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| Street Luge (1208 Posts)
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Street Luge Info |
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On 3/12/2002
Tony Healy
wrote in from
(206.170.nnn.nnn)
Hey PS, I hear you! Didn't say I'D wanna do the crash and burn luging. There's luging, then there's luge racing, and then there's broadcast TV sporting events.
Luging: I'm new at luging, and it's a blast. So far I've ridden down some roads (in full protective gear) and not crashed into anything. Learning to go slow before going fast.
Racing: Pack racing where you have to precisely hold your line (when someone else may have the line you wanted), with drafting, passing, etc. takes it up a bunch of notches. You need expert skills and a competitive attitude. Agree competitive, not combative; assertive, not aggressive. There's a difference. Either way, I ain't there yet. Not sure if I wanna get there. The stakes get a lot higher.
TV: Entertainment for the masses.
Luging is a blast. One day--hell, the first real run--was enough to get me hooked. Doing and watching are two different things tho. Prefer to ride a bike than watch, but watching Lance Armstrong on TV drop the best riders on the Alp d'Huez was pretty cool.
Luge racing can be cool to watch on TV too. Onboard cameras, maybe a rail camera along a turn in the course like the do for speedskating, overhead camera through the finish can make it even more exciting for viewers.
Part of the excitement of watching a luge race is due to the danger. People go way fast when they race, and can crash and get hurt. Pushing the edge is part of competition. But racers don't wanna get hurt, or see their friends get hurt either. Time trial format (against the clock) would be safer, like they do for alpine ski racing (SL, GS, DH). But first-over-the-line-wins format can be more exciting for the viewer, tho less safe for the racer (e.g. skiercross, boardercross).
Do spectators wanna see crashes? Not if they luge, or know anyone who does. But when you're talking national TV, or international TV, you're talking about a much broader audience.
But let's give the benefit of the doubt and say people aren't watching in part because there might be a wreck. What do they want to see? Racing.
Watching someone ride a motorcycle through a corner isn't all that exciting. Watching the five fastest 500cc GP motorcyclists try to ride through a corner together at 100+ mph is way exciting. They don't wanna crash, and they don't wanna crash each other, but they push the edge, slide around, and pass each other. Sometimes they crash. But the fans don't really wanna see crashes. They wanna see a race that's neck and neck the whole time and isn't over until the last turn.
If luge racing can provide tight racing down a long twisty course, with a bunch of lead changes, then I think spectators would be even more wowed by it. But it's a gravity sport (unlike motorsports) so catching up after a mistake, much less catching up AND passing, could be pretty tough to do. Maybe real long twisty courses would give enough time for that to happen.
Keep in mind most of this post isn't about luging. Or even luge racing. It's about putting on a show for TV that happens to be a competitive sporting event with luges. Whatever happens, people will contine to race. And continue to luge. The question is whether it's on TV or not.
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On 3/12/2002
Jake Kaplan
wrote in from
(24.30.nnn.nnn)
NEw Full legth 10 min Team Video up and running come and check it out at : http://thetoxicbrothers.com-1.net/
later jake
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On 3/12/2002 Pre-School Rider
wrote in from
(216.114.nnn.nnn)
Tony Healy,you need to go ride Glendora Mt with Tom Mason.Wear frippin' pads! After YOU'VE been bumped off a small ledge,we'll talk about 'crash and go' luging as a sport you'd WANT to participate in.I'd simply prefer non-X Games mighty-mite courses that are all geared for the few surfers that practice hand-paddling technique over drafting.Better yet,come on out to New england(not Rhode Island,up North where the HILLS are)and survive,I mean ride Vt.'s Rt. 117 or say Franconia Notch in N.H..But don't bring a Combatant's mindset out here,these roadside ditches have Granite Ledge in them..
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On 3/12/2002
Homade Pro Luger Speed Boarder ,gravity biker promoter of barrett Junction Grand Prix and OUT LAW races
wrote in from
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
Hay Hows it going .
I, currently working on a few races with EDI and IGSA.April 5-7. may 5-7 for EDI
The owner at the cafe has been letting riders camp behind the cafe . no fires pleas
He also has put an Kick ass all you can eat BUFFET for $5.95 which includes coffee and free camping on the week ends.
My new # is 619 390-3745 talk at you gravity heads later
If can help in any way Course marshals ,food and drinks, vending, Hay bail crew, sponsors etc. call or e-mail me .
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On 3/12/2002
Andy Lally
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
Has the hill at Barret that we race on been paved or just a hill in the area?
