The six-day race has a long tradition in cycling and is one of the most important competitions in professional track cycling. In 1875 the first 6-day race took place in Birmingham, UK and in 1879 the first in the USA. Individual drivers contested these races around the clock over six days. Races with two drivers taking turns were introduced in New York in 1899. The first 6-day race in continental Europe took place in Berlin in 1909. Nowadays, only six-day races are common in two cities in German-speaking countries, in Bremen and in Berlin.

This event consists of a variety of bike races and an entertaining supporting program. Over the six-day period, there are various competitions for men and women, individual and teams. The main competition in the 6-day race is the two-man team drive, also known internationally as Madison or Americaine. The first race with teams of two took place in New York’s Madison Square Garden, which is why the international name Madison is used. This track cycling discipline has been part of the World Championship program since 1995.

Six Day Race Rules

Since it was left up to the organizers for a long time to determine the rules according to which a 6-day race was held, uniform rules specified by the world cycling association Union Cycliste Internationale or UCI have only existed since 2007. These include anti-doping rules and stipulate that a six-day race must consist of at least 24 hours of racing, i.e. an average of four hours per race day. The content of this program of different track cycling competitions may vary in sequence and combination depending on the venue.

The program usually includes sprint and stayer races, competitions for women, for U23 drivers (UIV Cup), for juniors and for paracyclists. Since 2007 there have also been UCI points for U23s, juniors and women, which has upgraded the six-day races in terms of sport.

The 6-day race track

A track in the cycling arena consists of two parallel straights that are connected by two more or less ascending curves. These racetracks are made of either concrete or wood. In the open stadiums, these are mainly concrete tracks, in halls or covered tracks mostly wooden tracks. They can be of different lengths, there are tracks with a length of 200, 250 or 333.3 meters. On such routes, drivers can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour.

Equipment

The equipment for the track racing bikes is defined by UCI rules and reduced to the technical minimum.

Wheels

The track wheels must be stabilized for the special conditions and forces involved in acceleration, changes of direction and in curves. Track bikes therefore have neither a freewheel nor a brake (fixed gear). This keeps you under steering control at high speeds and in tight conditions on the track. The bottom bracket is raised a few centimeters compared to road bikes to prevent the pedals from hitting the track.

When it comes to the material for the bike, the professionals nowadays mainly rely on carbon. The classic steel frame or the material aluminum has almost had its day. Carbon fiber bicycles are glued together from wafer-thin fibers and are therefore particularly tear-resistant with a low weight. Then there are the flowing, organic forms.

Saddle

The saddle is comfortable and well padded, but built narrow to prevent chafing and support the rider’s stretched riding position.

Tires

The tires have to withstand special requirements in a six-day race, unlike tires for the road. The standard is the lowest possible rolling resistance and up to 15 bar inflated. The guideline for the tire carcass is the number of woven threads per square inch. The higher the number, the thinner the threads and the lower the rolling resistance. For a long time, 165 thread count was considered the measure of all things, but now there are also tires with 290 threads over an inch and a half.

Additional equipment

In order to reduce air resistance when driving, professionals also use special wheels (disc rear wheels and high-profile rims).

Clothing

The biggest hurdle in cycling is wind resistance, which requires a rider to use around 90 percent of their strength to overcome. Streamlined jerseys and cycling shorts made from material that is as close-fitting as possible and overshoes made from Lycra fabric help. In addition, there is a special aerodynamic helmet or aero helmet. Many drivers also wear aerodynamic goggles.

The individual races usually bear the names of sponsors. For the team competition, two riders wear jerseys of the same color with identical numbers, one in red and one in black. It also happens that the teams bear the name of a sponsor.

Competitions

Big Hunt and Little Hunt

The Great Hunt and Small Hunt are the most important races for overall victory for a team. In the event of a tie, the additional points won will decide at the end.

The Great Hunt (or Madison) is traditionally the central element in a Six Day race where the crucial lap wins are made. All drivers are on the track at the same time. The partners of a team regularly take turns with the slingshot, when the drivers decide themselves. The big hunt usually lasts 45 minutes, a final hunt can last 60 minutes.
The Little Hunt is played under Madison Rules but over 30 minutes or a specified number of rounds (100 rounds). Important round wins and placement points can be achieved here.

Derny race

Named after the inventor Francois Derny, it is a slipstream race where up to 60 kilometers per hour can be achieved. Here the professional cyclists ride in the slipstream of a 7 hp lightweight motorbike with an additional pedal drive as a pacemaker. For the necessary synchronism, the pacemaker has to actuate a pedal drive that is connected to the rear axle by a rigid gear. The racer following the derny has a power saving of 30 to 40 percent in the slipstream.

Classification race

Elimination race Americaine
In this elimination race, the 24 professional drivers start flying together. After two laps, the driver who crosses the finish line last is eliminated, with the rear wheel being decisive. The driver who does not drop out is the winner.
team elimination
All twelve teams start the race. After five rounds, the last team is eliminated. The team that is not eliminated is the winner.

Lap record driving

• The teams start one after the other and drive five laps each. In the last lap, the potentially faster man
• gets a little extra momentum from his partner and races for the best time.
• 500m time trial
• In a fight against the clock, all professional teams race one after the other for the best time over three laps or 500 meters.

Sprint competitions

The sprinter field consists of six drivers who compete in the sprint, team sprint, keirin and lap record driving competitions.

• sprint

In the sprint, there is a scoring round every five rounds in the points race. The first four drivers receive 5 points, 3 points, 2 points and 1 point. The sprint in the last lap is rewarded with double points. If a driver manages to lap the field, 20 points are awarded.

• team sprint
  In the team sprint, three drivers form a team and the front one is eliminated after two laps. The race has a total of six laps and the sprinters drive at maximum speed right from the start.
• keirin
  Here, six sprinters compete against each other, with the pace being accelerated to up to 50 kilometers per hour in the first laps by a pacemaker, an e-bike or a derny. If the pacemaker leaves the track, the sprinters start the actual final fight.
• Lap record driving or 166 meter time trial
  In this sprint competition, athletes complete four laps of the balustrade to pick up speed. The fifth round is then decisive.
• La Ola Sprint
  To entertain the audience, organizers can also come up with special competitions. In this variant, all 24 drivers start one after the other on the top track and cheer on the audience to a La Ola wave. After 20 laps, all drivers finally sprint for victory.

Women cycling

Women’s races are held in the disciplines scratch, derny, points and elimination driving. All riders are single starters in these disciplines.

Scratch

Scratch is a one-on-one flying start over a set course. The driver who has completed the most laps wins. In the event of a tie, the finish in the final sprint decides.

Sprint and points race

In the women’s points race, there is a sprint for 5, 3, 2 and one point every ten laps in a total of five classifications. If a driver manages to lap the field, she receives 20 points. The winner is whoever has the most points at the end.

Since 2018, women, like their male colleagues, have also been competing in two-person team driving, the so-called Madison or the Great Hunt. This competition and the elimination process are the same as for the male drivers.

U23 Cup

The regulations for the U23 riders correspond to those of the Madison with teams of two, with the races lasting 45 minutes twice and 60 minutes once. In addition, there is usually a derny race and a points race.

U19 Cup

The twelve junior teams contest mostly Madison races over 30 minutes and over 45 minutes.

Paracycling

Paracyclers, i.e. cyclists with a physical impairment, usually compete against each other in a 2000 meter pursuit race.

