IATF Tournament Circuit

Introduction

This summer, the International Axe Throwing Federation (IATF) is establishing an annual integrated circuit of tournaments to foster competition among IATF players. Organizing tournaments into a circuit increases the profile of these tournaments, their hosts, their competitors and the IATF.

TL;DR at the end of the document.

Goals

Tournament circuit integration serves a number of key objectives:

to promote more competition outside of players’ local leagues.
to promote different skills levels of competition.
to provide more opportunity for the best players in the world to secure placement at the International Axe Throwing Championship (IATC), including in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

Tiers of Circuit Events

Events on the circuit will be categorized into tiers: Majors, Grand Slams and the International Axe Throwing Championship.

Major Events

Majors consist of a marquee tournament for highly skilled players, accompanied by at least one additional supporting tournament for which registration is tailored to more intermediate players (i.e. supporting tournaments may have registration limited by average score, rating, etc), to feature a demographic (i.e. Women, Youth, etc), or to feature a game format (i.e. Big Axe, Doubles, etc).

Grand Slam Events

Grand Slams consist of a marquee tournament for highly skilled players, accompanied by at least two additional supporting tournaments for which registration is tailored to more intermediate players (i.e. registration limited by average score, rating, etc), to feature a demographic (i.e. Women, Youth, etc), or to feature a game format (i.e. Big Axe, Doubles, etc).

Circuit Integration

Top finishers in circuit tournaments will receive reserved spots in future circuit tournaments or at the IATC.

Major Tournament Circuit Integration

The winners from each Major tournament will be reserved a spot in a corresponding tournament held at the IATC.

Winning a Major’s marquee tournament will reserve the 1st place finisher a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup, securing a place as one of the final 256 competitors.
Winning one of the Major’s supporting tournaments will reserve the 1st place finisher a spot in a comparable tournament at the IATC (i.e. a tournament for intermediate players would reserve a spot in a tournament at the IATC similar to 2023’s Under 65 or Under 55 tournament).
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishers from a Major’s marquee tournament will be reserved a spot in a later Grand Slam’s marquee tournament.

Grand Slam Tournament Circuit Integration

The top finishers from each Grand Slam tournament will be reserved spots in a corresponding tournament hosted at the IATC.

Finishing in the top 4 at a Grand Slam’s marquee tournament will reserve these players a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup, securing a place as one of the final 256 competitors.
Winning one of the Grand Slam’s supporting tournaments will reserve the 1st place finisher a spot in a comparable tournament at the IATC (i.e. a tournament for intermediate players would reserve a spot in a tournament at the IATC similar to 2023’s Under 65 tournament).

Supporting Tournaments and Reserved Spots at the IATC

As stated, the winners of supporting tournaments at both Majors and Grand Slams will reserve the 1st place finisher a spot in a comparable tournament at IATC. Since the types of supporting tournaments is not 1:1 with the types of tournaments at IATC, this will mean each of these tournaments will be assessed to determine the best fit for which IATC tournament to reserve a spot. This assessment will be conducted by the IATF and coordinated with the hosts.

The 2023-2024 IATF Tournament Circuit

The schedule of IATF Tournament Circuit events is as follows:

Grand Slams

Event	Host	City	Date	Info
Urban Open	Urban Axes	Baltimore, MD, USA	Aug 4-6, 2023	2023 Urban Open
UK Open	Valhalla North Axe Throwing	Newton Aycliffe, England, UK	Aug 19-20, 2023	UK Open 2023
APATC	MANIAX Axe Throwing	Sydney, NSW, AUS	Sep 22-23, 2023	ASIA PACIFIC AXE THROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023
The Choptober Challenge	Chopper’s Hatchet House	Cherry Hill, NJ, USA	Oct 26-29, 2023	CHOPTOBER
Golden State Grand Slam	LA AX	North Hollywood, CA, USA	Feb 16-18, 2024	LA AX
US Championship	Ace Axe Throwing	Homestead, PA, USA	TBD 2024	Ace Axe Throwing

The top 4 finishers from each of these events’ marquee tournaments will be reserved a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

