Some Thrown Weapons Competition Ideas

  1. Initial Guidelines:
    1. Try to make competitions fair, especially with respect to weapon types. e.g. Don't have spear distance competitions between Atl-Atls and standard spear.
    2. Make initial competitions simple. Stress the basics of the sport.
    3. Work on exposing competitors to as many weapons types as possible.

    4. Make them safe.

  2. Competitions Ideas:
    1. Ranges.
      Each participant will make three throws from 3 ranges (usually 10, 15, 20 ft for axes, and 10, 12, and 15 ft for Knives). These are the minimum distances, you may throw from farther back to accommodate individual rotation distance. A strike is scored one point. If a ringed target is used score 3 points for a center strike, 2 for the net ring, and one for the last ring. A variant would be to give at least one point for a strike anywhere on the butt, followed by extra points for being within the target rings.

    2. Quarters.
      A stump is divided into 4 or more sections or "quarters" each being scored as 2 or 4 points. Standard competition allows 1 throw per section. The person who strikes closest to the center scores 2-4 bonus points. Each section can only be scored once. Throws that cross lines are scored as a 0. The Sections need not be called. The competition usually takes place at one rotation (10 ft or so).

    3. Around the World.
      Similar to Quarters using 4 to 6 sections. The first section is called, with the rest having to be struck sequentially in a clockwise direction. First person back to the start wins.

    4. Saxon.
      This is a variety competition, also used in practice. Each participant lines up and throws one at a time. The first person may throw from any distance, any style. If they stick, then the next must try to make the same throw. This continues until someone misses. The first person to miss is given the letter 'S' and the next person gets a free throw and the whole cycle is repeated. If a person gets enough letters to spell the word 'Saxon' they are eliminated. The competition continues until there is only one person left.