Scout Explorer High Adventure experience in Washington state a few years ago.  This fellow was of mixed cultures and skilled in the "Apache throw" and could fashion a sling in a few minutes using only a hank of baling twine.  I had been teaching the boys sling making and shooting most of the week and he showed up with his boss the help cook corn on the cob in a 55 gallon drum for the boys (was that ever sweet - real butter too).  Slinging came up and we were pitted against each other for accuracy, distance and rapidity of fire.  He fashioned a sling from twine in the back of their truck and we got started.  We banged it out through the three events and what I remember most was the suprise and excitement of everyone there about the whole affair.  A lot of comments followed about never realizing slingers could 1)be that accurate, 2)throw that far and 3)fire as rapidly as we'd demonstrated.  That experience has led me to the above conclusion.  The vision of a slinging competion does not exist among Olympic organizers... it just isn't real to them.

Before retiring from Boeing in Seattle, we worked a machining technology which was so unenvisionable (sorry about the word) from verbal description we had to use video and a subsequent demonstration machine to get the management to invision it and its benefits (it was just unbelievably fast).  When they saw it they immediately took the machine for production... but before that experience... well, they just couldn't believe it.  I am convinced good slinging is in the same category.

If slinging is ever to be introduced into the Olympics, maybe, just maybe, Slinging.org has an implied responsibility to present the vision of what it would be to Olympic organizers.

I've been a passionate slinger for over 50 years and never, to my knowledge,  has there been such a collective knowledge and experience base as what appears to be represented in the .org on the subject of slinging.  Discovery and History channels have failed (in my opinion) to accurately present it.  Is there, realistically, any other group than our's who at least has the potential to do it?  If not now perhaps in future?  

Comment?????????????

Works For Me.
Sorry for being laconinc, working on the next revison of my masterthesis. ( added this section after saw how it looked like )

Marc Adkins


Gunsonwheels wrote on Apr 7^th, 2007 at 1:12pm:

I too am guilty of not reading all the posts in this thread but I'll go ahead and and say something which may have been already said and look stupid while doing so (I'm experienced... maybe even good... at that)... There's a scripture in Proverbs stating "without vision, the people perish".  Well, without a vision of what a slinging competition could/would/might be like, it is "perished" from the modern Olympics... I believe.  With all the misrepresentation in the media of what a sling in the hands of a skilled user is capable of, their ability to envision several in a competitive field (range conditions or field conditions)... well, it just does not exist and I, for one, believe it never will until someone or some organization gets enough skilled slingers together to document what such a competition might be like.  All the size, sex, etc., etc., etc., issues could and would sort out if there was motivation... but without that vision of what a competition might be, I think it will never happen. I got into it with a migrant worker at a Boy Scout Explorer High Adventure experience in Washington state a few years ago.  This fellow was of mixed cultures and skilled in the "Apache throw" and could fashion a sling in a few minutes using only a hank of baling twine.  I had been teaching the boys sling making and shooting most of the week and he showed up with his boss the help cook corn on the cob in a 55 gallon drum for the boys (was that ever sweet - real butter too).  Slinging came up and we were pitted against each other for accuracy, distance and rapidity of fire.  He fashioned a sling from twine in the back of their truck and we got started.  We banged it out through the three events and what I remember most was the suprise and excitement of everyone there about the whole affair.  A lot of comments followed about never realizing slingers could 1)be that accurate, 2)throw that far and 3)fire as rapidly as we'd demonstrated.  That experience has led me to the above conclusion.  The vision of a slinging competion does not exist among Olympic organizers... it just isn't real to them. Before retiring from Boeing in Seattle, we worked a machining technology which was so unenvisionable (sorry about the word) from verbal description we had to use video and a subsequent demonstration machine to get the management to invision it and its benefits (it was just unbelievably fast).  When they saw it they immediately took the machine for production... but before that experience... well, they just couldn't believe it.  I am convinced good slinging is in the same category. If slinging is ever to be introduced into the Olympics, maybe, just maybe, Slinging.org has an implied responsibility to present the vision of what it would be to Olympic organizers. I've been a passionate slinger for over 50 years and never, to my knowledge,  has there been such a collective knowledge and experience base as what appears to be represented in the .org on the subject of slinging.  Discovery and History channels have failed (in my opinion) to accurately present it.  Is there, realistically, any other group than our's who at least has the potential to do it?  If not now perhaps in future?   Comment?????????????

As they say, "All politics are local."

Before the end result can be achieved, an Olympic event, the sport must have grass roots first.  Each of us must begin a local chapter, with local contests & events...emulating the Spaniards, that can be publicized--locally.  After a period of organization and growth, then the expansion to national events...then international...then olympics.

...we've a lot a work to do and at my age, I fear I may not be around to see it happen; but, I'm for beginning a local chapter where ever I stand.

Cheers,

Don

To don1:
Couldn't agree more.  This is NOT going to be a single phase effort and will NOT happen over anything less than several years' time.  Great suggestion about starting at the local level... that's part of why I've tried to teach and train every chance I get.  I do need to be more pro-active about getting local activities or events organized and going.  We live in a small community where a slinging contest might make the front page of our twice-a-week local paper... free advertising!!!!!!!  
Thanks for the input.  As an "old fart" I say we are all still very young yet... especially in slinging.  I have a clear vision of where we can, and I believe should, go.  The path from here to there is very, very, fuzzy yet however.
Thanks again for a great suggestion.  We can pontificate forever on our website but if it never translates into outerworld activity then what's the point...???  hope any of us who have any proficiency at all in slinging will commit to the path you have.

GeorgeN

Once I get started, I plan on taking my sling to the local SCA events.  They already have archery, and some people use atlatls occasionally.  I think if they saw some really proficent slingers, they'd take up an interest as well.  It only takes a few people to compete in a small contest to attract a lot more attention.  
Wolfy

Wolf, which Barony you in? I am from the Rhydderich Hael in AEthemearc. We also have other SCAdians here!

Yep Lord Wilhelm von Winkleried here.
Kingdom of Ansteorra here
Currnetly of the Barony of Namron. About to move to the Barony of Northkeep.

Marc Adkins


slingbadger wrote on Apr 10^th, 2007 at 10:57am:

Wolf, which Barony you in? I am from the Rhydderich Hael in AEthemearc. We also have other SCAdians here!

Actually, I did a little research on the coins. They all ( there are thousands of them) come from an area in Turkey called Aspendos. All are solid silver, about 25mm. They are in various stages of wear. Sometimes the slinger is in a full tunic, sometimes he's naked. A few I've seen, he's barely there. They were made in the 4th cent. B.C..
 If you want to acquire one, be ready to shell out between 2-3 thousand dollars.

Thats why they call them Aspendos! You have to ransom your A-- to spendos kind of dollars for a silver coin.LOL ;D