Election Announcement.

[Adam Trahan]

August of 2003 will mark the one-year anniversary of http://www.slalomskateboarder.com We have come a long way to establish a web site that promotes international participation in the sport of slalom skateboarding. This site is a volunteer project, non-commercial in nature and reflects the views of it's participants. It is born of slalom skateboard racers and the International Skateboard Slalom Association and has administration found around the globe.

In order to continually increase the quality of this web site and it's organization, it is imperative to have it's editorial change hands at the direction of it's membership. At the point of one year, I will relinquish my duties if I am not elected as the editor, to the new representative who will administer this forum. At that time, my participation will take a back seat to this new editor and I will help assist with the functions of this forum/web site.

To meet the needs of our membership, it is important to remain dynamic. Slalom Skateboarding and it's participants demand a open forum where their voices can be heard in regards to the sport that they are so passionate to be involved. The editorship should change to meet the dynamic nature. In my experience with slalom skateboarding and international web based forums, I think the best choice in direction should come from the voice of it's membership.

I present to you this challenge. As a membership, elect a representative to administer the needs of this forum/web site. Remembering where this organization came from and direct it to where you want it to go. I will relinquish my editorial to this elected member from the membership on August 1, 2003 and that representative will hold this position for one year where again this person will administer an election to find a new editor for direction.

There will be a new forum called "Elections" and nominations will be in this forum. You may not nominate yourself and nominations need a second and third backing to become a candidate. I will continue with my duties if I am nominated and voted by the membership.

Please remember that a second and third backing as well as an acceptance from the nominated member is required before a vote can be held.

[Brady Mitchell]

Adam,
After reading your post, I am perplexed on 2 issues...

Why are you even thinking of relenquishing editorial control? You have clearly created a great online resource that without the known editorial control, it may not have the spark it now has.

And the issue of the ISSA. Is this really an extension of the ISSA? From what weak knowledge I have, the course setting and rule making of the ISSA left a lot to be desired with everyone`s (west and east europe) differant philosophy of what slalom disciples should be. May I make a suggestion of maybe switching gears and offer this site as an extension of the USSSA? There is already some momentun with the UKSA. Maybe germany and swiss will forn tier own. This site IS US bound but can still be the guiding light as a world forum. I think all slalomers worldwide can except and appreciate a US lead coalition (at this time). I just think there were too many faults of the ISSA that don`t need be repeated. Let the USSSA and others (UKSSA, GSSA-germany, SSSA-swiss, FSSA-france, etc), take a new approach on governing or guiding the sport. That and the USSSA needs a place to grow. And GBJ has a strong head on it`s direction.

My vote for Head Editor... ARA,,,uh, ADAM T...heh heh !!!

[Hans Koraeus]

Brady,
After reading your post, I am perplexed on several issues...

1. "Why is Adam even thinking of relenquishing editorial control?"
Firstly, editorial control will not be abandoned if Adam would leave his head moderator title to someone else.
Secondly, there are already many other topic moderators doing this in the forum also.
Thirdly, I think Adam is seeing this as an international platform for slalom skateboarers by slalom skatboarders. He does not want to have/give the feeling he is the self-appointed head of all this. He wants to feel that he has the support of the slalom community. I think what he is proposing is perfectly logical. Then we support him for staying at his post by making our voices heard, not by taking away the democracy idea.

2. "Is this really an extension of the ISSA?"
In the idea yes. Officially no. This is an international site on a world wide web. Only an international association could be put on the same level. To make this project an extension to any one specific local association would be a big misstake. It should be an extension of all such associations.

3. "The course setting and rule making of the ISSA left a lot to be desired with everyone`s (west and east europe) differant philosophy of what slalom disciples should be."
The ISSA rules was a result of all the international members at the time and opposite of your point it was desired by everyone. The current rules is the result of how the international slalom scene was 10-15 years ago. Time changes and I agree that some rules could be overlooked again. But again, this is not done by eliminating ISSA. This is done by proposing changes. Why not contact John Gilmour who is the current ISSA contact for USA?

It is a common misunderstanding that ISSA only recognizes slalom as being the disciplines it has put up rules for. It was just a help for all skaters to know what to expect when coming to a competition with those 3 disciplines. If an organizer wants to set up complementary disciplines, fine. In those the participants know that they will just have to take it for what it is. The problem is often time. In the ISSA contest Verrières open in Paris in 1995 we had 8 different disciplines. 3 according to ISSA rules. The rest was a bonus including the 100-cone race.

4. "May I make a suggestion of maybe switching gears and offer this site as an extension of the USSSA?".
You may make the suggestion but I'm convinced and hopeful that this will never happen. I'm against any local association taking over this international site. And by the way, USSSA is already a part of it, as are many others.

5. "I think all slalomers worldwide can except and appreciate a US lead coalition (at this time)."
You are wrong. Because I can't.

6. "I just think there were too many faults of the ISSA that don`t need be repeated."
Please repeat them! Maybe we can make things better. And don't forget that this very site, as Adam himself puts it, was born out of slalom skateboard racers AND ISSA.

7. "the USSSA needs a place to grow"
Well, please let USSSA feel free to create their own site if they feel the need. Apart from that, they are welcomed with open arms on this site as are any other associations working for slalom skateboarding.

8. "My vote for Head Editor"
At least finally something we seems to agree on. I also think Adam is doing a great job and should stay at his post for another year.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Hans Koraeus on 2003-05-03 18:29 ]</font>

[John Gilmour]

I also think Adam is doing a fine job as head editor. Adam has no regional bias- he works somewhat in a vacuum. He has no reason to try to redirect the sport in one direction or another.

I also feel this site is for all slalomers ones that don't like the ISSA rules and ones that do like the ISSA rules. All types of slalom are welcome to be discussed here.

As the ISSA coordinator for the USA I try to make USA competitors understand the reasons for ISSA rules. I know this is not always easy.

Sometimes it is faster for people learn from mistakes- than to argue the point. Even if a person takes the ISSA point of view...without making trying a less than ideal solution he might not agree that the ISSA rule which perhaps was made with that mistake in mind.

There are times when I hold my tongue (see post on G3 slalom rules)- watch the mistake being made and wait to discuss it later. In time one might find that there are many logical reasons behind many of the ISSA rules.

And now- while the sport is small it is the best time to make small mistakes.

But this site is here for people to discuss everything including ISSA rules- but ISSA rules don't get changed without a vote and the voting members must truly consider to have the best in mind for the sport and the entire country they are representing. Most of the ISSA representitives have attended many contests as top competitors for many years in many different slalom areas and know first hand the effect of rules that are not sound. They often many hours of travel to discuss in depth what happened and how things could be improved.


Adam T. also has run other websites he knows what are sound website rules and what have proven to be unsound website rules. He knows when to hold his tongue and when to show both sides of the coin. It is not an easy job, and I feel Adam has done an excellent job.

Of course I nominate Adam T.

[Claude Regnier]

There has been a lot of Ill founded crap pointed at the ISSA.

Wether or not this site is aimed at furthering it's resurection can only be a positive thing.

Adam has done a fine (Volunteer) job here. One of the most useful things about the ISSA rules and regulations was that if you new absolutaly nothing about Slalom you could take a look at the Manual and with some work layout some good race courses.

Now tell me where else in the world could you find this information. It's 2003 now and you could compile every North American magazine, book and plenty of other stuff if could find it and still not come up with such complete information.

I first saw it 2001 (tks JG) and knowing the lack of organization in skating I still cannot help to think that this may have helped skating (especially Slalom)had it been done way back in the early days over here.