No, we have not forgotten the rest of the world. That
is one of the reasons we want to develop this skills
origin series and give a chance to people on E-Mail to
comment. We want to credit people who has
contributed. The more that time elapses, the more
truth may get distorted.
In another letter John wrote:
>Javier Ruiz claims to have executed this skill (450 to
>hopping on wheel) first having done so within the past
>year, yet it is listed in the IUF Standard Skills List from
>1988, which is perhaps where he got the motivation...
>The trick was invented, but had not yet been done.
All is correct. The trick had been invented, by Javier back
in 1987, when he mastered the 270 to hopping. Sem
Abraham was working in an updating of the Skills List.
Carlos Medina sent most of the new skills that had been
developed by himself, Jose Roman, Javier Ruiz & Javier's
cousin, Ernesto.
Among those trick was the 270 to hopping which Javier &
Ernesto did on tandem at UNICON IV in 1988. Also the 450
to hopping which he still couldn't do, Remember, he was 14.
I plan to discuss in the future other skills developed on the
last 7 years. Stuff like backward gliding (John Foss?),
side ride on a giraffe (Brett Bernard), etc.
I would like somebody else to initiate discussion on skills
developed before 1986. Remember, I was too young to ride
then (I learned when I was 40 years old).
How did Walk the wheel got started? How about Gliding?
For definition purpose, walk the wheel is when both of your
feet are off the pedals & at least one is on the tire, pushing
it. Gliding is similar except only 1 foot may touch the tire &
it cannot push it.
Gliding is more difficult than wheel walking probably for the
same reason that you have more control of your car when
you acelerate than when you brake.
Coasting is when your feet are off the pedal & off the tire.
That, of course is more difficult than gliding. In a previous
letter, John Foss, who probably knows as much as
anybody about unicycling worldwide, credits a Swede
named Joakim Malm for doing coasting first.
Alberto Ruiz, Director
International Unicycling Federation
Ruizb@aol.com