Majors

Event	Host	City	Date	Info
Urban Rules Tiered Swiss**	Urban Axes	Baltimore, MD, USA	Aug 4-6, 2023	2023 Urban Open
Labour Day Classic / Unicorn Classic*	The Range	Priddis, AB, CAN	Sep 3-4, 2023	Facebook Link
Charlotte Open	BATL Axe Throwing	Charlotte, NC, USA	Sep 9-10, 2023	BATL Axe Throwing Tournaments
Florida Man Games	Game of Axes	Boynton Beach, FL, USA	Sep 2023	Facebook Link
Going Up Cup	LumberJaxs Axe Throwing	Tamworth, England, UK	Sep 2023	Lumberjaxs Axe Throwing
Pink Ribbon Classic	Axe Thro Co	San Diego, CA, USA	Oct 2023	Axe Thro Co
Winter Axe Games	Game of Axes	Boynton Beach, FL, USA	Feb 2024	Game of Axes
TBD	Warriors Axe Throwing	Cobourg, ON, CAN	Mar 2024	Warriors Axe Throwing
Urban Open Ladyblades / Urban Madness*	Urban Axes	Durham, NC, USA	Mar 2024	Urban Axes
Space City Shootout	BATL Axe Throwing	Houston, TX, USA	April 2024	BATL Axe Throwing Tournaments
Countess Cup	Chopper’s Hatchet House	Cherry Hill, NJ, USA	Apr 2024	Chopper's Hatchet House
BATL Royale	BATL Axe Throwing	Vaughan, ON, CAN	May 2024	BATL Axe Throwing Tournaments
Midwest Major	Perple Bunny's Axe House	Inver Grove Heights, MN, USA	May 2024	Perple Bunny's Axe House

The winner from each of these events’ marquee tournaments will be reserved a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

* These Majors include two marquee tournaments that will each reserve the winner a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

** The top tier of this Swiss tournament is categorized as a Major marquee tournament, so the winner reserves a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

Regionals

Each IATF Region will host a Regional Tournament in January 2024. As in 2023, the winners of each of these tournaments will be reserved a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup at the 2024 IATC.

Additions to the Circuit

As the Circuit develops, the IATF may include additional Majors or Grand Slams. New events will be added to the Circuit to allow for more complete geographical access and for more even pacing throughout the calendar year.

Interaction with the Wilson Cup

Reserved Spots

The Wilson Cup tournament has always been a balance between encouraging the highest level of competition and inclusion of players from all IATF member organizations. Reserving spots for winners of Majors and top finishers of Grand Slams means more top-level competitors will be in the Wilson Cup Round 2 bracket. It also means there are fewer spots available to distribute among the IATF members organizations’ players advancing from Round 1. With a field of 256 players, and potentially 40-50 spots reserved for players advancing from tournaments, there will still be ample room to ensure players from all IATF member organizations are still included.

Qualification

Players earning a reserved spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup tournament will be removed from consideration for qualification via league play. This means, when determining qualification via the Premier season Top 8 Rule and the Standard season Top 4 Rule, these players will not be part of the determination. More specifically, if one of these players would have been in the Top 8 of a Premier season, then the 9th place finisher will move into the 8th qualifying position. Similarly for Standard seasons, the 5th place finisher will move into the 4th qualifying position. This process is consistent with how winners of the Regional Tournaments and the previous IATC champion are removed from qualification via league play.

Round 1

IATF Tournament Circuit competitors who earn a reserved spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup at IATC will be seeded by their results in Round 1. These competitors will not be part of the determination of IATF member organizations’ players advancing from Round 1 to Round 2 of the Wilson Cup. This means only players who have not already earned a spot in Round 2 are considered when determining member representation following Round 1.

Players Awarded A Second Reserved Spot

Players can only occupy one reserved spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

If a player finishes in a position that would earn a second reserved spot, then the spot will be reserved for the next best finisher in the tournament. i.e. if it is a Major, the 2nd place finisher, if it is a Grand Slam, the 5th place finisher (with the 5th/6th place tie broken by the most number of rounds won in their last match, if still tied, consider the previous match, etc).

Tournament Rating System

Coming later this summer, to accompany the tournament circuit, we will be launching a tournament rating system to accompany the Collins Rating System (CRS) and provide a 12 month rolling rating based on tournament performance alone.

We believe this will be an excellent complement to the existing Collins Rating System, which features daily match-by-match rating adjustments, whereas the tournament rating leaderboards will be more stable, updating only when Tournament Circuit events occur.

More information on this coming this summer.

TL;DR

The top 4 finishers from Grand Slams will be reserved a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup. The winner of Majors will be reserved a spot in Round 2 of the Wilson Cup.

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IATC 2023 – Round 2 Starting Venues

Round 2 of the Wilson Cup will be held in Toronto on June 10-11, 2023.

