ABC WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS IN ZION

Photos and text: Olaf Mitchell

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In the spring of 1978 I was hired by ABC Wide World of Sports to be part of an elite technical film crew  covering a live ascent of  Angle’s Landing in Zion National Park ,Utah by George Willig and Steve Matous
(By clicking the on highlighted text you get additional information) 

Our crew consisted of :
Bruce Sposi,
Brent Bingham,
Ron Matous,
Rick Ridgeway,
Ron Kaulk,
Dale Bard,
Mike Hoover
Beverly Johnson.

We arrived in Zion a few days early so we could do some rock climbing before the production work started. 

Our  scope of work for the first week consisted of flying by helicopter from the ranger station to a remote location at a place called Observation Point.

 We were to guard the state of the art micro wave equipment that was going to broadcast the climb via satellite to every country in the world. This had never been attempted prior to this event.

We had to educate both the ABC Wide World Of Sports technical crew and broadcast team about rock climbing and the equipment the ascent team would be using on the wall.

Back in that time every camera had to be hard wired with heavy coaxial cables. So we had to string the entire length of the wall with the heavy cable.

That meant rigging a Tyrolean Traverse across the raging Virgin River at the base of the wall. Then we ferried the heavy coaxial cables and equipment across the river to the base of the wall.

Next, via helicopter, we transported all the rest of gear that was necessary to rig the wall for the film crew to move along with the climbers.

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 We started at the top and fixed ropes all the way down to the base of the climb. As we fixed the ropes we strung the cables as well.

This was no small chore. It was an honor to be working with the likes of Mike, Beverly, Rick, Ron, and Dale on this aspect of the shoot.

 The rest of our crew was busy with the vast amount of other logistical tasks that needed to be addressed in order for the event to air on the following Saturday and Sunday. Tests had to be made and technical glitches had to be trouble shot.

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 This event had the largest budget ever allotted by ABC Sports in its history including the Olympics according to Larry Cam the executive producer of Wide World Of Sports

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The logistics of producing a live television broadcast of a free ascent of a rock wall that George nor Steve had any prior personal experience with, was astronomical.That, combined with the time schedules of the ABC network programming.

 The first day we were on the air I was assigned to a position on the summit. Ron was assisting Mike and Dale was assisting Bev. Also, Rick was on the wall handling the back up support for the onsite camera locations.

 I managed the portable power unit that supplied the two video cameras that Mike and Beverly were shooting with on the wall. I was also the radio link that transferred verbal information between the camera crew that was on the wall to the technical command center that was on the ground at the production headquarters site.  I was also to stand ready as a technical back up for the team, in the event that, ANY unforeseen issue occurred on the wall during and after the broadcast.

That first day was grueling and quite stressful due to the distance between my post and where the actual climbing and shooting was taking place.

The second day of the broadcast was much different.  I was assigned to the ground crew until the program was over.  Then I was to catch a ride from the base production compound in the helicopter to assist with removing all the production equipment that we had on the wall.

It was really fun hanging out at the base of operations and enjoying the show with telescopes and closed circuit TV

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While I was having grand time on the ground, all was not going well on the wall. George and Steve were pushing as hard as they could to make the networks  time schedule but they were not going to make the summit before the end Wide World’s allotted  time slot. The network was going to move on to their next program which was the hugely popular Sunday NFL Football game. 

In the last minutes left in the program, a miracle happened!

 George Willig was obviously aware of the programming time crunch and was charging hard to make the summit when he slipped and free fell about thirty-five feet.

Always the professional, Mike Hoover had George dead center of his lens when he fell. Mike‘s camera followed him perfectly for the entire length of his dramatic plummet!

Steve’s belay held and George was OK.

The entire country and who know many people all around the world were watching these two men risking their lives thousands of feet from the ground and they had just witnessed their new hero fall through mid air!

When Jim McKay, the  renowned sports announcer announced to the world viewing audience, “ Stay tuned for ABC ‘s coverage of the NFL Football game, the phones lines  at ABC headquarters  were jammed with angry viewers  demanding that they continue the broadcast.

I remember the call coming in over our video monitors to Larry Cam, the executive producer of the show. It was the president of ABC Broadcasting saying, “Forget the sponsors Larry, and Keep those cameras rolling until George and Steve are safely on the summit! This is going to cost “Us” Millions, but, our ratings are through the roof!”

Everyone on our production team’s jaw dropped in utter disbelief!  This had never been done for any sporting event that Wide World Of Sports had covered, even the Olympics!

This is a quote from the ABC Wide World Of Sports: Wide World of Sports Highlights -- 1970s
ABC Sports Online 
 “April 22 & 23 George Willig's climb of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park almost ends a bit early when he falls on the way up, but he was able to complete the climb.”

After the production it was back to business.

I was approached by our local runner a girl named Susan. She asked if I could get her a ride in the helicopter. I pulled a few strings and got her on the chopper so she could meet George and Steve as they were starting to hike down.

