Athletion

The Athletion™ is the Marmaduke sports equivalent of the Olympics. We put the best amateur Marmadukes of the world to an arduous test of their respective skills. Over one weekend of solid, intense competition, the MSA gives out sixty-five gold medals in sixteen disciplines, including the infamous Athletion itself - the ultimate competition that takes athletes and tests them over every single individual discipline.

The Athletion is notable for its events combining. For example, Supersailing is a combination of rowing, sailing, kayaking and canoeing. The boat raced in utilises aspects of all four sports and creates one weird looking vessel. Other examples include the Superjump (where a Marmaduke does the long, high and broad jumps and its aggregate distance is its score), Supercycling (a pentathlon of cycling events, including a sprint, road race, two time trials and a pursuit) and so on.

Disciplines

Archery

Archery is a one-off event that uses tournament format. Marmadukes use specially constructed bows and arrows to fire at a target 30 metres away. The target is a series of concentric circles, the outermost scoring few points compared to the innermost. If an arrow hits in the centre (which is marked with yellow), it scores the firer ten points. If it hits the outer yellow circle, it scores nine. If its hits the inner red circle, it score eight and so on through blue, black and white. If an arrow misses the target, it scores no points. In each archery match, the Marmaduke is allowed fifteen arrows, turns taken alternately, to accumulate the highest score possible. In the event of a tie, the archers fire an arrow each, highest score wins the match. The process is repeated if there is another tie until a result is determined. Some matches may have three competitors due to numbers and the tournament structure but still only one will progress.

Cycling

• 500m Sprint

The shortest race of the Marmaduke cycling program, the 500m sprint is designed so that Marmaduke muscles scream under the strain that the athletes put themselves under.

• 1000m Sprint

This is the second of the sprints and even more torturous than its shorter sister event. Here the Marmadukes use their specially designed bikes to go round the velodrome four times as fast as is Marmadukely possible.

• Individual Pursuit

The individual pursuit is like a combination of a sprint and a time trial. Here Marmadukes are set up in match races, starting at opposite sides of the velodrome, and they race over 3km to as fast as possible to catch each other. There is no real advantage in catching the opponent, other than psychological effects, but a fast time will see you through.

• Team Pursuit

The team pursuit is similar to the individual pursuit but with an obvious difference: it involves a team. The nation's cyclists are organised in teams of four and the race continues as an individual pursuit would be but it is over 5km.

• Indoor Time Trial

A time trial is when each rider has the entire track to themselves and races against the clock. Riders will cover 2km in their quest to become ITT champion.

• Outdoor Time Trial

The outdoor time trial (OTT) is similar to the ITT but is run outside, obviously. Like all outdoor cycling events, the race isn't decided on time but on average speed. Given that all riders ride the same course, it is still really based on time but for record purposes, we use speed. Riders can cover anywhere from fifteen to fifty kilometres, depending on the course decided by the host.

• Road Race

The road race is much like the sprints in the indoor, in that riders race against each other directly but that's about where the similarities end. Here the race usually covers around 200 km and can take up to 5 hours to complete. Its also measured in speed and usually has a higher average speed because of the wind breaking shared by the lead riders.

• Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking is essentially a rough OTT. Riders leave the starting point with a given gap and take up to two hours to complete the course. The course can cover just about any terrain, including mountains, swamps, marshes, savannah (where we've had problems with lions eating competitors before), tundra and desert.

• Supercycling

Supercycling is a pentathlon of the cycling program. It takes the 1000m sprint, individual pursuit, indoor time trial, outdoor time trial and the road race. To decide the winner of the Supercycling event, it uses the points system of The Athletion. 0 points are awarded for the if an athlete does not finish within a set time and 1000 for the athlete who equals or breaks the world record. The results are ranked relative to the 1000-point mark.