On the first day of competition, June 10, each of the 256 players will compete at one of four BATL Axe Throwing venues in Toronto. Registration and practice begin at 9:00 am and the tournament starts at 10:00 am. See our travel guide for tips on getting to and from all 4 venues.

Click the STARTING VENUES button to view the list of players and their starting venues. Also included is the A Bracket for the first day of the tournament.

Players' tournament seed in Round 2 was determined by their Round 1 performance.

Starting Venues

More Great IATC Events

We are so excited for you to join us in Toronto for IATC Round 2 and we hope to see you at all the awesome events the weekend has to offer.

Homecoming

Homecoming is here for the best backyard party ever. In order to gain access to the party, you'll need to purchase a Homecoming ticket at the link below.

The backyard features:

Large outdoor bar
Several viewing tents with large flatscreens to watch the live stream
Multiple food vendors (including Cherry St BBQ, Sumo Seafood, Santa of Summer and more!)
DJ
Axe Market full of your favorite community vendors such as
- 81 axes
- Philly Axe Co
- Warriors Axe Throwing Inc
- ACE Etching
- more!

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the final day of the Wilson Cup with your axe throwing family!

Homecoming Tickets

Axe Prom

We’re bringing back Axe Prom this year and we are stoked! Come spend the evening in The Metropolitan Ballroom at Westin Harbour Castle and celebrate an epic end to another year of international axe thrower excellence.

There are still some tickets available for Axe Prom on Monday evening. The awards ceremony, including the presentation of the Wilson Cup by Commissioner Matt Wilson, will take place at this gala event.

Also at Axe Prom:

Red Carpet photo ops
Full buffet dinner:
- Organic seasonal greens, chopped romaine, carrots, cherry tomato, cucumber, radish, Spanish onions, pumpkin seeds (GF, NF, DF, Vegan)
  Ginger and kombucha vinaigrette (GF, NF, DF, Vegan),
  Peppercorn Caesar dressing (GF, NF)
  Aged balsamic dressing(GF, NF, DF, Vegan)
- BYO Pulled pork sliders creole coleslaw, kozliks mustard and sauerkraut (NF, DF)
- Grilled Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, nuac cham, scallions and carrots (NF, GF, DF)
- Braised beef meatballs, san marzano tomato sauce (NF, DF)
- Ontario early summer grilled vegetable medley (GF, NF, DF, Vegan)
- Roasted garlic and boursin cheese mashed potatoes (GF, NF, Vegetarian)
- Selection of pastries from our pastry kitchen.
Black & White photobooth
Several fully stocked cash bars
DJ & dancefloor
And all the joy of being together again at last after 3 years!

Get your tickets at the link below!

Axe Prom Tickets

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Axe Head Dimension Rules Updated

Background

For several weeks, the IATF has been reviewing feedback from axe makers, IATF owner/operators and the axe throwing community at large. In particular, we've been reviewing the minimum axe head length dimension. Several models of hatchets have been demonstrated to fall slightly short of the minimum 5" (127mm) at the very bottom point of the blade. These models are and have been commonly in use, unmodified, and considered safe and fair for competition.

The IATF has always strived to encourage a thriving maker's ecosystem around axes and customization while balancing the rules for safety and fairness. It is not the IATF's intention to disqualify axes arbitrarily.

Axe Head Minimum Length Dimension Updated

Based on the data collected in research we've conducted, and constructive, quantitative feedback we've received, we are revising the minimum hatchet axe head length to 4.75" (121mm) and the minimum Big Axe (felling axe) head length to 5.75" (146mm). This 0.25" (6mm) adjustment for both hatchets and Big Axes (felling axes) accommodates the vast majority of commonly used, unmodified models.

Section 4.1 - Axe Specifications, specifically Rule 3.4 - Axe Head Length Specification, of the IATF Rules & Guidelines has been updated to reflect this revision.

	Hatchet	Big Axe (Felling Axe)
3.4 The minimum head length is:	4.75" 121mm	5.75" 146mm

Acknowledgements

We want to acknowledge that measurements of the bottom point of the blade should have been more rigorously reviewed before the previous rules publication last August. We appreciate our passionate community for your attention to detail and for your continued constructive feedback in bringing this matter to our attention. We also appreciate your patience while we took the time to collect information to support the revision.

