We have undertaken a great effort to streamline the 2022 rules for readability and clarity. While there are some new rule integrations which we touch on below, many of the 2022 Rules updates are structural.

To keep transparency in our updates, we have also provided an archive of our 2021 ruleset also available in the Change Log of the updated rules.

We would highly recommend reading through the 2022 rules update in full, however we will highlight some of the larger changes below.

The 2022 Rules Update will take effect on January 1st, 2022.

League Rules

Update to Absence Policy

• Venues will be able to make up their own lateness policy, but must maintain a 15 minute minimum grace period. 
• All League activity including make up matches/pre-throws, must be played on league nights.

Single Player Matches + Manual Matchmaking

• Throwers are limited to 8 single thrower matches each league season.
  • If it is necessary to play more than 8 single player matches per season due to extenuating circumstances, WATL must be contacted in writing via email for approval.
  • If a Thrower records more than 8 single Thrower matches in a single season, without the prior approval of WATL, all single matches after the 8th will be scored an automatic 0.
• Manual Matchmaking:
  • Any individual found manually creating matches that WATL deems excessive (i.e. playing against the same person more than could be accounted for by the random matchmaking in the WATL app) may be subject to disqualification of their scores in league, and nullification of any circuit points gained from that league.

New Fault Wording

• A fault occurs when any of the following conditions are met, before both players scores are verbally expressed by the judge:
  • a throwers foot crosses the 12ft fault line
  • any other part of the thrower’s body touches any part of the lane, equipment, or building, past the 12ft fault line and towards the target.

Marathon Leagues

• Marathon Leagues may be held anytime during a WATL League Season
  • Venues may host a maximum of two Marathon Leagues per discipline in any given season

Circuit Point Updates

League Circuit Points 

• League Circuit Points will move to a reward based on League score.
  
  • Payouts for League Circuit points are no longer tied to Week 8 tournament placement, to allow for a Circuit Point payout based on overall League performance.
  • Week 8 will still be reserved for a Tournament.
    • Week 8 will be a single match, double elimination tournament
    • December 23 Update: Venues will have the opportunity to choose a single game, or best 2/3 format for Week 8 tournaments.
  • Circuit Points will automatically be assigned to the single league per season that gives a Thrower the most Circuit Point

Tiered Tournament Model

• WATL will be moving to a Tiered Tournament System.
  • Tournament Circuit Points will automatically be assigned based on a throwers best finish in each tournament tier. There is no limit to the number of tournaments a thrower can attend in each tier throughout the year.
  • Example: Player A attends two Tier 4 Tournaments in the year. They placed 3rd in the first Tier 4 Tournament. In their next Tier 4 tournament, they placed 2nd.
  • Player A will receive the Circuit points for their highest finish (2nd Place) in the Tier 4 Tournament.
  • Player A also attends 3 Tier 3 tournaments, and finishes 5th, 8th, and 17th. Player A will receive Circuit Points for their best finish in Tier 3 (5th), in addition to their Tier 4 Circuit points.

For a full breakdown of 2022 Circuit Points, please see the link below.

Duals

Number of Throws

1. Each team will play 4 games in a sanctioned league night.
   1. Each game consists of 5 throws per player, per game.

Duals Killshots:

• Killshots are active for any throw in a match.
• Each team receives 2 Killshots per match.
• Killshots are assigned to a team. Either of the two teammates may take both the Killshots, or they may take one each. Killshots are not limited to 1 per individual.
• Once a Killshot has been hit, throwers are not required to switch Killshots as in Standard Hatchet.
• As a reminder, third Killshot attempts are not be awarded for any drops during Duals throwing

Duals Faults :

• If there is a fault by either thrower, the team is penalized with a fault and both throwers will receive a zero (marked as a fault) for that throw.
  • A fault occurs when any part of the thrower’s body touches any part of the lane, equipment or building past the fault line, towards the target, before both players’ scores are verbally expressed by the judge.
  • A fault occurs if one teammate throws their axe and it hits the target before the other teammate has let go of their axe.

Pro League

• The top 128 leaderboard finishers (that meet the criteria below) become the next cycle of Pros starting in the next WATL season.
  • 2022 Cycle 1 Pros will be ALL 2021 confirmed WATC standard hatchet competitors.
• Criteria to qualify for Pro Status for Cycles 2, 3 and 4 is:
  • Must have at LEAST 50% kill shot attempts (28) in their official league.
• Pro Status does not carry forward past the next season.
  • For example, if an individual qualifies for Pro Status in Winter League, but does not play a league in the Spring, they do not carry their status to Summer. Throwers have to re-qualify EVERY SEASON for Pro Status.
• Each season, the top 24 WATC Pros (by leaderboard position) will be awarded a WATC Bid
  • Pro Bid Winners must have thrown at least 50% kill attempts (28) in their qualifying league.
• Bids trickle down if there are already bid holders in the top 24 finishers

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