Now that we know what the Sprint O-Course looks like (check out the photos below), we can now focus on the format of the event (by the way, the course was designed by someone associated with Spartan Race). The format is different for individuals versus teams versus teens/masters.
For the teens and masters, it appears that they will get one shot to make it from one side to the other through a series of custom-built wooden obstacles including monkey bars, rope swings and some balancing stumps.
The team competition will be a six-person relay with the next member beginning once the prior athlete reaches the finish line at the top of a ladder. Once again, it appears each team will have one shot at the course.
The individual competition is much different, however. The individual athletes will compete in a 3-round elimination style tournament. In heats of 5, the top 2 finishers in each heat will advance to round 2 with four wildcard spots for the fastest times to not qualify.
The winner of each heat will advance to the finals with one wildcard spot for the fastest non-qualifier.
The finals will be a race to the finish with athletes final ranking 1-5 based on the final heat’s time. Places 6-20 will be arranged by the finishing times of those not qualifying for the finals and 21-40, again, based on the times of those not making out of the first round.
Based on the run through by Ro and Boz, it appears that the times are in the low one minute range. The format puts a lot of emphasis on a single obstacle course run. There is little room for error…one mistake could mean you’re in the bottom half of the scores.
