Well, we guess it had to happen, Extreme Ironing, perhaps the last
bastion of sporting purity on earth has finally fallen into the
clutches of mega-buck, multinational sponsors.
In a thinly disguised attempt to corner the lucrative market in
iron sales to climbers and other extreme sports people, German
ironing giant Rowenta has stepped in to sponsor the Extreme Ironing
World Championships in Münich on 21/22 September.
Apparently, and we quote Rowenta's press release: 'In September
150 loonies - sorry dedicated ironists - will take their Rowenta
steam irons where steam irons have never ventured before'.
'Rowenta irons'? Surely in a cutting edge sport like this,
contestants should be able to choose their own tools regardless of
brand? It may be ironing, but is it right.
For those so far unsmoothed by the advance of extreme ironing, the
object of the British-invented sport is, somewhat predictably, to
iron in extreme and dangerous places. Members of the British team,
allegedly favourites for the tournament, have ironed on cliff faces,
in a blizzard on Pike's Peak at 14,000 feet, while skiing, surfing
and on Crib Goch.
The big issue of course, is whether the corporate mega-bucks will
push the sport to the stratospheric levels or soccer or professional
golf and make it inaccessible to normal, everyday people. It would be
a tragedy if that were to happen...
For more details see the two previous OM articles linked below and
visit the Extreme
Ironing web site.
