Nortish decathlon

Nortish Decathlon

Highest governing body	Nortish Decathlon Association
First competed	1936
Characteristics
Contact	Semi-contact
Consists of	Fencing Shooting Steeplechase Swimming Rowing Running Hurdles Long jump Discus Javelin
Presence
Country or region	Great Nortend

The Nortish decathlon, or military decathlon, is a multi-event sport which combines ten events. It includes a pentathlon of the track and field events — running, hurdle jumping, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw — as well as a pentathlon of „sundry” events loosely associated with military or naval skills — sabre fencing, freestyle swimming, single scull rowing, pistol shooting and cross-country steeplechase. It is competed over six days, and winners are determined by points over all ten events, not by position.

History

Nortish decathlon was first practised in Great Nortend, where the sports are standard „sports” with an emphasis on athleticism, as opposed to „games” such as cricket and stinning played mainly for strategy. Originally, the sport was staged in 1930 as ten separate events by the University Cadet Officer Corps as part of an intercollegiate and intervarsity competition. In 1936, it was first staged as a combined multi-event sport. The sport continues to have a military associations, and is still practised by the Erbonian University Corps, as well as by members of the Home Service and the Boy Cadet Corps.

Outside of Great Nortend, the Nortish decathlon is markedly less well-known, although in some countries there are small followings.

Format

The Nortish decathlon is usually competed over six days, beginning on Monday with the athletics, followed by days of fencing, shooting, swimming and rowing, ending on Saturday with the steeplechase as a finale.

• Monday : The decathlon begins with a two furlong hurdle race with eight hurdles spaced at 20 yard distances. This is followed by the field sports of long jump, discus throw and javelin throw. Finally, there is a four furlong running race.
• Tuesday : The fencing event is similar to sabre. However, it uses traditional Nortish academic fencing backswords, which are derived from the military sabre with a basket hilt. Otherwise, it is the same as modern sabre, being a cut and thrust discipline. It is staged as a round-robin, with each competitor facing each other in a duel.
• Wednesday : The shooting event involves pistol shooting from a standing position at various targets set ten, twenty-five and fifty yards' distance.
• Thursday : The swimming event is a four furlong freestyle event. This is traditionlly open-water in the same river as the rowing.
• Friday : The rowing event is single scull rowing over a distance of one mile downstream followed by one mile upstream.
• Saturday : The steeplechase race is a highly variable event. It is staged as a distance cross-country steeplechase over approximately two miles. Competitors are reverse-handicapped by their points scored so that the first horse to pass the finish line wins the entire decathlon.