Events and Rules

2000 World Boomerang Championships

The team events at the 2000 World Boomerang Championships in Melbourne will be the same as those contested at the 1998 Foster's World Championships held in St Louis

Team Relay

Team Relay will be contested with two teams going at the same time. All Relay rounds are timed and the fastest time wins. In Relay, the four throwers from each team line up on the 30 meter line. On command, the first member from each team runs to the bulls-eye, throws a 30 meter rang, catches, touches the bulls-eye and returns to tag the next thrower. Upon being tagged, the next thrower runs to the bulls-eye to repeat the process. Throwers go in order, going through the rotation twice. Time stops when the fourth member returns after making his second catch and crosses the line. If a thrower drops a boomerang, he must throw again. Whether or not he catches the second throw, he touches the bulls-eye and returns to tag a teammate.

Team Supercatch

Team Supercatch will be competed as in the past. In Supercatch, one member of a team throws an MTA while the other three throw fast catch. The fast catchers start upon release of the MTA, and stop as soon as the MTA is caught. Points are awarded for each fast catch made, and one point for catching the MTA. If the MTA is dropped, then the team receives a zero for that round. Team members rotate duties, so that each member throws the MTA once. Each team therefore throws four rounds of Supercatch. Highest point total wins.

Team Endurance Relay

In Endurance Relay, the four team members line up on the 20 meter line, and on command, the first thrower rushes to the bulls-eye and throws until the first minute is over. Once the first minute is up, he catches the last boomerang he threw, touches the bulls-eye, and runs to tag the next team member. Once the tag is made, that thrower's minute starts. He runs to the bulls-eye and throws until his minute is up, catches his last throw, touches the bulls-eye, and returns to tag the third team member. The third and fourth team members repeat the process. The whole round lasts five minutes, and there will usually be time left after the fourth thrower returns to the 20 meter line. So, the fourth thrower tags the first thrower, and the first thrower returns to the bulls-eye to throw until the five minutes is up. A team's score is the total number of catches made during the five minutes.

Team Australian Round

Two throwers from the same team will throw at the same time from the same bulls-eye with the second thrower having to release their boomerang before the first thrower's boomerang is caught or has landed. Scoring will be the same as always, and plenty of spotters will ensure accurate range reporting for both throwers. The teammates must communicate within the circles to ensure that they don't collide. This should make the event more exciting and it should run faster, allowing us to get in more events. In Aussie Round, throwers receive points for distance, accuracy, and catching the boomerang. Team scores will be the sum of the members' rounds.

Team Accuracy

Accuracy will also feature two throwers from the same team throwing from the same bulls-eye at the same time as in Australian round above. Plenty of spotters here will ensure that both boomerangs make range. The rest of the traditional Accuracy rules will apply. In Accuracy, throwers throw from the bulls-eye of a ring of concentric circles, and then let the boomerang land where it will. Hopefully, it lands at your feet, for ten points. Team members' scores will be added together, and the most points wins.

Team Maximum Time Aloft

Maximum Time Aloft is run like always, and like MTA at individual tournaments. Competitors will have three throws to keep the boomerang in the air as long as possible with a catch at the end. The best score from each team member will be added together, and the highest total time will win.

Team Trick Catch/Doubling

Trick Catch/Doubling will be combined, as in St. Louis, with the same sequence of catches. A perfect score will be 100 points. There will be ten trick catches and ten doubling catches (five throws). Team scores will be the sum of points from each of the team member's rounds.

The above is a general overview of the events for the Team Championships. The exact rules for the events are published below. All throwers are welcome to offer their insight, advice, and constructive criticism until 30th November 1999. At that point, we will consider all of the input, alter the rules to reflect throwers' concerns, and publish the final rulebook. Until the events and rules become final and are sent out to the teams, all of the rules are subject to change.

For the Individual World Championships, the events and rules will be unchanged from past World Championships.

The events will be Accuracy , Australian Round , Fast Catch, Endurance, MTA, and Trick Catch/Doubling combined.

The Distance Championship will be a separate competition with placings not being part of the overall Individual Championship.

Official Rulebook
2000 World Boomerang Championships
5th - 12th February, 2000

Melbourne

AUSTRALIA

Table of Contents

Ground Rules
Glossary of Terms
Team Relay
Team Supercatch
Team Endurance Relay
Team Australian Round
Team Accuracy
Team Trick Catch/Doubling
Team Maximum Time Aloft
Submitting comments

Ground Rules

Organization of events:

• There will be three Team Match Days during the week of the Championships. Six events will be contested on each day.
  

• The tournament starts each day at 9:00 a.m., with the 10 minute warm-up for the first event.
  

• No event shall start after 6:00 p.m. (Warm-up starts by 5:45 p.m.)
  

• The order of events will be sent to teams in advance of the Championships, and will also be posted at the tournament site.
  

• Any four of each team’s throwers will throw in any event, unless injuries or other circumstances have reduced the number of team members below four. Then the team will throw shorthanded, unless an extra is approved. See "Use of extras" below.
  

• Throwing orders, circle assignments, and officiating assignments will be available at the beginning of the week, and posted each day on the field.
  

• It is up to the throwers and judges to be at their designated circles on time at the start of each event or throwers will lose their turns.

