NES RULEBOOK

The Ninja Elimination Series is a dynamic and innovative ninja competition series that was created to meet the demands of ninja athletes and their families, whether new to the sport or Elite level. All of the things you love about the sport of ninja in a format where you can put your skills to the test, racing against other ninjas.

Our goal is to elevate the sport of ninja with continuous advancement and ingenuity with our format, obstacles, and challenges.

The Ninja Elimination Series will consist of multiple Qualifier Competitions throughout the season and one Finals Competition. The number of athletes who qualify for Finals at each qualifier is the larger of Top 5 or Top 30% of the division field (rounded up), capped at 8 per event. If a qualifying finisher has already qualified, that spot rolls down to the next highest unqualified finisher.

The Ninja Elimination Series competition format is a head-to-head format during which athletes will compete against each other on multiple obstacles. Features of this competition format include:

• Athletes compete on identical courses, side-by-side, in a Race against each other
• Athletes compete in a bracketed system
• There may be circumstances where an athlete has a first round bye based on the number of athletes competing in the bracketing system
• A single race between two athletes is referred to as a Race
• Each round of competition will consist of multiple Races with the winner of the Race moving on to the next round and the loser either moving to the Redemption Bracket (first loss) or being eliminated (second loss)
• The winner of the Competition will be the last athlete remaining who has not lost 2 Races
• Athletes will have a minimum of 30 seconds in between Races they compete in. During the final round, athletes will have at least 2 minutes between Races

All contested divisions (2+ athletes) compete head-to-head.

At each qualifier event, the number of athletes who qualify for Finals per division is determined by:

• Qualification status does not affect season points -- points are awarded for all contested divisions.
• Single-athlete divisions are not contested. No points, medals, or qualification are awarded. Athletes may compete up (see Competing Up).
• If divisions are separated by gender, qualification applies within that division.
• NES retains final authority over all qualification determinations.

Points are awarded at each qualifier event based on final bracket placement in contested divisions (2+ athletes). Single-athlete divisions are not contested and receive no points. All qualifier events count toward season standings -- there are no dropped events.

Points determine: Finals seeding, bye placement, and Season Champion title. Qualification and points are separate systems.

• Participation (must start division and compete in scheduled run) = 5 points
• DNS (Did Not Start) = 0 points
• DQ (Disqualified) = 0 points

Finals placements award 1.5x standard qualifier points. Finals points are calculated by multiplying the standard placement value by 1.5 and rounding to the nearest whole number.

17th+ is a participation award for athletes who start their division at Finals. DNS (Did Not Start) and DQ (Disqualified) receive 0 points. Finals points are added to each athlete's cumulative season total immediately after the division concludes.

If two or more athletes are tied in total season points, the following hierarchy is used in order:

1. Best single qualifier finish -- the athlete with the higher individual placement at any single event ranks higher.
2. Total Quicksilver Awards -- the athlete with more Quicksilver Awards earned across the season ranks higher.
3. Head-to-head result -- if the tied athletes faced each other during the season, the winner of that match ranks higher.
4. Faster average clean run time -- calculated across all clean (zero penalty) runs during the season.

Each division at Finals may include up to 32 athletes. If fewer than 32 athletes qualify and confirm attendance, the bracket will run with the confirmed number.

• Standard double-elimination structure applies
• Proper seed separation must be maintained
• Byes are awarded based on season points -- never randomized

Each division will crown two official champions at the conclusion of Finals:

Final Bracketing will be completed after the Rules Walkthrough, during Warm-Up Time. Any athlete who arrives after Final Bracketing will not be allowed to participate because brackets cannot be regenerated after this point.

• Final Bracketing for Qualifying Competition is random
• Final Bracketing for Finals Competition is based on points accrued throughout the season

All Ninja Elimination Series competitions are required to play the National Anthem at the start of the competition.

The National Anthem must be accompanied by a physical American Flag that is being displayed in a way that abides by the United States Flag Code.

Rules Walkthrough

Every division must start with a Rules Walkthrough, provided by either a Referee or the Course Designer. Every Rules Walkthrough must include:

• Verbal explanation of each obstacle
• Physical demonstration for each obstacle
• Clear explanation of Out of Bounds areas
• Question and answer opportunities for any Athlete or Coach
• Any rule change or clarification that occurs due to an athlete question must be announced to all athletes in the division

Warm-Up Time

During Warm-Up Time, Athletes participating in the division will be able to move through the competition course, touching and attempting any obstacle and/or landing platform that they wish. Coaches may join Athletes on the course during Warm-Up time but must avoid impeding any other Athlete.

• Up to 10 Athletes in division: 10 minutes
• 11+ Athletes in division: 15 minutes
• If a Rule Change occurs for an obstacle during Warm-Up time, an additional 5 minutes must be given

Scoring for each Race is based on penalties first and time second. There is NO TIME LIMIT to complete the course.

1. Number of Penalties by each athlete in the Race. Fewest penalties wins.
2. If both athletes have the same number of penalties, the Athlete with the fastest time wins.

In the Ninja Elimination Series format, parity of the side-by-side courses is essential.

Parity Requirements:

• Obstacles must be identical in both lanes (same product, same manufacturer, same distance apart, same setup and rigging)
• Start and finish platforms must be securely attached to the surface under them
• Athletes may only use obstacles from their own lane. Crossing into another lane will result in a penalty.
• Athlete must engage every obstacle in order: Start Platform, Obstacle, Finish Platform

Range:

Course must be set up with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 16 obstacles.

Types of Obstacles:

No more than two of any one type of obstacle in a row.

If you have any concerns about a Ninja Elimination Series event, you can email info@ninjaeliminationseries.com. You will receive a response within 5 business days.