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!

IATF AxeScores App 2.0

The AxeScores App Version 2.0 has now been submitted and will be available for all players over the next few days. Please check your app stores for the update.  In addition, we've updated and improved a number of functions within the AxeScores platform, as well as addressed some key bug fixes.

As part of the IATF's ongoing commitment to its players, members and the sport of axe throwing, we are always looking to improve the experience in everything we do.  This includes regular fixes and updates to the stats tracking platform and tools that support excellence in competition.

Remember, if you find any bugs, issues or have suggestions on how to improve the AxeScores experience, we've introduced a new method for improving your experience.  We now use a platform called Upvoty which lets you submit, and vote on the features and bugs that are the highest priority to you. Please visit us at https://iatf.upvoty.com/ and make your feedback shine.

Update Notes

• AxeScores App v2.0 Release Date: Monday February 6, 2023
  • We've re-platformed the application code-base to make future updates easier.
  • The update resolves a current login problem some users experience, particularly Samsung users.
  • Navigation within the app has been improved.
  • The remote matches feature has been retired. This feature was seldom used and was costly to maintain.
  • In order to comply with certain privacy legislation, we've included a method for players to permanently delete their account.
    
• AxeScores Admin
  • Issues resolved in January
    • Playoff stats were not appearing as expected, specifically number of playoff losses and big axe playoff stats
    • In testing, leading up to Regionals, some issues were identified due to the rosters of non-standard size. These were prioritized to allow the tournaments to run smoothly
      • The bracket appeared to not advance players from tournament pools larger than 4 players 
      • The tournament forfeit option was not working as expected
      • Accommodating the non-standard roster sizes
  • Bugs addressed in the Monday February 6 release
    • Rarely, playoffs would not load or names would appear as MISSING
    • Premier, Recreational and Youth leagues were not options to assign a waiver and did not appear on the Admin Dash page
    • Introducing match-end validation to prevent extra rounds and throws

Still have questions, found a bug or want to make a suggestion for AxeScores? Connect with us at https://iatf.upvoty.com/ but you can also always reach out to us at info@IATF.com

Mark your calendars for IATC 2023, which will be held in Toronto Ontario, Canada from Thursday June 8th 2023 - Monday Jun 12th 2023. This week will consist of a full five days of tournaments designed to celebrate a community of professional axe throwers.

After an exciting growth in competition in 2022, the IATF is excited to announce the itinerary for the 2023 International Axe Throwing Champions.  This years line-up features new tournaments that allow players of all skill levels to join and participate in this global competition, a return of some favorite competitions and of course the hallmark tournaments that celebrate the glory of champions.

Each year thousands of axe throwers around the world work hard to compete for placement in the International Axe Throwing Championships - a yearly competition that celebrates the best of the best! Only 256 players will make it through to round 2 and only 32 have the honor of competing against the undisputed best axe throwers in the world for the ultimate prize and glory - the Wilson Cup.

Join us this year for this celebration of champions from around the globe!

Axe Prom & Awards Gala

Yes!  Axe Prom is back at this years IATC 2023.  Axe Prom is a semi-formal event dedicated to the celebration of the IATC Tournament Champions,  Axe Prom will be held at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle Hotel Ballroom on June 12th 2023.

More details on what to expect will be coming soon.

Homecoming

We are again planning an awesome outdoor party that we are calling Homecoming which will occur during the IATC Finals and you and your friends and fans can all spectate and celebrate the comunity of axe throwing. We have secured a huge outdoor space at the BATL Pickering location for hundreds of spectators to comfortably watch the final stage of the IATC live and on big screens. Following the tournament, we will celebrate coming together as a community.

More details on this event will be coming soon.  This is not a semi-formal event, so dress as you please.

Axe market

Axe Market and your favorite community vendors are coming back this year to celebrate all things axes!

More details on Axe Market, vendor signups and times will be coming soon.

Tickets

Tickets and registration for all events will be available for purchase soon.

For all events, we encourage you to subscribe now and keep an eye on the IATF Facebook and IATF Instagram pages so you don't miss out on tickets that will go fast.

IATC ITINERARY

HOMECOMING

AXE PROM & AWARDS CEREMONY

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE

We also wanted to be the first to wish you all the best of luck in these tournaments, and we can't wait to see you at the 2023 IATC - International Axe Throwing Championships.

Two short weeks ago, we announced that, on January 29, 2023, 9 Regional hosts would open their venues for the IATF Regionals Tournaments - a highly anticipated day of global competition happening in your backyard. And, the excitement continues to mount as registration opens on November 1st, 2022! So mark that date in your calendar and be sure to register early!

These competitions pave the way to the International Axe Throwing Championships, and this year has been made even more exciting with the addition of an automatic entry into Round 2 of the International Axe Throwing Champion’s Wilson Cup for Regionals winners.