Scores

The number of points to be won in the individual competitions is stipulated in the regulations of the world cycling association UCI.

• Sprints: 5, 3, 2, 1 points; double the number of points with a maximum of six sprints in the final hour of the six-day race
• Team Events (Madison, Team Elimination, Team Time Trial): 20, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 points.
• Individual competitions (points driving, elimination driving, lap record driving,
• Derny race, scratch, keirin): 10, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 points.
• If not all teams can participate in a heat, the score is between 15, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 in team competitions and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points in individual competitions.

Additional lap wins can also be achieved in the chases by lapping the entire field of drivers. The winner is the team with the most points in the zero round, so winning a round has priority over winning a point. If teams are in the lead in the same round (the so-called zero round), the team with the most points wins.
According to the UCI regulations for six-day races, additional lap wins are paid for every 100 points.

Paintball is a relatively young sport, with roots in the USA in 1940. A tactical team sport developed from the need to safely mark trees or animals from a greater distance. The basic idea of paintball is to mark as many opposing players as possible with paintballs. The hit and marked player usually has to leave the field. Usually two or more teams compete against each other.

After further development of the material around 1960, it took until 1981 to give this game a name and a set of rules. Around 1992, with the founding of the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL), paintball slowly began to establish itself internationally as a sport and paintball tournaments were shown on TV. In 1996 the first paintball world championships took place and introduced this sport to a wider audience.

Internationally, paintball is also the common umbrella term for all forms of this game. In Germany, the term “Gotcha” also occurs, a short form for “I got you!” (I got you!). The tournaments in Germany are the DPL and the Xseries, internationally the European Millennium Series or NXL Europe, the Pro Shar Cup and the CPS are known.

BYO and FPO Paintball

In paintball, several subdivisions can be made in terms of motivation and location of the activity. So-called “fun players” or “rec players” (rec as an abbreviation of recreational) differ from the tournament players (tournament players). The former mostly use forest pitches, while tournament players play almost exclusively on SupAir pitches.

Another distinction concerns the material. Depending on the sports league, organizer or field operator, BYO (Bring your Own) or FPO (Field Paint Only) applies. The BYO system allows the player the freedom to buy and bring the necessary material themselves. At FPO, everything must be purchased from the organizer or pitch operator. In some cases you can use your own material for an extra charge on top of the game fee.

Equipment and materials

Marker

The principle of the so-called paintball markers is based on that of an air pressure gun. The shot rate can be up to 28 balls per second. However, technically it is not possible to introduce so many paintballs into the shot channel so quickly. The color balls burst far too easily and can block the shot channel. In addition, the tournament regulations regulate the frequency of shots. In Germany, paintball markers are subject to the Weapons Act and may only be freely purchased from the age of 18.

There are two classes of paintball markers:

• Pump-action markers must be repeated for each shot of the marker
• Semi-automatic releases a shot with every trigger and reloads automatically. As a subgroup, a distinction is made between ePneumats with an electronic trigger and markers with a mechanical trigger.

Marker types

In addition to the technical requirements, markers can also be distinguished based on the following criteria:

• Real action markers look very much like a real gun and are often used by recreational gamers. They are available in .43 and .68 calibers. In tournament sports, however, these markers are not welcomed because they do not correspond to the desired image of the sport.
• The high-pressure compressed air bottle, or HP bottle for short, stores the compressed air required to accelerate the paintballs. 200 and 300 bar with capacities of 0.8 to 1.5 liters are common. The working pressure is 30 to 60 bar, generated by a regulator at the top of the bottle. The HP bottles are subject to strict safety controls and must be checked every five years by a state-appointed and state-monitored private testing agency. The previously used CO2 bottles no longer exist because they brought technical disadvantages (temperature dependency) with them.

Hoppers

A so-called hopper is the ammunition container, which is also referred to as an ammo box, ball container, feed container or loader. This hopper is usually located above the marker.

There are several models:

• Shaking hoppers reload by gravity or by shaking
  electric hoppers have an internal, electrically powered agitator that prevents clogging
• Force feeders push the paintballs into the marker with force (force) and enable 50 and more balls per second (bps). In addition to the electric, there are also mechanical variants (Q-Loader) with a spring that has to be wound up like a watch.

Color balls

The paintball used as ammunition gives the game its name. These color balls consist of a gelatine shell, usually filled with food coloring. They burst easily as soon as the ball hits an obstacle, leaving splashes of paint. However, red color is prohibited due to its association with blood. The most commonly used caliber in Europe is .68 (17.3 millimeters), but there are also .43, .50, .55 and .62 calibres.

The filling of the color balls can contain a mixture of potato starch, vegetable oil and food coloring. Today, colored polyethylene glycol is mostly used. This so-called paint is environmentally friendly and is biologically degraded outdoors within two weeks without leaving any residue.

Protective clothing

In paintball, it is strictly forbidden for players to play without the prescribed protective clothing. Although the paintballs are small and light, the speed at which they fire can still cause injury. The face and eyes are particularly at risk.

• protective mask
  A paintball protective mask is similar to a motorcycle helmet and protects the face and usually the ears. The safety glass viewing window is usually made of polycarbonate. The sight glass can also be changed and replaced with smoked glass, amber glass or mirrored glass.
• protective clothing
  Apart from the goggles or protective mask, all other equipment is optional. So they can be adapted to the game, the environment and the player’s preferences. However, it is advisable to wear protective clothing to prevent bruising. Neoprene bandages or simple scarves as neck or larynx protection, genital protection, gloves and knee and elbow protectors are common. The latter are popular with SupAir players as these tournaments take place on hard floors. There are also special pants and jerseys made of breathable fabric with sewn-in padding.

Running sock

The so-called running sock or barrel sock is not worn by the player. This is a fuse on the barrel of the marker to prevent an unintentional firing of a shot. As an alternative to the running sock, there is the barrel plug or barrel plug. Outside of a playing field, it is usually mandatory to secure the marker with running socks.

Game types

There are numerous paintball game variants, but with the same basic rules as a basis. Recreational paintball, RecBall or leisure paintball is the umbrella term for games outside of a league or tournament. In these fun games, fun and less the competitive situation is in the foreground. The Fun or Recreational games have the main variant Woodland. Tournament paintball is known as speedball or x-ball.

Woodland, Scenario and Big Games

Woodland is the umbrella term for all types of play on uneven or unclear terrain outside of tournament fields. A field game in the forest contains little or no artificial cover. In Germany, such fields are difficult to find due to legal regulations. Therefore, specially designed fields or halls are mainly used.

Scenario uses scenic or themed backgrounds from films, books, or historical sources. In addition, there is the fulfillment of a certain task, whereby shots do not necessarily have to be fired.

Big Games is a special feature of scenario games with an exceptionally large number of players. The world record is 4320 players in a single event. In Europe there is the North vs. South with over 1800 participants on 200 hectares of playing surface at a British Army training ground in England. The Veckring Big Game takes place in France, the EuroBigGame (EBG) in Mahlwinkel in Germany for about 1500 players.

Speedball, SupAir and X-Ball

Speedball is an umbrella term for paintball games on relatively small, clear and level fields with artificial covers. Due to the short distances and the mostly symmetrically arranged covers, the games take place very quickly. The vast majority of tournaments are played on such fields.

SupAir is the variant where the covers are made of inflatable geometric figures.

