The following information is from our 2023 festival and will be updated early in 2024.

After many long awaited years we have brought back Tug of War!

This will be a knockout tournament with each match being a best of three format. Teams will consist of 8 players. 

As this is a mixed teams tournament, there must be a minimum of 2 males & 2 females on your team. 

Registration is free! 

Prize money and bragging rights up for grabs!

Register your team now by contacting Nick on 0407085934. 

Registration closes 7pm on the night.

Tournament will start in the main arena on Saturday 19th August at 7:30pm. 

Object of the Game

Most Tug of War matches are completed in a best of three format The objective is to beat the competition and win the match by winning at least two of the three pulls in the match. 

Within each pull, the objective is to win by pulling the opposition and the opposition’s 4m marker towards the centre so that the mark passes the centre line, resulting in a win. 

It is not possible to tie a Tug of War match.

Players & Equipment

Each Tug of War team consists of 8 members, all of whom cooperate to pull the rope. The rope is the most important piece of equipment, and this should be approximately 11 cm in circumference and should be at least 33.5m long with plain, whipped ends. Other pieces of equipment that participants may use include back, elbow and knee support as well as belts to support the back.

Scoring

In Tug of War, there is no scoring as such like you may see in other team games such as Rugby or Soccer. However, because teams are pitted against each other usually in a best of three match. There is a form of scoring, in that the winner of the match must win two out the three pulls to win the match.

Rules of Tug of War

  • Each team must consist of eight people, including at least two male and two female players.
  • There is no weight limit.
  • This is a knockout style tournament.
  • The rope used should be of a circumference of approximately 11 cm and should be marked in the middle with a centre line as well as two marks that should be placed 4m from the centre line.
  • At the start of the pull, the centre line of the rope should be immediately above line marked on the ground.
  • Both teams pull the rope, the winner being the team who manage to pull the mark on the rope closest to their opponents over the centre line.
  • The rope must be pulled underarm, and nobody’s elbow must go below the knee, otherwise a foul will be called.
  • Matches are often a best of three pull, the winner winning two out of the three pulls.

Thank you Anglo American for sponsoring the 2023 Coal & Country Festival Tug of War Tournament.