Welcome, Guest. Please Login
SLINGING.ORG
 
Home Help Search Login


Pages: 1 2 3 
Send Topic Print
Slinging as a sport (Read 17807 times)
Caldou
Funditor
****
Offline


Moving the world... rock
by rock.

Posts: 779
Picardie, France
Slinging as a sport
Oct 8th, 2011 at 5:28pm
 
I'm slinging since february, and I'm completly hooked.

But now, I want to take it farther, in the spirit of the "get a coach" topic... So I'm trying to create the first french sport club dedicated to the sling.

I will explain how I'm thinking of doing it and ask you all for some help and both general and practical advices, within the limitations of my little project ^^
Believe me, I'm sorry for the long and boring speech written in such an awful english... but I need your help Wink

First, a question to Jaegoor : I understood you are training slingers, is it as an official sport or is it reenactment ?
Then, to everyone : I know there is slinging clubs and regulation in the Balearic Island, but i don't understand spanish well enough anymore... so I may state false facts... don't be shy, correct me Wink

What do I want to do ?

Well, to create a sport club... with rules to apply.
Of course, I could have kept it simple and translate the Balearic system.
But I want to promote slinging and so I don't want to use and impose only one style but try to explore the several ways to launch a little piece of something with a bit of string while keeping the basic standard.

So, I'm searching ways to adapt this system. Since I'm looking for a sport, accuracy is the more challenging part to achieve, and so the more intersting. Power will eventually follow ^^

Let me check if I understood the rules :
- You have to use a natural fiber sling, balearic style
- You use stones around 250gr (sorry, can't understand the imperial system Embarrassed). Well, this point seem to be false, I've seen tennis ball in the pictures...
- Your sling have to make at least 3 turns behind your back
- You sling at complicated distance (30*65cm, 45*65cm, 15*65cm... come on, use 10, 20 or 30 meters !) (I believe I read somewhere in the forum distances like one step is 95 cm and the further is 60 steps... but where ???)

Since I can't picture myself saying the authorities in charge of approving my sport project that I want to send rocks flying, I will use tennis ball or juggling ball, Jaegoor's Rusty ball style. That should be enough to keep them from calling the army and making heavily restricting laws... No, France is not the "human rights and liberty country" anymore (if it was ever, but that's politics and not slinging...)  Undecided
Tennis ball are made to make us chase after them when confronted with a solid balearic target (or other trees and barn sides) so another change : the use of a nice ball catcher, that may be taken apart and quite light. Something like this one but maybe with a tight net or fabric big pouch to keep the balls inside. The metal circle may be changed into something like this, also with a pouch added.

So we have a structure heavily based on the time-proved balearic system, but much lighter, "open" and safer looking. Since it's a sport, we may need a graduating system... How about shooting at a tv ? Wink

My questions

Because, yes, I have questions to ask...

- Is there any abvious flaw in my approach ?
- There is slinging club in Spain... that's good. When I talked about this "creating a sport club" with the "sport person" of my city, he told me to look for an "Olympic registration number", to ease the administrative hassle. Do you ever heard about something like this ?
- To create a club or an association, I need to be 3. Parthenogenesis is out, I'm a guy :p So far, I contacted :
* my city's blowgun association, but they are only 3years old, and their president is helping me with all kind of advice on legal work, so I  would feel bad to steal their members (but corruption is on the way, i offered a sling to the president Tongue)
* one reenactment group, Celtic period. They seem really interested ^^
* I will contact another reenactment group, a Roman one, a LARP group where sling is an accepted weapon
Do you have any idea of other kind of people who may be interested ? Bowmen ?

That's all (for now), thanks for support and any help and advice you can provide ! ^^
Back to top
« Last Edit: Feb 13th, 2013 at 5:56am by Caldou »  

Eight in one shot!
The french Slinging club
If it's still moving, keep slinging !
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Jaegoor
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2797
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #1 - Oct 8th, 2011 at 5:56pm
 
Hi,


we have a small association in Germany.

This deals with history.

In this frame, however, also with sporty slingen.

We have rules augestellt. These orientate themselves by the balearic rules. However, there are some differences.

We also have classifications. Coloured T of shirt.

yellow, red, brown and black.

I find your plan great.

http://blog.ottonenzeit.de/schleuderer-ecke

http://fundamittere.jimdo.com/
Back to top
 

Bono Mellius
 
IP Logged
 
xxkid123
Past Moderator
*
Offline


Hallo, ich heiße kartoffel

Posts: 4807
new to california
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #2 - Oct 8th, 2011 at 6:41pm
 
250g in my opinion is wayyyyy to heavy. I would go with something 100 grams to start. I don't like the three revolutions thing either. Many styles have no revolutions and are quick to excecute, like figure eight, Greek overhand and apache.
Back to top
 

There's no break, there's no end, just a-living on;&&Wide awake, with a smile, going on and on.
xxkid123 tanma101  
IP Logged
 
Knaight
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Tennis Balls!

