If there was a UK competition.....

[Locky]

If there was a bocking competition in the UK, what events would you like to see.

Please dont be vague. The more ideas put forward, the more there is to discuss and produce something.

[XS]

I liked the way the french comp last fall was organized, had some standard track and field type events with running, 100m and 400m i think, high jump, triple jump (distance jumping), as well as freestyle.  Would have liked to see maybe 2 versions of freestyle, one flat ground and one with obstacles as I have a feeling that people will all be able to do the same flat ground tricks so that would become more about linking technical combos together, and adding obstacles adds more opportunity creativity with finding a line through the course and tricking on/over/off obstacles in new ways.  I also think comps should move away from the idea of each person gets X runs of Y seconds.  I really like what the Xgames has been doing in street skating and bmx for the last few years which is a group of 5 or so people get 15 mins, they go one after the other for 1 min or till they fall then the next person drops in right away.  Much more interesting for people to watch and people get more opportunities to use the course in different ways and try different sets of tricks.

[Bbmthbloke]

powerball ----this already happens everyother week in portsmouth.... we just want peeps to challenge us


fun silly stuff  like

3 legged(bocked?) race
jumping about with buckets of water and stuff

as starters of examples

Stuff against/with ground crew

so 1st pass , and rather abstract, some form of relay where a person on stilts passes to a person on feet  and so on ...

some form of race where peeps  do 1 'lap' or course or wotnot on bocks,  then 1 on  1 stilt and finally 1 on feet

id like things team/regionally based and organised as such


rounders/softball

junior stilts events

some 'style' events  rather than speed/ strength

so dance, syncro bouncing stuff as a starter

treasure hunt

un re vague  ,  'backattacha',  why asking?

Id like consideration and consensus on venue/location  or indeed locations.  is this 1 event?( there was a lil talk at a meet today  re cost and ease of getting to meets  from several perspectives)

protest commitee,  how will it be constituted?

besides junior  will there be 'senior' classes  ie over say 35 yo?

ladees events?

well das 1st pass of thoughts

[Locky]

I meant serious competiton Q.

pin the tail on the Donkey might be a fun game but I'm talking about serious competing athletes.

[Spud]

No offence Q but these comps are happening all over the world and are pretty serious. For the UK to even have a stab and holding a decent international competition all the 'fun stuff' would have to go. Apart from the powerball maybe I think your ideas would be suited to capital bocking or just a big fun meet. Sorry!

I quite like like what XS said about obsticals. Duno if you saw it but there is the parkour championship thing with all the stuff people can use. I think that would be fun and get people thinking about bocking in a new way. Do you know what I am talking about Locky? Oh..and lol ^^

[Locky]

I do indeed

I agree with the parkour stuff (freerun world championships) and I think seperating obstacles with technical tricks is a deffo.

Likewise, age groups and ability categories would need to be worked out but thats something to worry about if an event actually happened. For now this is just ideas and what people would want to compete in.

[sprog]

Pretty much what XS said. Running competitions, High jumps, Distance Jumps, and then freestyle tricks. Also, the X-Games style of doing it sounds brilliant, much more interesting and would provide more variation.


I also agree with Spud, some kind of set up like the Parkour championships they held in London would be awesome. Also, I agree with her on your ideas Q, whilst fun and a good laugh, they're not overly competitive or serious. Sorry!

[Athoul]

Totally agree about having more of a kind of trials course set up, with railings, and things to jump on/over.
I find this much more interesting and challenging than just tricks in the air.

[Locky]

Totally agree about having more of a kind of trials course set up, with railings, and things to jump on/over.
I for one find this much more interesting and challenging than just tricks in the air.

Do we know you?

[Athoul]

Totally agree about having more of a kind of trials course set up, with railings, and things to jump on/over.
I for one find this much more interesting and challenging than just tricks in the air.

Do we know you?

No I'm new here

[Greggles]

Tbh i think that comps spoil the sport because they put to many rules and regulations into a sport like this i think of powerbocking as a sport any one can do and you don't have to be able to do tricks or jumps in a specific way thats why i hope it never becomes a Olympic sport or something along that line

But yer anyway nag over

[carlgreen]

 

What ever happened to bocking be a good laugh and about everyone being together, everyone is so nice (ish) that we all get on and i think any sort of competition spoils anything no offense Q but i really hate the thought of powerball i think its pointless and doesn't interest me in wanting to go bocking with the JJ's.

so basically matt are you trying to set up some sort of amazing competition? what ever happened to the UK powerbocking association?

[Locky]

what ever happened to the UK powerbocking association?

There wasnt enough interest from people willing to run it. It's still always an option if it would benefit anything.

I agree with what greg's saying but I compare bocking to more like skating or skateboarding. People go out and have their fun, I dont think that would ever change but for those feel good enough, there are skate competitions which inevitably lead to the creation of the x-games.

[asbestospiping]

The way I see it, it boils down to 3 major area's, judged competitions where tricks are combo'ed together, technical tests, such as how fast, how high (including races and obstacle course) and team events. I have to say from experience, the powerball works, especially if we enforced the rules (and bought a whistle....) more it would look amazing with teams of experienced bockers. I know judged display type things would look great,simply because bockers look great doing tricks, and I like to think the simple technical tests would be great for people who like to judge themselves, and others on stats (Height, speed, not sure what else). All sport's come down to the statistics, so events need to be worked out that make good stats.