Team’s Officiating Responsibilities

• One thrower from each team may be required to officiate each event. Each team’s officiating assignments will be posted in the same area where the team’s circle assignments are posted.
  

• Teams may be required to judge, time, or spot range, before and/or after their round, in the circles in which they are competing.
  

• Designated team officials must be at their officiating assignment five minutes before the event starts, and check in with that circle’s Circle Official. Have a stopwatch if required.

Stopwatches

• Every thrower must have a working stopwatch that times to 1/100 of a second and has a lap timer. Stopwatches should be the handheld type, not a wristwatch type.

Warm-up

• There will be a 10 minute warm-up period before each event, 15 minutes for Supercatch and MTA. The warm-up period begins as soon as the last person has finished in the previous event. A loud signal will alert throwers to the beginning and end of warm-up.

• No boomerangs may be thrown after the signal marking the end of warm-up. After the warm-up period has ended, throwers have 5 minutes to report to their circles.

• Warm-up throwing may take place on either the tournament field or the practice field. Teams using the tournament field should avoid using the bulls-eyes. Teams using the practice field still must be at their assigned circle, ready to throw, five minutes after the signal for the end of warm-up.

• No practice throwing shall occur on either field while an event is in progress. The only throwing should be in active circles by teams competing their rounds, or teams in official warm-up before their turn.

Safety
During practice

• Any thrower who hits a person with a boomerang during its outward flight - and is clearly at fault - is disqualified from the next event.

• Any thrower who is warned by a tournament official to stop throwing dangerously on two separate occasions during the same day, or who hits someone after being warned once, is disqualified from practice and competition for the rest of the day.

• Exceptions: When the accident is clearly the fault of the victim, or if the victim is in organized practice (in line for throwing) and is not paying attention to returning boomerangs and is hit as a result.

Safety
During competition

• Throwers are responsible for moving range spotters before they throw to keep them out of danger. Time will be allowed for people to move.

Cancellation of Events

• In case of heavy rain, tournament officials will decide whether to continue with the event, or take a break and wait for the rain to lighten up. In the case of light rain, the contest will go on. If the officials decide to take a break, they must do so between rounds of the event. The rest of the event must be contested on the same day or the event will be considered cancelled. If the event must be halted in the middle of a round, then the event will be considered cancelled and no scores will be recorded.

• If lightning is visible from the field and appears to be coming closer, tournament officials may choose to take a break and wait for the storm to pass over.

• If heavy rain or lightning is present at 9:00 a.m., then the officials may delay the start of the tournament. If the officials feel that the whole day will be unfit for competition, they may cancel the day and reschedule it on a rain date.

• If no events have started by 10:00 a.m., then the last event of the day will be cancelled.

• If no events have started by 11:30 a.m., then the second individual-style event will be cancelled (i.e.: AR, MTA, TC/Doub, or ACC), and lunch will be during this rain time.

• If no events have started by 1:00 p.m., then the last team-style event will be cancelled.

• If no events have started by 1:30 p.m., then the day is considered completely rained-out, and will be made up entirely on the appropriate rain date.

• If heavy rain or lightning occurs during the course of the day, and the tournament is delayed, then the events begin where they left off and the regular schedule continues after the delay. Events not started by 6:00 p.m. will be cancelled.

• No event will start after 6:00 p.m.

Rescheduling events

• The goal of the tournament organizers is to complete all 18 events during the course of the week. They feel that at least 15 events should be contested to determine the World Champion. Therefore, the following guidelines will determine rescheduling of events.

• The rain dates for team competition will be Tuesday and Thursday.

• If Sunday or Monday is completely rained out, then that day will be contested on Tuesday, using the same order of events as previously published. If all of one day was rained out and only part of another day, then the completely rained out date will be contested on Tuesday.

• If, during the course of Sunday and Monday, three or more events are cancelled due to either storms or the 6:00 p.m. cut-off rule, those events will be contested on Tuesday, starting at 9:00 a.m. The events will run in the order that they were originally scheduled, from Sunday morning to Monday afternoon.

• If all of Wednesday is rained out, then the entire day will be contested on Thursday, and the Individual Championships will move to Friday and Sunday.

• If two or more events on Wednesday are cancelled due to storms or the 6:00 p.m. cut-off rule, then those events will be contested Thursday at 9:00 a.m. in the order they would have occurred the day before. The Tournament Director and officials will postpone the events for the Individual World Championships until after the Team Events conclude Thursday and all day Friday, and Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. if necessary.

• The above guidelines ensure that the outcome of the Team Championships is as fair as possible by guaranteeing that at least 15 events will be contested to determine the winner.

Delay in throwing

• Once the previous thrower’s turn is scored, the official will tell you verbally or signal you that it is your turn. You then have 15 seconds to make your throw. You should be in the bulls-eye and know how you are going to throw as soon as the bulls-eye is clear. If you do not throw within 15 seconds, you lose your turn and receive a zero for that round.

Establishing the order of throwing

• The order of throwing will be determined before teams arrive in Melbourne. Generic charts will be completed for the three test matches using numbers and letters in place of team names and throwers. Copies will be given to the teams before the captain’s meeting. All teams should examine the chart carefully to determine if they feel that a team has an unfair advantage or disadvantage because of throwing order or field assignment. Any possible problems should be brought to Rob Croll's attention immediately. At the captains meeting, a drawing will be held to assign team names to the letters on the chart. Once the drawing starts, no more changes will be made to the chart.