As always, we value feedback and continue to encourage it via email to info@iatf.com

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IATC 2023 – Round 1 Results

IATC 2023 Round 1 of the Wilson Cup took place on Sunday, March 26, 2023. The event was hosted by 46 IATF member organizations at 74 locations worldwide. Of the 20,000 rostered league players, 897 qualifiers competed in Round 1. Of these competitors, 246 will join last year's IATC Champion and the 9 winners of the 2023 IATF Regionals in the 256 player bracket for Round 2.

Congratulations to all the players advancing to Round 2.

The IATF is excited to announce the results of the the first round of the 2023 Wilson Cup.

Complete List of Round 1 Results

Please click the button here to download a PDF of the results list. The list is arranged alphabetically by Qualifying Club, then in descending order by Round 1 score. The list includes whether the competitor has advanced to Round 2.

The list has been updated as of April 14 to include an updated Round 2 Status. The update indicates who has registered, declined and players who have advanced and can still register.

Round 1 Results

What's Next: Round 2

Round 2 of the Wilson Cup will be held in Toronto on June 10-11, 2023.

Round 2 will include 256 players. 10 spots are reserved for last year's IATC Champion and the 9 winners of the 2023 IATF Regionals. Each IATF member organization is allocated a portion of the 246 remaining Round 2 spots based on their total league participation during the Qualification Period.

Players' tournament seed in Round 2 is determined by their Round 1 performance.

Players Advancing to Round 2

If you are among the players advancing to Round 2, expect an email from the IATF containing details on how to register and exclusive deals on Homecoming and Prom. Be sure to add info@iatf.com to your address book to ensure the email gets to you inbox.

CLose But No Cigar

If you competed in Round 1 and are not among the players advancing to Round 2, you can still get in the action during the IATC weekend by registering for the Close But No Cigar tournament, to be held at BATL Port Lands on Friday, June 9, 2023. This is an exclusive tournament for Round 1 competitors that did not advance to Round 2.

More info here: IATC 2023 Information and Itinerary

More Great IATC Events And competitions

We are so excited for you to join us in Toronto for IATC Round 2 and we hope to see you at all the awesome events the weekend has to offer.

Homecoming

Homecoming is here for the best backyard party ever. Celebrate with a well-earned beer at the outdoor bar and kick back with a drink in a viewing tent surrounded by the best community. Cheer for your friends and favorites to win.

Axe Prom

Tournaments

Thursday and Friday are packed full of events for you to check out: There are tournaments for Under 55 and Under 65, a Doubles tournament, and the above Close But No Cigar. Stay tuned for more information about the skills tournament.

Check out the IATC 2023 Information and Itinerary to find your event! Tickets go on sale Friday, March 31st.

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IATC 2023 – HOTEL & ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

We are happy to announce that we have partnered with three hotels to offer discounted rooms for the week of IATC. We have also negotiated a special rate for the night of Prom at the Westin Harbour Castle if you are feeling fancy. For more information about getting around Toronto, Pickering, and the IATC host venues, see our Travel Guide.

Toronto Don Valley Inn & Suites

NEARLY SOLD OUT

175 Wynford Drive, Toronto, ON

www.torontodonvalleyhotel.com

For 10% off best available rate, book with code: SMERF
Please note that this rate is only available for online bookings.

Toronto Don Valley Inn & Suites is a 3-star hotel in North York that is an easy driving distance to all 4 host BATL locations. Their amenities include indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness facility, pet friendly options, and onsite parking.

Driving distances

8.5 miles (13.7kms) to Port Lands
19.3 miles (31.1kms) to Pickering
17.9 miles (28.8kms) to Stockyards
16.8 miles (27kms) to Vaughn

Transit options

Catch the 100A Flemingdon Park to Broadview Station bus on Wynford Drive. This bus takes you 30 stops (approx. 26 minutes) to Broadview station. From there, you can get on the subway east or west to your destination.
Walk south to Eglinton Avenue and catch the 34 Eglinton East to Eglinton Station. This bus takes you 18 stops (approx. 25 minutes) to Eglinton station. From there, you can get on the subway north or south to your destination.