Btw - triple jump?

[spawnyb]

Triple jump would work.....as long as you dont have to land in sand.  He he.

[XS]

Greg and Carl I agree with you, but after watching what's gone on with parkour in the last few years, competition is inevitable, even if there is a vocal section of the community against it.  So I'd rather help shape it towards that vision of a bunch of friends having a laugh, than loose any say in it and have it end up exactly what we don't want.

[Jason]

While I agree that there is a need for a large organized event along the lines Locky suggests to keep us up with the European ones I don't agree that the "Silly" stuff should be given the elbow

The percentage of Bockers that are able to compete at the levels that seem to be sugested are a relative minority in the "Sport"

That leaves a large percentage standing watching and to be honest watching bocker after bocker Flipping or doing amazing tricks becomes boring (Not to take anything away from the skill and comitment it takes)

I (personal opinion) think you will have a much more successful event if you allow for both
So by all means have a stupendiously difficult Freerunning course and other equally impossible trials but also set aside an equally large area (or bigger perhaps) where people that arn't "Bocking Gods" can compete and play
And an area where beginers can get advice and "Have a go" whithout feeling they have to stand aside to let the "Big Boys" play

We need new blood (literally sometimes  ) constantly coming into Bocking and someone that goes to a "Serious Athletes Only" event is less likely to come away thinking "I'll have a go at that" than someone who has also seen the likes of me making an A** of himself and realised it's not as hard as you think
Or even alowed to "Have a go"


Now before we get into the "Serious Athletes." only argument remember that they are gonna be very lonely if 80% of the weekend bockers decide to go play "Powerball" or "Pin the tail on the Donkey" with Q On the same dates as the event simply because it's more fun

So lets remember not all are in this to be the best and for a lot of people just managing to stand and walk on them is a major personal achievement


Bocking is a FUN thing to do and it would be nice if it can be FUN for everyone not just the elite few who are Briliant at it so before we brush all Q's ideas aside it is worth remembering that most of us have enjoyed ourselves at many of his events and the reason is that he encourages the "Silly" stuff

Jason  

[GIZMOQUEEN]

 no offense Q but i really hate the thought of powerball i think its pointless and doesn't interest me in wanting to go bocking with the JJ's.

yep Powerball is pointless, but its fun...so don't knock til you've tried it!

if you watch any matches videos you will see its not being taken too seriously by people,

rules are bent, broken and remade.....Its all about making friends through team work   

I'm proud to say I like this made up ridiculous sport ...and I'm proud to be a JJ

[sprog]

s and doesn't interest me in wanting to go bocking with the JJ's.

The only thing you're interested in the JJs is me

yep Powerball is pointless, but its fun...so don't knock til you've tried it!

I tried it, it didn't appeal to me at all. Sorry

[Bbmthbloke]

MM so much to talk about here.

1st off. Jason mentioned 'new blood'. Well only the 'old blood' has replied here. Are there discussions on local forums? I linked this thread to the JJ site, but I must confess no one posted.  So are people being reached, inspired?

Or is it quite OK, for a small number of more experienced peeps discussing this stuff, with the hope that other join in?  As long as others DO join in Im with the latter position.

2nd I never mentioned (I dont think ) pin the tail on the donkey. Silly events? Go look at the entire list of Olympic events ( summer and winter) and tell me they are all 'sensible' and 'serious'.  I dont think the original post mentions  types of sport. So Id suggest its what the users want ( and they shouldnt be 'led' and submitions should be postive in nature)

3rd We dont 'have' to do what is happening in other countries. Seeing as I, and I suspect many other people didnt know about such events, then they dont matter.

4th We keep aiming for 'big things' cos 'we have to'. But keep failing to pull them off and ,additionally , do we 'have to'. IM not saying no to big events. But it is reasonable to question their impact. And also , possibly , be more modest in outlook.

5th this past weekend was a very big 1 for sport. 6 nations rugby, loads of football, start of the formula 1 world championships , test cricket ( england v bangladesh) and Im sure lots more. Which is the 'best' which is the worst of them? Yep personal opinion.

Some people love jogging but cant stant to take part in competative athletics.

So 'Powerball'. Love it or hate it or indeed be totally indifferent to it....its quite OK. Point to it? Well , is there a 'point' to running 100m on stilts compared to on 1's feet? Ill leave the answer to you folks.

But Ill say this. It HAS been played, regularly, for over 6 months in Portsmouth. Rules have been developed and honed. Over 30 people have taken part ( and more have watched) most , if not all, seem to have enjoyed it and come back for more.  Thats not 'big' , but it shows a pretty fair level of commitement and organisation. Which I would hope would be recognised.

It has also engendered, I believe, a certain competative spirit within the JJ's. It might be that this could be turned out to wider sporting disiplines ( Indeed Im going to be suggesting our own 'sports' day). Though i have to say there is a VERY SMALL proportion of car ownership within the club and I cant see too many peeps travelling far.

