A canadian unicycling association?

Hello all!

My Name is Michael, call me mike, and I'm approximatelly a level four
unicyclist. I've been accepted to the quebec school of circus arts,
spetializing in unicycling and juggling, and I'm working as a
unicycling instructor and secretary for the schools unicycling club. I
would like to begin networking with other unicycling groups to expand
the clubs horisons and attract more people to the sport. I've checked
out the unicon XIII wite and decided that I could probably find
unicycling events closer than switzerland.

I want to know if there is such a thing as a canadian unicycling
championships, UNICON style? Is there such a thing as a canadian
unicycling federation?
If not, seeing as there are by and far enough unicyclists in canada to
form one (the toronto unicyclists seem quite organized and we invade
ottawa regularly), let's! I'm thinking our first event could be
sometime early next summer, before unicon 13.

How many people would:

1) Participate in a canadian unicycling championships (unicon style
-whatever that means), even if it meant traveling across the country,
2) Organize local teams for a group freestyle event,
2) Help organize a canadian unicycling championships unicon style,
3) Think that it would work?


--
jenmichael2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
jenmichael2000's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8180
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

The Toronto Unicyclists hosted the USA National Unicycling
Convention/Championships in 2001. The Unicycling Society of America
welcomes members from all over the world, and has subsequently changed
the name and scope of our annual convention to North American
Championships instead of just U.S.

But Canada needs a national organization of its own. From the
IUF/Olympics point of view, the more countries with national unicycling
organizations the better!

One of the things you will have to decide for your championships is
whether you will admit competitors from outside Canada. On the one hand
it dilutes your Canadian champions, but on the other hand it encourages
top riders to attend, and show everyone the state of the art from other
places.

Good luck with (finally) getting the Canadian unicycling organization
off the ground!


--
johnfoss

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com

"Read the rules!" -- 'IUF Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/iuf/rulebook/) -- 'USA Rulebook'
(http://www.unicycling.org/usa/competition/)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
johnfoss's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

While I've done some large-scale organization before (canadian improv
games regional tournament anyone? 200 youngin's, five nights of play),
I most definitely don't have time to tackle something as huge as this.
I think everyone should have to pay their way there, but any way to cut
down on costs past initial travel is definitely the way to go. A city
with a large base of unicyclists is also definitely a plus, since
billeting becomes an option, as hotel rooms are expensive. Then you
need a schedule of events, possibly some awesome riders to spice things
up a bit, locations to hold all the events, and there is also the
possiblity of needing insurance. I'm sure there are lots of other
fiddly details that anyone who has organized something liek this can
let you in on, but it takes a lot of time. If you can snag any sponsors
or find a way to make some $$ for it to justify the time you put into
it, that's often the way to go.

And if you plan it, I will come


--
flyer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
flyer's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9894
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

Hi again!

The level of interest is encouraging Personally I could not tackle
the organizational chalenge right away, although if enough people are
interested I would definitelly help our all I could.

Something I have realized is that when I started unicycling, all I was
going on were vague images of clown, circus performers and unicyclists
gleaned from various books, stories, etc. (including a bear on a
unicycle that performed for the circus and finally did a number on a
tight-rope) Also that I had been juggling for many years and people
kept asking me whether I wanted to join the circus, etc. The clasic
circus act being juggling while on a unicycle, unicycling can't ever
have been far from my mind.
One day, I discovered that there was a unicycle nearby, and for some
reason I decided that I really wanted to have a go, to see finally what
thing was all about, etc. To my great surprise (I was well versed in
how long one has to practice some things before being successful), I
was able to go about 20 feet within about 20 minutes. Now, a few years
later, when people see me walking, they wonder what is wrong.
The point of this story is that only very recently have I learned of
the existance of unicycling federations and organizations, and so I
presume that a very large percentage of the population hasn't yet. I
think the best way to build interest in a canadian unicycling
federation would be to get hold of a documentary of a unicon gathering
with all the grandeur that it entails, and all the wild wonderful and
wacky and world class unicycling that it would include, as a way of
introducing people to some of what unicycling today is all about.

I taught unicycling to a circus class last winter, and tried to inspire
them with some videos I had obtained, and discovered that amateur group
freestyle preformances are not sufficient to inspire them. That is why
I am looking for videos of world class performers (which I know do
inspire them). With such materials in hand, I feel conficent that I
could begin building more interest in unicycling, and ultimatelly bring
groups to the point where they could present their own numbers, and be
enthusiastic enough about their accomplishments to want to meet other
unicyclists from accross the country, and foot the bill to get there.
If each of us could motivate a group in this way, and present our
numbers at the toque games, I think the canadian unicycling federation
could be considered to be well underway. -I can already think of three
or four groups of people who might be interested in participating, one
of which has fallen in love with me and unicycling and has prepared
just such a (desperatelly simple to be sure) performance. -I would just
like to get a hold of that video!


--
jenmichael2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
jenmichael2000's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8180
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

try showing them some videos of trial or street like DEFECT or U2


and owen...does that mean that we should create an army?

near me, there is a friend that is interested in flatland after seeing
defect...YAY

oh and i think that jeanmichael's post was the longuest that i ever
read on this site


--
kapoute

Damn my english sucks

Julien Renaud
------------------------------------------------------------------------
kapoute's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8060
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

Not just Defect, but also the KOXX freestyle video. I think a good
showcase of the best of the best doing what they do best in all the
'standard' aspects of the sport is a really good way to blow some
minds. Frankly, I don't think there's enough going on in the canadian
unicycle scene to do a documentary on it. Five minutes of wacky tricks
showcasing just the amount of variety in styles of unicycling could
definitely get some people interested.

You need a fair base of people before you can start planning a national
gathering though. You need hundreds of people willing to come, because
not nearly all of them will be able to make it, and .. well, it's crazy
organizing large groups of people. I think you'd need the whole sport
to be a bit more high profile before doing anything on a national
level.


--
flyer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
flyer's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9894
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

the freestyle thing......huuumm

I agree that it is the standard of unicycling but I dont like it, it
could change (I hope it will)


--
kapoute

Damn my english sucks

Julien Renaud
------------------------------------------------------------------------
kapoute's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8060
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

How big is the 'Association de Monocycle de Québec'
(http://www.monocycle.org/)? It looks like they've got a big group.


--
john_childs

john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
Gallery: http://gallery.unicyclist.com/john_childs
'Unicycling Bookmark List' (http://backcountry.unicyclist.com/) ::
'World Clock' (http://tinyurl.com/a99y3) :: 'Click Me'
(http://tinyurl.com/7lvbu)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

not exist anymore


--
kapoute

Damn my english sucks

Julien Renaud
------------------------------------------------------------------------
kapoute's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8060
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138

Damn, their website did a couple weeks ago...


--
evil-nick

Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total
obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and
through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see
its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will
remain.

* Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear.

I'm late for checkers with the Dalai Lama!

My gallery:
http://evil.linuxfreak.ca/uni.html
Our Club:
http://cs.ubishops.ca/~buuc/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
evil-nick's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/6692
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/44138