As promised, here are the rest of the details! But first, if you missed the dates and the 9 Regionals Hosts announcement, you can catch up on these details here.

Where and When You Can Register to Compete

Registration opens November 1st, 2022, at 2 PM ET

Registration for all Regional Tournaments, happening on January 29th, 2023, will be managed through the IATF this year in order to streamline the entire process. On November 1, 2022, from 2 pm, you can register through our website, at www.iatf.com. We will put out an updated social post with all the venues and their registration links when registration opens. Registration will also be available via accessible links on the home page or via the tournament page (clicking on “Tournaments” in the main navigation bar).

Tournament Registration Fees and Value

Registration Fees are set at $80 USD

All Regionals Tournament registration fees are set at $80 USD, and 50% of all registration fees, collected, for each tournament will go toward the CASH prize pools at that tournament. Each tournament will have a prize pool payout for the top 8 throwers. And, as indicated above, the first-place finisher in each tournament will receive an automatic spot in 2023 Round 2 of the Wilson Cup (more details below).

Pool Play Round Robin Format - Followed By Single Elimination

Back by popular demand, this year's IATF Regionals tournaments at the 9 Host locations will be following a Pool Play Round Robin format. This format, by design, gives players more matches and better value. It further strengthens the competitive opportunities by guaranteeing each thrower 3 matches, with a minimum of 50% of competitors playing in at least 4 matches.

How does Pool Play Work?

This format starts with a group stage, with all players divided into groups of 3 and 4 depending on the tournament size. Each player will throw 3 matches within the group in a 3 out of 5 round match format before any elimination takes place. Once all Group Stage matches are complete, the top 2 throwers from each group move onto a single elimination tournament bracket.

Guaranteed Wilson Cup Round 2 Entry

As detailed in the original announcement post, all ‘Regionals’ first-place winners will receive the prize money, and the coveted “skip the line” guaranteed spot in Round 2 of the 2023 International Axe Throwing Championships Wilson Cup in Toronto, Canada.

While anyone can participate and win these Regional Tournaments and the prize money and accolades they come with, the guaranteed Round 2 entry is only applicable to IATF throwers who have competed in an IATF-sanctioned league season (Standard or Premier Ruleset League) between March 12, 2022, and Jan 28, 2023. As a further reminder, as last year’s Wilson Cup winner has already received a guaranteed spot in Round 2, they cannot take advantage of this additional placement prize. If a winner doesn’t meet the requirements for this guaranteed entry per the details above, it will be given to the next eligible winner (second place, third place, and so on).

REMINDER: Any player who wins a Round 2 entry into the Wilson Cup must still also compete in Round 1 for seeding purposes.

If you’re looking to plan out the rest of your road to the International Axe Throwing Championships, make sure you bookmark the IATC Dates Announcement and review the last Regionals Announcements.

We’re looking forward to watching all the competitions during regionals, and we wish you all the best of luck!

As always, if you have any additional questions, please send them to info@iatf.com, and we will get back to you.

IATF REGIONALS ARE COMING!

The countdown has begun! It’s been four months since 256 competitors from all 9 IATF Regions came together to celebrate community, competition, and the best axe throwers in the world at the 2022 International Axe Throwing Championships in Toronto; only four months since we bestowed the Wilson Cup and the title of World’s Best Axe Thrower to Dave Cycon. Now, we’re looking to see how the competitive field will be shaped for 2023. Who will be the next champion?

We’re excited to start announcing details about the IATF Regionals Tournaments. The IATF Regionals are a set of nine tournaments held on a single day across the IATF regions of the world. Regionals have always come with the opportunity to compete with the best, win prize money, and make your name and skills known throughout the world. This year, the stakes are even higher with the addition of a guaranteed qualification for Round 2 of the International Axe Throwing Championship’s Wilson Cup. This is the same for all nine tournament winners.

In this first post, we outline the core details of this highly anticipated set of tournaments: the dates, entry and winning requirements, and of course, the venues sanctioned to host in their regions. More importantly, stay tuned to our socials and website, over the next few weeks, for more announcements detailing: registration fees, how to register and reserve your spot in the regional tournament of your choice, the tournament format, and more. Please also refer to the FAQ section for answers to all the common questions.

TOURNAMENT HOSTS & DATES:

Review the details below to determine which axe-throwing venue is hosting your regional tournament this year. For any questions on how regions are setup, please review the following link: https://internationalaxethrowingfederation.com/regions/

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

While these tournaments and their prize money are open to anyone, eligibility to participate in the International Axe Throwing Championships and the Wilson Cup, as well as entry into Rounds 1 & 2 of the IATC Wilson Cup, require that a player has completed at least one official IATF league (Standard or Premier ruleset) qualifying season. This includes the new Marathon Leagues format. Recreational leagues do not qualify.