X-Ball is a younger form of paintball sport with five-man timed teams in a SupAir field. There is one point each for tearing or hanging a flag or activating a buzzer. The game is then not over, but interrupted for two minutes, the players receive instructions from the coach, are substituted and prepare for the next round of the game. Then the next game round starts from the start. As in ice hockey, there are several lines and the team in the pit box is between 5 and 12 strong.

Game variants

Game types in RecPaintball differ in terms of the number of participants and the equipment used, but it is usually played on a SupAir or Woodland field. Popular game variants are:

• Capture the flag with two teams of equal size. Each group starts from its own starting point, marked by its own flag. The goal is to steal the opponent’s flag and bring it to your starting point.
• In Hit the Base, two teams of the same size play, starting from their starting point (“Base”). The aim is to reach the opponent’s base and press a buzzer there or hit the base.
• Two-Team Elimination or Deathmatch continues until all members of a team are tagged.
• Last Man Standing is a free-for-all game, with the participating players starting in different places. Each marked player must leave the field, the last player wins.
• VIP (or President) is played with two teams, which do not have to be of the same size. A team has a designated player, the VIP, and is protected by the team. The VIP must reach an agreed point on the field without being marked by the other team.
• In Civil War or Gettisburgh, two teams consisting of the same number of players face each other in rows next to each other at a certain distance. The aim is to mark all opponents. Each player may only shoot one marker before the other team’s turn. After each round, the untagged players step forward and have their turn to tag. This continues until one last player stands as the winner or representative of the winning team.

Do paintballs hurt?

Most people state that paintball doesn’t hurt too much; it usually feels like a firm flick. But this will depend on how fast the ball is going, the distance it travels and where on the body it hits you. Paintball injuries won’t be too extensive, but you should expect a few minor bruises and bumps after playing.

Is paintball a sport?

Paintball is considered an extreme sport and shares many similarities with others in this category. But despite its combat format and use of weapons, it’s much safer than many “extreme” alternatives. When “extreme sports” comes to mind, you tend to think of skateboarding, BMXing, surfing and sports of a similar nature.

How to fill co2 paintball tank

Can you fill up a paintball tank with an air compressor?

Don’t even try to use your tire pump or a standard air compressor—it won’t work. Most of these compressors max out at 180 psi, and your paintball tanks require a minimum of 3,000 psi to fill.

What to wear to paintball?

• Long-sleeved shirt and long pants.
• Sweatshirt, sweatpants, and multiple layers if weather permits.
• Dark or camouflage colors.
• Loose fitting attire that allows activity and movement.
• Clothing you don’t mind getting dirty.
• Athletic sneakers or combat boots.
• Bring a change of clothes.

What do I need for paintball?

• Gun or Marker. Paintball guns (also referred to as markers) are the very basis for the sport of paintball.
• Mask. Paintball masks exist for the simple reason of protecting your face.
• Hopper.
• Paintballs.
• Clothing That Matches the Environment.
• Water/Snacks.
• Screwdriver/Allen Wrenches.

When was paintball invented?

The game was invented in May 1981 in New Hampshire by Hayes Noel, a Wall Street stock trader, and Charles Gaines, an outdoorsman and writer. A debate arose between them about whether a city-dweller had the instinct to survive in the woods against a man who had spent his youth hunting, fishing, and building cabins.

Does paint from paintballs wash out?

If you’re wondering ‘Does paintball paint wash out? ‘ the answer is ‘Yes! ‘ – paintballs are water-soluble, non-toxic and will wash out of your clothing on a normal wash cycle.

What are paintballs made of?

Paintballs, also simply called “paint”, are spherical gelatin capsules containing primarily polyethylene glycol, other non-toxic and water-soluble substances, and dye. Paintballs are made of materials found in food items, and are edible but taste disagreeable as they tend to dry up the mouth.

How a paintball gun works?

Does airsoft hurt more than paintball?

As there is a considerable difference in the sizes of ammunition Airsoft strikes hurt less than paintball hits. Due to the higher impact rate of paintballs, you will often see professional paintballers wear lightweight armor similar to motorcross armor and always sporting full-face protection.

Is paintball dying?

Paintball is not a dying sport, but the interest is at a steady decline. Few people get into the game, but many dedicated players continue to promote it whenever possible. So, paintball won’t run out of players anytime soon, but several factors continue to make it less appealing for some people.

Where to hydrotest paintball tank?

The best place to hydrotest your paintball tank is at a paintball field! Paintball fields have the equipment to properly hydrotest your paintball tank and will do it for a small fee.

How bad does a paintball hurt?

Most people state that paintball doesn’t hurt too much; it usually feels like a firm flick. But this will depend on how fast the ball is going, the distance it travels and where on the body it hits you. Paintball injuries won’t be too extensive, but you should expect a few minor bruises and bumps after playing.

How to hold a paintball gun

How to disassemble a revelation paintball gun

Is paintball dangerous?

In reality, paintball is relatively safe and most injuries come from falling or running into obstacles on the field. The most serious injuries, though very rare, come from players taking off their masks and other safety equipment. In general, if you follow the safety rules of paintball, it’s a very safe sport.

How to remove paintball tank regulator

Do paintballs stain?

In short, paintballs won’t stain your clothes permanently. You’d be shocked to know that they are not made from actual paint (oh! The scandal!). Paintballs are actually made from non-toxic, water-soluble and bio-degradable products.

Are paintballs edible?

Paintball ingredients themselves, are not toxic. However, they draw fluid away from the body and into the intestinal tract, which leads to dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, and most concerning a severe elevation in the blood sodium level.

How to dress for paintball

• Paintball mask/goggles to cover your full face
• Baseball cap, sandana or scarf for hair and head protection
• Long pants – blue jeans or cargo pants
• Long sleeve t-shirts with a sweatshirt or jersey over
• Running shoes, hiking boots or cleats depending on the playing surface
• Gloves – fingerless for trigger control
• Layers for more protection

Where to buy zombie paintball masks?

Amazon.com

How to create a paintball club at a university

Look on your university’s website, post in your school’s Facebook groups, or ask around to find out if your school has a paintball team or club.

Can felons play paintball?

Generally, NOPE…. no bb guns, airsoft guns, paintball markers, etc may be owned or possessed by a known felon…. You can play paintball on a legal field, but you cannot possess or own any type of firearm, air/c02 propelled or gun powder propelled. not in your house, or outside of your house.

How to find paintball tournaments

How expensive is paintball in New Mexico?

$20 for pre-registration and $25 for walk-up all day play and air if you need it.

Are pump paintball guns more accurate?

These types of paintball guns are very simple in design and are typically more reliable than most other paintball guns. Pump paintball guns still require an air source, like a small 10ci HPA tank or 12 gram CO2 cartridges, and can usually be seen with either a small 50 round hopper or 10 round feed tube.

Do people still play paintball?

Although there’s a steady decline in people’s interest in paintball, there are still millions of enthusiasts who are playing the sport. In fact, if you look at paintball forums, most of them are still as active as ever.

Is it legal to ship paintball guns?

With this, paintball guns are completely legal and safe to ship in the USPS mail in the domestic United States. According to USPS policies: “c. Air guns that do not fall within the definition of firearm under 12.1.

Has anyone died playing paintball?

Paintball is a very safe sport, but the short answer is yes, there are several confirmed cases of people who have been killed while playing paintball and some anecdotal stories. Overall, there have been very few deaths from paintball and most of those have been related to carelessness or indirect causes.

