Canyoneering a sport?

[hank moon]

Wrong question. Canyoneering is whatever it means to you personally. Whether it is a sport or not raises questions of style, ethics and intent. Traditionally, sports have a competitive component and since anything can be made to be competitive, it follows that any activity can be engaged as a sport.

Consider these sporting metrics:

- time spent doing a canyon
- distance covered
- number of repeats
- anchor preferences
- other style points (ghosted it, did it nude, etc.)

If you find yourself highly interested in your "performance," and compare yours with others' on a regular basis, and especially if you try to better your performance based on that of others,

Canyoneering may be a sport to you, at least sometimes.

[mzamp]

You didn't provide the complete quote from the Oxford Dictionary....

[mass noun, usually with adjective] success or pleasure derived from an activity such as hunting or fishing:

There is a lot more: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sport

True, but there are hunting and fishing competitions.

"success or pleasure derived from an activity" - That makes my GF a sport.

And Felicia, Don't believe everything you read...unless I wrote it.

[Iceaxe]

There are also official canyoneering competitions. The most recent I can think of is the North Wash race to benefit Wayne County SAR.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[mzamp]

Wrong question. Canyoneering is whatever it means to you personally. Whether it is a sport or not raises questions of style, ethics and intent. Traditionally, sports have a competitive component and since anything can be made to be competitive, it follows that any activity can be engaged as a sport.

Consider these sporting metrics:

- time spent doing a canyon
- distance covered
- number of repeats
- anchor preferences
- other style points (ghosted it, did it nude, etc.)

If you find yourself highly interested in your "performance," and compare yours with others' on a regular basis, and especially if you try to better your performance based on that of others,

Canyoneering may be a sport to you, at least sometimes.

I agree that canyoneering is whatever it means to you. I don't agree that simply loving canyoneering makes it a sport. Personally, I don't do it to be competitive. In fact I would rather not canyoneer with the macho "let's put our junk on the table and measure" BS. I love to challenge myself and test my mettle. I love the outdoors and the beauty of nature and I love to share that with friends, family, and other "fun" people that I meet. YMMV!

[mzamp]

There are also official canyoneering competitions. The most recent I can think of is the North Wash race to benefit Wayne County SAR.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

That's why I said in my original post. None that "I" know of. That's cool. In that case it "can" be a sport.

[Stray]

In order to get rid of calling ballet, diving, gymnastics, high jump, running, etc. a sport, I long ago accepted this definition:

"A sport is anything with a team and a ball"

I am willing to accept that most athletic activities, even competitive ones like fencing , climbing, golf, and are not sports.

Does canyoneering have a team and a ball: Nope! Not a sport.

[hank moon]

Does canyoneering have a team and a ball: Nope! Not a sport.

Depends. On this day we had multiple teams and balls.






http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...l=1#post312857

[Iceaxe]

Looks like a sport to me any way you slice it :-)

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[mzamp]

[tjdowling]

Like many things, I think what canyoneering "is" falls on a spectrum. It has sport like elements. It also has non-sport like elements. If a sport is on one side of the spectrum and an activity is on the other, I'd say it falls closer to an activity since there is no competition per se. On the other hand, it requires talent, skill, and practice to be good at it... kind of like a sport.

[Bshelton]

KEYHOLE
http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69181

I believe this would count as competition or a race.