Protests must be filed with a committee member in writing within 24 hours of the scheduled event. Forms are available at the registration table. Decisions will be made within a timely manner.

Northern Virginia Senior Olympic Committee officials reserve the right to cancel or reschedule any event due to insufficient registration or weather conditions. Officials reserve the right to resolve any rule disputes, and to disqualify any participant who arrives late to any event or fails to adhere to event rules.

Welcome and Track & Field events will be held at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center on Saturday, September 20, 2008. See Event Schedule for times.

Medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners. In case of a tie, two medals will be given except in some events where ties will be played off. Medals will be awarded on the day of the event. If you are unable to receive your medal on the day of the event, you may pick up your medals at the Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street, beginning October 15. Medals must be picked up by December 14, 2008. Medals will not be mailed. If you have questions, call (703) 248-5020.

Vending machines MAY be available at event sites.

Bridge: The laws of contract duplicate bridge, latest revision by the American Contract Bridge League, will apply.

Bunco: No onsite registration! Official Bunco rules apply. For detailed rules, see NVSO rules book, available at senior centers or online.

Chess: Round Robin (five or fewer entrants) or Swiss Out (six or more) tournaments. Personal chess sets may be used. Two day tournament !

Cribbage: Five games - no muggins (no pegging of missed points by opponents). Scoring is as follows: 2 points for win, 0 points for loss and 3 points for a skunk. Tie breakers will be announced at time of tournament.

Diving (New): 50-54 & 55-59 age groups, 6 dives, 101 forward, 201 back and any 4 additional dives with no repeats; 60-64 and 65-69 age groups, 5 dives, 101 forward, 201 back and any 3 additional dives with no repeats; 70-74 and 75-79 age groups, 4 dives, 101 forward, and any additional 3 dives with no repeats; 80-84, 85-89, 90+ age groups, 4 dives, 101 forward, and any 3 additional dives with jumps permitted and no repeats.

Eight Ball Pool: No onsite registration! Men and Women Divisions. Current BCA rules apply. Single elimination tournament playing eight ball, in which players call each shot, except women. A match will consist of best two out of three games. A one round losers bracket will determine 3rd place. Participants may use their own pool cues.

Frisbee Throw: Competition for men and women in 10 year age groups will be judged upon accuracy and distance, based on the longest adjusted distance of three attempts. All participants will use the standard frisbee furnished by the NVSO.

Golf: No onsite registration! Singles competition will be held in an 18-hole tournament. Men and women will compete in separate divisions in 10 year age groups. Two sets of medals will be awarded in each age group. One gold medal will be awarded for the low gross score per age group, and first, second and third will be awarded based on the adopted handicap system. Players must furnish their own balls and clubs. The Calloway Handicap System will be used. U.S.G.A. rules will apply, and winter rules will be in effect.

Ice Skating (New): No onsite registration. Open Freestyle (any test level), Men, Ladies, program length, 1:20 (+ or - 10 sec.), 10 year age groups, music must be on CD or cassette tape, labeled with name and event; Ice Dancing: Dutch Waltz, couples, may not have passed any ice dance tests, no age groups; Solo, Canasta Tango, may not have passed any ice dance tests, 10 year age groups. Open Rhythm Blues, any test level, couples, no age groups, or solo, 10 year age groups. Each dance may be skated in flights of 2, 3 or 4.

Miniature Golf: Singles competition will be held in 18-hole tournament. Men and women will compete in separate divisions by 10 year age groups. Lowest score wins. Tie breaker situations will be determined by using scorecards, starting with first hole.

Pickleball: No onsite registration! Single elimination tournament: men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Ten (10) year age groups will be used. The game is played to 11 points and to win a match you must win two out of three games. Players must supply their own paddles.

Racquetball (New): No onsite registration. Official USA Racquetball rules. Matches are 2 out of 3 games; games 1 and 2 are 15 points, tie breakers is 11 points; male and female divisions; 5 year age groups; all players must wear lensed eyeguards designed for racquet sports. NVSO supplies balls; players supply their own racquets.

Scrabble (New): No onsite registration. Official game rules apply. Format: three 2-player, 50-minute games. Game Three, the final round, is King-of-the-Hill. Winners determined by win-loss ratio; ties broken by cumulative point spread. The official dictionary is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Shuffleboard: No onsite registration! Singles competition will be held in a single elimination tournament. There will be no separate divisions nor age groups for men and women. One round of play will decide a tie. A game will consist of 25 points or the completion of three frames, whichever occurs first. Best two out of three games wins.

Softball Hit: Ball hit Fungo style or from an optional tee. Best distance out of three attempts recorded. Bats must be single wall or wooden. NVSO supplies balls and bats.

Softball Throw: Judged for distance and accuracy. Best out of three attempts. NVSO supplies balls.

Swimming: Best times in freestyle, breaststroke and back stroke for a distance of 50 meters. Also best time in the 1/2 mile distance event.

Table Tennis: No onsite registration! First player to reach 21 point wins. Best two out of three games wins set. Two point tie breaker. Single elimination tournament. Ten year age groups will be used. New regulation tables. Players supply own paddles. NVSO supplies balls.

Tennis: No onsite registration! Single elimination tournament: men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles. An 8 game pro set will be played with the first one to win 8 games named the winner. You do not have to win by 2 games. When the score is tied at 7 all, a 7 point tie break will be played. The player/team who wins 7 points with a margin of 2 points wins the match. The original order of serving will continue as if there were no tie match and there will be no ball changes. Each player needs to bring a new unopened can of balls. The winner will keep the new balls and the loser will keep the used balls. Regular scoring will be used but this could be changed to NO-AD in the case of any factors that may prevent the completion of the schedule.

Ten Pin Bowling: No onsite registration! Three games will be bowled by each contestant. Men and women will compete separately and in different age groups. Winners will be determined by total pinfall bowled plus handicap, which will be 90% of difference between 200 and bowler’s average. Average will be assigned as follows: (A) prior year’s D.C. area book average; if no book, then (B) prior year verifiable average in unsanctioned senior league (21 games minimum): if no (A) or (B), then (C) Bowl America’s prior year senior’s monthly tournament average (9 games); if no (A) or (B) or (C), then (D) average assigned of 150 for men and 135 for women.

Track & Field: No onsite registration! No spikes allowed.

Dashes: First over the finish line wins. 60 and 200 meters. Individually timed.

Runs: First over the finish line wins. 400 meters (2 lap); 800 meters (4 laps). Individually timed.

Walks: First over the finish line wins. In all events walkers must walk, not jog or run. Contact must remain unbroken with the ground. 3 miles (24 laps); 1600 meters (8 laps); 800 meters (4 laps). Individually timed.

Discus: Women: 1 Kg. discus, Men: 50-59 1.5 Kg; 60+ 1 Kg. discus. Best out of three throws. NVSO supplies discus.

Shotput: Women: 3 Kg. shot, Men: 50-59 6 Kg.; 60-69 5 Kg.; 70+ 4 Kg. shot. Best out of three attempts. NVSO supplies shot put.

Running Long Jump: Best out of three jumps.

Standing Long Jump: Best out of three jumps. Feet must be parallel and leave ground at the same time.