Canadian Football (Football canadien in French) is a ball sport that is played almost exclusively in Canada. It is one of the so-called gridiron football games and represents a mixture of soccer and rugby. The first documented Canadian football game took place on November 9, 1861 at the University of Toronto. Thus, Canadian football is slightly older than American football, which was first played in 1869. As in the USA, football was initially limited to sports activities at universities.

In Montreal, around 1870, a hybrid form of football and rugby was popular at McGill University. International games and contacts finally gave the universities the impetus to further develop this sport. From 1882 the first local leagues emerged and the sport slowly became popular outside of the universities. Each of Canada’s ten provinces continues to have its own regional association.

In 1909, the Gray Cup was the first national championship game, and in 1956 the professional league Canadian Football League (CFL) was founded. Football Canada is now the national umbrella organization for amateur sports and has also been a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) since 2004. As the umbrella organization for four regional federations, U Sports regulates college sports in Canada, for a total of 27 colleges.

Goal of the game

The basic idea in Canadian football is the same as in American football: players have to gain space on the limited field. There are two teams of twelve players each trying to score the most points in a game. A game consists of four quarters of 15 minutes each.

Points can be scored in different numbers in different ways in the game. There is an attacking team (offence), which can throw the ball (passing) or run (rushing, running) into the opposing area. The offense has three tries to gain at least ten yards.

The defending team (defence) must at least prevent the offense from doing so or gain possession of the ball. If the ball goes to the defence, the offense loses the right to attack the opponents. If the defense can push the attackers back into their own end zone, there are also points. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Canadian Football versus American Football

The similarities between Canadian and American football are great and at first glance the types of play are almost indistinguishable. However, there are significant differences in playing field, rules and game tactics. Many of the new US varsity football regulations introduced in the 1900s were not adopted in Canada.

The main differences

• In Canada, the football field is longer and wider than in American football and the end zones are also much longer at 20 instead of 10 yards.
• In Canadian football, there are twelve players on the field, not eleven.
• There are only three tries or downs in an attacking play instead of four.
• The time between two turns is 20 seconds instead of 40.
• Offense and defense are separated by a yard, in American football it is a ball length.
• All backfield players are allowed to move in any direction, as opposed to only one man in motion in
• the American variant. This may only move sideways and backwards before the snap.
• Canadian Football has less lag and more room for play.
• This in turn creates the opportunity to use faster players and also more passing plays.

The playing field

The playing field between goal lines in Canadian football is 110 yards (100.5 meters) and 65 yards (59.44 meters) wide. Each end zone is 20 yards (18.23 meters), so the playing field is 150 yards (137.16 meters) long. There are markers in five-yard increments, every ten yards is the distance to the nearest end zone. The 55 yard line or center field has a ‘C’ mark. There are also two hashmarks 24 yards (21.95 meters) from the sidelines. Between these, the ball is placed before each snap.

The goals

The goals, which are almost identical to American football goals, are centered on the goal line. They consist of a crossbar ten feet (3.05 meters) above playing field level and two vertical posts. These rise 30 feet (9.14 meters) from the crossbar and are 18.5 feet (5.64 meters) apart.

The ball

The ball in Canadian football is an elongated ellipsoid of revolution with pointed ends. This egg-shaped ball is 11 to 11.25 inches (about 28 to 28.5 centimeters) long and weighs about 14 to 15 ounces or 400 to 425 grams and has a lateral circumference of 20.875 to 21.125 inches (53 to 53.5 centimeters). There are also two stripe marks at each end that are one inch wide. The ball should be inflated to 12.5 to 13.5 psi or 0.86 to 0.93 bar.

Equipment

The standard equipment for Canadian football players is no different than that for American football. it consists of

• Nylon or spandex football jersey with enough space for the padding. The jerseys must completely cover any protective equipment.
• Football shorts made of nylon or elastane: They reach below the knee and have pockets in which additional padding, for example to protect the tailbone, can be inserted (five-pocket shorts).
• Football helmet with grid-shaped face mask (face mask) and mouth guard: The helmets used to be made of leather, today they are made of sturdy plastic; the face shield can be made of metal or plastic. A thin belt under the chin keeps the helmet in place.
• Belt
• Gloves with padding and sticky palms for better grip to better catch the ball.
• Shoulder pads with neck protection protect the player’s chest, back and shoulders against injuries in the event of a collision.
• Thigh pads and Kriepads: Like the shoulder pads, these are a few millimeters thick to protect particularly sensitive areas from injury.
• Socks: These must cover the entire leg and be in contact with the pants.
  football shoes with cleats; the use of a kicking tee is permitted in Canadian football.

The most important Canadian football terminology

Since the origins of the game are in the English-speaking world, you should learn some English terminology for player positions, gameplay and moves.

• Audible is an order from the quarterback calling the next play
• Backup is a substitute player who is in the bench area.
• Backfield: All off-line offense players are in the backfield. Here is also the fixed position of the quarterback.
• Blocking is the legal act of putting an opponent in the way
• Center is an important position on the offensive line to protect the quarterback
• Challenge: If the coach disagrees with a referee’s decision, he may request video evidence.
• Complete Pass is a lawful toss of the ball from one team member to another.
• Cornerback is a defensive position.
• Defense tries at the beginning of a play to prevent the offense from winning a point. It’s the team that doesn’t have possession of the ball.
• Defensive Line is the first line of defenders of the Defence, consisting of the
• Defensive tackles and defensive ends. The goal is to attack the quarterback directly.
• Down is a play.
• The end zones are the two areas at the end of the field.
• Field goal is kicking the ball through the goal posts, which scores three points
• Fumble happens when the ball falls out of the hands of the player with the ball. The ball is free and can be captured by either team.
• Goalline: The dividing line between the end zone and the rest of the field.
• Guards are players on the offensive linemen.
• Hand-off is passing the ball without a pass.
• Holding: If a player without the ball is held by his opponent, this is equivalent to a foul. Only the player with the ball may be stopped.
• Huddle is the gathering of players on the field before a turn.
• Incomplete pass occurs when the receiver loses the ball with their feet out of bounds or the ball otherwise touches the ground.
• Interception is the catching of a ball by a defender.
• Line of scrimmage is the line from which each play begins. It always runs where the ball-carrying player was last brought down. This line is displayed by the chain crew.
• Offense is the attacking team.
• Offensive Linemen: These five players sit directly in front of the quarterback: center in the middle, guards next to them, and tackles on the outside.
• Pass is a ball toss to another player. At the beginning of a play, this is often the quarterback’s pass to another player. The receiver must catch the ball and not drop it.
• Quarterback is an important player position, catching the ball after the snap and starting the play.
• Quarter: One of the four periods of a football match.
• Receiver: A receiver or wide receiver catches the ball after a pass, receivers in the backfield are called slotbacks.
• Running backs are players whose main job is to run.
• Safety is a special form of winning points and, as safeties, also a position to intercept passes.
• Snap is the passing of the ball from the center to the quarterback and thus the beginning of each play. The snap is most commonly performed one-handed, passing the ball off the ground through the center’s legs directly into the hands of the quarterback.
• Tackle is a legal knocking down of a player.
• Tackles are the outside players on the offensive linemen
• Tight ends are a hybrid of offensive lineman and wide receiver.
• Touchdown: If the ball is captured or caught in the opponent’s end zone, or if a player runs into the opponent’s end zone with the ball in hand, this is a touchdown.
• Turnover is a change in possession of the ball.

