Joust (Gladiators)
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Joust was an event played in several incarnations of the televsion series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in battle on mechanical skybikes. The object of the game is to unseat the opponent.
This event is not to be confused with The Joust in which particpants battle on raised podiums.
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[edit] Rules
One Gladiator faces one contender, and on the whistle engage in battle on a mechanical skybike which twists, turns, bucks and rotates similar to a bucking bull. Both participants are armed with combat clubs (similar to half a pugil stick). 10 points are awarded for a contender win, 5 points for a draw.
Participants may not touch their opponents combat club or skybike or attempt to attach themselves to the skybike. Opponents must be seated at all times.
[edit] International differences
In the UK, the event lasted for 30 seconds whilst in Australia, the event lasted for 60 seconds.
[edit] Event History
[edit] UK
Years active: 1993-1995
Joust was first road tested during the 1993 Wembley Live shows in which the skybikes were only a couple of feet from the floor and pugil sticks were used. The skybikes were a lot bigger than those used during the televised competitions and had padded seats.
The events appearances declined from 1994 after it's first season as a combination of contender and Gladiator dislike for the event and a back injury to a contender. The event was played during the 1995 Sheffield live shows after one of the originally scheduled events, Pendulum, proved too big for the arena. For these contests, the time limit was expanded to 60 seconds. Between the 1995 Sheffield Live shows and the televsied 1995 series, the skybikes had a makeover, going from a shiny silver colour to a matt red (contender) and white (Gladiator). The undercarraige were the mechanical rotation system was housed was also covered up. The skybikes also operated in a less violent manner, bucking back and forth and round in a set pattern.
When the event Tilt was axed in 1995 due to safety concerns, the producers decided to axe Joust at the same time.
A contender loss in this event was marked by the music 'Another one bites the dust' by Queen.
Joust will not be returning for the first series of the first series of the 2008 revival.
[edit] Australia
Years active: 1997
Joust was played three times during the final series of the initial run of Australian Gladiators, of which 11 of the 12 matches resulted in draws.
Joust will not be retruning for the first series of the 2008 revival.
