sex doll rafting. if sex toys are going to be introduced into sports ......................................................................................................................................
......................... shop .................. competitions .............. education ................ interviews ................... snapshots ................... history .......... contemporary sex doll rafting
today ( august 21st, 2004) the second annual inflatable sex doll raft race (aka ‘bubble baba challenge’) will be organized in north russia / leningrad region. anyone over 16, and of either sex, is allowed to take part in this second competition. the participants will have to swim in the complicated losevsky rapids of the vuoksa river near st. petersburg. the rapids are usually used for rafting in canoe and catamarans. this competition isn't a sexually chauvinistic event; in last year’s edition (real) women rafted on the dolls. all participants stated that these rubber ‘products’ are economical in usage, they float wonderfully. they gave some pet names to their dolls: mary and her poppins; speedy sterlet, cleopatra... all participants must wear a helmet and a life vest. they also have to remain sober and those who are seen drunk are disqualified. last years winner: alexander korolev, who rafted on a no-name rubber sex doll taken on lease (a concept we don't want to think too much about). the competition is sponsored by russian sex shops. --- see the ‘bubble baba challenge’ – 2003 http://www.bulawka.ru/travel/story/20030824 http://www.a-bike.spb.ru/reports/bbc03_zol --- see the designboom archive: germany's beate uhse, the grand dame of the erotica industry who built a corporate sex empire http://www.designboom.com/portrait/beate.html --- comment of one of our readers dear sirs, about the news on "'ex doll rafting"'published on last designboom newsletter I would share some reflections.  1)  I remember a short story of 'design fiction' published in 70s about 'rubber dolls', full of surrealistic and ironic humour,  written by victor papanek, well known american designer. papanek imagined a dialogue among people working together to a project of a inflating doll that I would recommend to young designers and students to understand : a) nothing new upon the sun ;   b) reality often overcome out imagination  c) there's no limits to human madness. d) may be human resourse and creativity might be used mostly to give concrete answers to real and often dramatic needs of men not only to silly and useless ' totys for bored adults' (so called by papanek). I would also suggest a title of a book ('design for a real world') written by papanek where one may find reflections on that wave legth.  I think that book may be a rescue remedy for that kind of designers looking for a sense in his work and life. thanks if you would inform me about your reflections on the subject. thanks for your work and interesting news.  vittorio rancione milano, italia     note:  dostoevskij wrote:  'russian shall have in future a word to reveal to the humanity'.  may that 'sex doll rafting'  be a part of that epochal word ? --- ------- monthly designboom newsletter ------- ------- ? comments and contact us ? -------	sober? how big are these dolls? how big are the average rafter? think about it. extreme sports enthusiasts ... could that be counted as exhibitionism?