Diving

• 1m Springboard
• 3m Springboard
• 5m Platform
• 10m Platform

Fencing

Fencing has a long, proud history amongst humans but few realise the cultural significance amongst Marmadukes, probably because people feel it would be hard for a quadruped to use a sword, however, when they rear up, Marmadukes are quite adept at the sword. Its a simple sport. You're given a sword. You're given a target on your opposition. Hit them in the primary target region to score two points. Hit them in the secondary target region and score one. Three different types of sword are used:

• Foil (Primary: Head; Secondary: Neck)
• Epee (Primary: Upper Torso; Secondary: Lower Torso)
• Sabre (Primary: Neck; Secondary: Arms)

Formula Marmaduke Racing

See main article: FMR

Gymnastics

• Floor

Floor refers to a routine performed across a springy floor. No other aids are allowed as the Marmaduke flips, rotates and twists their way across the blue gymnastics mat.

• Rings

The Rings are two steel circles, attached to rope that is hung from the ceiling. Using the Marmaduke shoulder rotation (which is physiologically similar to humans), the Marmaduke displays their strength and grace by demonstrating how still they can keep their bodies while holding themselves in awkward positions.

• The Vault

Marmaduke speed, reflex and flexibility are imperative in the Vault. Marmadukes run-up and fling themselves onto a springboard that throws them onto a pommel horse from which the Marmaduke pushes his or herself into the air, flips, rotates or twists and then lands with as much stability as possible.

• Pommel Horse

We take one beam, lift it off the ground and embed two rings in it. Its called the Pommel Horse and Marmadukes use it to spin like crazy, or occasionally breaking out the "scissor" moves, using only their arms. Like all gymnastics, it requires co-ordination and strength.

• Balance Beam

The balance beam is not wide, probably no more than three or four inches. However, if it was wide, it would not require much effort to balance on. Marmadukes perform stunts similar to those of the floor routine but must cram their width in so that they land safely on the balance beam. The beam is made of incredibly high-density polyethylene so that Marmadukes cannot dig in their claws for balance.

• Horizontal Bar

Raise the height of a single bar to three metres and attach a Marmaduke. Using circular motion around the bar, the Marmaduke builds up momentum to pull off flips and position changes where a single slip-up can cause great injury.

• Uneven Bars

Take the concept for the Horizontal Bar and multiply it by two. Lower one of the bars about half a metre and you have the uneven bars. Unlike the Horizontal Bar, however, athletes can switch between bars, showing off transitional skills.

• Supergymnastics

Like anything else in the Athletion with the prefix super, Supergymnastics is a combination of all of the events that make up its program. We test individual Marmadukes across each and every discipline in gymnastics and total their score.

Jumping

• Long Jump

The long jump would be familiar to most people. In this event, the Marmadukes take a run up, accelerate to full speed and jump as far as they can from the line on the ground.

• Broad Jump

The broad jump is the lesser known cousin of the long jump. In this event, the Marmadukes are not allowed to take a run-up. They must jump from a standing start.

• High Jump

The high jump would be another familiar event to punters. Here the Marmadukes take another run up but must fling themselves over a bar set at a particular height.

• Superjump

Marmadukes attempt each jumping event and their best jump of each is aggregated.

Running

• 250m
• 500m
• 1000m
• 2500m
• 5000m
• 10000m
• 25000m
• 50000m

Skating

• 250m
• 500m
• 1000m
• 2000m
• 5000m

Superpolo

See main article: Superpolo

Supersailing

Supersailing is a team event. It combines rowing, kayaking, canoeing and sailing into one single water-going craft. At the front, the kayaker leads the way, then the rower forms the Marmaduke powerhouse of the boat. At the back there is the canoeist who steers the craft by deliberately choosing a side to paddle on and the sailor who harnesses the power of the wind to propel the boat forward. The sailor's tacking is important to direction in the open water races. The events are:

• 1000m
• 2000m
• 5000m
• 10000m
• 25000m

Swimming

• 50m
• 100m
• 250m
• 500m
• 1000m

Throwing

• Shot Put

Marmadukes take a heavy one kilogram steel ball, place it to the base of their neck and try to heave it as far as possible without leaving the shot circle.

