GUINNESS WORLD RECORD CHALLENGE FOR THE WORLD S LARGEST TUG OF WAR TOURNAMENT RULES, REGULATIONS AND TIPS We are delighted to be partnering with Athletics Ontario as part of our Guinness World Record challenge. Proceeds from the sale of the Guinness commemorative wristbands will be donated to the organization. Athletics Ontario, formerly known as the Ontario Track and Field Association, is the not-for-profit provincial sport governing body for track and field, road running, cross country and race walking for the province of Ontario. The Association is athlete-centered, volunteer-based and club-driven. Athletics is defined as all athletics, including, but not restricted to, track and field, running, jumping, throwing, cross country, race walking, road running, ultra-running and competitive athletics held under the auspices of Athletics Canada. 1 Age restrictions TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT Our tournament is an open catchweight competition. This means that there are no weight or gender restrictions. There is an age restriction participants must be 18 or older as of the date of the tournament. 2 Number of pullers in a team Teams shall consist of eight pulling members. The end (or pull) will commence when both teams are in a position to pull under the direct supervision of the judge. The judge will blow a whistle to signal the start of the end. 3 Minimum number of pullers One substitution will be allowed due to injury. A second substitution will not be permitted. Should a second injury occur, the team is allowed to continue with seven pullers. If no substitute is available, the team can compete with seven. A team is not allowed to continue a competition with less than seven pullers. 4 The rules We will be following Tug of War International Federation (TWIF) rules: - No one will be allowed to participate on more than one team. 1
- Matches will be won by the best two of three pulls (best two ends out of three). - Pulls or ends will be timed. - No one will be allowed to participate if a judge or other official, in their sole discretion, determines that there might be a safety risk. - The challenger shall have a choice of sides. After the first pull, the teams will change ends. If a third pull is required, the teams will switch ends again. - The pull will begin once the official judge blows the whistle and will end once the judge blows his/her whistle again, signifying that a team has won. A pull is won when one of the 12 feet side markers on the rope (white) is pulled beyond the centre line marking on the ground (white). - The decision of the judge will be final. - Disqualifications will follow TWIF disqualification rules as well as any member of the team having a minimum of one foot outside of the Tug of War surface. - Each team will have the opportunity to compete and win a maximum of ten matches in a row. - If a team wins ten matches in a row, they may have qualified for the final play-off round of the tournament. - Not winning ten matches in a row does not automatically mean that the team has not qualified for the Finals; as winning e.g. 8 or 9 in a row maybe sufficient to qualify for the Finals depending on how other teams fair in the tournament. The top eight teams will be invited to compete in the final play-off round on Sunday, August 10 th at 6pm. Failure of any of the team participants to show up for the Final Round will result in the team being automatically disqualified. The time it takes to defeat an opposing team will also be a factor. If there are, for example, more than eight teams that won nine rounds in a row, then the judges will look at the length of time it took the team to defeat their opponents cumulatively over the course of the nine rounds to determine who qualifies for the Finals. The teams that defeated their opponents quicker will deem to be the qualifying team. 5 The Finals Eight teams will participate in the Finals. The Finals will take place on Sunday, August 10th at 6 pm. The steward will draw team names out of a hat to determine which teams will compete against which teams. 2
In the Quarter-Finals, four teams will be competing against another four teams resulting in four winning teams competing in this next round. In the Semi-final round, two teams will compete against two teams resulting in two ultimate finalists. The two final teams will compete against each other to determine who the ultimate winner of the tournament is and who qualifies to potentially win a trip to Greece and Olympia the birthplace of the Olympics. 6 Winning a Trip to Olympia, Greece The winning Tug of War team members names will be placed in a hat along with the eight individuals who jumped the farthest in the Krinos Taste of the Danforth Long Jump Guinness competition. If there are eight members on the winning Tug of War team, then their names will be placed in a hat along with eight finalists from the Long Jump. One individual will win the trip which is valued at approximately $4,800. For the rules and regulations for this contest, as well as the restrictions and conditions of the prize, please refer to www.tasteofthedanforth.com and the Guinness Record Contest. Printed copies are also available at the registration desk. PULLING TECHNIQUES RULES 1 Lining up TIPS Please enter the tug of war area only after you have signed up with the registration desk, signed the waiver, and received your sequentially numbered wristband. When you enter the tug of war area, please make sure that your team is lined up in a straight line. You should be lining up behind the blue marker (which is 15 feet behind the centre line). Each individual should be lined up at least arm s length apart from the person in front of them. No one is to touch the rope until the judge directs them to do so except for the anchor. The anchor is allowed to get into his/her anchor position as per the instructions below. 2 Rope grip No competitor shall grip the rope within the length bounded by the outer tapes or markings. At the commencement of each pull the first pulling member shall grip the rope as close as possible to the outer tape or marking (blue). No knots or loops shall be made in the rope, nor shall it be locked across any part of the body of any member of the team. Crossing the rope over itself constitutes a loop. At the start of a pull, the rope shall 3
be taut with the centre rope marking (blue on white) over the centre line marking (white) on the ground. 3 Pulling position With the exception of the Anchor, every pulling member shall hold the rope with both bare hands by the ordinary grip, i.e. the palms of both hands facing up, and the rope shall pass between the body and the upper part of the arm. For Anchors, please see below. Any other hold, which prevents the free movement of the rope, is a Lock and is an infringement of the Rules. The feet must be extended forward of the knees and team members should be in a pulling position at all times. 4 Anchor s position The end puller shall be called the Anchor. The rope shall pass alongside the body, diagonally across the back and over the opposite shoulder from rear to front. The remaining rope shall pass under the armpit in a backward and outward direction and the slack shall run free. The Anchor shall then grip the standing part of the rope by the ordinary grip; i.e. the palms of both hands facing up, with both arms extended forward. The Anchor is allowed to keep the rope below the level of the protective belt and contact with the belt for safety considerations will not constitute a Lock. INFRINGEMENTS OF THE RULES Teams will receive two (2) cautions for infringements of the Rules in any one (1) pull, before being disqualified. For all infringements of the Rules, a team may be deemed guilty if only one person offends. 1 Sitting Deliberately sitting on the ground, or failure to return immediately to the pulling position after slipping 2 Leaning Touching the ground with any part of the body other than the feet 3 Locking Any hold which prevents the free movement of the rope 4 Grip 5 Propping 6 Position Any grip other than the ordinary grip as described in Rule 2, 3 and 4 in Pulling Techniques above Holding the rope in a position where it does not pass between the body and the upper part of the arm Sitting on a foot or a limb or the feet not extended forward of the knee 7 Climbing the rope Passing the rope through the hands 8 Rowing Repeatedly sitting on the ground whilst the feet are moved backwards 9 Anchor s position Any other than the position described in Rule 4 in Pulling Techniques above 10 Side Stepping Stepping outside the pulling surface 4
SIGNALS AND COMMANDS THE START PROCEDURE When the judge has received a signal that all is ready, he shall give the teams the following verbal and visual commands: Pick up the rope Take the Strain Steady Pull The rope shall then be gripped as defined in Rule 2, 3 and 4 in Pulling Techniques above, the feet being flat on the ground Sufficient strain being put on the rope to ensure that it is taut. In out-door competitions each puller may establish one foothold with the heel or side of the boot with the extended foot The judge shall then signal the rope to the centre position. When the rope is steady with the centre mark over the centre line on the ground After a whistle blows AFTER EACH PULL After your pull, please follow the judge s instructions with respect to straightening out the rope back to its original position. 5