Posts: 1237
Colorado
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #3 - Oct 8th, 2011 at 7:44pm
 
Most of these rules are unnecessarily restrictive. Set up the target, standardize ammunition (and don't use 250 gram stones, that is completely absurd. 60g should be plenty) allow any style of slinging. If rocks aren't viewed as acceptable, I would recommend against tennis balls. Racquet balls are smaller, about the same mass, and work better in general.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Aussie
Past Moderator
*
Offline


Joined Nov. 1, 2006  Luke
14:14

Posts: 3265
Melbourne, Australia
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #4 - Oct 8th, 2011 at 9:34pm
 
Get the competitors to dress in nice light uniforms; tee shirts and short. Also throw balls of any kind. Tennis balls are a bit light but safe. Lacrosse balls are reasonable and still quite inexpensive and the French name should be a bonus. Uniforms and balls give the impression of a nice sport not some dangerous activity that needs to be controlled.

Let us know how you get on. The usual problem with establishing slinging as a sport is lack of interest. I wonder if you'll find enough people to establish a competition?
Back to top
 

Cranks are little things that make revolutions.&&
 
IP Logged
 
Dilyan Ganev
Senior Member
****
Offline


Hard rocks...

Posts: 276
Balkans, Bulgaria, Burgas
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #5 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 2:41am
 
I had a very long talk with friend of mine and a bowmen club of my hometown. We boiled down the standardization of slinging as a sport. There are several standarts you might follow as ideas
1 Choose a constant sling lenght, e.g. 75/85/95 cm, and same matirials(natural or synthetic)
2 Shoot at regulated distance e.g. 20/30/40/50 m
3 Shoot at a standart sized target (balearic one or a personal design)
4 Use same ammo every time(100 gram JRB is good choise)
5 And the tricky part-the style...My advise is to choose two styles with no wind-up like Byzantine and Figure 8, and 3 wind-up styles (Balearic, Helicopter and sidearm)

As for the target i tried to make backstop of a piece of a mail armor. I hang it on its top corners only, and it worked well.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Aussie
Past Moderator
*
Offline


Joined Nov. 1, 2006  Luke
14:14

Posts: 3265
Melbourne, Australia
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #6 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:19am
 
Why dictate sling length and style? The aim is to hit the target from a given distance, so let each person do that as best as he can.
Back to top
 

Cranks are little things that make revolutions.&&
 
IP Logged
 
Knaight
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Tennis Balls!

Posts: 1237
Colorado
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #7 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:30am
 
Aussie wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:19am:
Why dictate sling length and style? The aim is to hit the target from a given distance, so let each person do that as best as he can.

I agree with this entirely. A range of acceptable sling lengths is fine, if you want to restrict it to .5 to 2 meters or something that would make sense, but exactly one length is unnecessary. Style is similar, any style that actually works should be allowed.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Aussie
Past Moderator
*
Offline


Joined Nov. 1, 2006  Luke
14:14

Posts: 3265
Melbourne, Australia
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #8 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 4:21am
 
Knaight wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:30am:
Aussie wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:19am:
Why dictate sling length and style? The aim is to hit the target from a given distance, so let each person do that as best as he can.

I agree with this entirely. A range of acceptable sling lengths is fine, if you want to restrict it to .5 to 2 meters or something that would make sense, but exactly one length is unnecessary. Style is similar, any style that actually works should be allowed.


Of course any style that doesn't work won't be used; at least not for long. That's the good thing about competition, it makes you honest.
Back to top
 

Cranks are little things that make revolutions.&&
 
IP Logged
 
jlasud
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Programming stones

Posts: 2358
Transilvania
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #9 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 4:45am
 
If i were to set the laws,i would let as much freedom to it as it's possible while retaining the general purpose:use a sling you like,ammo you like (without expl.or other funny stuff)but everyone is slinging at given equal distances at the same target.
Back to top
 

Respect existance or expect resistance!
 
IP Logged
 
Knaight
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Tennis Balls!

Posts: 1237
Colorado
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #10 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 4:46am
 
Aussie wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 4:21am:
Knaight wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:30am:
Aussie wrote on Oct 9th, 2011 at 3:19am:
Why dictate sling length and style? The aim is to hit the target from a given distance, so let each person do that as best as he can.