Game length and timing

The length of the game is four quarters of 15 minutes each, and there is a 14-minute break between the second and third quarters, and a 140-second break after the first and third quarters. Each team has one timeout per half. Three minutes before the end of the game in each half, there is a brief interruption for the Three Minute Warning. The clock generally continues to run.

However, the game time clock is stopped when

• is scored
• the ball goes out or
• a passport remains incomplete
• when penalties are applied
• if a substitution is to be made
• when a player is injured on the field
• at the end of the time of each quarter and
• if the referees deem an interruption necessary
• Also during conversions and after the end of each turn until the end of half time after a three minute warning has been given.

The players

Offense

The offense consists of offensive line and backfield/receiver. The offensive line consists of five players: the center in the middle, the guards next to them and the tackles on the outside. Her job is to protect the quarterback on passes and to block holes for the running back on runs. The center also performs the snap. Receivers and backfield players primarily move the ball. Offensive lineman are not allowed to catch forward passes.

There are four main groups of backs and receivers: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.

The quarterback receives the ball on an offensive play and decides whether to run with the ball himself, hand it to a ball carrier to run, or throw a forward pass. He can stick to the coach’s moves or change them (audible) and pass them on to the other players in a so-called huddle. Running backs run with the ball and catch passes, but they are also blockers.

He receives the play selection from the coach and decides whether to keep it or change it (Audible). He passes the turn selection in the huddle on to the other players. The running backs have the task of running with the ball, but are also entitled to catch passes. Wide receivers are primarily there for pass routes and passes, but can also be used as additional blockers.

Defence

The defense consists of three groups: defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs. The defensive line consists of the defensive tackles and the defensive ends at the ends. They attack the opposing quarterback and close the gaps for the running back. Behind this line of defense are the linebackers with outside and inside linebackers who have different defensive duties.

The last line of defense, defensive backs or secondary, consist of cornerbacks, free safeties, and strong safeties. Their primary role is pass defense as well as stopping wide receivers, slotbacks, and tight ends from catching passes. They also try to catch passes themselves (turnover, interception). The cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage are responsible for covering wide receivers. Safeties are usually very far behind, with the free safety being faster and more flexible, and the strong safety being more robust.

Special teams

Special teams positions exist only in kick situations: kicker, kickoff specialist, punter, holder, long snapper, kick returner, punt returner, jammer, upback, and gunner. Most of the terms already describe the function.

A long snapper executes the snap to the holder or punter. The holder is responsible for receiving the ball from the long snapper and placing it in an optimal position on the kicker. The punter receives snaps and kicks them as far to the opponent’s end zone as possible. A gunner tries to stop the returner as early as possible. Jammers, on the other hand, try to slow down the gunner for maximum space gain. An upback protects your punter from opponents.

Gameplay

At the beginning of the game, the team captains meet with the referee in the middle of the field to toss a coin for the kickoff and end zone selection. At the beginning of the second half, both parties meet again for the end zone choice.

Each half of the game begins with a kickoff, with each team opening once. If a kickoff does not end with a touchdown in the opponent’s end zone, the starting point is where the returner was stopped. If the kickoff went out, your own 35-yard line is the starting point for plays.

A play begins when the center passes the ball to the quarterback. A turn ends

• when the ball carrier is thrown to the ground (tackle)
• when a ball carrier is forced out
• when scored
• when a forward pass touches the ground or out of bounds uncaught
• when a kick goes wide.

The offense has three attempts to gain ten yards of possession with possession. If this does not succeed, she loses the right to attack. Passing the ball or running with the ball is considered gaining space. The defense tries to keep the offense from gaining space. A pass is caught if a foot or any other part of the body touches the ground in play before the player lands out of bounds.

Winning the ball

In Canadian football, every kick and every punt can be captured by the opposing team. Any player on the kicking team may win the ball provided he was behind the kicker at the time of the kick. However, the opposing team must not be prevented from kicking.

When attempting to capture the ball, no player on the opposing team may be within five yards of the ball carrier until the first touch, or a penalty will be assessed. Unlike in American football, failed field goal attempts may be carried back. After a successful field goal, the opposing team has the choice of receiving the ball or a kickoff at their own 35-yard line. If the field goal occurs in the last three minutes before the end of regular time, a kickoff must occur.

At the beginning of the second and fourth quarters, sides are switched, but the right of attack and position remain the same as those at the end of the previous quarter.
The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Scoring

Points in Canadian football are scored the same as in American football:

• Touchdown: Here the ball is transported over the field by a run or a pass over the opposing end zone.
• The touchdown scores six points.
• Point after touchdown or extra point: After a touchdown, the team gets an additional attempt (conversions) from the opposing 5-yard line for a field goal scored (point after touchdown; PAT), there is a point.
• Conversion: Another touchdown after a try brings 2 points.
• Field Goal: The kick must put the ball in the top half of the goal. 3 points
• Safety (Safety Touch): If the offense player is stopped in the opposing zone, there are points for the defense team. 2 points

In addition, with the so-called single, there is the possibility of scoring a single point after a kick into the opposing end zone.

Referee

There are multiple umpires in Canadian football, up to seven in matches, three to five otherwise. They wear a special black and white striped uniform. The referee positions are the referee, umpire, back judge, field judge, side judge, line judge and head linesman. They all have fixed positions and functions. If there are rule violations, they throw an orange flag. Fouls are usually punished with a loss of space.

Are you interested in hurdling, maybe you want to run one yourself? In order to understand or run the hurdles correctly, you absolutely need the hurdles rules. We have summarized these for you and explained them in detail so that you can soon start yourself or as a spectator know exactly what is happening.

About the hurdles

The hurdle race is one of the disciplines of athletics and is also part of the heptathlon and decathlon competitions.

The hurdle race is also known as a hurdle sprint because of the sprint technique and correspondingly high speeds. It is also a forced run, because if the running rhythm cannot be chosen individually due to the given hurdle distances and hurdle heights.

There are individual and team competitions, and at championships, athletes compete in the short 100 to 110 meter sprint and the long 400 meter hurdle sprint.

In any case, regardless of the running distance, ten hurdles have to be crossed.

Competitions

The main hurdling competitions are:

• Men’s 110-meter hurdles, also in the decathlon
• Women’s 100-meter hurdles, also in the heptathlon
• Men’s 400 meter hurdles
• Women’s 400 meter hurdles
• 60-meter hurdles with five hurdles to be crossed in indoor events

In the youth class competitions, the distances are sometimes shorter and the hurdles lower.

The hurdles

As with all sprint competitions in athletics, the start takes place from the starting block. The hurdles may fall over, but not be intentionally knocked over. If a participant runs past the hurdle or leaves the assigned track, this will result in disqualification.

Men’s 110-meter hurdles: 13.72 meters from the starting line or 9.14 meters for the following nine hurdles and 14.02 meters in the final section
Women’s 100-meter hurdles: 13 meters from the starting line or 8.50 meters for the following nine hurdles and 10.50 meters in the final section.

Material of the hurdle racks

Hurdle frames are made of aluminum or steel and often have protective padding at the top of the bar. There are indoor and outdoor models and some that have a mechanism that allows them to set themselves up again automatically after tearing.

There are hurdles of different heights. The rules for the competitions are:

Men’s 110-meter hurdles: 106.68 centimeters in height
Women’s 100-meter hurdles: 83.82 centimeters in height
Men’s 400-meter hurdles: 91.44 centimeters in height
Women’s 400-meter hurdles: 76.20 centimeters in height

Appropriate sportswear

The athletics athletes compete in air-permeable T-shirts and shorts, which are mostly made of nylon and polyester.

