Slinging.org Forum - UK slingers meetup

joe_meadmaker Slinging.org Administrator Offline Slinging Ice is Cool! Posts: 3352 PA, USA	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #45 - Feb 16^th, 2025 at 12:17pm Since this took place, I've moved it to the Events board for long-term keeping (I figure it was an event). Still waiting with bated breath for any pics or videos. And I completely forgot to ask, did you guys all use the CA sling?!
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xud9a - call me zud 👍 Funditor Offline Ringing Slocks ! Posts: 883 Nottinghamshire, England Gender:	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #46 - Feb 17^th, 2025 at 5:06pm The write up is writted up but I am having difficulty making time to select the right pics and videos to go with it. Do not unbate your breath !! 😁👍
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JudoP

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #47 - Feb 24^th, 2025 at 6:23pm

Pics 1

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JudoP Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Rocks away! Posts: 1004 UK	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #48 - Feb 24^th, 2025 at 6:24pm Pics 2.
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joe_meadmaker Slinging.org Administrator Offline Slinging Ice is Cool! Posts: 3352 PA, USA	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #49 - Feb 25^th, 2025 at 8:10pm Looks like an awesome time guys!
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xud9a - call me zud 👍

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #50 - Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:40am

UK SLINGERS MEET UP

Could it be hyperbole to suggest that Saturday, 1st February 2025, was an historic event ?
Apparently, it was the largest meeting of slingers in the Midlands, in England, in Great Britain or even in the United Kingdom since mediaeval times.
I don’t know, but I do know we had a good time.
There is a web forum called Slinging.org; there is a Facebook group called worldwide slinging. Between them, these two host most of the information about slinging available on the web, alongside German, Spanish (Balearic), Indian and Guam based groups. Apologies for anyone missed.
Alex was the administrator of Slinging.org. He died in November 2022 and was succeeded by Joe, who then received a sling - made for Alex, but which never got to him.
That sling has been making its way around the planet, through several states in America, down to Australia and now to England.
Each Slinger has made a video which has then been posted on Slinging.org.
When the sling got to me, I remembered Alex was always keen on meeting other slingers and, with encouragement, decided I would use this as a good reason to try and organise a meet up to pass the sling around in order to honour the memory of Alex and to have some fun.

Part 2 follows.

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xud9a - call me zud 👍

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #51 - Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:40am

UKSlingers meet up part 2.

When I met up with Alex he had taken me for a walk, with his beloved dogs, on the fields near his home.
We happily lost a number of tennis balls, golf balls and rocks as Alex gave me pointers on improving my sling technique.
Remembering this I drove to Swadlincote and did a recce.
The local pub was happy to provide parking in return for beer and I identified a spot where a group of hairy weirdos could hurl balls and make noise without alarming the dog walkers.
It was on!

Communication was managed via Slinging.org, messenger and WhatsApp and when the day arrived 6 of us turned up.
It would have been 7 but James had to drop out – busy lad!
Having made a list of ‘useful’ things to have at the meet up I went digging in the shed and pulled out my workstation …. A cross between a sack barrow and a workmate. Not a lot of use usually but perfect for this, as in transporting a bucket of rocks and 2 large bags of ‘kit’ across muddy, uneven ground.
A target was set up (a duvet cover with a cardboard Diana) on paracord, suspended between two trees.
I then measured 10 metres and laid an oche (stick as a toe line) on the ground.
I loaded a tennis ball, turned, shot and hit dead centre – first and best shot (from me) of the day. It was observed and I enjoyed a gentle smugging.

Part 3 Follows

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My outlook on life is Aristotalean; on seeing an Acorn I see a potential oak tree rather than Plato's view that it is a failed copy.
BE SAFE, BE SMILEY, BE STRANGE

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xud9a - call me zud 👍

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #52 - Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:41am

UKSlingers meet up Part3

The hard work then commenced; tennis balls were slung down the ‘range’ and of course, had to be collected.
This was fine until a couple of black Labradors turned up. One of them checked us out and purloined the nearest tennis ball, ran off, stopped. Dropped it, selected another and then the pair of them exited at full pelt with their ill-gotten gains.

We then had a lovely surprise as we were joined by Alex’s mum and dad.
This seemed the ideal point to break out the mead. I had won it in a slinging.org competition and it came direct from Joe Meadmaker in America. I had been saving it for a special occasion and this seemed like it.
We made a toast to Alex and his work, which Joe is continuing, because, let’s face it, without selfless guys like them the rest of us wouldn’t get as much fun from our chosen sport as we do. Those thanks extend to Andrew and the other mods of both groups.

David then set his speed trap up, I agreed to check it was working and slung a lazy stone.
111 came up and I heard ‘I don’t believe it’ from David, I grinned and suggested switching to MPH which still gave me a respectably amusing 69 MPH. This was quickly beaten by most of the other slingers with Paul getting comfortably over the 100 MPH.