Records

• Records will only be established within the competitor’s normal turns during a tournament.

Judging

• Judges may use any means available to determine how an occurrence should be judged, including help from witnesses that had a better vantage point than the judge.

Order of Throwing List and Officiating List

• Teams will not be required to submit their roster of competitors for each event the evening before each test match.

• Each team will receive copies of the circle assignments and judging assignments for the week either on Saturday evening, Sunday morning at breakfast, or on the field Sunday morning. These sheets will also be posted in the main tent.

• It is each team’s responsibility to be sure that their members are on their assigned circles on time. If the Officiating List indicates that teams are to supply an official, that official should be at his assigned duty on time as well.

• When teams report to their circles, the names of the competing members will be added to the scoresheets. If a thrower or team is not present to register with the circle official at the beginning of the event, the thrower or team will receive a zero.

• It is the responsibility of each team and thrower to know when it is the team’s turn or his turn, and to be ready to throw upon the official’s signal.

• Once throwers/teams have registered at the beginning of the event, no changes may be made without official approval. The most obvious cause for replacing a thrower would be injury during an event. If the replacement had an officiating duty, the team must still supply an official. No changes may be made to the team’s order of throwing.

Use of extras

• Teams with fewer than six throwers may add extras with the permission of the tournament director. Extras should not bring team size to more than six. All extras must be approved by the tournament director before the first event of the first day.

• Extras may compete for only one team all week.

• In cases of emergency or injury which leaves a team with three competitors or fewer, the tournament director can approve the use of extras at that point. These extras can only be replaced by the throwers that they replaced originally.

Re-throws

• Officials will attempt to prevent re-throws from creating an unfair advantage or disadvantage for any team or thrower. Teams and throwers have the option of refusing the re-throw to keep the score earned during the round where the interference took place, unless the officials determine that fairness requires a re-throw. In a re-throw, a team or thrower may not improve upon the score which he/they would have obtained in the turn for which a re-throw is awarded.

Contestants’ and teams’ rights

• Competitors may replace a boomerang at any time between flights during an event. Progress of the event must not be slowed by more than 15 seconds as a result, or the turn is lost. Additional specific rules for boomerang replacement apply in Fast Catch, Endurance, Team Supercatch, Team Relay and Team Endurance.

• Any thrower may require removal of any object on the competition field before his turn, excluding previously specified field obstacles. Hitting any object that could have been removed is not interference.

• Legal gloves may be used in any competition.

Contestants’ and teams’ obligations

• By entering the competition, contestants and teams agree to abide by the decisions of the judges and circle officials. In timed events, it is the competitor’s responsibility to be sure the timers are ready before he begins his turn. A thrower who throws before the timers are ready loses his turn. In all events, it is the thrower’s responsibility to be ready to throw when it becomes his turn. If he does not throw within the allowed time, he loses his turn.

• Contestants may not talk unnecessarily with the judge or scorekeeper during an event.

• Practice throws or range checks are not allowed from or over a competition circle in which an event is in progress, except as required or allowed by the event rules or officials.

• Practice throws are allowed in designated areas at designated times. Unauthorized throws for practice, tuning, testing, or for any other reason are not allowed. Contestants caught making such throws lose the next turn in the event for which they are preparing.

Protests

• Any protest must be lodged with the event judge at the time of the infraction. It will be dealt with at that time, if feasible. Any act, occurrence, or judgement which causes an advantage or disadvantage to any contestant or group of contestants may be protested.

• No protest may be made in any event more than 30 seconds after the last throw of the event has been completed.

• Protests must be resolved as quickly and fairly as possible, without disrupting the contest in progress any more than is necessary.

• Protests shall be ruled upon by the tournament director and judges.

• Protests shall be resolved immediately, if possible, or before the next event begins in any case. If this is not possible, officials must tell the protester when to expect a decision and why there is a delay.

• If interference or confusion occurs during your round, but you are still able to continue, complete your round as well as possible, then file your protest.

Intentional interference

• If interference appears to be intentional (like hitting a range steward), the thrower is disqualified in the event.

• If a competitor other than the thrower intentionally touches a boomerang in flight he will be disqualified, whether he has had his turn or not, in the event involved. In team-style events, the thrower’s team will lose one round or be disqualified completely, whichever is appropriate to the event in question.

Timing

• Any timer must disqualify himself if he feels that he did not start or stop his stopwatch at the appropriate moment on any turn.

• The preferred method of timing is: Use three timers plus one designated alternate. All four timers time each turn. If the designated timers agree within the limits below, the alternate is disregarded. If one or more of the designated times is not within those limits, or a timer disqualifies himself, the alternate is substituted. Official times are determined using the following guidelines:

  • When three stopwatches are used, the times are considered valid if the shortest and longest time are within 0.75 seconds of each other. The official time is the middle time.

  • If the longest and shortest times are more than 0.75 seconds apart, the one further from the middle time must be completely disregarded. The official time is determined as if only two stopwatches were used.

  • Two stopwatches which agree within 0.50 second are the minimum required to make a contestant’s actual time official. The official time is the inferior of the two times. This occurs only if two stopwatches are used, or if one of three, or two of four, are unacceptable.