We cleared the wall of all the production equipment and loaded the Helicopter to the maximum.

Everyone hiked the trail back down to base camp.

ABC Sports threw us a fantastic party that night!  Ron Kaulk and I kept it going at Susan’s place for a little while longer.

The next day we went rock climbing and then drove back to Denver /Boulder with cactus spines in us

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Sail Art Project

BY OLAF MITCHELL

About a year ago I was approached with an idea for a functional art project that was constructed entirely out of recycled windsurf sails. It sounded interesting and I gladly accepted the assignment.

When I mentioned this project my girlfriend Karen Lang of “North Shore Kite and Sail Repair” she was very excited and eager to help on a consulting basis.  Karen has been involved in the sail industry for nearly three decades. Karen also helped with the acquiring of the recycled sails. She made calls to various windsurf shop owners and windsurf equipment manufacturers based here on Maui. The response was great and we acquired enough recycled sails to do the project.

I can’t take credit for the Idea but I was allowed to design it and it was up to me to figure out how to construct it.

The idea was to create an effect like that of a beach that was haphazardly littered with every brand and style of windsurf sails. We were trying to achieve the same look as Hookipa on a crowded day or when a large wave sailing event is under way.

Not only did this art piece need to be constructed but it had to be simple to install, simple to remove and each of these tasks  had to be done within a matter of minutes. It also had to be stored conveniently and compactly.

My first task was to divide the distance into manageable increments. Once that calculation was made the frames were designed and we went into production.

Fortunately I had the perfect place to lay the entire assembly out in one piece. It was important not to break the continuity of this flowing mosaic.

Layout was the next challenge and I tried several different arrangements before the desired effect was achieved.

Once the layout pattern was agreed on I had to come up with a plan to cut this massive and unstable piece of material into individual panels.

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I designed a simple and mobile scaffold plank system that was only inches above my work so I had no problem accessing the task area.

 After thinking about my options, I decided on a four inch grinder with a cutoff wheel as my cutting tool.  This little machine cleanly cut through the multiple layers of materials with very little resistance.

The panels were temporarily fastened to the frames. I cut them out and I stacked and stored them in a convenient place.

One by one we addressed the bonding of the often many layers of sail material with a selection of adhesives and high tech sail making materials. Each individual panel proved to be a unique challenge on its own.

 Our next hurdle was the actual on site installation of the panels. This was no easy chore.  I used every imaginable fastening device that I could think of and I even developed several stainless steel articulating arms that locked the screen in place.

This is not a permanent fixture and is only set up in the most severe conditions.

I am sure that most of you will never have a chance see it.  In fact it has only been set up a few times. I am told that on the last occasion that it was utilized it worked great and performed the task that it was designed for.

 That’s why I am showing it here.
I feel that it would be hard for anyone to visualize this unique piece of functional yet aesthetic art if I simply tried to explain it.

I feel that the quintessence of this mosaic is that it expresses the unity that’s essential for the sport of windsurfing to flourish!

Through the bonding of our tribes we create a beautiful shield that will protect us and will weather many storms!

I am very proud of this dynamic piece and pleased to share it with you.

I would like to acknowledge these people and companies for their assistance and generous donations towards this project: 

Karen Lang 

North Shore Kite and Sail Repair

Goya 

Naish 

Simmer 

Neil Pryde 

Second Wind

Maui Windsurf Company 

Hot Sails Maui 

Jason Diffin 

David Schmitt - 

Bill Khol –

Mammas Fish House

  

TED'S BIG ADVENTURE

Text and Photos by Olaf Mitchell

My friend Ted built this prototype inflatable cat-a-raft from scratch.

Ted has an engineering degree, a wild imagination, and a passion for adventure.

He constructed the pontoons in his parent’s garage in Kansas. He used a center mounted universal off of his wind surfer. Used the rudder system from his old Hobie 14, he constructed the frame (with ore locks) out of aluminum tube and built it so that it broke down to make it compact He constructed his ores so that they broke down as well. The sail was rigged on a two piece aluminum windsurfing mast. The sail was a modified Dacron windsurf sail that was battonless and reef able.

For the maiden voyage Ted packed the cat-a-raft and a few essentials ,very few, He bought a ticket on a Greyhound bus from  Topeka, Kansas to The U.S. border at Mexicali.

 He then transferred to a Mexican Dina Bus to San Felipe Mexico.

Ted off loaded in San Felipe bought some rice filled his pontoons set his rig up and launched out on The Sea of Cortez.

Ted rowed when the wind was still or very light and sailed when the wind was stronger.

He pulled ashore every afternoon and spear fished. He would build a fire and cook rice and fish every night.

Often he would meet up with other adventures and trade fish and his stories for whatever they had to offer.

I ran across ted on the beach in Los Barriles at the end of his journey down the Sea of Cortez.

Ted and I fished off of his cat-a-raft every morning that winter.

We ate very well and fed every one that was living at north beach.

We wind surfed every afternoon and another winter passed.