Part 4 follows

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My outlook on life is Aristotalean; on seeing an Acorn I see a potential oak tree rather than Plato's view that it is a failed copy.
BE SAFE, BE SMILEY, BE STRANGE

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xud9a - call me zud 👍

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #53 - Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:42am

UKSlingers meet up Part 4

We then commenced the official part of ‘THE SLING PASS AROUND’

Rather than a video here are still pictures of, in order,
David,
Pete,
Andy,
Ian,
David (Alex’s dad),
Andy,
Ian.
either getting ready to sling, slinging or having slung the pass round sling.

After that the afternoon just burbled along happily (even the tears were for happy memories) with a gentle insanity gradient. Water balloons were slung, with much hilarity as most exploded in or from the pouch.
Staff slings were employed, hurling rocks with devastating accuracy over great distances. If you have seen David’s ewe toob video you know how fast he can reload and fire his staff sling solo - so we tried auto reload – David fired – I reloaded. This knocked an amazing 2 seconds off his 4 shot time. I know this was down to the cack handed idiot doing the re loading but with practice I think a team staff sling event could be huge fun resulting in some lightning fast times. The staff sling was also the chosen tool for pork pie projection – never have I seen a muddy comestible fly so far or fast! Last, but not least, an orange ball with holes was made to chuckle contentedly to itself as it flew down range.
Somebody produced a bull whip and demonstrated loud cracks and moisture balls. This caused grins all round, can’t think why !
Yet more laughter when, at one point, a sling had to be retrieved from a tree. Slings were being swapped to try out and someone tried one with a (not used before) little finger loop. The result was that the rock left the sling travelling in the expected direction but, as the sling wrapped left it flew from the finger in question and arced into a tree….. blush ! It was rapidly retrieved with a convenient staff sling pole.

Part 5 Follows

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My outlook on life is Aristotalean; on seeing an Acorn I see a potential oak tree rather than Plato's view that it is a failed copy.
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xud9a - call me zud 👍

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Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025
Reply #54 - Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:44am

UKSlingers meet up Part 5

Much conversation was had, food was shared, goodbyes were said, first to Alex’s mum and later to David and an Andy.
That left 5 and as it drew towards dark the pub beckoned. In the pub car park weaponry was admired and fondled and thank deity no police passed by.

We walked into the pub and no one turned a hair at our well muddied clothes. It was a sports lager pub, which normally, I would leave in haste BUT they had a single hand pull with Bass on. A very well kept Bass, which was imbibed with gusto. Gusto then ran away laughing hysterically never to be seen again.

Once gusto had left we got down to serious conversation and I think, if in future the U.K.S.S.A. (United Kingdom Sports Slingers Association) should come to pass this was its point of inception.
I am checking out the regulations around recognised sporting governing bodies and have found they are being revised and new applications will open in March 25.
The idea is simple (and apparently the route they have gone down in Austria). If we have a ‘governing body’ which provides ‘Bona Fides’ to people applying to hire either indoor cricket nets or tennis venues it gives us a starting point to arrange meet ups – the primary reason being to have fun but obviously to help people get more out of slinging.
Discuss !
If anyone wants to get involved, get in touch and if you have any experience of this in other sports, definitely please get in touch.

Happy Slinging.
ZudSkip.

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My outlook on life is Aristotalean; on seeing an Acorn I see a potential oak tree rather than Plato's view that it is a failed copy.
BE SAFE, BE SMILEY, BE STRANGE

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joe_meadmaker Slinging.org Administrator Offline Slinging Ice is Cool! Posts: 3352 PA, USA	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #55 - Feb 27^th, 2025 at 10:48pm Fantastic write-up Zud! xud9a - call me zud 👍 wrote on Feb 26^th, 2025 at 7:42am: We then commenced the official part of ‘THE SLING PASS AROUND’ Rather than a video here are still pictures of, in order Were there supposed to be attached images?
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xud9a - call me zud 👍 Funditor Offline Ringing Slocks ! Posts: 883 Nottinghamshire, England Gender:	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #56 - Feb 28^th, 2025 at 5:24am The images will land shortly ! 😁👍
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xud9a - call me zud 👍 Funditor Offline Ringing Slocks ! Posts: 883 Nottinghamshire, England Gender:	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #57 - Feb 28^th, 2025 at 8:44am David with CA sling
Back to top	« Last Edit: Feb 28^th, 2025 at 7:58pm by xud9a - call me zud 👍 » IMG_20250201_130712823_HDR-2.jpg (706 KB \| 5 ) My outlook on life is Aristotalean; on seeing an Acorn I see a potential oak tree rather than Plato's view that it is a failed copy. BE SAFE, BE SMILEY, BE STRANGE IP Logged

xud9a - call me zud 👍 Funditor Offline Ringing Slocks ! Posts: 883 Nottinghamshire, England Gender:	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #58 - Feb 28^th, 2025 at 8:51am Pete with CA sling
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xud9a - call me zud 👍 Funditor Offline Ringing Slocks ! Posts: 883 Nottinghamshire, England Gender:	Re: UK slingers meetup - Jan 2025 Reply #59 - Feb 28^th, 2025 at 8:57am Andy (who is so good he slings with his eyes closed) with CA sling
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