More details on booking this hotel

Desktop booking

Visit the hotel website - www.torontodonvalleyhotel.com
Select arrival/departure dates, # of rooms, # of guests, Book Now
Special codes or rates
Promo code: SMERF, Apply
Complete your booking

Cell phone

Visit the hotel website - www.torontodonvalleyhotel.com
Book Now
Select arrival/departure dates, # of rooms, # of guests, Book Now
Arrow down (besides "your stay")
Special Codes or Rates (below "select guests", at bottom of the page)
Promo code: SMERF, Apply
Update
Complete your booking

Notes

The discounted rates are for online bookings only.
Check-in time: any time after 3 pm
Check-out time: 12 pm (noon)
Parking: $11.95/vehicle per night plus HST
Incidental hold/deposit is required at the time of check-in

toronto mARRIOtt MARKHAM

8081 Birchmount Rd, Markham, ON

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/yyzmr-toronto-marriott-markham/overview/

To book our group rate at $239 per night, book at this link.

You can also book by calling 1 800 241 3333 and give the group name “IATF”.

The Toronto Marriott Markham is a 4-star hotel in Markham, ON that is outside of Toronto. Their amenities include an indoor pool, hot tub, a fitness center, and a restaurant. They offer pet friendly accommodations and onsite paid parking.

Toronto Marriott Markham is NOT IN TORONTO OR PICKERING. However, it is an hour or less drive to all the IATC locations and accessible by public transit. See below for more details regarding driving and public transit.

Driving distances

18.3 miles (29.5kms) to Port Lands
20 miles (32.2kms) to Pickering
23.2 miles (37.3kms) to Stockyards
10.1 miles (16.3kms) to Vaughn

Transit options

Taking public transit from this hotel is a long trip and definitely needs pre-planning. Buses outside the core may not run as often, so timing can be critical! Rather than offer potential routes, we recommend that you use the TTC travel planner or Google to plan your trip based on your departure or arrival times.

Driving + transit options

If you want to avoid the hassle of downtown driving but not spend extended time waiting for buses, many transit stations offer park & ride parking lots. These lots are typically inexpensive surface parking adjacent to subway station entrances. You park at Finch or Warden Stations and take transit the rest of the way! A full list of commuter lots can be found here.

See our Travel Guide for more detailed information about taking public transit to all 2023 IATC venues.

Westin Harbour Castle

SOLD OUT

1 Harbour Square, Toronto, ON

www.marriott.com

For a special group rate of $349 per night, book via this direct link - https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1662495442981&key=GRP&app=resvlink

Please note this link is only valid for the night of Prom, Jun 12, 2023. Any nights booked outside this date will be at the regular rate. There are 17 rooms total available at this rate.

The Westin Harbour Castle is a 4-star hotel on Toronto’s Waterfront. It is walking distance to Port Lands, major city attractions, transit, and restaurants. Amenities include a fitness centre, yoga studio, and multiple onsite dining options.

Driving distances

1.5 miles (2.5kms) to Port Lands (walking distance!)
27.8 miles (44.7kms) to Pickering
6.6 miles (10.7kms) to Stockyards
21.8 miles (35.1kms) to Vaughn

Please note: because of the Westin Harbour Castle’s location in the heart of downtown, driving times may vary greatly. Toronto traffic is heavily congested most times of day.

Driving distances from other hotels

8.8 miles (14.1kms) to Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites
1.5 miles (2.4kms) to Residence and Conference Centre - Toronto Downtown
19.3 miles (31.1kms) to Toronto Markham Marriott

Transit options

Walk 15 minutes up Bay St to Union station. From there you can take the TTC or GO transit to your destination.

Residence and Conference Centre - Toronto Downtown

SOLD OUT

80 Cooperage St, Toronto, ON

stayrcc.com/locations/toronto-downtown

For 12% off best available rate, book with code: IATC 2023
Please note that this code is only valid from June 5th to 15th, 2023. Any nights booked outside these dates will be at the regular rate.

The Residence and Conference Centre is the George Brown downtown residences converted into a 3-star hotel in the summer months. It is an easy walk to Port Lands and the Westin Harbour Castle (the location of Prom). This is a great option if you want to travel with friends as many rooms include two bedrooms and a kitchenette.

Driving distances

1.3 miles (2.1kms) to Port Lands (walking distance!)
26 miles (41.8kms) to Pickering
8.8 miles (14.2kms) to Stockyards
20.6 miles (33.2kms) to Vaughn

Transit options

Walk south to Cherry St and Mill St and catch the 121D Esplanade-River to Union Station for 10 stops (approx. 16 minutes) to Union station. From there you can get on the TTC or GO transit.
Walk north to King St and catch the 504B King St to Broadview Station for 11 stops (approx. 13 minutes) to Broadview station. From there you can get on the subway east or west to your destination.
Walk west along Front St for 1.6 miles (2.6kms), approximately 30 minutes to Union station. From there you can get on the TTC or GO transit.

