THROWN WEAPONS INTER-KINGDOM CHALLENGE

Rules and Regulations

I. Introduction

The Thrown Weapons Inter-kingdom Challenge was founded as a means for thrown weapons participants in the SCA to have a set of standardized rules, using standardized targets, with a standardized course of throw (a round), at standardized minimum distances, so the throwers in any kingdom anywhere can directly compare their abilities to the abilities of throwers in other kingdoms, without the necessity of traveling to the same place at the same time. The TWIC is not a recognized SCA entity nor activity, but is a privately owned and run competition for inclusion at SCA events. All SCA rules and regulations, both Society level or local level shall be observed, however.

II. Persons

The TWIC is open to all competitors, of all ages, from all the Kingdoms of the SCA. Paid membership in the SCA is not required to compete, nor to have your scores listed, nor to qualify for prizes or other recognition.

III. Places

Only scores from rounds thrown at official events may be submitted for the TWIC. Official Events" are those activities that are defined as "Society Events" in the governing documents of the SCA. This definition, for purposes of TWIC, also includes announced 'practices' held under the auspices of a local SCA branch.

IV. Targets

The Standard TWIC target face shall be a multi-color concentric circle target. This target face can be made of paper, cardboard, or other similar material, or can simply be painted on the target backing. Individual colors to be used are not specified, but should contrast with each other. The smallest circle shall be 3" in diameter, and shall count as five (5) points. The next largest circle shall be 8" in diameter, and shall count as three (3) points. The outer circle shall be 14" in diameter, and shall count as one (1) point. The backing for the target face is left up to the local person running the competition, or local Kingdom rules or conventions, but it is recommended that for knife and axe throwing, an end grain 'round' of wood be used, preferably of a soft wood such as pine or fir. Use of 'hard' wood, plywood, or side grain type target backing is discouraged, as it is more difficult to get a knife or axe to stick into this type backing, thereby putting the competitors throwing at it under some disadvantage. In the event that a suitable 'end grain' round or equivalent cannot be found with a diameter of 14" or greater, the outer circle may be smaller than the specified 14". But be aware, it will still be counted and scored the same as if it was full size, which will put those competitors throwing at it under some disadvantage also. For spear throwing, two or preferably three hay bales, one on top of the other, is recommended. The use of wooden target backings of any type for spears is highly discouraged, as it tends to damage most spears, and it is more difficult to get a spear to stick into this type target, which will put those competitors throwing at it under some disadvantage also. Other backing materials (such as multiple layers of carpet, or foam or insulation boards) may also be used for knife, axe, or spear targets, if that is all that is available, and if such use is allowed in the particular Kingdom where the throw is taking place.

The center of the target face for all throwing should be between three and a half and five feet off the ground. Any weapon 'cutting' a dividing line between two colored circles shall be scored as having hit the higher of the two areas. Weapons hitting outside the outer circle, or missing the backing altogether shall count as zero (0). All weapons must stick into the target, and must remain in the target until pulled for score, except that spears which pass totally through the target may be 'judged' by the range-master to have scored in the ring where he believes it struck. Spears do not have to remain free-standing in the target to count, as long as the point is still obviously 'in' the target. The person throwing may request his weapons be scored and pulled after each throw, if he so desires.

V. Weapons

A. Knives

Knives to be thrown may be single or double-edged, or be simply pointed with no 'edge' (spikes), but may only have one pointed end. These rules do not set any maximum or minimum sizes on throwing knives, but any throwing knife used must not be prohibited for thrown weapons use in the Kingdom where it is being used.

B. Axes

Axes to be thrown may have single or double-edged heads, and while they may have top or butt spikes, these top or butt spikes can not be used for scoring. An axe with a cutting edged head and a back spike opposite the cutting edge will count as though the back spike was a second cutting edge. These rules do not set any maximum or minimum sizes on throwing axes, but any throwing axe used must not be prohibited for thrown weapons use in the Kingdom where it is being used, and must be thrown using only one hand.

C. Spears

Spears to be thrown generally should not be barbed, as barbed spears tend to damage targets, but with the permission of the person running the range and/or providing the target or backing, they may be barbed. Spears are limited to a single sticking point for purposes of scoring. These rules do not set any maximum or minimum sizes on throwing spears, but any throwing spear used must not be prohibited for thrown weapons use in the Kingdom where it is being used.

