RULE CHANGE: 1 Second Penalty

The Finish Line

After consideration, the Rules Committee has reduced the penalty for crashing at the finish line to 1 second, down from 2. First, since imposing a penalty for failing to finish on your feet, we’ve noticed a significant decrease in the number of falls.

The rule was designed to reduce the damage to the carpets, the Air-Paks® and to the Competitors. There is no time advantage to be gained by lunging at the finish line. A corollary benefit is eliminating any perceived confusion as to who won a specific race. Since one second would automatically be added, the team that was still standing would (barring any existing penalities) be the winner. We do not need 2 seconds to differentiate the difference.

The 2 second penalty, as was written seemed to provide some judgement as to whether it was deserved or not; i.e., did the individual trip, or was it because of a lunge. Now, the penalty will be awarded every time, for all falls at the finish line.

So, short answer, keep your momentum and balance in check and finish on your feet.