6th  National assosiation, people willing to run it? I didnt know nominations had been called for. But ,'not enough people to run it'. Well that suggests to me the Assosiation was wrong and not the the people. It was set up (or struck me) to be what we 'should have' and what the sports council reccomended or whatever.  Rather than asking 'what do you guys want? Anything? Something? ooo good, any1 want to help?'  Get somat, however small, working then build.


But, in a spirit of fun. Im going to be suggesting to the JJ's that we have a 'sports day'. On Southsea common ( surrounded by loads of fab bock spots). Carl, dont worry, it will prob not include powerball...cos there isnt a court nearby, if you should wish to come along.  If any1 else wants to come along then great.


OK thats it, Ill prob remember loads more l8er, or think what Ive posted is rubbish

So if you read this far...sorry look out for edits...you may have to do it ALL OVER AGAIN

[SNuD]

My there are some long posts here!
I would say from what I have read that there are possibilities for all.
Compared to other sports we, as participants, with the exception of the South coast, are few and far between. So to make any event a success it has to be worth a great many of us travelling half way round the country. As quite a large portion of us are younger folk transport is another problem.
So the question I pose is;
How far would you travel, with all the costs involved, to watch bocking stars compete.
Personally not far because as Jason says it does become boring if your not involved.
On the other hand, if there was a big meet on at the same time and place with all the fun stuff that anyone can join in with, not necessarily competitive, and have a good time bocking and watching, possibly camping over to make the long journey worth while then a long journey would not be an issue.  Thinking more like a festival type event with serious and fun stuff for all levels.
 

[Jason]

Add the last two posts together and we have something that I think could be called

The Festival of Bocking 

Agree with you Q

And Snud you summed up the sort of event everyone would be happy with
The big boys can show us what they are made of and we lesser beings can have some fun too

When is it I want to book the time off 

Jason 

[Spud]

Snud, what you described is pretty much what capital bocking was. and capital bocking will happen again if somebody organises it. Look up aubria too. That is sorta like it too.

No offence guys but what this thread has really brought up is the fact people want another capital bocking. Locky proposed a serious international competition and a lot of suggestions have been to meet the wants and needs of the UK bocking scene and thats not an international comp. What you guys want is CB.

There can be more than 1 big UK event.
If you want a big event then organise it
Fun and games should happen all year around.

A competition is exactly that. Competitive. You can have a number of classes so begginers can be involved but at the same time nobody would be forced into it. I personally think that quite a few guys from the UK would go.

Anway. If you read one small part of this post let this part be it:

I believe the negative responses to this serious & competitive event is because if it goes ahead it will most likely be the only big meet the the UK and therefor the "highlight". But you do not want the highlight to be serious competition. You want the highlight to be for the wider community and a lot of fun and games (what we in the Uk are totally about) But you can't make this that event. If you don't like it the way forward is to make a huge UK meet...like capital bocking. But somebody will have to step forward.

I'm not explaining it well but I hope you understand and take something positive from it. Also, if somebody wants to translate my post into good english that makes more sense. Providing you get what I am trying to say pleaseeee do it My english has gone to pot recently!

[Locky]

Q, I'm not really going to respond to anything on your post. I'm sorry if you feel this is disrespectful but either I cant understand what you are trying to say or your post and my response is simply going to steer this topic in the wrong direction

Let me categorically state: I started this thread for some ideas and discussion. There is no event or competition planned. I am not in talks with anyone and dont really have my own ideas that differ largely what XS has suggested. There is no agenda here. I've simply been helping someone out with an international competition recently and wondered what people thought of a UK one.

Spud has hit the nail on the head. If you want to discuss the in's and out's of events then its true that there are very few people in the UK community willing to put in the time and effort to organise such effents. But tha'ts not what this topic is about.
It's a shame more people have not replied answering the original question. Perhaps that's because the X-Games style of competition fits so perfectly that there is nothing more to add. Who knows.

[Jason]

Ok guys a few points (I'd like to take off my Mods hat for a moment  )

Having read through this lot again I can't see anyone saying anything against having a big competitive event

The thread asked for sugestions and when some were made they were shot down as not being serious

I havn't played powerball and didn't think it was a good idea until I watched a game
But if you want a serious TEAM competition this is the only option at the moment and I believe it will take off as it is a chalenging and fun team sport

If what you want is an athletics only event feel free to organize it the way you want it and then run it
Then the people that don't want to go need not attend

But if you ask for opinions and then tell people they are stupid expect to get an answer you don't like

What I would hate to see is the sort of event that only serious competitors are allowed on bocks and all the other people walk around on their feet behind fences (To many good sports have gone this way and become boring)

One thing that comes to mind is that I was told but a Profesional Athelete that Bocking was stupid and dangerous and I should do some serious proper exercise instead
Do we really want our sport to become like that and loose the fun element

Sorry to be confrontational about this but I feel that FUN is part of bocking and if we become to Serious we will loose the family feeling

CB is a good meet up in an urban setting
The meaning I got from Snuds post was more like a Rock Festival but for bocking and with all joining in

Jason