it's always been a dying sport.
And to be honest, like all organisations - there's always been internal politics.
It could just be me, but I've always got the impression that the mallorcams resented the fact that pep - an ibizan, was in charge.
Evem though we were always on their island the mallorcans have never been as friendly or welcoming as the menorcans and ibizans.
Not all of them - or even probably most of them - but it's is noticeable.
Plus pep has been for change and if there's one thing slingers don't seem to take well to it's change.
Stones are illegal and should not be taken from the beaches and smashed.
Pep has been for modernising the sport - a large part of what the international is about.
The mallorcans definitelty don't approve.
Hell it's even worse than that
When the first international was held in soller - it pissed off the other malolorcan clubs and no part of the international was ever held in soller again.
Despite it being a fairly quick train ride from palma and a cracking little seaside town.
few years ago david, jaegoor and I went on our own.
Joan Oliver Ramon - really made us welcome.
Pep ruffled a lot of feathers - most of which NEED ruffling.
He's pro conservation and has been a lot more interested in clay ammo than any of the mallorcans.
Pep uis also very political and always manages to get hold of the local dignitaries.
However he's against catalonia beoing a seperate entity from the rest of spain.
And that does not go down well.
Marcos and the ibithans and luis and the menorcans have always seemed a lot more open to the sport progressing rather than stagnating.
These are just my personal impressions derived over the last 8 years.
I could be totally wrong
Not sure what jaegoors objections are - in my opinion Pep has been nothing but good for the sport.
If I can afford it I'll be in ibiza.
Covid's not much of an issue in the uk any more - we get free tests and I'll have my second jab at the end of may. I mean I'm immune anyway - but I'll be jabbed as well.
Got some good friends in ibiza
So for me, it's just money - if I've got it in october I'll go. If I haven't I wont
But, yeah the sport of slinging on the balearic islands - while in no danger of dying out completely - is not looking that healthy.
My impressions at the international are a lot of the reason I don't agree with rules governing throwing style or sling types or materials.
They just don't work.
When you realise that the balearic islands are one of the main destinations for europaen tourists from other countries, and that you will never meet a tourist who has ever heatd of slinging as a sport - tells you all you need to know about how the islands promote slinging to the general public.
Roman and the chamorros have the right approach.
Christian sams is also doing a lot for slinging in austria.
I'm pretty sure the vote for male sportsman he was in this year - is the first and ONLY time a slinger has been recognised - in any country - as equivalent to other sportsmen.
he also does a helluva lot promoting slinging. Goes into schools and does demos etc
We NEED to Widen the sport and include a lot of different sling based events and activities.
Guam is the only country in the world where you can currently play slinggolf - without pretending you're doing something else
You want to promote slinging - that's how you do it.
You make it accessible.
You don't make it about tradition and culture - if people are interested in that aspect, then they'll get into it anyway. But concentrating solely on that aspect, just alienates the other people who want to sling just because they want to sling.
And you use safe and repeatable ammo.
You lot just thought it was candyfloss and balloons didn't you
'fraid not it's as prone to the negative aspects of humanity, politics and ego, as the rest of our soceity.
Which is one reason I do my damndest to not have any of that crap around here