  • If only one stopwatch has what appears to be a valid time, the competitor may, at his option, make a re-throw or accept an official time which is inferior to the stopwatch time by the lessor of: 2.00 seconds, or 5% of the stopwatch time, rounded to the nearest .01 second.

Scoring for the Individual World Championships

• Scoring on the field will be done according to individual event rules. Overall placing points will be awarded as follows: 1st place receives 1 placing point, 2nd place receives 2 points, 3rd receives 3 points, etc.

• Tied throwers split the placing points of the places they would have taken if they had not tied. Example: If three throwers tie for 2nd place, they would divide up the placing points for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places. The next thrower would receive placing points for 5th place.

• The World Champion shall be the thrower who accumulates the fewest placing points from all six events.

Scoring team tests

Scoring on the field is to be done according to the rules of the events. Overall rankings in each event will be awarded placing points as follows:
1st Place = Number of teams entered (N) points
2nd Place = N-2 points
3rd Place = N-3 points
...
Last Place = 0 points


• Example: if there are 20 teams, the 1st place team in an event will be awarded 20 placing points. 2nd place receives 18 placing points, 3rd receives 17 placing points, etc.
• Any team earning no score in an event will receive zero placing points.
• Tied teams split the placing points of the places they would have taken if they had not tied. Example: If three teams tie for 2nd place, they would divide up the placing points for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places. The next team would receive placing points for 5th place.
• The team which accumulates the most placing points in a test match is the winner of the test match.
• The World Champion Team shall be the team which accumulates the most placing points from all three test matches.

Official Glossary of Terms

Boomerang

Number of arms is unrestricted. To be a boomerang, a stick must tend to return as a result of gyroscopic precession caused by asymmetric lift. The lift is created as a result of a throw that gives the object rotation and linear motion.
Holes: No limit on size, but cannot be used to aid in catching.
Slots: No limit on size, but cannot be used to aid in catching.
Flaps: No limit on size, but cannot be used to aid in catching.
Adhesive: Nothing allowed which could aid catching.
Materials: Any non-metal material. Metal may be imbedded or taped on, but may not have exposed sharp edges.
Other: No launching, propulsion, or catching aids may be incorporated into the boomerang.

Area inside the 2 meter circle from which throws are made. The marked line is outside of the bulls-eye. If a thrower touches the line during the throw - before the boomerang is released - no points are scored for the throw or catch. This area is designated 10 points in Accuracy and Australian Round.

Person designated by team to represent team when vote or action is required. Each team may send an alternate representative to meetings, but each team has only one vote on any issue that requires a vote of team captains.

Legal catch during which a) the boomerang passes behind the competitor’s back, or b) the catching hand is behind the competitor’s back and withdraws the boomerang. (Catches on the side are allowed if the catching hand crosses behind the thrower’s back and withdraws the boomerang from behind the thrower’s back.)

A legal catch of any part of a broken boomerang is considered a legal catch if all other requirements are met.

One-hand clean catch during which the catching hand approaches the boomerang from the top of the boomerang. The boomerang must be caught upon first contact, no bobbling.

Legal catch during which the boomerang is caught with the feet or lower leg. The boomerang may not touch any part of the thrower’s knees, or anywhere above his knees. The boomerang and both of the competitor’s feet must remain clear of the ground at all times during the catch.

Legal catch after the boomerang has been returned into the air after striking the foot or lower leg. Boomerang may not touch any part of the thrower’s knees, or anywhere above his knees.

Act of stopping and obtaining full control of a flying boomerang after a legal throw provided the boomerang has not touched the ground during the flight or catch and provided its range is sufficient. Full control must be obtained before the boomerang is allowed to touch the ground. The boomerang may be trapped against the thrower on any catch for for which a clean catch is not specified. A boomerang may be “popped” or “bobbled” but must not be allowed to touch the ground. Anything that protrudes beyond the planes of the top or bottom surfaces of the boomerang may not be used to assist in catching. Holes, whether open or closed, may also not be used to assist in catching. No devices, mechanized or otherwise, may be used to aid in catching a boomerang.

Legal catch with the additional requirement that during the catch the boomerang may not touch the competitor except on the hand or forearm of the specified side (left or right). The boomerang may not touch the thrower’s elbow.

One-hand clean catch that satisfies the requirements of behind-the-back catch. Exception: the boomerang may touch the back or buttocks or back of the legs during the catch, but trapping the boomerang (either flat or on edge) against any part of the body to obtain control, is not allowed. If the boomerang is withdrawn after control is obtained it may touch the body - even forcibly - as long as control is maintained. If control is lost, it must be regained by the catching hand without trapping.

One-hand clean catch that satisfies all the requirements of under-the-leg catch. Exception: the boomerang may touch the leg, body, or buttocks during the catch, but trapping the boomerang (either flat or on edge) against the leg or body to obtain control is not allowed. When the boomerang is withdrawn, after control is obtained, it may touch the body - even forcibly - as long as control is maintained. If control is lost, it must be regained by the catching hand without trapping.

Legal catch during which at least one hand involved in the catch is under the legs, while both feet remain in contact with the ground. The boomerang must pass through the legs at the completion of the catch.

Legal catch in which the boomerang passes under a leg. If, at the moment of catch, the thrower’s catching hand/arm is under a leg, but the boomerang has not yet passed under the leg, the boomerang must be withdrawn under the leg to complete the catch. Control by the catching hand must be maintained until the catch/withdrawal is completed.