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IATC 2023 – Round 1 Qualifiers & Information

With the IATC 2023 Qualification Period completed, the IATF is excited to announce the list of qualifiers eligible to compete in Round 1 of the 2023 Wilson Cup!

Round 1 Schedule

Round 1 of the Wilson Cup will take place on Sunday, March 26, 2023, starting at 9:00am.

Round 1 competitions are run by the IATF member locations that hosted leagues throughout the Qualification Period.

Players will usually compete at their usual IATF league location, however, competition at another IATF member is possible (see FAQs below).

Round 1 Competition Format

Round 1 of the Wilson Cup is a competition hosted at IATF member venues around the world. Qualifying players compete against each other in a unique match format consisting of 75 hatchet throws and 15 big axe throws. Premier rules are used to score Round 1.

Players are divided into heats of up to 4 players. Each player will start on one of 4 targets. They will begin by throwing 15 axes at one target. Players have the option to call clutch on the 5th, 10th and 15th (final) axe.

Following this set of 15 axes, all players will move one target to the right, with the player on the 4th target moving to the 1st target. They will then continue by throwing another set of 15 axes at this target, again, with the option to call clutch on the 5th, 10th and 15th (final) axe.

Following this second set of 15 axes, all players will move one target to the right, with the player on the 4th target moving to the 1st target. They will repeat this process of throwing 15 axes and moving to the right until they have thrown 75 total axes.

Once the 75 hatchet throws are completed, each player will individually throw 15 big axes.

All scores will be recorded in AxeScores, however, scorekeepers should communicate the total score for each set of 15 axes and the 15 big axes to the players to ensure that each set of axes are recorded accurately.

Qualifiers

The IATF and its members hosted over 20,000 rostered players in eligible leagues during the IATC 2023 Qualification Period. Of these players, almost 1,900 have qualified for Round 1.

Please click the button here to download a PDF of the qualifiers list. The list is arranged alphabetically by last name, then first name.

List of Round 1 Qualifiers

How to Register

Congratulations if you are one of this year's qualifiers! To compete on Sunday, March 26, 2023, you must register via the IATF store (link below). Registration is $30 USD.

During registration, please provide your AxeScores ID. This will allow the IATF to correctly identify you as the registrant. Your AxeScores ID can be found on the List of Qualifiers.

Once you have registered, keep your Shopify receipt handy, you may need to show it when you arrive at Round 1 on March 26.

Round 1 REGISTRATION

Following Round 1

Following Round 1, the players with the top performances from each participating IATF member organization will advance to Round 2, held in Toronto in June 2023.

Players' Round 1 performances are ranked among their fellow Qualifying Club players by highest total score of the 75 hatchet throws. Ties are broken by the highest total score from the 15 big axe throws.

Players' tournament seed in Round 2 is determined by their Round 1 performance. This means the IATC Champion and Regionals Winners must register and compete in Round 1 to be seeded in Round 2.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I'm away from my usual league location on March 26. Can I still compete?

Answer: Yes, you can still compete on March 26 at another IATF venue hosting Round 1. To arrange this, please send an email to the IATF (info@iatf.com) and the IATF venue letting them know of your intention to compete at their venue.

Question: I'm busy on March 26, can I compete on another day.

Answer: Round 1 is the first round of a tournament. To respect the level playing field and the competitive spirit of the tournament, all competition will take place on March 26 only.

Question: Can I purchase a registration on a player's behalf?

Answer: Yes, however, in this case, it is very important to provide the player's AxeScores ID. Otherwise the IATF will not be able to correctly identify who the registration is for.

Question: Why are last year's IATC Champion and the 2023 IATF Regionals Winners on the list of qualifiers?

Answer: The IATC Champion has always held a reserved spot in the next IATC Round 2 to defend their title. This year, the 9 Regional Winners were rewarded with a reserved spot in Round 2. These 10 players will advance into Round 2, however, their tournament seed will be determined by their Round 1 performance.

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(6.4) Qualification Paths Discussion

Goals of the IATC

The International Axe Throwing Championship is the pinnacle event of the axe throwing year. The goal is for a representative group of skilled players to compete for the Wilson Cup and to crown an annual international axe throwing champion.

There are some important considerations for who participates in the tournament. The IATF strives to find a balance between creating a sporting chance for a large number of consistent league players to participate and ensuring highly skilled players are among those in the competition. In addition, the IATF ensures that all participating member organizations have at least one player competing from their organization’s qualifying leagues.

