With the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics only one day away, we started to think about great sports that weren’t included in the Olympics. One that really stuck out was skateboarding. Why is it that a sport that helped influence snowboarding (which became an Olympic Sport and made Shaun “Flying Tomato” White a household name — he even starred in an American Express commercial!) not on the roster? We decided to ask our favorite skateboarders about their views on this and, well, even if they gave a kick-flip about it.
Skateboarding superstar, Tony Alva. (skateparkoftampa.com)
Tony Alva
How do you feel about skateboarding not being part of the official roster for the Olympics?
I don’t think skateboarding needs to be in the Olympics. Skateboarding does not really fit in with that style of competition or judging. Skateboarding is more of a lifestyle.
If you could replace one current sport with skateboarding, what would it be?
Take badminton out and put skateboarding in.
What current Olympic sport would you participate in if you could?
Basketball.
If there was an official uniform for skateboarding, what do you think it would be?
A lightweight durable jumpsuit and Vans.
Do you have a favorite Olympic moment?
When Jesse Owens won in Germany, 1936.
Professional skateboarder Mark Gonzales. (skateparkoftampa.com)
Mark Gonzales
How do you feel about skateboarding not being part of the official roster for the Olympics?
I think skateboarding should be included — at least speed skateboarding, so we can figure out who the fastest in the world is.
If you could replace one current sport with skateboarding, what would it be?
Figure skating on ice.
What current Olympic sport would you participate in if you could?
Snowboarding, because it’s the closest sport to skateboarding.
If there was an official uniform for skateboarding, what do you think it would be?
A baggy jumpsuit in red white and blue.
Do you have a favorite Olympic moment?
When Jim Thorpe’s gold medals were restored to him (30 years after his death).
Todd Jordan. (skateparkoftampa.com)
Todd Jordan
How do you feel about skateboarding not being part of the official roster for the Olympics?
Its fine with me. I think that, with Olympic athletes being tested for drug use, if skateboarding were to be included all the possible competitors that I would like to see representing the USA would not be eligible.
If you could replace one current sport with skateboarding, what would it be?
Certainly not any of the “sports” that include firing a rifle.
What current Olympic sport would you participate in if you could?
Most definitely diving. It was almost 100 degrees in New York today.
If there was an official uniform for skateboarding, what do you think it would be?
Well, the American team, I guess, would wear white helmets, red elbow pads, and blue kneepads. And it’s definitely too hot in Beijing in the summer to wear pads at all.
Do you have a favorite Olympic moment?
Does the time when Prince played the half time show at the Super Bowl count?
Tags: carol lim, carol lim and humberto leon, humberto leon, mark gonzales, Olympics, skateboarding, todd jordan, tony alva
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9 comments
lol @ any decent US competitor wouldn't pass drug tests.
I'd like to see a quantifiable dicipline in the olympics. None of this his tre-flip gets 8 points, but you're poppity thingey to ollie-madoo gets 9. Speed boarding. Slalom. Park slalom. And we could have a game of SKATE to represent the disillusioned kickflippers.
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Originally Posted by holikujak
silverfish longboarding = not a serious website about longboarding, stop trying to make it one, nobody takes anything seriously here
really don’t like watching the olimpics just cause that type of competition really bothers me. I hate it that people have given their whole life to that moment. There is just so much more to life than that. And competing against other, instead of competing with others is just not fun, and not even fun to watch for me. I love skateboarding because we all show up and do our best, and chear on the guy next to ya, the guy that beat ya, and the guy you beat. Or in other types of skating, just watch the xgames, people get frustrated that they didn’t land a trick sometimes, but they are right back up there chearin on their friends. I love that, just laid back feel. And even the pro's in skateboarding seem to know and feel that skateboarding is not who they are, its what they do, and winning isnt everything, its just a fun afterthought that is cool if it works out, and not a big deal if it doesn’t. We don’t belong in the olimpics, If I were good enough to go, I'm not sure I would. But then again, that is me speaking idealogicaly, to be honest, if I was asked to go to the olympics, I probably would actualy go.
really don’t like watching the olimpics just cause that type of competition really bothers me. I hate it that people have given their whole life to that moment. There is just so much more to life than that.
