a

eo eee “name SEEM ~

DESTROYING THE DEVONSBIRE (bottom left and right) again was fast part of the spectacle last weekend at the ‘
seventh annual world belly-flop and cannonball diving championships in North Vancouver. Close to a thousand

people received a great deal of pleasure from watching weighty types such as Paul Kell (top left) jump into a
swimming pool. (Eric Eggertson photos)

Stretching the boundaries of sport

By PAT RICH

The media covers sports
events.

First you have the sports
event, then you have the
coverage.

This is a basic fact, which
has a nice sort of logical nng
to it.

Given that fact. a sports
event in which the media
coverage comes first 1s
somewhat suspect

Take for
Saturday's seventh annual
world belly-flop and = can-
oonball diving cham
pronships held at the Coach
House Inn ain North Van

crample

couver

Ihe cvent was being
fitmed by the NBC television
network oan fact the event
appeared to be cun solely for
the benefit of the tele vision
cameras

When the cameras were
oo things happened When
the cameras were turned off
the event ceased to cxist

For cxrample. a lengthy
delay occurred after the first
round of cannonball dives
when the NBC camera got
wet and had to be dined off
While the camera was being
dned the achon stopped

It was all a profound
comment on reality.

For those who don't
already know, 310 pound
Brian Uticy from Calgary
walked away with the world
championship trophy,
$1,000 in cash and the
coveted green bathrobe.

He appeared later to take
a victory lap at the BC.
football game in
Empire Stadium, perhaps to
prove that the cntire cvent

Lions

did not take place in a sort of

time-space warp scparatc
from the real world.
Close to 1,000 people

attended to watch Uticy and
several other fat pcople
propel themselves into the
swimming pool. ;
Billed as a test of athleuc
skill most of the compcttors
concentrated on their stylc
outside the pool | striving to
outdo their opponents in
costumes and gimmicks.

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Compared to the crowd,
the competilors were shining
examples of civilized
behaviour.

Por cxample, when Uticy
winded himsclf after his
bellyflop and had to be
pulled to the side of the pool,
one of the spectators at-
tempted to pour beer on him
while he was being given
medical attention

I'm sorry, I can't
about this any more

waite

AURORA

UITRALIGHIS

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