I like this idea a lot. A lot more intuitive than MJ's made up scoring sytsem for GST.
Drake wrote:
The contest will be organized in a "king of the ring" format similar to high jump. Throwers will be tasked with trying to heave their shot put past a designated line in order to advance in the competition. Athletes will get two attempts to clear the targeted distance with back-to-back misses resulting in elimination. Placement will be determined by the furthest line cleared with ties broken by the total of all misses by each competitor.
Clearance distances could start as low as 30 feet and increase in segments of 10 feet until the throwers reach 60 feet. From there, the line to gain will bump up by two feet as athletes progress, until the contest reaches the 70-foot mark. After that, any remaining throwers will be tested in 1-foot increments. The last athlete standing can select the next or final distance to secure the win. In the event of a tie for the title, the contestants in the stalemate will compete in a throw-off at the last distance.
Officials will be more involved in the WSPS than traditional track and field and will be wearing more traditional referee garb. Donning black and white striped shirts and whistles, officials will be key in the operations of the event and determining eliminations and the eventual champion. The officiating team will consist of four event administrators, the first is the head referee located at the throwing circle who interacts with the athletes and has the final determination on successful or missed throws. The organizing official will record the attempts while the circle official observes for foot fouls and other infractions. Lastly, the field official will be down range of the throwers and provide initial signals for passing or unsuccessful attempts.
Referee signals will be similar to those seen in other sporting events. A line clearance will be signified by the referee extending both arms up in the air, like a touchdown in football. A failed attempt will be signaled with both arms waving in front of the official parallel to the ground, another loan from football like a missed field goal or incomplete pass. An elimination will be signified by a sharp fist pump in the direction of an athlete, like a baseball umpire calling a runner out. Another piece borrowed from the game of football is a measurement tool. The chain measurement system will be used to determine distances on throws that are too close to call with the naked eye.
Athletes will also be entitled to one challenge during the competition. Each professional competitor can throw their challenge flag into the ring to earn an additional try. A missed challenge attempt will count for two misses on an individual's scorecard. Participants will also be rewarded for not using their challenge as finishing the competition with ownership of your flag will remove a miss from your record.