+1
Most skaters don't require a gold medal or a trophy to let them be reminded that they've accomplished something. Its all in the moment! Tony was right, it is a lifestyle..or addiction one of the two...
I would think serious downhill racing could eventually become an Olympic sport. It's definitely the right kind of competition, kind of similar to the snowboard races in the winter. I would assume the problem right now is that it's not big enough (in the public eye) to even have a chance at getting looked at. Yes, it's fairly popular in many countries and there are some TALENTED speed riders, but to the general populace it's not really on par with some of the actual Olympic sports. That said, there's just as much (if not more) mental and athletic talent needed for downhill than some of the current Olympic sports.
It certainly would be cool to see it grow in the next decade or two (or three) and then it could probably be put up for consideration.
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Last edited by Mr. Sociable; 08-11-2008 at 09:44 PM.
Reason: Typos, added opinions.
If the question were sent to the european skateboarders you would get a totally different answer how it belongs in the olympics and they would be proud to represent their country.
Just ask Gunter Molkus or Jani Soderhal. If I remember right Pierre Andre would have like to see skateboarding in the olympics.
My personal feeling is since trick skateboarding is so varied and individual it should be left out of the olympics. I remember Sonja Catalano telling me about how they ran compulsory trick at NSA freestyle contest how it did not work out to good.
The only skateboarding events that should be in the olympics is Slalom, downhill racing and a 50 to 100 mile cross country pushing contest mixed with riding up and down hills our form of the marathon. Because their a timed event and not judged.
The only way we could get vert, street, freestyle in the Olympics is if a demo sport like baseball was back a few years ago.
They used experienced judges of skateboarding contest from around the world.
if they only allow one event...
I don't think downhill/slalom/cross country should be in there, it doesn't represent the current state of skateboarding.
there are many events that are judged in the olympics,
so I don't see why vert/bowl/park/street wouldn't fit in there...
When BMX arrives in Beijing for its Olympic debut, BMX's biggest names won't be there. They'll be watching on TV, if they're even watching at all.
That's because the biggest names in BMX aren't racers. The big names come from freestyle ranks—riders of vert ramps, dirt jumps, park courses and streets everywhere. Of course, these big names would love to be in the Olympics as well. But for now, the privilege belongs to the comparatively low-profile BMX racers—32 men and 16 women, including four Americans. They are the latest action-sports athletes to join in the Olympic Games.
Kagy:
Quote:
On the flip side, racing isn't the most exciting thing, and I don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot by having racing there [in the Olympics]. Then people might start thinking, 'Well, that wasn't so cool. Why do we want another BMX sport?
Tabron:
Quote:
BMX racing and BMX freestyle basically began as the same thing. But there was a fork in the road in the 90s and we went our separate ways. We don't share ideologies anymore.
I think speed skating, Slalom and Distance could be in the olympis. Oh and luge. The rest i dont think would fit very well. Not sure why... Probally cause the other kinda repersent other olypic sports?
Speed Skating= skiing, snowboarding, swimming racing events,
Slalom=Ski and snowboard related event (cant remember what its called)
Distance=Running
Luge= They have like Ice luge right? Something along the lines of that...
Am i right?
__________________ ognalawu- thats what you think but once you get on it, i think you'll find its alot harder to "pop" it than it sounds Delta-That is what she said. ognalawu- what are you talking about? no one said what i just said.
Downhill and Slalom would be rad in the olympics and would totally fit that style, think skiing.
However, and other type of skateboarding would just be lame. Current vert ramp contest are "figure skaterish" enough as it is and lack any style or sketchyness.
alva and gonz on olympics...