IATF Member Organization Reserved Spots

All IATF member organizations are reserved one spot in the tournament for a player from their qualifying leagues. Member organizations are not obligated to participate and may elect to release their spots.

Each organization’s league participation is used to apportion the remaining spots. League participation is calculated as follows:

If a player competes in five qualifying league seasons, then this will count as 5 units of league participation for the organization hosting those league seasons. If four other players each play in one qualifying league season, then this will count as 4 units of league participation for the host organization. Essentially this can be understood as the sum of each players’ seasons played at the host organization.

The remaining spots, beyond those initially reserved for each member organization, are granted based on each organization’s league participation as a proportion of the total IATF-wide league participation.

IATC Round 2 & Finals

The format of IATC Round 2 is a seeded double elimination bracket, traditionally hosted in Toronto.

The tournament has grown to include more competitors over time, reaching a field of 256 players in 2019.

Until 2018, the IATC (then NATC) was composed solely of this double elimination tournament.

IATC Round 1

In 2018, Round 1 was introduced to accommodate the increasing number of qualifying competitors. Round 1 is typically hosted on a single day at local venues across the IATF. In 2022, Round 1 was held over three days as a COVID accommodation.

In Round 1, players compete against the other players from their qualifying organization. Each player throws a set of 75 axes and 15 big axes. The total score of the 75 axes is used to rank the players within their qualifying organization, with the score from the 15 big axes used to break ties. Further ties are broken by the Standard average recorded during the qualifying period, then the players’ Collins Ratings. In 2018, the players threw 45 axes and 9 big axes in Round 1.

The results of Round 1 are used to determine which players advance to the Round 2 double elimination tournament.

Definition of a Qualifying League Season

Historically, a player’s performance was considered for IATC qualification if the league seasons in which they participated met all the following criteria:
The season was hosted by an IATF member organization in good standing
The season was not designated as Recreational
The season was played using either IATF Standard or IATF Premier rulesets
The round robin consisted of matches where each player competed in 28 matches
The round robin took place over 7 weeks of play
The league concluded on the eighth week with a double elimination playoff tournament

During the COVID qualification period, as an accommodation for IATF member organizations, in some cases, not being able to run 8-week league seasons, “marathon” seasons (seasons where all 28 matches and playoffs are played in a single day) and “sprint” seasons (seasons where the round robin is shortened, but each player still plays 28 matches) were included on par with seasons that met the above criteria.

Based on community feedback, these marathon and sprint seasons are allowable as qualifying seasons since IATC 2023.

Today, a player’s performance is considered for IATC qualification if the league seasons in which they participate meet all the following criteria:
The season is hosted by an IATF member organization in good standing
The season is not designated as Recreational
The season is played using either IATF Standard or IATF Premier rulesets
The round robin consists of matches where each player is scheduled to compete in 20-28 matches
The league concludes with a double elimination playoff tournament

Champions Points

Champions Points (Champs Points) are awarded to players at the end of every Standard and Premier qualifying league season, based on where they place at the end of round robin play (see the table below) and additional Champs Points are awarded based on playoff performance (see the table below).

Round Robin Rank	Champs Points
1st	16
2nd	15
3rd	14
4th	13
5th	12
6th	11
7th	10
8th	9
9th	8
10th	7
11th	6
12th	5
13th	4
14th	3
15th	2
16th	1

Playoff Finish Position	Champs Points
1st	8
2nd	4
3rd	2
4th	1

Minimum Participation

Historically, players were required to participate in a minimum of three seasons to be eligible for IATC qualification.

During the COVID qualification period, the requirement that players participate in a minimum of three league seasons to be eligible for IATC qualification was removed. This change accommodated IATF member organizations being closed at various times, and not able to run three league seasons within the qualification period. It also allowed players to participate when they felt able to.

This accommodation is no longer in effect as of the IATC 2023 qualification period. Players are again required to participate in a minimum of three league seasons (Standard or Premier) with one IATF member organization to be eligible for IATC qualification.

Requiring a minimum of three seasons participation ensures that players are demonstrating a commitment to the sport and also to the member organization at which they play.

In order for a season to count toward a player's participation, they must compete in a minimum of 12 matches. These must be played matches, not forfeits.