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On 3/11/2002
David Auld
wrote in from
(68.4.nnn.nnn)
I have posted a few recent pictures from a Wild Fro training day at Dinosaur Point.
www.auldovertheroad.com
Enjoy,
Dave
PS - Anybody know why Barrett's recent "paving" messed it up? Jake?
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On 3/11/2002 hc
wrote in from
(65.184.nnn.nnn)
huh? maybe this or get a buttboard
http://www.woodwheelsandwings.com
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On 3/9/2002
Kyle
wrote in from
(24.154.nnn.nnn)
Were can I find complete street luge boarding??
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On 3/8/2002
Tony Healy
wrote in from
(32.100.nnn.nnn)
Yo Jake, haven't ridden at Barrett, but wish they'd pave some of the roads here in San Francisco. Did they screw it up by not fully repaving it (e.g. seam in the middle of the lane), or only doing it patchwork so now you've got molehills to dodge, or not really repave it but spray that oil crap and dump fine gravel on it. Maybe they repaved it properly, but the new pavement is slow or oily. Thanks for any thoughts.
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On 3/8/2002
Jeremy Kahn
wrote in from
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
Hello racers, rec-riders, and people following/wanting to get into luge. This is your opportunity to get into the 1st Bi-Monthly Newsletter produced in association with IGSA. Yes, unfortunately we lost the X-Games. But, this is the beginning of bigger and better things that are yet to come. You can read all this and more in the 1st Bi-Monthly Newsletter.
We are looking for any content you want to add that is relevant to Gravity Sports. There are many upon many e-mails coming in as we speak, so we will ONLY take the most interesting of all. If you are a new racer going to a race, and already sent in your entry form, please e-mail me as well. There will be a section just for you! This is going to be produced to be out to everyone by early April. If you want in on this ground breaking event, you must send this to me at my e-mail address Luge668@aol.com by March 20, 2002.
If you haven’t already, please also send me your mailing information. If you want to receive this, by mail is the only way you will receive it. You pay for the races, you pay for your membership, you get something concrete so you can show your friends and family. For you new racers out there, you can brag to your friends about how you got your name in your own section. This newsletter is all about Gravity Sports, so don’t hesitate. Get in while you can, and send me your mailing information, any content you think might be good(you might get lucky and have your story published!), and anything else. Please, don’t forget to include your name, address, phone number, any e-mail address, and whether or not you are a rec. rider, racer, or just a fan. Thank you all for your time, and I look forward to seeing more e-mails coming in soon.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Kahn
P.S. If you would like to advertise in the IGSA Newsletter, send an e-mail with the subject line as advertising and what you are looking to advertise. I will be in touch with the costs. Thank you.
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On 3/8/2002
Jake Kaplan
wrote in from
(24.30.nnn.nnn)
hugh , ya thanks dude, im glad you liked it! We filmed that in Sandiego, Im pretty sure you heard oh barrett junction right,? well we were just north of that. Sad thing to say now is that they Screwed it up by repaving it! theve been doing that Crap too most of our hills..anyways have a good one.
jake kaplan
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On 3/8/2002
hugh r
wrote in from
(205.216.nnn.nnn)
Hey Jake... your vid made me really want to go out and ride! Which hill was that filmed on? Thanks, HR
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On 3/6/2002
Jake Kaplan
wrote in from
(24.30.nnn.nnn)
head over to our street luge site and check out our new video that i put together. I sugest you have broadband because its 2.5 megs in windows media player format. lemme know what all yall think of it!
click here: http://www.angelfire.com/extreme/thetoxicbrothers
see ya
Jakekaplan@san.rr.com
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On 3/6/2002
Tony Healy
wrote in from
(32.100.nnn.nnn)
Rename it "NASCAR Luge" and start crashing into each other on a regular basis. People will start watching. Gotta remember that all TV is entertainment.
Being inches above the ground on a luge at 50 mph is way exciting...more exciting that watching a group of lugers go past at 50 mph. Long, twisting courses with lots of lead changes, bumping, etc. would be first rate entertainment (ala NASCAR, motorcycle racing [GP, WSB, AMA], boardercross, etc.).
The race at Donner Summit last year was pretty exciting to watch, especially when three luges came into the last corner together. They got tangled up a bit and missed the corner. The good news is that there was a little runoff so no one got hurt.
Unlike race cars, there's no cage protecting the luger. So bumping and crashing can have catastrophic consequences. Which means slower course where people bump and crash, or fast courses where people ride them clean.
TV viewers want a race; not a parade. This can be tough as it's a gravity sport and passing is accomplished via drafting, or setting up for turns differently. Maybe head-to-head luge races on parallel tracks. Of course, they tried women's head-to-head downhill ski racing in the 70's. Exciting, but in part because of the crashes. Still, might be an interesting format to try.
