In the past few years, the Downhill scene in Argentina has been overshadowed by a main issue: the infamous eternal economical situation that hinders the normal development of non-conventional sports. So, legitimizing the activity within a legal framework may be one step into including it in the government’s agenda.
Even though there are amazing race tracks in provinces like San Luis (KMV - Nogolí), La Rioja (La Violenta), San Juan (Huaco, Punta Negra), Córdoba (Copina), Entre Ríos (Paraná), among many others, which could easily be included in the world tour competitions, event organizers always struggle to get support and permission from local authorities. And after they experience too many obstacles, they usually give up on the idea of proposing their spots as possible candidates for local and international races. Adding to this, athletes are forced to make great efforts in order to keep up with training and maintain their competitive status at world-ranking levels.
There have been many attempts to officialize training spots. Self-funded events have been created so that athletes can learn, practice, and improve their skills on a safe track. Mountain roads are guarded by traffic officials, and the organization team protects them with an inflatable system designed to make the event go as smoothly as possible.
However, as long as there is not an official institution to regulate and incorporate all representatives and athletes, there will be no sustained support from the authorities. Therefore, during this year of social distancing and isolation, brains kept moving and started machining the idea of getting together and doing the paperwork that has been delayed for so many years. With the prospect that DH may be included in the Olympics, and the realization of the World Roller Games in Argentina soon, province institutions are starting to organize and coordinate themselves in order to create a legal body to start fighting for the right to be recognized as an official sport.
There is still a long and rough road ahead, as there is much to be coordinated between the provinces and, above all, much to be learned in administrative matters. However, the initiative has already sprouted with great acceptance in every region of the country to lay the groundwork for the formation of a national institution aimed at legislating and promoting downhill sports in line with international regulations.
En Español:
En los últimos años, la escena del Downhill en Argentina se ha visto ensombrecida por un problema principal: la infame y eterna situación económica que dificulta el desarrollo normal de los deportes no convencionales. Por lo tanto, legitimar la actividad dentro de un marco legal puede ser un paso para incluirla en la agenda del gobierno.
A pesar de que hay pistas de carreras increíbles en provincias como San Luis (KMV - Nogolí), La Rioja (La Violenta), San Juan (Huaco, Punta Negra), Córdoba (Copina), Entre Ríos (Paraná), entre muchas otras, que podrían incluirse fácilmente en las competencias de la gira mundial, los organizadores de eventos siempre luchan por obtener el apoyo y el permiso de las autoridades locales. Y después de experimentar demasiados obstáculos, generalmente renuncian a la idea de proponer sus pistas como posibles candidatos para carreras locales e internacionales. Además de esto, los atletas se ven obligados a hacer grandes esfuerzos para mantenerse al día con el entrenamiento y mantener su estatus competitivo a niveles de rango mundial.
Ha habido muchos intentos de oficializar los lugares de entrenamiento. Se han creado eventos autofinanciados para que los atletas puedan aprender, practicar y mejorar sus habilidades en una pista segura. Las rutas de montaña son custodiadas por oficiales de tránsito, y el equipo de la organización protege las pistas con un sistema de inflables diseñado para que el evento se desarrolle con los menores problemas posibles.
Sin embargo, mientras no haya una institución oficial para regular e incorporar a todos los representantes y atletas, no habrá apoyo sostenido de las autoridades. Por lo tanto, durante este año de distanciamiento y aislamiento social, los cerebros se mantuvieron en movimiento y comenzaron a maquinar la idea de reunirse y hacer el papeleo que se viene retrasado durante tantos años. Con la perspectiva de que el DH se incluya en los Juegos Olímpicos, y la realización de los World Roller Games en Argentina próximamente, las instituciones de la provincia están comenzando a organizarse y coordinarse para crear un organismo legal que comience a luchar por el derecho a ser reconocido como un deporte oficial.
Todavía queda un camino largo y difícil por recorrer, ya que hay mucho que coordinar entre las provincias y, sobre todo, mucho que aprender en materia administrativa. Sin embargo, la iniciativa ya germinó con gran aceptación en todas las regiones del país para sentar las bases para la formación de una institución nacional destinada a legislar y promover los deportes de descenso en línea con la normativa internacional.
Sobre el Autor/ About the Author: Elina Pascucci
Personal Info
English and Portuguese teacher and translator
eli.pascu@gmail.com
54-9-266-4304899
DISCIPLINE: Downhill Skateboarding
CATEGORY: Feminine (Amateur – Open)
YEARS OF PRACTICE: 10 years
MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION:
- Founding member and President of ADG-SL (Gravity Sports Association – San Luis Argentina) from 2011 to 2020
- Official Training Events and Races Organizer in San Luis Argentina
I consider myself a better organizer than a racer! I’m not good at competing but I love when athletes go home exhausted but happy after enjoying a great non-stop full-downhill weekend in a safe track with no other worries than giving their best at every run.
Contact photographer Maximiliano Torres on Facebook and Instagram.
To apply to be an IDF writer, please email the IDF Board of Directors at BOARD@InternationalDownhillFederation.org