However, shoes that are also breathable and made with an upper made of nylon or other synthetic materials are important. There are special hurdle running shoes with spikes in the toe area.

Hurdling technique

The principle of the hurdle technique is that a hurdle is not jumped over, but run over. The push-off into the hurdle is done with a sprint-like foot strike from a relatively upright posture. The foot attachment should not be too far in front of the body’s center of gravity and should have as little piling effect as possible.

For the heavily bent swinging leg, the rule for a short pendulum applies, which allows for faster execution. The swinging leg is pulled forward and upwards at the same time, the knee guides the control as straight as possible. At the same time, the push-off leg or trailing leg stretches. The guide arm swings far forward, the upper body leans further forward when leaving the ground. At the same time, the lower leg swings forward, the opposite arm lies as close as possible next to the body.

Shortly before reaching the edge of the hurdle, the swinging leg goes down again, the opposite arm comes close to the trailing leg. This also comes forward to the end position thanks to knee control. The swinging leg is stretched out on the ball of the foot and as close as possible behind the hurdle. The center of gravity and the footrest should form a vertical line if possible.

This is how you find the right running rhythm

The rhythm should be kept as even as possible between the hurdles. A high, frequency and forward-oriented knee insert characterizes the intermediate hurdle sprint. The body position should be maintained with the center of gravity and the arms should be kept close to the body. After crossing the hurdle, a powerful first step is necessary for an optimal transition to the intermediate hurdle sprint. The optimal preparation for crossing a hurdle is again a shortened last step.

In the 110 or 100 meter hurdles, the intermediate hurdle sprint consists of three steps or four ground contacts between the hurdles. In a men’s 400 meter hurdles, there is a rhythm of 13 or 15. The run-up to the first hurdle with a rhythm of 13 is 20 steps; with a 15-rhythm 22 steps. For women, there is a rhythm of 15 to 17, i.e. 17 steps between the hurdles.

An odd rhythm between hurdles means that the same swinging leg always goes over the hurdle and a runner doesn’t have to switch legs. Only a few runners can technically run over hurdles with both legs as swing legs.

A clean hurdle technique is characterized by the fact that the position of the body’s center of gravity hardly changes. This causes the upper body to swing down over the hurdle while at the same time tearing the swinging leg.

Olympic history

The hurdle sprint has long (Athens 1896) been an integral part of the Olympic Games in the athletics program.

In 1900, when the Olympic Games were held in London, the 400m event was added.

What happened to hurdle field in mebane, nc?

Mebane /ˈmɛbən/ is a city located mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States, and partly in Orange County. The town was named for Alexander Mebane, an American Revolutionary War general and member of the U.S. Congress.

What is hurdle rate?

A hurdle rate is the minimum rate of return required on a project or investment. Hurdle rates give companies insight into whether they should pursue a specific project. Riskier projects generally have a higher hurdle rate, while those with lower rates come with lower risk.

How many hurdles are in the 400m hurdles?

Athletes run in lanes from staggered positions and start from blocks. They then complete one full 400m lap, clearing 10 evenly-spaced hurdles.

How to run hurdles

Fencing was originally a fighting technique in the form of duels and, along with boxing and wrestling, is one of the oldest sports in the world. It is therefore also one of the founding sports of the Athens Olympic Games in 1896. Epee fencing is also one of five disciplines of the modern pentathlon. The official language of the competition is French, as the Frenchman Henri Saint Didier coined most of the fencing terms as early as 1570. Many of these expressions used in fencing have become quite common in everyday idioms (feint, feint parry, touché).

From the late Middle Ages, when the bourgeoisie was also allowed to carry weapons, edged weapons with long blades and hand guards were used. Duels were forbidden in Germany from 1871 and have remained popular among German students to this day (mensur fencing). Fencing became established as a sport from 1862 and as early as 1896 the first German championships took place.

Foil, epee and light saber are used in today’s fencing sport. The fencing takes place on the piste (piste or planche), where forward and backward movements are allowed, sideways movements are restricted.

Fencing piste

The fencing piste is 14 meters long and 1.50 to 2 meters wide with a reporting system for hits. It is made of a conductive material such as copper alloy, aluminum, or a rubber fabric with a conductive surface. This prevents the electric hit indicator from registering impacts to the ground as a hit. Label the marks

• the center line
• two starting lines each 2 meters from the middle line
• two rear boundary lines each 7 meters from the center line
• the last 2 meters in front of the rear boundary lines as a colored area
• the respective end lines in orange color

Electronic score display

The electric hit indicator was introduced in 1936 in epee fencing, in foil fencing in 1957 and in saber fencing in 1988. In foil and sabre, fencers must wear special electronic equipment to indicate valid hits.
Foil: E-vest made of brocade and mask with electrically conductive mask bib
Saber: E-vest, E-glove, E-mask

Valid hits are indicated by a red or green lamp on the fencer’s side, an invalid hit on the foil by a white lamp. The lamp displays are created by connecting a cable from the fencer to the vest and weapon with the electronic signaling system.

Foil: The target area is the torso including the crotch area and the lower part of the bib of the mask.
Epee: The target area is the entire body. The tip sleeve triggers a hit with an impact with a force of more than 750 grams.
Saber: The target area is the entire torso, including the head and arms. Cuts also count.

Branches of arms

Foil, epee and saber were standardized for fencing at the end of the 19th century. Foil, sword and light saber are common today, the so-called heavy saber has been banned from sports since 1955. Foil and sword are pure thrusting weapons, the saber is a cutting and thrusting weapon.

Foil

The term foil refers to the tip protection, French “fleur” (flower). The blade with a cross-rectangular cross-section made of resilient steel is a maximum of 90 centimeters long with a coated or textile-wrapped metal handle. In front of it is a flat, spherical cap-shaped handguard (bell) with a diameter of 9.5 to 12 centimeters.

Foil Grip Types:

• Pistol grip or Belgian or orthopedic grip (orthopaedic, hand fitted)
• french (a stick slightly curved inward)
• Italian (a straight baton with crossguard, fourth and third yoke)
• Nowadays a Belgian grip is common, the Italian grip is almost impossible to find.

Electric foil

The blade of the electric foil or e-foil has a special 8mm tip in a tip sleeve. In the event of an impact of around 4.9 Newtons, this triggers a hit display via a switching contact. The 2-pole electrical line runs in a groove on the underside of the blade through the bell to the back of the hand, further through the sleeve of the jacket to the back. Here there is a plug connection to a cable above the track, which is rolled up on a small drum by spring force and stretched backwards to the detector. This cable device allows the fencer the greatest possible freedom of movement. Wireless fencing is now used at major international tournaments and the Olympic Games.

Sword

Traditionally, the sword served as a dueling weapon. It has a larger, hemispherical bell about 13.5 centimeters in diameter. The blade is up to 110 centimeters long and has a V-shaped cross section. A small epee or children’s epee is about 90 centimeters long.

For the hilt of a sword there is

• the pistol grip, also Belgian or “orthopaedic” grip (orthopaedic, hand-adapted)
• the French grip, a long smooth staff)

Saber

The saber has a flat, flexible blade with a rectangular cross-section and a maximum length of 88 centimeters. The blade gets narrower towards the tip, the bell is shaped differently and is wrapped around the hand in a hemispherical shape.

Protective clothing

In fencing, special clothing is required to protect athletes. This fencing clothing is made of Dyneema, cotton or nylon. The figures indicate the force that the material can withstand, in Newtons per square centimetre.