D. "Other" or Specialty weapons

At this time, no standards for 'other' or specialty weapons have been established for TWIC. Feel free to throw them, as allowed by local kingdom rules, and as allowed by the person running the range, and feel free to score them according to TWIC basic standards for distances and scoring. Feel free to submit these scores to the Keeper of the TWIC, but if you do, please indicate the exact weapon(s) used, the distances thrown, and anything else pertinent to tabulating these scores. In fact, we encourage such throwing for possible inclusion in future challenges. These scores will not be 'counted', at this time, but might help us to establish future standards and challenges using these other weapons. The Keeper of the TWIC will report such scores in the same way that all other scores are reported, but with a disclaimer that such scores are not 'official'. All other and specialty weapons used must not be prohibited for thrown weapons use in the Kingdom where it is being used.

VI. Distances

These distances are MINIMUM distances for each weapon. Throwers may throw at greater distances than the minimum distance for a course of throw, but may not throw at any less than the minimum distance for that course of throw. Some Kingdoms may have minimum throwing distances established by rules that are of greater distances than some of the TWIC minimum distances stated. When throwing in such a Kingdom, no throws can be done at less than the Kingdom minimum distance for that weapon, even if it entails throwing one, two, or all three courses of a throw at this greater distance. The scoring will remain the same as if the throw was done from the TWIC minimum distances listed, however. All distances must be measured, not paced off, and are taken from the face of the target to the foul line. Anyone stepping on or over the foul line during or immediately after throwing will have that throw disqualified, and be given a zero point score for that throw only.

A. Knives

Knives are to be thrown from beyond these minimum distances:

• Ten (10) feet
• Fifteen (15) feet
• Twenty (20) feet

B. Axes

Axes are to be thrown from beyond these minimum distances:

• Ten (10) feet
• Fifteen (15) feet
• Twenty (20) feet

C. Spears

Spears are to be thrown from beyond these minimum distances:

• Fifteen (15) feet
• Twenty (20) feet
• Twenty-five (25) feet

D. Atlatl

Atlatl darts are to be thrown from beyond these minimum distances:

• Ten (10) yards
• Fifteen (15) yards
• Twenty (20) yards

VII. Courses of Throw

The standard course of throw (a round) shall consist of five throws at each of the three distances for each weapon type (knife, axe, spear or atlatl) used, for a total of fifteen throws per round per weapon. The same weapon does not have to be thrown at the various distances, allowing the competitor to change his weapon from one weapon to another weapon of that type at any time he chooses during the course of a round. It is not required to throw each weapon type, if the competitor does not wish to do so. The four weapons types are separate competitions, with separate scoring and rankings.

The thrower may throw each distance consecutively, or throw one or more practice rounds between distances, as per the marshal's choice. In either case, the thrower must declare they are throwing for score for the next round to be official.

VIII. Scores

The thrower may throw any number of TWIC rounds per weapon type, but only one scoring round per weapon type may be submitted per event or per day, if an event has throws held on more than one day of that single event. At least two people must be present to witness the round, but only one need be an authorized marshal. The marshal running the TWIC throw may also throw a TWIC round.

IX. Reports

All scores shall be reported to the Keeper of the TWIC by either e-mail or surface mail within 30 days of being thrown.

Reports should be sent by surface mail to:
Dave Peters
7127 Cadmar LN NW
Seabeck, WA 98380
USA

Postmark date will determine the date of the report for surface mail.

Reports should be sent by e-mail to:
arion@oz.net
with 'TWIC Report' in the subject line.

Date received by the Keeper's e-mail server shall determine the date of the report for e-mail.

All reports must be in the hands of the Keeper of the TWIC no later than midnight, January 3 of the year following the close of the 'season', regardless of the date of the report. The report must contain all the information required by the "Official TWIC Scorecard", but the use of the actual scorecard itself is optional.

X. Rankings

A. Individuals

An individual thrower’s ranking in any weapon category shall be the highest scoring round submitted.

B. Kingdoms

Kingdoms will be ranked by averaging the top three individual competitors in each weapon type rankings in that particular Kingdom. A Kingdom shall be considered unranked in a weapon category until the third scoring round is submitted from that Kingdom for that weapon.

XI. Seasons

A TWIC season will start on February 1 of the calendar year and end on December 31 of the calendar year.

For additional information or for comments contact the Keeper of the TWIC:
Arion the Wanderer
arion@oz.net

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