How The Collins Cup Works

How The Collins Cup

Introduction

The Collins Cup

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Match Format

An athlete each from Team Europe, Team US and Team International will battle against one another in an individual race of three – so six women’s and six men’s races, each staggered 10 minutes apart. Each match race will consist of a 2km swim, 80km bike and an 18km run.

Match Draft Process

During the Collins Cup Opening Ceremony, which you can watch live on PTO+, the Team Captains will select their individual race match-ups by way of a draft mechanism. 

For Match No 1, Team US will first designate an athlete, then Team Europe will name an athlete and finally Team International will name an athlete. For Match No 2 Team Europe will select first, then Team International, then Team US. For Match No 3, Team International will select first, then Team US, then Team Europe. This process will be repeated until all 12 match races are set.

Team Captains’ Tactics

There is no criteria for match selection, it is down to pure tactics and strategic plans of the Team Captains.

Scoring

How scoring works

For each of the 12 match races, the winner is awarded 3 points, second place is awarded 2 points and third place is awarded 1 point.
 
In addition, athletes will be awarded bonus points of ½ point for every 2-minute margin by which they beat their opponents in their respective race match, with a maximum of 1½ points for a margin of victory in excess of 6 minutes.
 
So, an athlete beating their first opponent by 4½ minutes and their second opponent by 7 minutes will receive:
 
  • 3 points for winning
  • 1 point for beating the first opponent (victory margin greater than 4 and less than 6 minutes)
  • 1.5 points for beating the second opponent (victory margin greater than 6 minutes)
  • Total: 5.5 points
 

The second athlete in the same match race would score:

  • 2 points for coming second
  • 0.5 points for beating the third opponent (margin greater than 2 and less then 4 minutes)
  • Total: 2.5 points

 

The third athlete would score:

  • 1 point for coming third
  • Total: 1 point

Race Scoring System

Position
Points awarded
1st Place
3 points
2nd Place
2 points
3rd Place
1 point

Bonus Points Awarded

Winning by
Points awarded
+6 mins difference
1.5 points
+4 mins difference
1 point
+2 mins difference
0.5 point

Race Scoring Example

Position
Finish
Diff.
PTS
Bonus
Total points
1st – Ari
4:29:47
–
3.0
1.5
4.5
2nd – Tom
4:32:47
+3:00
2.0
0.5
2.5
3rd – Corey
4:35:47
+6:00
1.0
0
1.0

Trophies

3 teams. 2 trophies.

The Collins Cup

The team with the most overall points from the 12 race matches will claim the the Collins Cup trophy and bragging rights as the most powerful athletic force in the sport.

The Broken Spokes

The team that finishes last will be presented with the Broken Spokes trophy – an ignominious reminder of their last-place finish until the following year’s competition.