• Trousers (800N)
• Jacket with fixation/blade protection (800 N)
• Fencing mask with wire mesh made of V4A steel (3000 N) and neck protection (1600 N)
• Undervest (plastron) made of aramid (800 N)
• shoes
• knee socks
• Glove with padding for the weapon arm
• Obligatory for women: chest protection
• allowed: groin guard (jockstrap)

Ground rules

Single battle

Regardless of the discipline, a fight is always possible

up to 5 hits with a fight time of 3 minutes (round-robin battle), in the student age group 4 hits
or 15 hits in a time of 9 minutes (direct elimination). Here a hit interrupts the battle and after every 3 minutes there is a break of one minute.
Valid hits are indicated by the message board on each fencer’s side. A valid hit in fencing is called a touché. In both skirmish variants, the fencer who first scores the required number of hits or has the most hits by the end of the fight time wins. Should there be a tie, the fight time is extended by one minute and the next valid hit decides.

A special case in epee fencing is the so-called double hit. Within a single action, a hit falls on both sides almost simultaneously (within a twenty-fifth to twentieth of a second). In this case, both hits are counted”. However, double hits no longer count in a tie of 4:4 or 14:14.

Team fight

A team consists of three fencers plus one substitute fencer who can be substituted on. Everyone fights against everyone on the opposing team, which means there are nine individual bouts of a maximum of three minutes each. Team fights have the relay mode and the fencers take over the score from the previous bout.

In the first bout it is fought for five hits, in the second for ten hits until the last bout where a team has scored 45 hits or three minutes have elapsed. In the event of a tie, the procedure is the same as in single combat.

Fencing position

The fencing position is the starting position for movements on the fencing piste. What counts here is the correct position of the feet, the position of the body’s center of gravity and the rotation of the shoulder and pelvis. The feet are at right angles to each other, the tips of the toes approximately below the slightly bent knees. In foil fencing, the knees are bent a little lower. The distance between the heels is about two foot lengths. The upper arm on the weapon side is slightly angled, the forearm parallel to the ground. The distance to the fencing opponent is called the mensur.

Start of battle

At the beginning of the bout and after each valid hit, the fencers line up behind the red starting lines in the fencing position. The so-called right of attack applies to foil fencing and saber fencing. This means that the fencer who started the attack (initiative) is awarded the hit. If the attack is interrupted or parried, the right to attack changes.

In fencing itself, a distinction is made between leg actions and blade actions.

Leg actions

• Fallout: Bringing the front leg forward while extending the back leg
• Ballestra: Leap followed by a lunge
• Patinando: Step forward with the following failure
• Radoppio: lunge followed by pulling the rear leg in to lunge again
• Step forward and backward
• Double step forward and backward
• Leap
• Flèche (French arrow, projectile): falling attack, with the attacker running towards the opponent
• (not allowed in saber)
• Cross step forwards and backwards (not allowed in saber)

Blade actions

• Arretstoss: Intermediate thrust into an opponent’s attack
• Battuta: Blade slash to defend or prepare to attack
• Binding: Fixing the opponent’s blade with your own
• Cavation: circular evasion of the opponent’s blade
• Coupe: sudden retraction of own blade and falling thrust
• Filo: Attack along the opponent’s blade
• Feint: Fake Attack
• straight jab
• Counterparry with counterriposte: a riposte is parried, followed by a counterattack
• League prank feint
• Parry with Riposte: Defense with immediate counterattack
• Riposte: an immediate counterattack from a successful parry
• Locking Strike: Attack thrust while binding the opponent’s blade
• Transport Bind: Bind the opponent’s blade, transport move to another position
• Bingo (quickly moving towards the opponent’s hit area, stopping and using the blade’s after-swing
• effect to hit hard-to-reach targets

A blade move like the sforza or slingshot, which catapults the blade out of the opponent’s hand, is no longer permitted today.

The time it takes to perform a simple leg or blade action is called tempo or fencing tempo. Compound actions are those that require more than one pace, such as step forward and lunge.

Rule violations

In fencing, it is also important to know the violations of the rules and their penalties. The referee can use 3 different cards to warn and sanction rule violations.

• Warning: yellow card
• Penalty hit: red card; the opponent is awarded a hit
• Disqualification: Black card; Disqualification from competition and a suspension of at least two months

In addition, the violations are divided into four groups.

1st group – warnings and penalties:

• leaving the piste
• disobedience
• turn your back on the opponent
• placing the weapon on the planche to straighten the blade
• touching electronic parts
• covering the valid hit area
• First there is the yellow card, for repeated offenses the red card.

2nd group – intentional rule violations:

• the absence of the name on the back
• the absence of the control mark
• Faking an injury to get a break
• The first and second violations are each punished with a red card.

3rd group – serious offenses

As in group 2, there is a penalty hit for the first offense and disqualification for further offenses. There is a risk of disqualification if:

• unfair fight
• Violation of the advertising rule
• Disturbance on the train

4th group – immediate disqualification

That means the opponent has automatically won at

• doping
• brutality
• Refusal to salute (before or after the bout)
• Use of communication tools and instructions from the trainer during the battle

Fencing as an Olympic discipline

As a founding sport in 1896 there were competitions in sabre, foil and foil for fencing masters. Epee fencing was added in 1900, team fencing and, for the first time, women’s fencing in 1920. Since the number of fencing competitions at the Olympic Games is limited to ten, two of the six team competitions, women’s foil and women’s saber, are alternately paused.[1] In 2008, the teams had to compete in men’s foil and women’s epee, men’s epee and men’s saber. From the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, all 12 disciplines will be represented for the first time, and there will be no breaks.

Wheelchair fencing

Wheelchair fencing took place at the first official Paralympic Games in 1960, making it one of the oldest Paralympic sports. The wheelchair fencers do not move across the piste, but the wheelchairs are fixed in a frame. The frame consists of rails or platforms on which the fencers ride. The distance between the fencers is determined based on arm length. The rules of wheelchair fencing largely correspond to those of fencing.

Historical fencing

Historical fencing, unlike modern sport fencing, uses the earlier styles of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. An attempt is made to reproduce these styles as faithfully as possible.

Are you interested in the rules of endurance riding in equestrian sports? Wonderful, because you’ve come to the right place. Regardless of whether you want to practice this sport yourself or want to know what is important, you will find the answers with us.

History of distance riding

Endurance riding could first be traced back to the century BC. Chr., because the first instructions for this date from this time. The aim of this guide was to train horses so that they could cover around 1,000 km in 7 nights.

This was so well received that more and more people took advantage of this enormous force, developing postal stations and founding the Pony Express, for example.

Endurance riding has only been an independent sport since around the end of the century – which, however, also cost the lives of many animals because they were overworked.

What is endurance riding?

In endurance riding, the team covers a large distance in the shortest possible time – today, however, without overtaxing the horses.

Usually it is about a given and marked route with a given speed. There are also unmarked endurance ride versions where the riders have to find the route themselves using a map. Unlike trekking or trail rides, there are no terrain obstacles in endurance riding.

The basic requirements for this equestrian sport are excellent health and solid training. However, due to their breeding history, the smaller, high-blooded horses have the best disposition for this high-performance sport.

Mass sport

Endurance riding is available as a mass sport and also as a high-performance sport. In both cases, the rider must adjust the pace and riding style to the respective horse and the ground conditions. Veterinarians check the condition and health of the horses before the start and after the finish line. On longer rides there are one or more additional tests in breaks of up to 50 minutes. Horses found by the vet to be unfit to ride are eliminated to protect them from harm.

