Bad Halfpipe Attack Technique

[Captain Obvious]

There were a lot of really bad showing on the Halfpipe Attack this tournament *from people who passed the obstacle*.

Several tournaments back, Daisuke Miyazaki drew attention for taking multiple swings on the rope before dismounting the obstacle. In some sense, this was to avoid a careless error. However, more and more contestants have been taking 2 or even more swings on the rope.

I contend that this is the result of failing to plan ahead. First instinct is "run faster to finish faster", but getting too much speed in a direction parallel to the Halfpipe Attack wall is counterproductive. By going 'too fast', competitors are creating an undesirable trajectory for their rope swing. When they don't get an opportunity to dismount the obstacle until they have returned to the wall to course-correct one or more times, it's really their own fault.

It's not fair to say "no wonder that person timed out on Stage 1" in all of these cases, but I can't help but think that a little more forethought about this obstacle and a slightly slower run-up and jump-off might have gotten Shingo, Kanno, and (dare I say) Yamada into Stage 2.

Anyone else annoyed at this?

[davidyko]

I agree; I think what you say makes sense. I also think that dealing with this (presumably) unforseen circumstance shakes competitors' mental preparedness for the Warped Wall. Had Shingo and Kanno not done a double-Miyazaki on the HPA, I think it would've taken those two a couple of tries maximum for the WW. (Yamada I believe has a mental block of a different sort, but I think that's a discussion for another topic.)

It could also be that the rope was moved for 24. A lot of competitors did seem to mess up this time around, especially compared to previous ones.

[bigblind168]

I completely agree, and it may have given them all the leg strength needed to beat the wall in one or 2 shots.

And David, did they do a double miyazaki, or a kanno?

[japantv1210]

I agree with this as well. I also think that some competitors fail to "manhandle" the rope so to speak and to adjust their bodies to prepare for the landing. For example, if I remember correctly, Nagano always shifts his body while on the rope so that he lands facing the Halfpipe wall and so that he is perpendicular to the ground to prepare for the landing. When Yuuji Urushihara took more than one attempt for the landing of the Halfpipe Attack in Sasuke 23, his body was facing away from the wall while he was starting to spin more, and he couldn't get a good angle to land with. Where as in Sasuke 24, Yuuji wasn't spinning as much and landed facing towards the Halfpipe wall. I feel that this could be a factor in the multiple attempts as well.

[obakemono]

A lot of people were grabbing the rope too high, so that the range of their swing was less and they didn't go far enough for an easy drop to the platform. I remember seeing a couple of people, can't remember who, grabbing high and then dropping their grip down a little before they landed.