• Discus

The discus is a flat, half-kilogram disc that Marmadukes try to propel as far as is Marmadukely possible. Top athletes tend to spin around three times to gain maximum momentum for the discus throw.

• Javelin

The javelin is perhaps one of the oldest weapons in the world. It takes a knife and attaches it to a pole, to give a spear. The Marmaduke javelin starts on three legs, the other holding the javelin itself to gain maximum speed and then at the last minute, it rears up on the back legs and uses the momentum and the human-like shoulder rotation (odd for a quadruped) to hurl the spear.

• Superthrow

Athletes take on each events and the aggregate of their best throws is the score they use to determine the winner.

Weightlifting

Weightlifting is solely a test of physical strength. Marmadukes lay on their back and have the bar lowered over their neck. They grab onto the bar, curl their bodies over the bar and try to flip themselves up onto their hind legs with the bar. If they can hold the bar over their shoulders for three seconds, the lift counts and they may progress to heavier weights. Weightlifting is divided into three weight categories for fairness:

• <18kg
• 18 - 22kg
• >22kg

Wrestling

The term "wrestling" can be deceiving for Athletion punters. By the rules of Marmaduke wrestling, just about any style of attack is allowed, except for gouging, scratching, biting and feather-fur pulling. Keeping that in mind, its not really wrestling, so much as Marmaduke death match, without the killing. Points are awarded by ferocity, skill and power of attacks. Wrestling is divided into three weight categories for fairness:

• <18kg
• 18 - 22kg
• >22kg

The Athletion

The Athletion is a supreme test of strength, stamina and Marmaduke will. Points are awarded by the performance of each athlete in the competition. 1000 points are awarded to the if an athlete equals or sets a world record (or equivalent) and 0 points are awarded to an athlete who does not finish within the arbitrarily set "loser" parameter. The competitor's result is then slotted in between, ranked by their position relative to the world record. The 1000 points are given across each of the thirteen events, each taken from a discipline in the rest of the Athletion. The events are:

1. Running: 2500m
2. Jumping: Superjump
3. Throwing: Superthrow
4. Swimming: 200m
5. Diving: 5m Platform
6. Skating: 500m
7. Weightlifting
8. Gymnastics: Supergymnastics
9. Archery
10. Wrestling
11. Fencing: Sabre
12. Cycling: Supercycle
13. Marmaduke speech (five minute impromptu speech on an unseen topic)

History

The Athletion has a long and proud history, dating back to early Liamist times. It began as a festival to worship the Marmaduke god, Yjens7akm, a very unpopular sports god and a part of the Goriusist pantheon. People would come from all over the Liamist States with trained Marmadukes and would pit them in the most arduous of events. The winners and their trainers were lauded as semi-gods and were considered to be amongst those closest to Yjens7akm. With each winner, there was a mandatory sacrificing ceremony where the champion Marmadukes were slaughtered on the Altar of Yjens7akm on Mt Liamai and sent to their god. It is now thought that the Marmaduke intelligence actually comes from those who lost the original Athletions. They would have known that success meant death and threw their events and so only the most intelligent survived through. Quiet clever.

Slowly, the Athletion evolved over the years. The most important point was the ending of ritual sacrifice of champion Marmadukes. This led to the physical strengthening of the Marmaduke gene pool. Eventually the games were phased out by changing religions that deemed it "pagan" and "immoral". But as these people were shoved into Adali, an interest in the Athletion resurged. It was the main reason that the MSA was established, to facilitate the modern Athletion. The first modern Athletion came complete with events from the old Athletion, like the discus, and modern events, such as Bipolo. It was held in City de Liam in 1922 to uproarious success, especially with the world in love with the modern human Olympics.

Every season, there was another Athletion, each time held in a different Liamist State. Each time, there were records set and Marmadukes adulated. One fully international Athletion was held in Liamopolis but the MSA's market crash prevented further games being held internationally. Now, The Tableland holds them on an irregular basis as a regional monument to Marmaduke sports.

Results

• Athletion Records
• Athletion I: Liamopolis