I agree with this entirely. A range of acceptable sling lengths is fine, if you want to restrict it to .5 to 2 meters or something that would make sense, but exactly one length is unnecessary. Style is similar, any style that actually works should be allowed.


Of course any style that doesn't work won't be used; at least not for long. That's the good thing about competition, it makes you honest.

At the same time, there has to be a way to crack down on people sending stuff behind them or to the sides, for safety purposes. And you would be surprised at the stuff people will stubbornly stick with.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Curious Aardvark
Forum Moderation
*****
Offline


Taller than the average
Dwarf

Posts: 13965
Midlands England
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #11 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 7:09am
 
excellent caldou.

Sounds like you've got a good idea what you want to achieve and have started on making it happen  Smiley

As far as rules go. Keep them as simple as possible.

I don't agree on the balearic restiction os slings, style or ammo.

And as for uniforms - please, by all means print t-shirts but any sport where you have to wear a particular uniform to participate  will not appeal to people like me Smiley

Your english is excellent - thousand times better than my french lol

So what I would do is standardise the target size and distances - nothing wrong with the balearic target and using metres instead of paces makes perfect sense to me.

If you can get standardised ammunition that would also be excellent and take it a long way towards getting accreditation as an official sport.
I would also suggest talking to aussie and getting him to send you a lot of pouches. Standardised slings will also help you get official recognition.
Just makes it look a lot more professional if everyone uses the same type of sling.
People can use different length cords - but it just makes sense to have everyone using the same pouch.

If you are trying to get slinging recognised as an official sport then standardised equipment is the only way you can go. And the aussie pouch with 4mm or 6mm paracord cords is certainly going to look a lot more professional than a bunch of different braided and leather slings.
Aussie pouches are tough, durable, capable of handling a wide range of ammo - but most importantly from your point of view - standardised and are the only sling pouch that has been used widely around the world for the last 3 ? (4 ?) years.
They are the closest thing to world wide standard that exists.  
And also will appeal to officials as they are made from modern materials and are easily reproduced (once you find a source for used conveyor belts).

A net behind the slinger is also a good idea to protect spectators.

If there's anything I or slinging.org can do to help, please let me know.

Outside of the balearics slinging.org is the closest thing to a worldwide organisation that exists.
Maybe we could contact your city officials to give you a boost ?
Anyway good luck and like I said - anything we can do - just ask Smiley



Back to top
 

Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One  - works for me Smiley
 
IP Logged
 
Jaegoor
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2797
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #12 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 7:59am
 
250 g are not too difficult.

In Spain one shoots stones with a weight of from 200 to 250 gr.

In Germany we shoot from 150 to 250 g


I myself also shoot 250-g-stones

One sees them better in the flight.

I would renounce Paracord. One can take this material. However, it has many negative qualities.

Also I would not permit any kind slingens. I hold many so-called styles simply for injurious and also crazy.
Back to top
 

Bono Mellius
 
IP Logged
 
Dilyan Ganev
Senior Member
****
Offline


Hard rocks...

Posts: 276
Balkans, Bulgaria, Burgas
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #13 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 8:57am
 
I recommend regulated sling lengths for the reason that this is something accustomed to a formalized club, and yes it doesn't have to be the same size, more like a using the hand length-sling ratio for every person (like using the same type and strength of bow) And as for the material of slings it has to be something that you can find in abundance(like hemp, masons line and etc.)
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Burner
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Take me out to the ball
game........

Posts: 1238
Northeast Florida
Gender: male
Re: Slinging as a sport
Reply #14 - Oct 9th, 2011 at 10:55am
 
I like the idea of a standardized system for distance,projectile weight and target size.All other restrictions,to me,seem silly.I have been slinging for the better part of three decades,and the thought of hitting a small target like a milk jug gives me a headache.Something more in the Balaeric size seems realistic(How big is it,1 meter?). Why limit the materials used,maybe have two classes,traditional and open.Traditional would be non-synthetic with a set sling length,and open can be anything.

 Let me know when we have all decided on something.Paleoarts came up with a system,it somehow gave me a headache.Can we not,being the worldwide authority on slinging,come up with the standard?Let's start a topic,make it a poll if needed,and see it through to the end(standardization for competition).

Brett

P.S.   For the purists,it would be OK to have World Standards and Balaeric Standards.At any slinging event worldwide you could have three classes,Balaeric,World and Open.
Back to top
 

Cleveland Rocks!
 
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 3 
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: Masiakasaurus, Curious Aardvark, LightSlinger, Mauro Fiorentini, Rat Man, Bill Skinner, Chris)