Boomerang - Sport with the wind

The origin of this sport is still not very sure; surveys show that ancient tribes in Europe used throwing axes. Several types of boomerangs have been found on different continents. In any case, the country that was most famous in the world as "the boomerang country" was Australia, where aborigines used boomerangs and throwing sticks for thousands of years.

The boomerang was used in everyday activities. It served to cut meats and vegetables, dig the earth in search of edible roots and also to strike the surface of the water while fishing. Australian aborigines also used it to hunt birds, taking advantage of flocks to launch boomerangs in the expectation of hitting an animal, but many contend, claiming that the boomerang was only used to induce the animals into the nets.

Modern Europeans discovered the boomerangs in 1770 with the arrival of Captain James Cook to Oceania. He was responsible for the beginning of the colonization of Australia in the name of England. The copy taken by Cook's entourage to Europe aroused so much attention that the boomerang was elevated to the sport category and perfected. The first clubs, federations and entities were formed in Australia, Europe and the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The modern sports boomerang can be made from wood from 6mm to 8mm thick (usually plywood plywood), plastics various or other composite materials, having many different shapes and colors. Most weigh less than 100 grams and some can reach something around 25 grams.

Here in Brazil, there are two entities that take care of the practice of the sport, the Brazilian Boomerang Association and the Brazilian Boomerang Federation.

The choice of place and some advice can help, the first rule for everything to come out perfect, are the basic care you should take when choosing the location:

- Always choose a safe place for you and your boomerang, without trees, people in the line of pitches, animals, buildings, etc.
- The location should be ample, such as beaches, fields, lawns, covered or uncovered courts. Remember that for each environment there is a boomerang suitable for launching. Always try to have several models and get to know them well before shooting at each location. Avoid using boomerangs with distances higher than where you are at, the risk of boomerang damage and people on site will be imminent, so before any attempt use common sense. Evaluate local conditions at all times.
- Always be aware when making the pitch and follow your path until the moment of the rescue so that everything goes perfect.
 Every boomerang is produced in a way that performs well. Therefore, avoid using force for its release. Use only twist on the instrument. Always start with a soft pitch so you can feel the spot and the boomerang and at the same time make the necessary corrections for a good pitch.

How to play:

When holding your boomerang always leave it with the colored face facing you, and the breeze on the spot always touching your left side. The painted face of the boomerang should also be facing the side where the breeze is coming from.
 Hold it tilted like this bar /, this way the pitch angle will be correct.

The wind:

Always prefer mild and continuous wind days, as it will determine the return direction of your boomerang safely.
In order to always observe the direction and intensity of the breeze / wind in the place use a biruta (if you want to improvise one, get an antenna or rod of about a meter and in its tip put some ribbons of about 50 cm)
This is the first step in guiding you in terms of the wind and shooting conditions you will encounter in the space you will use.

Modalities:

-Precision: The goal is to throw the boomerang and drop it on the center circle or the one closest to it. It is forbidden to make the footprint or touch the boomerang on arrival.

-Fast Catch: Goal is to make 5 footprints in the shortest possible time, taking a maximum of one minute to complete the task.

-Enduro: The goal is to achieve the highest number of footprints in 5 minutes.

-MTA: The objective is to make the boomerang stay flying as long as possible, with the competitor having to take the footprint to validate the time.

-Aussie Round: The objective is to make the boomerang fly as far as possible, at least 30m, making the footprint in the center circle or the one closest to it. In this mode, the distance achieved and the accuracy of the footprint are measured.

-Long Distance - LD: The objective is to make the boomerang fly as far as possible, and the boomerang must cross the launch line on its return. The boomerang footprint is not required.

-Trick Catch (Acrobatic Footprints): the purpose of this modality is to carry out varied footprints in a sequence previously defined by the regulation.

-Trick Catch Doubler: The goal is to make previously defined varied footprints with two boomerangs thrown at the same time.