Have other sports been changed to make them more entertaining and fit the TV format better? Yup. Figure skating. See anyone skating figures at the Olympics? Nope. [Ironic, since that's what the sport was named after.] They dropped that technical stuff from the competitions years ago. It was terribly boring to watch, but it counted a lot towards the skater's final score.
When someone with a lousy score in the figure portion then skated a great program, they'd still finish in the back of the pack. And people watching the program part on TV would wonder why they didn't win the competition. Eventually, they dropped the figure requirement. And now figure skating is one of the most watched sports on TV.
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On 3/5/2002
Andy
wrote in from
(206.210.nnn.nnn)
I was on the X-Games Athlete Advisory Council for the Skysurf dicipline, which got dropped last year. Finally made it back to the east coast, and my sport got dumped. It is a dissapointment. I haven't paid much attention since then, so I don't even know what sports they are including but it blows either way.
My condolences!!
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On 2/27/2002
david
wrote in from
(209.179.nnn.nnn)
heres some math
x-games=pile of feces
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On 2/27/2002
Cliff Coleman
wrote in from
(199.174.nnn.nnn)
The latest word is that ESPN dropped Luge from the X-Games.
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On 2/25/2002 hc
wrote in from
(65.184.nnn.nnn)
see buttboarding.com (faq)
see geocities.com/sk8sanjose (equiptment)
buy darren lott's book and build the wood luge.
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On 2/25/2002
Isaac
wrote in from
(206.170.nnn.nnn)
Hey
Any body have a luge sled.I need an extreamly cheap one
because I'm a begginer
luger and need a really cheap board
because I am a teen and can't get a job. Thanks
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On 2/22/2002 hc
wrote in from
(65.184.nnn.nnn)
west la
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/wwskiclub/inline.htm
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On 2/22/2002 Mario
wrote in from
(148.87.nnn.nnn)
Thanks, I did a search on West LA College and now I've got plenty of info. It sounds like a lot of fun, I'll be there at least a couple times this year. (Got to build a gravity bike, too!)
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On 2/22/2002
DrNo
wrote in from
(172.180.nnn.nnn)
The series you are referring to is held at West LA College and have been at past events held on two seperate hills and a third hill used as a slolam practice course. The "center" hill is the slolam course (skateboard & inline) and the "outside" hill is used for buttboard (classic), luge and gravitybikes.
In December the fees were $25 for all the classes you wished to enter (NOT $25 EA.) and was put on by the Westwood Ski Club.
The event is a small but fun one!
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On 2/22/2002
Mario
wrote in from
(148.87.nnn.nnn)
Miko,
Now you have my email. I'd like to hit some local contests as well. Will someone on this board who knows what's up with the California Championship Series please speak up? I've looked around and I can't find any more info.
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On 2/22/2002
Miko
wrote in from
(64.165.nnn.nnn)
> On 2/21/2002 Mario wrote in from 148.87.xxx.xxx:
> I just looked at the IGSA newsletter and saw that there are some events called "California Championship Series". What are these events? How much do they cost, etc.? Since I'm in California, these would be relatively easy for me to attend. Where do I get more info?
Hey Mario... here's what I found on the IGSA site. Looks like most of the races are in Culver City? I wonder what the course is like?
Then there's the EDI listings...
Send me your email address so I can keep in touch... I'd love to find a race I could make as well! -Miko
2002 WESTERN UNITED STATES REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Apr 21 California Championship Series #1 Culver City, CA
May 19 California Championship Series #2 Culver City, CA
Jul 21 California Championship Series #3 Culver City, CA
Sep 1 California Championship Series #4 Mammoth Lakes, CA
Oct 27 California Championship Series #5 Culver City, CA
Dec 15 California Championship Series #6 Culver City, CA
2002 IGSA NORTH AMERICAN NATIONAL SCHEDULE
Apr 5-7 Spring Nationals Barrett Junction, CA
Jun 14-16 U.S. Nationals Talahina, OK
Sep 27-29 Fall Nationals Barrett Junction, CA
EDI...
Saturday, June 8th – Sunday, June 9th, France Downhill Rendezvous
Saturday, June 22nd – Sunday, June 23rd New Mexico Downhill Classic - State Road 536, Albuquerque, NM
Friday, July 12th – Sunday, July 14th, Maryhill Downhill Challenge - Maryhill Museum Road, Goldendale, Wa
Friday, August 2nd – Sunday, August 4th *Canastota, NY
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