FAQS

Am I Restricted To Throwing In My League’s Region?

No, you are not restricted to any specific regional tournament. Throwers are welcome to register and throw in any single regional tournament.

What Will The Prizes Be?

There are 9 Regional Tournaments, and the First Place winner of each region will receive a guaranteed Qualification to Round 2 of the IATC Wilson Cup. On top of that, each regional tournament will have a prize pool, reflecting 50% of the registration fees, and will pay out the top 8 places.

Can Anyone Participate Even If They Don’t Qualify For The IATC?

Yes, anyone can participate and play for the prize pools. However, as specified, players must have participated in an IATF Sanctioned League (Standard or Premier Ruleset) to win guaranteed qualification for Round 2 of the IATC Wilson Cup. In the event that a non-qualifying player wins their tournament, the Round 2 entry would immediately pass onto the next qualifying winner in order (to the second place winner as long as they qualify and the third place winner if they do not.).

What Happens If a Non-IATF Qualifying Thrower Wins Their Regional Tournament?

As stated above, anyone can participate and win the prize money. However, in the event that a non-qualifying player wins their tournament, the Round 2 entry would immediately pass onto the next qualifying winner in order (to the second place winner as long as they qualify and the third place winner if they do not.).

Will The First Place Winners Skip Round 1 of the Wilson Cup?

No. Winners that automatically qualify for Round 2 of the IATC Wilson Cup must still participate in Round 1 for seeding purposes, but their qualification for Round 2 is still guaranteed.

What Is The Cutoff Date For Completing A Sanctioned League Season?

To be eligible for the automatic qualification for an IATC Round 2 spot, a player must have completed a qualifying IATF league between March 12, 2022, and January 28th, 2023.

How Were Host Venues Selected?

Venues were selected, among all IATF Member organizations, based on their central location in their regions. Specifically, the IATF calculated the concentration of throwers in each region and matched that with a venue that represents a central location to support the necessary size of the tournaments.

What Happens If Last Year's IATC Wilson Cup Winner Takes First Place?

The winner of the IATC 2022 Wilson Cup was already awarded an automatic qualification to round 2 of this year’s championships. As such, they are ineligible to win another Round 2 qualification. In the event that they win their Regional Tournament, the Round 2 qualification spot would immediately pass onto the next qualifying winner in order (to the second place winner as long as they qualify and the third place winner if they do not.).

We’ll be sharing more details in the coming weeks so stay tuned to our social and website channels, so you don’t miss out on registration, and your chance to compete for the coveted Wilson Cup by qualifying through the regional tournaments. We will be announcing details on registration fees, how to register and reserve your spot in the regional tournament of your choice, the tournament format, and more.

As always, if you have any additional questions, please send them to info@iatf.com, and we will get back to you.

Following feedback from the community, we very recently committed to enhancing and clarifying the language and the imagery for rulesets 4.1 - Axe Specifications. We are pleased to now share these enhancements.

While these rules have not gone through any additional changes, the layout, formatting, and accompanying images have been re-designed to provide more clarity on what is and what is not a legal competition throwing axe. Hatchet and Big Axe specifications have also been combined into one page of the rulebook.

These axe specifications are designed to be comprehensive and to provide everybody with the confidence to customize to best suit their needs while maintaining the integrity and entertainment value of this sport. We strongly encourage all throwers, modifiers, and manufacturers to read this newly presented document from top to bottom in order to understand the rules in their entirety.

We here at the IATF are not looking to stifle creativity, nor prescribe that you must throw ours and only our axes for competition. However, we do need to ensure that axes are fair for unified competition and the entertainment value and integrity of the sport.

We are always thankful for the direct engagement of the axe-throwing community and appreciate and encourage all your feedback on these and other rules. Should you still have any questions or feedback, you can send them directly to info@iatf.com.

A REMINDER THAT:

HATCHET DIMENSIONS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED:

• weight (1.5-2.5 lbs, total weight head and handle together)
• handle length (13"-17", from knob to eye)
• head length (5"- 7", entire length of the head from blade to butt)
• blade length (3"- 4", entire length of the blade from toe to heel)
• minimum head height (1.5", measured vertically, parallel to the handle)

HATCHET DIMENSIONS ADDED:

• maximum head height (4", measured vertically, parallel to the handle)

BIG AXE DIMENSIONS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED:

• weight (2.75-3.75 lbs, total weight head and handle together)
• minimum handle length (25", from knob to eye)
• head length (6"-7.5", entire length of the head from blade to butt)
• blade length (3.5" - 4 5/8", entire length of the blade from toe to heel)
• minimum head height (2", measured vertically, parallel to the handle)

BIG AXE DIMENSIONS ADDED:

• maximum handle length (32”, from knob to eye)
• maximum head height (4 5/8", measured vertically, parallel to the handle)

We have also included clarity around what “Grossly Modified” means throughout the document.