High performance sport

Endurance riding as a high-performance sport requires appropriate preparation for horse and rider so that they can meet the requirements in terms of fitness.

For the horse there is feeding that is tailored to the required performance, regular training in open terrain and lots of grazing. This strengthens your immune system and muscles. Depending on the level of training, there are long-distance rides with different route lengths:

Endurance riding for a day competition covers distances from 25 to 160 kilometers.
The multi-day long-distance rides such as Vienna-Budapest and the West trot trail from Alsace to the North Sea are less common. They start at 25 km.
Endurance riding is particularly popular in the Arabian world, since Arabian horses are particularly well-suited for this sport. Many international competitions therefore take place in Arab countries. In the medal ranks there are often riders from the United Emirates, Qatar or Bahrain.

Endurance riding disciplines

Different classes in endurance riding represent different levels of difficulty. The supreme discipline for many endurance riders is participation in a so-called hundred-mile event. The distance of 100 miles corresponds to 160 kilometers.

• A simple international class, for example, is the “bronze buckle qualifier”: 32.2 kilometers must be completed at a speed of 10.5 to 12.8 kilometers per hour.
• In a much higher class, for example, is the “golden horseshoe” competition in Exmoore with a distance of 160.9 kilometers in two days.

In Germany, the Association of German Endurance Riders (VDD) offers the following disciplines:

• Introductory competitions with a distance of 25 to 39 kilometers, the horse must be at least five years old.
• Distances with a 40 to 59 km route, minimum age of the horse six years
• Medium distances with a distance of 60 to 79 kilometers, minimum age of the horse six years
• The highest class: long distances of 80 to 160 kilometers, minimum age of the horse is seven years

Horse breeds

Arabian horses are predestined for long distances due to their breeding. They endure high temperature and humidity, and are characterized by endurance. In addition, an Arabian horse has strong hooves and an elegant, light gait. Therefore, this horse breed is the most popular for the sport of endurance riding, especially in the high-performance area.

In Germany, almost all horse breeds can be found in endurance riding competitions:

• Haflinger
• Icelanders
• Apalloosa
• Knappstrupper
• German Warmblood
• thoroughbred
• Anglo and Shagya Arabs
• thoroughbreds
• Budyonny
• Terske
• Orlov Trotter
• Akhal-Teke
• Tennessee Walking Horse
• German Riding Pony

Gaits

In endurance riding, the dominant gait is a fast trot at about 15 to 20 kilometers per hour. In between, it can also be a gallop or a walk for a few minutes. However, according to the time limit, the average speed must not fall below a slow jog. The relaxed and effortless sequence of movements with long, ground-covering steps is important here. During the medical examination, this is also assessed by looking at the horse from the front and the back while it is walking or trotting.

Equipment

For beginners in endurance riding who want to try this sport as a hobby, no special equipment is necessary. A multipurpose saddle is sufficient.

Before a ride, the saddle and bridle should be checked thoroughly.

According to the rules of endurance riding, there are no restrictions for the horse either. However, the equipment must be roadworthy and fit for purpose. Changing blankets, belts or saddles can also be advisable for distances of more than 80 kilometers.

Horse equipment

• Saddle: with rigid or flexible saddle trees or also treeless saddles, plus a girth without pressure or chafing points. A breastplate prevents the saddle from slipping when riding uphill, a tail strap prevents it from slipping when riding downhill
• bridle
• Saddlecloth for padding
• Sweat blanket, rain blanket or kidney blanket
• occasionally mandatory: horse blanket
• halter, rope
• lead rope and longe line
• Cleaning supplies and sweat knives
• Buckets and provisions for on the go (portions of oats and cops)
• Nail tightening pliers, zinc paste and first aid for horse and rider
• Gaiters and bandages are permitted but must be removed for veterinary examinations.

Rider gear

Even in competitions there are no specific restrictions on rider equipment. Essential are:

• Leather straps for the saddle
• Jacket or rain jacket, waterproof, breathable and stowable behind the saddle
• Riding cap or helmet: Helmets are compulsory for all riders at international competitions
• Riding ankle boots or riding boots, but also hiking or running shoes
• comfortable breeches
• Water bottle and food (snacks)
• Topo, riding and hiking map, route description
• watch

For longer distances over several days, the overnight stay in the area must also be taken into account (sleeping bag). Mobile phone with GPS or a GPS device and a heart rate monitor for the horse can be useful, but are not essential. However, sunscreen, flashlight, pocket knife and a nest egg should also be included.

Riding or hiking map

Hiking maps on a scale of 1:50,000 are best suited for orientation in the area. There are also free electronic riding and hiking maps available as phone apps or for use on a GPS device. An example is OpenStreetMap, which, in addition to the nature of the paths and hiking trail markings, can also display horse drinking troughs, riding stables and overnight accommodations for horses and riders.

Support team

For longer distances or international competitions, an additional individual support team can be useful. The supervisors can take care of horses and, if necessary, riders. They help transport equipment and food. The supply of drinking water is particularly important. The supervisor takes care of the team at the convoy points set up by the organizer during the specified breaks.

Competition rules

The rules in endurance riding for international competitions in endurance riding are standardized. However, in the case of national competitions, the rules may vary slightly from country to country. The Federal Association for Equestrian Sports and Horse Breeding, FN (Fédéracion Equestre Nationale) for short, regulates tournament sport in Germany. The German Olympic Committee for Riding e.V. (DOKR) looks after the top German distance riders.

In principle, the number of participants is limited:

• Introductory rides or short distance rides: Minimum number of participants 15, maximum 30.
• Short rides: For short rides, there is an individual or group start with a maximum of 3 riders every three minutes.

In long rides, the participants usually start at the same time in the mass start. The prescribed minimum speed for the ride must not be undercut.

The winner is whoever crosses the finish line first and the horse passes the following veterinary examination without any problems.

Equine examination

Before each competition, the horses are examined by veterinarians, in the case of short distances on the day of the event. In the case of larger rides or several rides at the same time, the preliminary examination takes place one day before the competition and also on the day of the tournament.

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to determine the normal pulse and respiration values of each horse. The doctor then compares these with the values after the ride during the follow-up examination. In good condition and training, these two values should behave almost identically. The limit of a heart rate value that is still accepted is 64 per minute. If this value cannot be reached even after a fixed period of rest, the rider and horse will be disqualified.

In addition to the pulse and breathing values, the good overall impression of a horse and that the saddle and harness position as well as the musculoskeletal system are in order also count.

Route

In the run-up to each competition, it is announced exactly which type of route and which floor has to be mastered. There are usually sections on concrete or asphalt, on paved and unpaved paths, and there are also ditches that have to be jumped over or ridden through. The maximum time for completing the route and a permitted time are also given. The maximum time is usually around 270 minutes for 30 kilometers. That means whoever needs more than 270 minutes is eliminated. A time limit of 180 minutes means that anyone who takes more than 180 minutes to complete the route will be penalized.

Furthermore, there is a recommendation from the organizers as to whether shoeing is required or not. Other requirements are, for example, the minimum age of rider and horse, a ban on bridles that restrict breathing, spurs and crops. In cool weather, a blanket must be carried and helmets are compulsory for young people.

There is usually a preliminary meeting half an hour before the competition to give the riders a brief overview of the entire route and information on particularly difficult sections.