Page 149 - 2022-08-01 Paddling Magazine

KAYAKING
THE ONLY TRUE COMPETITION IS WITH OUR-
SELVES, ARGUES SHUFF. AGREE OR DISAGREE?
PHOTO: ELIZABETH GADD

WATERLINES
Fool’s Gold

Sea kayaking will never be an Olympic event and is richer for it. Here’s why. by tim shuff

ACCORDING TO THE DUTCH SCHOLAR Johan development assembly line so there will be greater Needless to say, I didn’t last long in the business.
Huizinga, play exists on the margins. “A free activity numbers of entry-level products sold, more coaches Whenever a sport gets caught up in the mass mar-
standing quite consciously outside ordinary life as who can make a career of it, more airlines can sell keting machine of commerce and competition, it
being ‘not serious,’” he defines it. tickets to events in far-off places, and so on. becomes harder to separate what’s essential about the
Many outdoor adventure sports were created in Granted, it’s nice to share the benefits and joys of pursuit from all the distractions: titles, trophies, toys,
this spirit by tinkering renegades and free thinkers the sports we love with the masses. And a greater pool and gadgets. Once so-called success in a sport starts
turning their back on the spotlight of competition of participants from a greater range of ages and back- to be defined on a measurable continuum, Huizinga’s
and the big business of sponsorship and sales. But grounds brings with it a higher level of performance realm of the “not serious” departs.
most of these sports have changed. The quintessential and exponential innovations in technique and equip- Look what has happened to running. Recreational
counterculture pursuits of mountain biking, rock ment. New talent comes out of the woodwork, and runners now have to consider whether they want
climbing and surfing were all featured in the Olympic it’s inspiring to watch elite athletes break records and to shell out twice as much money to buy the latest
Games in 2021, the pinnacle of mainstream sellout. exceed the bounds of what we ever thought possible. shoes, like the Nike Vaporfly, which allegedly make
We celebrate this as progress, but why? Despite these benefits, I remain a contrarian, and you four percent faster for twice the cost.
High-profile competition brings money, power and a selfish one at that. Because I wonder, why would I Ditto for gear-obsessed cycling, which saw all its
influence to various entities involved in promoting, want my outdoor sports to become more popular? I pro riders switch to racing with disc brakes. Dis-
officiating and outfitting these sports. Manufacturers asked myself this question repeatedly when I briefly graced former racer Lance Armstrong lauded this
can sell more widgets, convincing more people they worked in the outdoor industry and heard people at innovation, saying on his podcast it would be great
need the best and newest gear, and promote their conferences talk about “growing the sport” as if it were for the industry because all the amateur riders would
brands so non-participants will want to be seen in a house plant. Wouldn’t it just mean more people in want to go out and buy new bikes. How typical of the
their logo clothing. It also brings more kids into the the places where I go to get away from them? bike business, which is great at making everybody

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