Point at center of bulls-eye from which the radius of all accuracy and range circles are measured.

Area where tournament is to be held. Limits to be specified before the start of the contest.

Start/finish area on the 20 meter or 30 meter line in a relay event. The start, finish, and all tags must take place within a team’s gate.

As used in the legal catch definition, point where the Earth or its coverings is firm enough to noticeably affect the linear or rotational motion of a boomerang in flight or during a catch.

Reference to the male gender, includes the female gender.

As soon as possible, even if it is necessary to interrupt an official conversation.

Situation in which the flight of a boomerang is altered by contact with another person’s boomerang in flight, a person, animal, or pre-designated obstruction. Interference occurs if a boomerang is caught or deflected by someone other than its thrower. Interference can be called if a thrower is prevented from getting to his boomerang for a catch by a person or animal. Interference may not be called if the boomerang hits the ground before the alleged interference. Re-throw policy is defined in each event’s rules. Any contact between teammates or their boomerangs is not considered interference.

Person responsible for fair conduct of the events included in the tournament. This includes interpreting the rules, organizing other officials and stewards, and recording of scores.

Lines marked the specified distance from the center point on the field.

Area of the body which touches the ground. For example, the entire bottom of a foot or the tip of a toe could be one point - whatever is touching the ground. Two feet on the ground is one point.

Outermost meter circle over which the boomerang flies - between when it is thrown from the bulls-eye and when it returns toward the thrower.

Throw taken to obtain a score in lieu of score lost due to interference on a throw during a previous turn. May also be ordered by judge if original throw could not be properly scored. Re-throws are conducted and scored to ensure that the thrower cannot improve upon the best score possible for the round at the time of the interference.

A sequence in an event in which each thrower (all throwers) has an opportunity to have a specified number of turns. Turns may be in rotation with throwers from other teams, consecutively, or simultaneously per event rules.

Touch of one thrower, whose turn is ending, to his teammate, whose turn is starting, in a relay event. The thrower whose turn is starting must have both feet on the ground within the gate area and outside the designated line (20 meter or 30 meter) until he is tagged. At the moment he is tagged, his turn begins.

Throw of a boomerang from inside the bulls-eye or other designated area that satisfies any range requirements of the event.

Boomerangs must be thrown upon verbal command of event judge. Release may take place at any time from the moment the command is made until two seconds after. If delay is longer, thrower loses his turn.

Thrower’s opportunity to perform in an event. The sequence of turns for each competitor is set in all events before the start of the tournament. A turn begins when the previous thrower’s turn has been scored or any time thereafter when the event judge indicates that officials are ready. The thrower must make his throw within 15 seconds of the start of his turn unless otherwise advertised or announced before the start of the tournament. Extensions may be allowed by judges if done fairly and consistently.

Team Relay

Timed event - shortest time is best.

Circles - contested on two circles.

• Two teams throw at a time. If there are an odd number of teams, an unofficial team of four will be provided to run against the last team.

• Each thrower has two turns.

Required for score:

• 30 meters range.

• First thrower makes a standing start from his team’s gate on the 30 meter line upon audible signal from an event official.

• Each team member must go into the 4 meter radius (8 point circle) circle and make a legal throw. After catching the boomerang, thrower must touch the 4 meter radius circle and tag his team’s next thrower. Tag must be made at the team’s gate.

• After the event is started, no thrower may touch the area inside of the 30 meter circle until he is tagged. After he is tagged, he may make a standing start.

• If a thrower fails to catch his boomerang, he must return to the 4 meter radius circle and throw it again. Upon catching it - or recovering it if he does not catch it - he may then return to tag the 4 meter radius circle and then tag the next team member.

• Each thrower has two turns in rotation with his teammates.

• After each thrower finishes his second turn, he must go past his team and remain at the 40 m line directly behind his team’s gate.

• Range will be checked on every throw. If any throw is short, it doesn’t count as a throw and must be repeated. There is no limit to how many times the boomerang must be thrown to make range.

Team score

• Time ends when the last thrower finishes his second turn by crossing the 30 meter line through his team’s gate.

Round

• One round

• Two teams start their round simultaneously.

Re-Throws

• May not start within five minutes of the unscored round, and must be against the same teams.

• If the judges believe that interference could reasonably have been avoided by the team affected, a re-throw will not be granted.

• When interference occurs, all teams participating stop, leaving the round uncompleted.

• If an opponent completed its round and earned a valid time before the interference took place, its score stands. The opponent competes against the re-throwing team to make the conditions comparable.

• Officials record the time when each thrower tags his team’s next thrower. The time of the last thrower to complete his turn before the interference cannot be beaten by that same thrower’s time in the re-throw round. The correction is made after the round is completed by adding the difference to the stopwatch time if appropriate.

Warm-up

• The four teams competing in the first two rounds at each circle may warm-up outside of the circle for three minutes before the start of the first round.

• Teams competing in the third round practice during the first round. Teams competing in the fourth round practice during the second round. Teams competing in the fifth round practice during the third round. All practice takes place away from the active circles.

Officials

• Two judges, scorekeeper, starter.

• Three timers per team.

• Six range stewards on 30 meter line, three per team.

