Gauntlet (Gladiators)
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Gauntlet is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender must run through a narrow alleyway defended by five Gladiators.
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[edit] Rules
One contender faces five Gladiators one by one and on the whistle has 30 seconds to make their way through the Gauntlet. Each Gladiator is carrying a weapon (most commonly a ramrod or power pads) and must use this to block the contenders path. Contenders receive 10 points for making it through the Gauntlet within 20 seconds and 5 points for completing within 30 seconds.
Each Gladiator has their own clearly marked zone within the Gauntlet and must not go outside of it. Gladiators may not double team a contender or use their body weight to pin the contenders down. Whilst pushing contenders with the weapons is allowed, hitting is not. The standard order for Gladiators weaponry is Ramrod, Power Pads, Ramrod, Powers pads, Ramrod. Gladiators may change formation between matches but the weapons order must not change.
Contenders must only run into Gladiators, using their body to force themselves past the Gladiator. Pushing is not allowed, nor is deliberately holding onto the Gladiators weapons.
Completion of the Gauntlet is different for each territory. In some, the contender must get their entire body out of the Gauntlet, whilst in others, the contender only needs to get any part of their body out for the game to end.
If the Gladiator pushes the contender out of the Gauntlet, then the contender restarts moving onto the next Gladiator. If the contender causes themselves to exit the Gauntlet, then they have to restart once again facing the last Gladiator they faced.
[edit] International differences
In Australia, the power pads are much larger than in other territories.
In the UK and US, contenders receive 2 points for each Gladiator they get past. After passing the last Gladiaor, they must run through a wall at the end within 30 seconds to claim 10 points. Both the US and UK Gauntlets have wire walls to prevent contenders from being removed from the Gauntlet.
In the UK, body armour is used by both contenders and Gladiators. In the US and Australia, only the contenders wear body armour.
[edit] Event History
[edit] America
Years active: 1993-1996, 2008-
Gauntlet was introduced in the fourth (1993) series in which the event only lasted 25 seconds. The contender scored 10 points should he pass through the entire Gauntlet in less than 20 seconds; 5 should he do so within the allotted 25.
In the seventh season, the number of Gladiators was reduced to four and contenders had only 20 seconds to get through, receiving 10 points for successful completion of the Gauntlet.
In the 2008 revival, the scoring format was changed to 2 points per completed Gladiator (four Gladiators in total) and 10 for getting through the end wall. Weapons used being Ramrod, Power Pads, Ramrod, Power Pads. Audience members lined the cage of the Gauntlet.
In the second series of the 2008 revival, all of the Gladiators were moved forward so that there was a Gladiator on the starting line (prior to this, the contender had one zone they could just run through). This has lead to the final Gladiator defending two marked zones (although points wise it only counts as one zone). Because of this, it is expected that a fifth Gladiator may soon be added to Gauntlet. Audience members no longer line the Gauntlet cage.
[edit] UK
Years active: 1993-1999, 2008-
Gauntlet was introduced in the second (1993) series of Gladiators but was changed to only have three Gladiators (all with ramrods) and a much wider Gauntlet. Fo the heats, contenders would receive 3 points for each Gladiator they got past, with the quickest contender getting a bonus point. From the quarter finals onwards, the quickest contender received 10 points with the slowest 5 points. There was no time limit to the event.
In the third (1994) series, Gauntlet was dramatically changed back to its original American concept in which contenders faced five Gladiators down a much narrower Gauntlet. The standard 30 second time limit was applied along with the standard points format. Body armour for both contenders and Gladiators was introduced, with the Gladiators having individually designed body armour. From 1996, new Gladiator additions to the team were given either a plain red (women) or plain black (men) body armour set. The body armour would also be used for Danger Zone.
In 1998, the points format was changed so that contenders received 1 point for each Gladiator they passed and 10 for completing the Gauntlet within 30 seconds.
For the 2008 revival, the Gauntlet was encaged with audience members on each side. For the heats, the number of Gladiators was reduced to four (weapon order Ramrod, Power Pad, Power Pads, Ramrod) before being increased to five Gladiators for the quarter finals in which a third, currently unnamed weapon was introdced between the two Gladiators with Power Pads. 2 points are awarded for each Gladiator passed.
[edit] Australia
Years active: 1995-1997, 2008-
In the first Australian series, only 25 seconds were given for contenders to complete the Gauntlet. Gladiators wore body armour in addition to conteders. Australia is the only revival territory to commence with five Gladiators in the Gauntlet, but has dropped the body armour for Gladiators.
Since its revival, the rules are 10 points if the challenger passes through all five gladiators in under 20 seconds and 5 points if done within 30 seconds.
Only gladiator Angel has never played Gauntlet.
The fastest run to complete the gauntlet was by Natasha Haines (2008 first quarter final), completing the gauntlet in under 10 seconds.
