Throwing footwear

[Dirka Skene]

Is this some Highland Games stuff? What's a claber?

[Dirka Skene]

Discus throwers just use soccer cleats. They're light and don't stick too much.

[beowulf67]

Saw this twice at the Gatlinburg games last year. I don't know how the gents throwing got away unscathed! Muddy ground and both slid at the end and ended up on their a$$e$ with the caber in the air centered between their outstretched legs! I thought they would be singing sopran for sure! Luckily the caber had enough momentum to continue forward and they were OK. Broke 2 cabers though!

It was the same guy both times. His name's Mike, but I don't remember his last name right off. He said it's amazing how much strength you have to push the caber away when it's dropping towards you!

Did you compete there, KCW? Are you going back this year?

[beowulf67]

Dirka,
Yes it's highland games stuff. The caber is the big telephone pole looking thing that the extremely handsome guys in kilts are tossing.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Beowulf67,

Yes, I was there, along with Heathbar, Barclay, and Phinz. And the illustrious Matt Newsome and his entourage, of course!

I did not compete, just went for fun and to meet up with some XMarkers. I would like to go back this year, but have not checked the date yet. I assume you were there as well? How could we have missed a guy in a kilt!

[Dirka Skene]

Dirka,
Yes it's highland games stuff. The caber is the big telephone pole looking thing that the extremely handsome guys in kilts are tossing.

Gasp! Oooohhhhh, are they gonna have those at the Games in Arkansas???!!!

[beowulf67]

Gasp! Oooohhhhh, are they gonna have those at the Games in Arkansas???!!!

Behold the power of the caber!!!

They should have it at Arkansas. It's one of the favorite events for spectators.

[beowulf67]

Beowulf67,

Yes, I was there, along with Heathbar, Barclay, and Phinz. And the illustrious Matt Newsome and his entourage, of course!

I did not compete, just went for fun and to meet up with some XMarkers. I would like to go back this year, but have not checked the date yet. I assume you were there as well? How could we have missed a guy in a kilt!

I'm easy to pick out in the crowd on the field. Look for all the big guys throwing, and then you'll see the little guy out there. That's me.

I'll be back this year as well. It's May 18-20. Hope to meet you and other X-markers there.

[Phil E. Begg]

Well, when are they going to put Welly-Whanging into the Highland games? That is what this is all about, innit? Throwing footwear? Is there some other interpretation of... oh. Never mind...






Phil

[Alan H]

I threw discus in high school and two years in college, and then did a mess of all-comer meets in the mid 90's. You throw discus in a (usually concrete) smooth ring, not on the grass. It would be really ugly to use the same technique on the grass as you use in the ring, you'd rip tendons out of your knees in no time!

Discus and shot put (also done in a smooth, hard ring) shoes are actually rubber-soled but treadless. They need to be able to spin/rotate on the smooth surface without putting torque on your knees, but yet support your foot. They're totally useless for any other function..well...except for hammer!

When I say "spin" for putting the stone, it's actually a "hop-spin" because I'm wearing cleats on the grass. If I tried the same maneuver throwing shot in a concrete ring, it'd "work" but I wouldn't get the distance I used to get when spinning properly in a crouch.

Best all-time discus throw (with a Masters 4k disc..1999) 148' 5"
Best all-time shot put (with a Masters shot... 1999) 41' 3"