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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 25 2009, 12:01am
Post #2 of 11
(557 views)
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This is the coolest story ever.
[In reply to]
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Can't Post
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I love the photo of it on stuff.co.nz - right here.
I wonder how long it took her to get used to using it?
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded b*****d with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 25 2009, 2:02am
Post #3 of 11
(496 views)
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She does look like the real thing!
What is most intriguing, is that they were able to make it functional, so she really can swim using it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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Eledhwen
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 25 2009, 3:34am
Post #4 of 11
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I saw that this morning. I thought it was wonderful - good old Weta! 
Figwit Still Lives!
Calling for a Figwit cameo in The Hobbit since May 2008
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tolkienreborn
Bree
Feb 25 2009, 5:59am
Post #5 of 11
(489 views)
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When they turn someone into a dragon call me... :)
But for now I take my leave from these forums... I shall change the Future..
the forums have served my purpose.
Thanks again for all those who helped this dragon out along the way.. you know who you are..
If you wish to contact me leave a PM message and ill get back to you. But I will not be singing on these forum again within the week.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Feb 25 2009, 3:32pm
Post #7 of 11
(440 views)
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She's beautiful! And so is Weta. This just warms my heart. She's got freedom now and can glide through the water in a way I can only dream about.
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.
TORn's Observations Lists
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Idril Celebrindal
Tol Eressea
Feb 25 2009, 8:41pm
Post #8 of 11
(459 views)
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According to the video and article, Nadya Vessey has been swimming for a while and undoubtably does it because it is friendlier to amputees than most other sports. One of the competitors in the Olympic women's open water swim was an amputee, for instance. The water supports your body and your remaining limbs can compensate for the missing one(s).
As for the mechanics of swimming without lower legs, she wouldn't be able to kick very efficiently because she doesn't have the mechanical leverage that her lower legs and feet provide. This isn't an insurmountable problem by any means. Plenty of swimmers don't kick very much, since your arms and core body muscles provide most of your motive power. (Triathletes are notorious for not wanting to use their legs while swimming.) One thing that might be a problem for her is maintaining good body position in strokes such as freestyle and backstroke. Flutter kicking helps your body to stay in an efficient position for these strokes. (Using a pull buoy could help there, since it would allow her upper legs to float in the correct position.) She also would not be able to push off the wall much on turns. But this wouldn't be an issue in open water swimming, which it sounds like she prefers.
"Undulating motion" pretty much describes the butterfly or dolphin kick. Imagine that you're cracking the whip with your entire body. This kick is pretty efficient and a good swimmer can keep it up indefinitely, even without the added mechanical assistance of a mermaid tail! As for what strokes she could swim with it, I saw her swimming breastroke with a dolphin kick during the video. (This is actually a drill that swimmers sometimes do to improve their breastroke, since breastroke involves an undulating motion.) The mermaid tail would make swimming butterfly infinitely easier for her, since she would get much more power from her kick. She could also do a single-armed butterfly and breathe to one side or the other. (This is another popular swimming drill.) The tail doesn't seem like it would be a big help in freestyle or backstroke, though, because they involve very different body motions.
All in all, it's a lovely piece of design -- practical, functional and beautiful at the same time! It will make swimming so much easier and fun for her. Hooray for Weta!
With caffeine, all things are possible.
The pity of Bilbo will screw up the fate of many.
(This post was edited by Idril Celebrindal on Feb 25 2009, 8:46pm)
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Goldberry of the river
Lorien
Feb 25 2009, 9:18pm
Post #9 of 11
(425 views)
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The tail is so beautiful. I got quite choked watching the video. It was so nice and generous of Weta. I wanted to be a mermaid when I was little. I would swim under water like one by keeping my legs together and doing kind of like a whip movement, a bit like a dolphin. It's quite easy to do. As she said, she's still getting used to the tail and has to develop the muscles to enable her to do the variety of strokes. I wanted to see her dive down into the water and see the tail slap and disappear under the water. I'm guessing that because the tail takes in water it might become heavy and make her tired and only allow a short time in the water. But with practice and strengthening her muscles she could last longer.
Brian Blessed for Thorin!
Formerly known as Rosie!
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Kyriel
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 26 2009, 11:43pm
Post #10 of 11
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I remember several years ago when WETA fashioned a prosthetic leg for a kiwi bird. That was sweet enough all by itself, but this is just amazing. Wow, that woman must feel so special. She's had a dream come true.
Those left standing will make millions writing books on the way it should have been. --Incubus
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Jazmine
Tol Eressea
Feb 27 2009, 10:12pm
Post #11 of 11
(397 views)
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Another reason why I love the guys at Weta...
*Jazminatar the Brown*
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Going Away
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