IATF RULEBOOK CHANGES

Please click the following link to view the enhanced Rule 4.1 Axe Specifications and remember to read and understand these in their entirety. If you have any questions or require more clarity, please reach out directly via email to info@iatf.com.

We wish you all the best in your ongoing competitions!

This post contains the dates for stages and events for the International Axe Throwing Championship for the year of 2023, including the return of Axe Prom!

More information and details regarding these events and stages will be released leading up to their respective dates, so stay tuned to the IATF website and social media to keep up to date on everything you need to know when it comes to IATC 2023!

LEAGUE QUALIFICATION PERIOD

The qualification period for IATC 2023 is March 12, 2022 to March 10, 2023.

All IATF Standard and Premier league seasons that complete their playoffs between these dates are eligible for qualification.

REGIONALS

Nine IATF Regional Tournaments will be held on Sunday January 29, 2023. 

Host venues and details will be announced once they have been confirmed.

ROUND 1

Round 1 of the International Axe Throwing Championship for 2023 will be held Sunday March 26, 2023 at all participating IATF venues worldwide.

ROUND 2

Round 1 of the International Axe Throwing Championship for 2023 will begin on Saturday June 10, 2023 and then conclude on Sunday June 11, 2023.

Axe Prom

That's right! Axe Prom will be returning next year! We will be holding this iconic (and much missed) party on June 12, 2023 to celebrate our winners and the conclusion of IATC 2023!

Still have questions? Email us at info@iatf.com.

This post describes the paths to qualify for the 2023 International Axe Throwing Championship. 

For a more detailed discussion of how these paths have evolved over the past few years please refer to the Rules & Guidelines section 6.4 under “The Road to the IATC” titled “Qualification Paths Discussion”.

The Championship

The International Axe Throwing Championship (IATC) is an annual tournament that brings together great players from around the globe to compete for the Wilson Cup.

The tournament is divided into two Rounds. Round 1 is played at many host venues internationally. The results of Round 1 determine which competitors advance to Round 2 and determine their seeding in Round 2. The format of Round 2 is a seeded double elimination bracket, hosted in Toronto, which takes place over two days in June.

Competing in the IATC

To compete in the IATC, competitors must qualify during the Qualification Period prior to the IATC. The qualification period for IATC 2023 is March 12, 2022 to March 10, 2023.

There are two primary ways to qualify: winning selected tournaments and league performance.

Qualification via Tournaments

The previous year’s IATC Champion qualifies for the next IATC. In addition, they are guaranteed to advance to Round 2, with their seeding determined by their Round 1 results.

Each of the nine IATF Regions hosts a Regional Tournament in January. The winners of these tournaments qualify for the IATC. In addition, they are guaranteed to advance to Round 2, with their seeding determined by their Round 1 results.

Competitors who qualify via tournaments are removed from consideration for qualification via league performance.

Qualification via League Performance

IATF member organizations host qualifying league seasons (see below) throughout the Qualification Period. Any number of competitors may qualify for IATC by participating in an IATF member organization’s leagues. However, each member organization will advance a limited number of competitors to Round 2. Each member organization will have the opportunity to advance at least one competitor. Additional advancing competitors are determined by the organization’s total league participation as a percentage of the total IATF league participation.

In order to qualify, competitors must participate in at least three league seasons at one IATF member organization within the Qualification Period. These league seasons can be Standard rules or Premier rules seasons.

A competitor who finishes in the Top 8, by Champs Points (see below), in a Premier rules season qualifies for IATC. Once a competitor meets this qualification criteria, they are removed from consideration for any other league performance qualification.

A competitor who achieves an average of 70 or better in three non-concurrent seasons, Standard rules or Premier rules, hosted by one organization, qualifies for IATC. Once a competitor meets this qualification criteria, they are removed from consideration for Standard rules league performance qualification.

A competitor who finishes in the Top 4, by Champs Points (see below), in a Standard rules season qualifies for IATC.

All qualifiers via league performance compete in Round 1. The results of Round 1 determine which competitors advance to Round 2 and determine their seeding in Round 2.

What is considered a qualifying league season?

Players are considered for IATC qualification if the league seasons in which they participate meet all the following criteria:

1. The season is hosted by an IATF member organization in good standing
2. The season is not designated as Recreational
3. The season is played using either IATF Standard or IATF Premier rulesets
4. The round robin consists of matches where each player competes in 28 matches
5. The season concludes with a double elimination playoff tournament

What are Champs 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).

For a Qualification Path Flowchart click the button below:

Still have questions? Email us at info@iatf.com.