Rules

• Organizers of the POLE BATTLE LEAGUE, POLE BATTLE FREESTYLE and POLE BATTLE CHAMPIONSHIP competitions is European pole dance federation.
• Competition is divided into several leagues/rounds each having its respective Ranking Chart.
• Competitors must be over the age of 18 or must have written consent from their parents in order to take part in the competition (= category Juniors).
• Competitors must enter by the dates that have been announced.
• Competition is open for men & women in all the categories as a mixed and also for Juniors (mixed category from 10-17 years old).
• All competitors can travel to get a higher score in the global ranking chart.
• The best competitors will be nominated to the international Pole Battle Championship at the end of the year (the date and other detail of this competition will be announced on the website and Facebook page).

CATEGORIES

Amateurs (mixed category)

• There are compulsory moves in this category and forbidden moves.
• Forbidden moves cannot be executed in all rounds of the competition.

Juniors (10-17 years, mixed category)

• There are compulsory moves in this category.
• Scoring of this catogory is the same like in Professionals.
• If the competitor reach 18 years in running season he/she still stays in this category.
• Competitors must upload scan of signed Parental Consent in their profile on the webiste.

Professionals (mixed category)

• There are compulsory moves in this category.
• Participants in the previous year's league who placed 1st-3rd overall in the Amateurs category in the national chart.
• Every athlete who has already competed in category Professional.
• Those who was among the best three competitors in the national pole sport championship in category Amateurs (last year or in the same year if the championship took place before the Pole Battle League).
• Juniors who reached 18 years and were not among the best three Juniors in previous season.
• Instructors and pole dancers who earn money by performing.

Elite (mixed category)

• There are compulsory moves in this category.
• Participants in the previous year's league who placed 1st-3rd overall in the Professionals category in the national chart.
• Those who was among the best three competitors in the national pole sport championship in category Professionals (last year or in the same year if the championship took place before the Pole Battle League).
• Juniors who reached 18 years and were among the best three Juniors in previous season.
• Every athlete who has already competed in category Elite (all competitions).
• Instructors and pole dancers who earn money by performing.

COMPETITION SYSTEM

• Competition, with a sports and dance character, according to binding rules with an expert judging panel (divided into several sections – Compulsory moves (just in the 1st round), Technical Bonuses & Technical Deductions, Art & Improvisation).
• Competition has two rounds – qualification and final.
• Competitors compete according to the table below. Each competitor will enter the stage 2x per one battle (one battle in a practice – e. g. category Amateurs: competitor_A: 0:35 min + competitor_B: 0:35 min + competitor_A: 0:35 min + competitor_B: 0:35 min. Both competitors change on the stage immediately. Total duration of one battle in this category is 4 x 0:35 s). Number of competitors in the 1st qualification round depends on the organizer but in the Final round there must be just 8 competitors = 4 battles per category.

1st ROUND
Category	Pole	Time/Battle	No. of Battles	No. of Competitors
Amateurs	static	2 x 0:35 min	xx	xxxx
Professionals = Juniors	static	2 x 0:45 min	xx	xxxx
Elite	static	2 x 0:50 min	xx	xxxx
FINAL
Amateurs	spinning	2 x 0:45 min	4	8
Professionals = Juniors	spinning	2 x 1:00 min	4	8
Elite	spinning	2 x 1:15 min	4	8

• All information about actual pole battle round will be announced in a particular Facebook Event. The link for this event will be placed in info block in Calendar on the website.
• The competition usually takes place on X-POLE competition poles, pole diameter 45 mm. However, the organizer is allowed to choose another pole producer (depends on the region and business partnership).
• Competition pairings will be done after the registration before the competition. This information will be hidden to competitors. They will know their partner on the stage from the moderator.
• Track list (a list will be posted in advance on the website/Facebook) will be prepared after the deadline of applications. This information will be hidden to the competitors and they will know the song on the stage, too. Not all sent songs must be chosen.
• The time of the first competitor in each battle starts with the beginning of the song. When the song is playing, the time is running. After the beep (= the signal for changing the competitors on the stage) sounds the song is continuing and the other competitor is entering the stage and start dancing. It means that song is not stopped and it is not started from its beginning.
• It is up to the competitors what songs will be played. The organizer is not responsible for songs that competitors inserted into their applications. If they choose song with some intro without music they have to improvise on it.
• The competition has two rounds – 1st qualification round and the final. The number of battles in the 1st round depends on the number of competitors. Just the best 8 competitors compete in the final round (i.e. there are 4 final battles in each category).
• 1st round: compulsory moves must be performed.

Terms of participation in a Pole Battle League

• Competitors must fill in and send an application form (on the website) by the set deadline. The organizer contacts the fastest applicants + two reserves.
• The best competitors of each category in the regional round will be awarded an invitational letter for the international Pole Battle Championship at the end of the season.