Notes on Team Relay

• Teams have gates approximately downwind from the bulls-eye. Markers are placed on each side of the gate.

• Any boomerang being replaced or a part of it must be returned to the bulls-eye before any more catches may be counted.

• Two judges will be near the bulls-eye, one for each team. Each team’s judge has the responsibility of alerting the thrower if his boomerang is short or he has made a foot fault. If a judging error is made, the round will be reconstructed in the fairest manner possible, as determined by the tournament officials. If it is not possible to reconstruct the round fairly, the teams with the affected times will repeat their turn against the same team.

Team Supercatch

Catching event - most catches is best.

Circles - contested on two sets of three circles.

• Two sets of circles in opposite corners of the field will run simultaneously. One MTA thrower from each team will throw from anywhere on the field other than the opposing team’s three fast catch circles.

• The MTA thrower will be able to travel anywhere on the field except the opposing team’s fast catch circles. The area in the center of the field is approximately 200 meters by 250 meters.

• The MTA thrower may not enter the opposing team’s fast catch circles, whether they are in use or are changing teams at the time.

Required for score in each round:

• One thrower throws an MTA boomerang. Any type of boomerang may be used.

• Throw may take place anywhere on the competition field except the three fast circles being used by the second team on the field.

• Catch may take place anywhere within the sight of the judge assigned to determine the moment of the catch.

• Three throwers throw fast catch boomerangs from three separate bulls-eyes. Any type of boomerangs may be used. 20 meter minimum range required on every throw.

• Fast catch throwers begin throwing when the MTA boomerang is released.

• The fast catch throwers stop throwing when the MTA boomerang is first touched at the catch.

Team score

• If the MTA boomerang is caught, the official score for the round is the total number of boomerangs caught by the three fast catch throwers plus one for the catch of the MTA boomerang.

• If the MTA boomerang is not caught, the official score for the round is zero.

• Score is recorded as the score for the person throwing the MTA boomerang.

Round

• Four rounds. In each round a different team member throws an MTA boomerang.

• The same four team members participate in all four rounds.

• Teams throw in rotation. After two rounds have been completed on each set of circles, teams will switch ends of the field and compete their last two rounds on the other set of circles.

Re-throws

• May not start within five minutes of the completion of the unscored round.

• The MTA boomerang is timed by at least two stopwatches.

• If there is interference with a fast catch thrower, only that thrower will be allowed to re-throw. Round length will be the same as the length of the round in which the interference occurred.

• If there is interference with the MTA boomerang or thrower, none of the fast catch throwers may score more in the re-throw round than they did by the time the MTA boomerang reached the ground in the unscored round.

• All the same throwers must participate.

Officials

• May be competitors.

• For each set of circles: scorekeeper, MTA boomerang catch judge, two MTA boomerang timers, two range judges for each fast catch circle, and one center judge for each fast catch circle.

Notes on Team Supercatch

• If the MTA boomerang goes off the competition field out of sight of the catch judge, or if it climbs out of sight, the score for the round is zero. After the boomerang leaves the competition field, the thrower may not claim interference by anything or anyone except an opponent who deliberately interferes with him or his boomerang. Time stops when the boomerang hits anything. Catches are counted only if the boomerang is then caught.

• Fast catch boomerang thrown before the MTA boomerang is caught may be caught for score.

Team Endurance Relay

Catching event - most catches is best

Circles - Contested on four circles.

Required for score

• 20 meter range.

• Throw from inside of the bulls-eye.

• Legal catch

• Catches are counted for all throws made before or at the end of one minute, even if the catch is made after the minute has expired.

• Only one boomerang may be used at a time.

• One catch is scored for each legal catch.

Team Score

• Total of scores of participating team members.

Round

• One five minute round is contested. Four throwers have 60 second turns. Rotation continues to five minutes, one thrower may have a second turn.

• First thrower makes a standing start from his team’s gate on the 20 meter line at the signal from the official.

• Each team member goes to the bulls-eye, makes as many legal throws and legal catches as possible within 60 seconds from the start.

• The thrower must not leave the bulls-eye until the 60 seconds has elapsed.

• After the timing judge announces that the 60 seconds has expired, the thrower must tag the bulls-eye, after catching or recovering the last boomerang thrown. Then he tags his team’s next thrower at the 20 meter line to start the next thrower’s 60 second turn.

• If the fourth thrower enters the team’s gate at the 20 meter line at the completion of his turn, and the five minutes has not elapsed, then another thrower may take another turn until time is called.

• The round ends at five minutes.

• The tag must be made at the team’s gate.

• After the event is started, no thrower may touch the area inside the 20 meter circle until he is tagged. When each thrower is tagged, he makes a standing start.

Warm-up

• Each team has a one minute timed warm-up in the circle before the start of its round.

Re-throws

• No re-throws unless it is impossible to obtain a fair score during the original round, or unless interference results in a delay during the round of the thrower involved as indicated below.

• The problem in the original round must be serious enough to stop the round (like an injury). Simple interference, such as hitting - but not injuring - a range steward, is not sufficient grounds for a re-throw.

Officials

• May be other competitors.

• One official timer to time each thrower’s time from the start of his round at the time of the tag, to the end of the 60 seconds he has to make the last throw allowed during his turn. He must count down the last five seconds. This official has no other duties.

