Blind Landing
Presentation
Hosted byAri Saperstein
Genre
Format
Developed by
  • Ari Saperstein
  • Myka Kielbon
  • Christian Green
  • Jessica Taylor Price
  • Stefanie Ritoper
  • Chris Schleicher
  • Jenna Levin
  • Maddie Bender
  • Donelle Wedderburn
LanguageAmerican English
Lengthapprox. 30 min
Production
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes11
Publication
Original releaseJuly 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
Related
Websiteblindlanding.com

Blind Landing is a documentary podcast about professional sports hosted by Ari Saperstein. Season one focused on safety in gymnastics, while season two looks at identity in figure skating. The show was an honoree at the 2022 and 2023 Webby Awards and was named the Best Independent Podcast at the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Audio.

Background

The first season of Blind Landing released in July 2021, focused on artistic gymnastics and the vault controversy during the women's all-around final at the 2000 Summer Olympics, when the apparatus was set two inches too low, resulting in gymnasts falling and getting injured during the event.[1][2] The first season featured interviews with Olympic gymnasts who were at the competition.[3][4] All five episodes of the first season were released on July 19, 2021.[5] The second season of Blind Landing, released in February 2022, is about figure skating and LGBTQ+ athletes.[6]

Episodes

Introductory episodes

TitleRunning
time		Original release date
"Blind Landing: Season One Trailer"2:40June 25, 2021 (2021-06-25)
"Blind Landing: Season Two Trailer"1:56February 4, 2022 (2022-02-04)

Season 1

No.TitleRunning
time		Original release date
1"The Vault: Part 1"24:47July 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
This episode discusses how the error in Sydney effected Elise Ray.
2"The Vault: Part 2"20:03July 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
This episode discusses how Allana Slater discovered the error in Sydney.
3"The Vault: Part 3"27:13July 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
This episode discusses how the error in Sydney effected Svetlana Khorkina.
4"The Vault: Part 4"26:18July 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
This episode features a discussion with Maria Olaru on how the error in Sydney could have been prevented.
5"The Vault: Part 5"31:22July 19, 2021 (2021-07-19)
This episode addresses the error in Sydney with Lisa Mason and discusses the culture of the sport as well as how the controversy is perceived twenty years later.
6"A Look At Safety In Gymnastics: Part 1"26:46October 18, 2021 (2021-10-18)
This episode discusses safety concerns at the Olympics with Danusia Francis, McKayla Maroney and Shallon Olsen.
7"A Look At Safety In Gymnastics: Part 2"28:20October 18, 2021 (2021-10-18)
This episode discusses systemic issues of safety with the International Federation of Gymnastics.

Season 2

No.TitleRunning
time		Original release date
8"Out On The Ice: Part 1"38:30February 7, 2022 (2022-02-07)
Chris Schleicher, Adam Rippon, and Randy Gardner discuss the history and stereotypes of queer men in figure skating. Featuring .
9"Out On The Ice: Part 2"38:29February 7, 2022 (2022-02-07)
This episode discusses Rudy Galindo and Johnny Weir.
10"Out On The Ice: Part 3"38:33February 7, 2022 (2022-02-07)
Amber Glenn, Timothy LeDuc, Jeremy Abbott and Karina Manta discuss the present and future of the sport's queer community.
11"Mabel Fairbanks: Beyond The Edge"47:32February 23, 2022 (2022-02-23)
This episode was a collaboration between Blind Landing and the NPR podcast Code Switch, which discussed the life of Mabel Fairbanks with Tai Babilonia and Atoy Wilson.[7]
Special–Episode"Ukrainian Gymnast Illia Kovtun & The Story Behind The Photo Seen Around The World"18:41March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
This episode discusses Illia Kovtun and her experiences in gymnastics during the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Reception

The Atlantic named Blind Landing one of the Best Podcasts of 2021.[8] Wendy J. Fox reviewed the first season in Podcast Review—a Los Angeles Review of Books publication—calling it a "thoughtful exploration of a decades-old scandal" and lauded the emphasis on the gymnasts’ perspectives rather than sensationalizing the story: “What Saperstein succeeds at is uncovering the implications of how this played out in the rest of the competition and how it ultimately affected these gymnasts’ lives.”[9] Nicholas Quah of Vulture echoed that praise: “Blind Landing directs its attention toward the question of who gets heard when something is wrong and, by extension, the relationship between individuals and the overarching cultures or systems within which they operate.”[10]

Awards

Award Date Category Result Ref.
Webby Awards 2022 Sports Podcasts Honoree [11]
AIPS Sport Media Awards 2022 Audio Nominated [12]
Awards for Excellence in Audio 2023 Best Independent Podcast Won [13]
Webby Awards 2023 Sports Podcasts Honoree [14]
Gracie Awards 2023 Best Podcast Honorable Mention [15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Standley, Laura Jane; McQuade, Eric (December 27, 2021). "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2021: The Shows That Kept Listeners Refreshing Their Apps This Year". The Atlantic. Emerson Collective. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Minutaglio, Rose (July 22, 2021). "Inside the Biggest Gymnastics Mistake in Olympics History: How a Dangerous Error at the 2000 Sydney Games Cost a Gymnast Her Gold Medal". Elle. Czech Media Invest. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ Sandmaier, Christy (July 19, 2021). "Blind Landing Podcast Revisits Sydney Vault Controversy". Inside Gymnastics Magazine. Inside Publications. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ Dibdin, Emma (July 20, 2021). "6 Podcasts to Whet Your Appetite for the Olympics: Whether You're a Dedicated Olympics Fan or a Casual Viewer, These Shows Will Help You Get in Shape for the Tokyo Games". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ Marks, Andrea (July 26, 2021). "'Blind Landing' Podcast Examines One of the Olympics' Worst Mistakes: At the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, a Vault Apparatus Set Two Inches Too Low Risked Athletes' Lives — and Changed the Course of the Competition". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ Saperstein, Ari; Schleicher, Chris; Molino, Zach (February 15, 2022). "Nine Stories From Queer Figure Skaters in Their Own Words". The Advocate. Pride Media. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  7. ↑ Demby, Gene; Meraji, Shereen Marisol (March 2, 2022). "Code Switch: Ice Breaker". Code Switch. NPR. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ Standley, Laura Jane; McQuade, Eric. "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2021 Transcend Genre Conventions". theatlantic.com. The Atlantic. Retrieved 9 Jan 2024.
  9. ↑ Fox, Wendy J. (July 28, 2021). "Blind Landing: A Thoughtful Exploration of an Olympics Controversy". Podcast Review. Los Angeles Review of Books. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  10. ↑ Quah, Nicholas (August 5, 2021). "Blind Landing Jumps Into Gymnastics (And Four More Podcasts Worth Trying)". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Honoree: Blind Landing". Webby Awards. 2022. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Longlist: Blind Landing "Out On The Ice"". AIPS Sports Media. 2022. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved Jan 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Winner: Blind Landing". The Hollywood Reporter. 2023. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved Jan 9, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Honoree: Blind Landing". Webby Awards. 2023. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved Jan 9, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Honoree: Blind Landing" (PDF). Alliance for Women in Media. 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved Jan 9, 2024.
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