Entry list of competitors

• A list of the selected competitors will be posted on the website after the deadline for entries and electronic invitations will be sent to these competitors with further instructions.
• Two participants will be invited to the pole battle as reserves. They will pay the entry fee on the day only if they take part in the competition.
• Should a registered competitor fail to attend a competition without a valid excuse and reason provided in written form by email (see contacts on the website) at least 48 hours before the official start of the competition, the competitor will be disqualified for the entire year.

Gripping & Cleaning

• Competitors may use grips just on their body but NOT directly on the poles. The poles will be cleaned after each pole battle, never in the middle of the battle. The only exception is the situation when the last battle must be run in three (if the number of the competitors is not even-numbered). The cleaning crew starts clean the pole right after the first routine when the second athlete is competing.

Dress Code

• NO platform or high-heeled shoes; just barefooted.
• The bottom part of the outfit must cover the competitor's bottom (for example we recommend sports tops and shorts from the sponsor Dragonfly).
• NO gloves or sleeves (competitors with excessive sweating hands may use gloves only if they proof this problem with a written confirmation from the doctor).
• The upper part of the outfit must only be sports-type clothing – we highly recommend Dragonfly brand.
• All decorations must be fixed on the costume (non-detachable) and no added accessories and/or props are permitted (including but not limited to props such as hats, canes, etc.)
• A violation of these rules may lead to disqualification.

COMPULSORY MOVES

Compulsory moves need to be performed in the 1st round of the competition.

If a competitor cannot manage all the compulsory moves 100 % (for example splits, etc.), this does not mean that she/he cannot take part in the competition. Either she/he tries the move and receives less points for it or she/he does not perform it and gets a deduction from the judges.

Amateurs

• 1 x Spin
• 2 x Power Trick
• 1 x Flexi Trick
• 1 x Dynamic Trick

Competitors must hold for at least 2 seconds in each move.

See the list of compulisories for Amateurs. Thanks to IPSAF for provided pictures of compulsory moves.

In the Amateurs category the following tricks are PENALISED IN BOTH ROUNDS:

• Twisted Grip Handspring
• Handspring (Cup Grip, True Grip)
• Aysha (Elbow Grip, Forearm Grip)
• Iguana (Pencil)

Professionals = Juniors

• 1 x Spin combo
• 2 x Power Trick
• 2 x Flexi Trick
• 1 x Dynamic Trick

Competitors must hold for at least 2 seconds in each move.

See the list of compulisories for Professionals/Juniors.

Elite

• 1 x Spin-Trick Combination
• 2 x Power Trick
• 2 x Flexi Trick
• 1 x Dynamic Trick

Competitors must hold for at least 2 seconds in each move.

SCORING SYSTEM

• Scoring system is based on awarding points for each place according to a contestant's category:

Category \ Place	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
Amateurs	100	75	50	40	35	30	26	22	19	16	14	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1
Professionals = Juniors	200	150	100	80	70	60	52	44	38	32	28	24	20	16	12	10	8	6	4	2
Elite	300	225	150	120	105	90	78	66	57	48	42	36	30	24	18	15	12	9	6	3

To reach as higher score as possible the executed routine must be balanced. Example - If the competitor shows just his/her flexibility he/she gets extra points in Bonuses just for this section. When he/she gets the maximum possible points in this section she cannot get more so there is not reason to base the whole routine on this one skill.

The jury is divided into 4 sections. Here is an evaluation by judging panel:

TECHNICAL SCORE

BONUSES

• Original Transitions
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Dynamics (drops, catches, re-grips)
• Strong momentum on spinning pole (Final round)

DEDUCTIONS

• Incorrect Execution
• Bad angle of the move
• Incorrect Transition
• Slip or loss of balance
• Drying hands
• Fall
• Performing of forbidden move (for Amateurs)
• Loss of momentum on spinning pole

IMPROVISATION

BONUSES

• Originality & Improvisation
• Movement & Dance performance
• Interpretation
• Confidence
• Charisma, Stage Presence

DEDUCTIONS

• Costume malfunction
• Inappropriate facial expressions (incl. uttering vocals)
• Repeating the same movements
• Not respecting the Signal

Warning: Vulgar or erotic moves may lead to disqualification.

SPECIAL AWARD FOR THE BEST BATTLE

• In the final round judges also choose the most entertaining and original pair.
• Judges score the all final pairs with points from 1 to 10.
• The main criterium here is a show.

Media rights

All competitors agree that the organizers can use footage and photos from the competition in documentation and promotional materials in all known ways (TV, internet, print media, etc.). Furthermore, competitors agree that if they take part in the final they will be available for photographs and possibly also an interview after the competition.

Final provisions

The competition organizers reserve the right to amend the rules at any time without prior warning.

The organizers are not liable for any injury that competitors incur while taking part in the competition.

© Jarmila Ptáčníková