• One center judge to make sure all throws are made from inside the bulls-eye and to count legal catches aloud. He must count load enough that the range stewards can hear him so they can verify his count after each throw. He must report or record the scores as required.

• One gate judge/timer to ensure that all tags and the start and finish are legal and to keep the overall time (five minutes).

• Three range stewards to check each throw for range. One range steward is the back-up timer for the overall team time. Another range steward is the back-up timer for each thrower’s 60 seconds.

• Throwers/officials rotate duties between rounds.

• If interference occurs, the circle stopwatches are stopped using the “STOP: function, not the “LAP” function.

• When throwing can resume, the thrower continues, starting from the point where the boomerang landed, and the stopwatches resume timing at the elapsed time where they were stopped.

Notes on Team Endurance Relay

• Teams have gates approximately downwind from the bulls-eye. Markers are placed on both sides of each gate.

• Any boomerang being replaced, or a part of it, must be returned to the bulls-eye before any more catches may be counted.

Team Australian Round

Points awarded - most points is best.

Circles - contested on three circles.

• Two throwers from the same team throw in the same turn from the same bulls-eye, throwing two seconds apart.

Required for score

• Twenty meter range minimum.

• Throw from inside the bulls-eye.

• Accuracy points or catching points.

Team score

• Team members are scored independently, even though they throw in pairs.

• Team score is the total of the scores of participating team members.

Round

• The event includes one round of five throws for each pair. All throws are scored, no practice throws.

• The second thrower in a pair must throw within two seconds of the first thrower. If the center judges rule that more than two seconds have elapsed between throws, the second throw will be scored a zero.

• When the judges have announced both scores from the previous pair’s turn, it becomes the next pair’s turn. They have 15 seconds to make the first throw.

• Contestants throw in groups of two or three pairs. Each group of pairs throws in rotation with the other pairs in the group, until all pairs have completed their five turns. Then the next group begins its round.

Scoring

• Each thrower is scored individually.

• ACCURACY POINTS are awarded if the boomerang comes to rest on the ground within the accuracy circles: 1 - 10 points according to the Accuracy rules. If the thrower catches in the accuracy circles, his location among the circles when he makes the catch determines his score.

• CATCHING POINTS are awarded depending upon location of contestant when he makes the catch:

  Inside the 20 meter line: 4 points
  On the 20 meter line: 3 points
  Between 20 meter line and 50 meter line: 2 points
  On the 50 meter line: 1 point
  Outside the 50 meter line: 0 points

• Legal catch must be made to obtain catching points.

• RANGE POINTS are awarded only if accuracy and/or catching points are earned on the throw:

  50 m range or more 6 points
  40 meters range, but less than 50 meters: 4 points
  30 meters range, but less than 40 meters: 2 points
  20 meters range, but less than 30 meters: 0 points

• Official score for each throw is the total of accuracy, catching, and range points.

• Official score for each thrower is the total for his five throws.

If boomerang touches the ground during flight:

• If the boomerang is caught, accuracy points are awarded based on the competitor’s position when the catch is made, but no catching points are awarded.

• If the thrower touches the boomerang, but does not catch it, he gets the lower accuracy score based on:

  - where he touched the boomerang.
  - where the boomerang came to rest.

Location of catch

• For accuracy and catching points, if a competitor contacts his boomerang in one scoring area but doesn’t obtain control until he is in a different scoring area, he gets the lower score based on:

  - where he was when he first touched the boomerang, whether the boomerang is caught or not.
  - where he was whenever he touched the boomerang
  - where he was when he completed the catch
  - where the boomerang came to rest.

• If a contestant falls down after the catch is completed, location of his feet before his fall determines his location.

• If he is touching the ground when the catch is made, accuracy points are based on the location of all points of contact with the ground.

• If contestant is not touching the ground when the catch is made, accuracy points are based on the first single point of contact with the ground after the catch.

• If all points of contact on which score is based are in the same scoring area, area points (accuracy and catching) are awarded.

• If the area of ground contact on which the score is based touches or includes a line, the average of the points of the two adjacent areas is awarded.

Re-throws

• Made in rotation after the last person in the group completes his fifth throw. It cannot be within two minutes after the contestant’s last scheduled throw.

• If interference prevents a thrower from catching his boomerang, the re-throw cannot be awarded any more accuracy, catching, or range points than the throw it replaces could have earned. For example, if the boomerang went 30 meters and returned only to the 23 meter line, the maximum points for accuracy are zero, the maximum points for range are two, and the maximum points for catching are two. On the re-throw, the best that could be obtained is four points, even if the thrower catches in the bulls-eye.

• If interference to the boomerang’s flight occurs, there are no limits.

• No interference may occur between team members in the same pair.

Warm-up

• First group may warm up outside the active circle for approximately five minutes before the event starts.

• Each group of throwers may warm up outside the active circles during the first four throws of the group before it.

Officials

• For each circle: two center judges, scorekeeper, minimum of twelve range stewards, and a range coordinator.

• Competitors will serve as range stewards while not throwing.

Team Accuracy

Points awarded - most points is best.

Circles - contested on three circles.

• Two throwers from the same team throw in the same turn from the same bulls-eye, throwing within two seconds of each other.

Required for score

• Twenty meter range minimum.

• Throw from inside the bulls-eye.

