Ok, so I've decided that there are some things going on the industry that are really bad for the sport, and for the sake of the sport's future, I just couldn't hold my tongue any longer.
Basically, since I'm part of the competition scene, I figured I should add my voice to all the contest skiers who are telling everyone what this sport is supposed to be about. Now, I know you are probably sick of it, because you hear these kind of rants from the contest skiers ALL the time (right?), but whatever, after all, it's important that I tell the rest of you, what I think the sport is about, and how I think you all should represent it.
First off, I hear that Candide is still getting support from sponsors. This is an absolute atrocity, because I personally don't think that his type of skiing is what the sport should be about. The messed up ski industry that allocates money to people like him, just takes away money that should all be going straight into competitions, training facilities, and contest skiers, because that's what the sport is about!
Also, I watched "Into the Mind" recently and I have to say that our sport is not supposed to be about high production value films with with hi-res images and time lapses! Doesn't anyone remember how this stuff all started, with movies like 13 and Degenerates, pure ski porn shot on DV tapes, with no plot lines or effects. That's what this sport is about! Timelapses and high def images in movies are killing the sport!
And then, there's these guys who have started hitting the LOWER bar on some handrails, that's NOT how it's supposed to be done! I think it's really stupid, and I absolutely do not support it (even though I could totally do it if I wanted to). If we as a community don't rally together and put a stop to this, it is going to completely destroy our sport!
So, if you really care about your sport remaining "FREE", then help the competition skiers put a STOP to all of the above behaviour. Also from now on, please, represent the sport only in the manner that we agree with and support.
Because, if the way you choose to approach the sport doesn't conform to our vision, then it's definitely not "FREE", and that's what this sport is all about!
In fact it appears that the only way to ensure that you are truly fighting for "FREE"skiing, is by spending a lot of energy focusing on what other skiers should or shouldn't do.
I know there's different opinions out there, and it can all seem very confusing, but just look at it this way, as long as you check in with all the urban skiers, film skiers, big mountain skiers, competition skiers, and recreational park skiers, they can all likely provide you with a list of things that they don't like, don't support, and in their opinion, you should NOT do. That way, as long as you follow their direction, and avoid doing any of those things, you can feel confident that you are keeping the sport true, and FREE!
PS I also wanted to say that Henriks' hairstyle really really pisses me off! You have no idea the mental anguish it causes me, and I just hate what it's doing to MY life!