Top 4 Rule

When first introduced, the Top 4 Rule ranked participants based on their earned Champs Points within qualifying Standard league seasons throughout the year. The top 4 league members at the end of a qualifying period, from each qualifying league earned a spot in that year’s IATC. For example, if a player threw 5 seasons on Tuesday night at a one member organization, finishing 1st place in regular season and playoffs each season they would earn 120 Champs Points from the whole year and would qualify in 1st spot from their Tuesday night league.

Over time, players began to participate in more than one league season at time, which meant they would earn Champs Points in more than one league. These leagues were evaluated separately to determine which league players would qualify from. Eventually players switching leagues were allowed to “transfer” Champs Points between leagues. This became problematic as there was a real potential to “game the system” by strategically switching leagues late in the qualifying period. This type of switching was difficult to monitor and resulted in the perception that consistent league players were being prevented from qualifying by these players joining their league.

During the COVID qualification period, in order to increase the opportunity for players to qualify, the Top 4 Rule was amended to consider each league season separately, rather than tallying Champs Points over the entire qualification period. This change accommodated IATF member organizations being closed at various times due to jurisdictional mandates, and allowed players to participate when they felt able to. In practice, this rule change allowed many more players to qualify for Round 1 and also alleviated much of the administrative burden of managing Champs Points transfers. This rule change was made permanent for the IATC 2023 qualification period.

Today, Champions Points are awarded at the end of every qualifying axe throwing league season. The top 4 Champions Points earners in each Standard league season qualify for Round 1 of the IATC, provided they have also participated in the minimum three seasons (Standard or Premier) at the league’s member organization.

70 Rule

To qualify for IATC Round 1 under the 70 Rule, an axe thrower must throw an average of 70 or better in three non-concurrent seasons during the IATC qualifying period. The three seasons do not have to be back-to-back, nor do they have to be in the same league night or ruleset (please note; only Standard and Premier rulesets are considered); but they have to occur at one member organization and they must be in three separate time frames over the course of that qualifying period.

The 70 Rule was introduced to ensure highly skilled players qualify for Round 1, regardless of how competitive their league is. Also, since qualifying via the 70 Rule removes a player from consideration via the Top 4 Rule, more players are able to qualify for Round 1 (see Hierarchy of Paths below).

Top 8 Rule

Similar to the Top 4 Rule, Champions Points are awarded at the end of every Premier qualifying axe throwing league season. The top 8 Champions Points earners in each Premier Rules league season qualify for Round 1 of the IATC.

This rule was introduced along with the Premier ruleset in March 2020. Including the top 8 players from Premier league seasons encourages skilled and competitive players to join Premier leagues as it gives them a stronger opportunity to qualify for Round 1.

Today, Champions Points are awarded at the end of every qualifying axe throwing league season. The top 8 Champions Points earners in each Premier league season qualify for Round 1 of the IATC, provided they have also participated in the minimum three seasons (Standard or Premier) at the league’s member organization.

Regional Tournaments

IATF Regional Tournaments were introduced in 2017. They are double-elimination Premier ruleset tournaments hosted at a venue in each IATF Region once a year.

Historically, the winner of each of these tournaments qualified for IATC Round 1. Starting in the IATC 2023 qualification period, the winner is now given a berth into IATC Round 2. The winner will still compete in Round 1 to determine their seeding for Round 2.

IATF Regions

There are currently nine IATF Regions: seven North American Regions, one European Region and one Pacific Region.

The original seven North American Regions were adjusted in 2021 to accommodate COVID travel restrictions and requirements between the United States and Canada.

The COVID-adjusted North American Regions remain in place for the IATC 2023 qualification period. See IATF Regions

Reigning IATC Champion

Historically, the winner of the previous IATC (or NATC) was given berth into IATC Round 2 and was seeded #1.

Starting with IATC 2022, the winner is no longer seeded #1 and is required to compete in IATC Round 1 to determine their seeding for Round 2. This change was made to ensure that the seeding in Round 2 was more reflective of the current standings of players advancing via Round 1.

Wild Card Tournaments

Historically, Wildcard tournaments were introduced as a way for players that had not qualified for IATC, to have one more chance to qualify. The winners of each of the local Wildcard tournaments qualified for IATC Round 1. This was beneficial to players who were perhaps new to the sport or were just outside the Top 4 Rule qualification on their league night.

In practice, due to the introduction of new qualification paths, the competitor turnout for these tournaments diminished dramatically over the past three qualification periods.

Wildcard tournaments have been removed from the qualification paths for IATC 2023.

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