ASRA - Australian Skateboard Racing Association

New Future for Downhill Skateboarding

Welcome to the new future of downhill skateboarding. Over the last five years ASRA has run both World Cup and World Championship downhill events under the banner of the IGSA. While we have had many successes in this relationship we have also had many struggles in the way we believe the international scene should be headed.

At this time and with the growth in our sport, ASRA needs to affiliate with a group that is more closely aligned with the democratic and accountability structures of a real international sporting association. We could no longer adhere to an international company that had complete control over our sport without any accountability to its stakeholders. Without our voices being heard we continued to battle from the inside to reform and modernize a body that refused to change. This has made it very difficult and very expensive for us to give our sport the dynamic and exciting future it deserves. Considering ASRA has had so much skin in the game over the last five years we felt it imperative that Australian voices are heard at the board level of a legitimate internationally elected body - a federation more closely aligned with the structure and principles that govern ASRA. The Australian Skateboard Racing Association has now aligned with a new international structure under the banner of the International Downhill Federation (IDF).

We have come to a stage in our sports development where ASRA believes our sport at an international level must become more rider focused. It must support and give voice to event organisers, and it must be fully accountable and transparent both in decision making and financially. This new structure will create a body elected by its members, a legitimate association that responds to its stakeholders and gives voice to its riders. This will not be a one-man show, but a body elected by the riders, event organisers and other stakeholders that have put so much into this sport. It will promote events that can stand on their own two feet and support new growth in our sport. It will be a body looking to innovate, respond, and change to develop our sport into the exciting product we all know it is. With this ASRA has joined with the IDF to take World Cup racing to a new level.

Australia's two World Cup events at Mt Keira and Bathurst will now move to this new structure and form a core part of the 2013 World Cup circuit under the IDF. We are super excited about the future of Downhill Skateboarding both in Australia and internationally and believe the IDF is the positive next stage to the sports development.

There are many more details to be worked out but I can promise you this; ASRA with the IDF are working hard to take downhill skateboarding to a new level of growth and accountability internationally and we look forward to an awesome year of racing in 2013

Views: 6198

Tags: IDF, International Downhill Federation

Comment by Sakamoto on October 29, 2012 at 21:29

2012 is certainly turning out to be the year of big changes.

You've mentioned skateboarding, Robbo, and the question is begging to be asked: the other IDF posts have strongly indicated that Streetluge and Classic Luge will be equal billing, rights and support, including prize money, as skateboarding. Will that be the same for Kiera and Newton's Nation, the three disciplines being included on an equal level.

You've also mentioned transparency for ASRA/IDF, based on democracy and the riders voting board members in, etc. does that mean that a luger or classic rider, a rider whom has been entrenched in these disciplines, be allowed to be voted onto the ASRA Board?

Cheers.

Comment by Robbo on October 29, 2012 at 21:55

I can't talk about every specific about the IDF all i can talk about at this stage is our alignment with the IDF. As far as Keira and Bathurst go we do not consider that 10-15% of our riders have equal billing with the other 85%, our main event as is the case all over the world is Downhill Skateboarding and I don't think anybody can deny that, to do otherwise would be an injustice to the vast majority of competitors and sponsors at our events

You may or may not have read our associations constitution Andy but if you have you would be aware that we cannot just appoint somebody to the board of ASRA, once a year we have nominations and elections, every member has a right to nominate and vote on board positions be that skateboard, luge or any other member. To get a board spot you must be voted on by the members, not appointed by the directors. I don't think we can be any more transparent than that. As far as I know your not a member of ASRA Andy so you may not be aware of this.

Comment by Sakamoto on October 29, 2012 at 22:22

Thanks for that Robbo, that pretty well answers everything..

Cheers


ASRA Admin
Comment by bernie on October 29, 2012 at 22:31
Robbo,
is it based here?
How many other countries are on board?
Will it apply for IOC membership?

Is the name finalised?
( I think Downhill Federation Internationale might be better for European connections)
You might also want to google the initials IDF!
Comment by Robbo on October 29, 2012 at 22:55

I don't mind the name, but who it comes up against on google is always a bit of a lottery.

It will be federated in France and within this structure will be done under the protocols of international sporting federations like the IOC, government bodies, and many others including the Australian Sports Commission here.

I can't really give you complete details yet other than to say that many countries will have some form of representation. One can create delegates for different countries but true alignment can only really occur between proper national associations which unlike Australia not all countries have. All I can say is that it will be very representative of those that have a big stake in the game

Comment by Michael English on November 5, 2012 at 22:05

lets see the rule book... what restrictions on gear are there, what standards have to be met ect ect


ASRA Admin
Comment by Bugs on November 5, 2012 at 22:39

Those details are still being worked out. At this stage it's likely there won't be enormous changes with regards to rules about gear, but if you have particular concerns, let us know. 

Comment by Michael English on November 6, 2012 at 8:31

helmets are what most of the crew up here want to know about. That and will there still be buttboarding at newtons?


ASRA Admin
Comment by Bugs on November 6, 2012 at 9:00

If what you're thinking is about being able to use the lighter paragliding helmets, then I agree with you, and I'll put that view with whatever force I can muster.

You will have the opportunity to defend your crown at Newton's. Keira may be different though - not sure if any luge will happen there. Ideally I'd like to merge the two luge disciplines, with the new discipline limiting the length and width of a luge to the current classic luge dimensions, but allowing whatever trucks and wheels you want. In other words it'd be buttboard without all the other crazy "classic" rules.


ASRA Admin
Comment by Bugs on November 6, 2012 at 9:01

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