• Boomerang must come to rest without being touched.

Team score

• Team members are scored independently, even though they throw in pairs.

• Team score is the total of the scores of participating team members.

Round

• The event includes one round of five throws for each pair. All throws are scored, no practice throws.

• The second thrower in a pair must throw within two seconds of the first thrower. If the center judges rule that too much time elapsed between throws, the second throw will be scored a zero.

• When the judges have announced both scores from the previous pair’s turn, it becomes the next pair’s turn. They have 15 seconds to make the first throw.

• Contestants throw in groups of two or three pairs. Each group of pairs throws in rotation with the other pairs in the group, until all pairs have completed their five turns. Then the next group begins its round.

Scoring

• Points scored according to where the boomerang comes to rest:

  - inside the 2 meter circle, thrower earns 10 points.
  - inside the 4 meter circle, thrower earns 8 points.
  - inside the 6 meter circle, thrower earns 6 points.
  - inside the 8 meter circle, thrower earns 4 points.
  - inside the 10 meter circle, thrower earns 2 points.

• If the boomerang is completely within a single scoring area and not touching any lines, the score of that area is awarded.

• If any part of a boomerang is over any part of a line, the score is the average of scores for adjacent areas.

• Official score for each thrower is the total for his five throws.

Warm-up

• First group may warm up outside the active circle for approximately five minutes before the event starts.

• Each group of throwers may warm up outside the active circles during the first four throws of the group before it.

Re-throws

• Re-throws are made after the thrower’s fifth throw, spaced like his other throws.

• No interference may occur between team members in the same pair.

Officials

• For each circle: one center judge and at least six range stewards.

Notes on Team Accuracy

• Neither of each pair’s boomerangs should touch either thrower. If either boomerang touches either thrower, that boomerang will be scored zero.

Team Trick Catch/Doubling

Points awarded event - most points is best.

Circles - contested on twelve circles.

Required for each catch to count

• Throw on command from bulls-eye

• Legal throw

• 20 meter range minimum

• Legal catch(es) of types required in round.

Team score

• Each thrower on the team is scored individually.

• Team score is total of scores of participating team members.

Round

• Throwers attempt ten trick catches with one boomerang, immediately followed by five doubling throws. The catches must be done in the following order, and are worth the indicated number of points.

  Trick Catch Sequence
  Left-hand clean	2 points
  Right-hand clean	2 points
  Behind-the-back	3 points
  Under-the-leg	3 points
  Eagle catch	4 points
  Hackey catch	6 points
  Two-feet-on-ground under-the-leg	6 points
  One-hand behind-the-back	7 points
  One-hand under-the-leg	7 points
  Foot/leg catch	10 points
  ********Total for 10 throws:	50 points
  Doubling sequence
  Behind-the-back & under-the-leg	3 + 3 = 6 points
  Hackey & left-hand clean	6 + 2 = 8 points
  Two-feet-on-ground under-the-leg & right-hand clean	6 + 2 = 8 points
  One-hand behind-the-back & one-hand under-the-leg	7 + 7 = 14 points
  Foot/leg catch & eagle catch	10 + 4 = 14 points
  ********Total for 5 throws:	50 points
  ***********Total points for round:	100 points

• In Doubling, the two required catches for each throw may be made in either order: foot and then eagle catch, or eagle first, then foot catch.
• In Doubling, if one boomerang is short, both will be considered short.
• In Doubling, the thrower must retain control of the first boomerang until after the second catch is completed. If the first is caught, then dropped before or during the second catch, the first catch does not count.

• Must be made before the next round begins.

• Each thrower has a one minute timed warm-up in the circle before the start of his round.

• One center judge and three range stewards/judges for each circle.

Team Maximum Time Aloft 100

Timed flight duration - longest time is best.

Circles - contested on three circles.

Required for score

• Throw from anywhere within the 50 meter circle.
• No minimum range requirement.
• Legal catch within the 50 meter circle.
• Legal boomerang with no catching aids.

• Each thrower on the team is scored individually.
• Official score is the thrower's longest time that ends in a legal catch.
• Team score is the total of official scores for participating team members.

• Three rounds of one throw each.
• Flight is timed from the moment of release until the boomerang is first touched. Time is recorded only if a legal catch is made.
• Each round is completed by all throwers in the group in rotation before the next round is started.

• May not be made within five minutes from the thrower’s unscored round.
• Official time may not be longer than the time of flight in which the interference occurred, provided interference did not shorten the flight time.

• For each circle: one judge, scorekeeper, three timers for each throw, and one observer to check the location of the thrower at time of catch, making sure that he is within the 50 meter circle.
• Timers and observers may be competitors. If competitors are used as timers, all three must be from different teams.

• If contestant is not completely inside the 50 meter circle, he must be touching the circle or the area within it whenever he touches the boomerang during the catch until he completes the catch. If he is not touching the ground when he makes the catch, his first point of contact with the ground after the catch must be on or within the 50 meter circle.

Submit your Comments

The organizers of the 2000 World Boomerang Championships welcome all comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism.

All ideas should be received by 30th November 1999, at which time we will improve the rulebook using the throwers' suggestions. The final rulebook will be published by 31st December1999, and posted to this web site .

The best way to submit ideas is by email.

Please email BOTH

Rob Croll

and

David Schummy