With the first State Youth Finals event just over a month away, it’s time for an update on the State Youth Finals series generally and to answer some questions we’ve received from parents.

Bookings

Firstly, orders for Finals t-shirts have been placed, so tickets that include a Finals tee can no longer be booked.

However, bookings for competition entry (no t-shirt) are still available until two weeks before each event or until the event/division sells out (full list of registration closing dates below).

Whether you have booked a Finals ticket plus t-shirt or a regular ticket at your local event, or haven’t booked a Finals ticket of any sort yet, you can now book a competition entry only ticket at any State Youth Finals event until bookings close.

You can attend as many events as you like – and we encourage you to travel to test yourselves against ninjas from other regions in lieu of a true national Youth Finals this year.

Last season’s Teens Grand Champion Jai Whitby will be doing just that – booking in for every State Youth Finals competition to test himself against the best Australia has to offer – we hope to see some of our best and brightest ninjas do the same.

Registration closing dates

• QLD Youth Finals @ Urban Xtreme – bookings close on Sunday, July 21: TICKETS HERE
• SA Youth Finals @ SA Base Camp – bookings close on Sunday, July 28: TICKETS HERE
• WA Youth Finals @ Ninja Academy – bookings close on Sunday, August 4: TICKETS HERE
• NSW Youth Finals @ Ninja Kids Erina – bookings close on Sunday, August 11: TICKETS HERE
• VIC Youth Finals @ Ninja Nation – bookings close on Sunday, August 18: TICKETS HERE

Event format

The State Youth Finals will have a few differences from our qualifier events that you might be familiar with. The first difference is that each event will consist of two stages with different courses, instead of just one. Competitors will need to hit the buzzer on the first stage to progress to the second stage.

If less than 10 competitors in an age division clear Stage One, then as many non-finishers as needed to reach 10 competitors or half the total number of competitors (whichever is fewer) will advance to Stage Two for unofficial runs, based on furthest-fastest on Stage One. For example, in a division with 10 competitors, only three competitors clear Stage One. In this case, two competitors would be permitted to do unofficial runs to bring the total number of Stage Two competitors to half the number of Stage One competitors (as this is the lesser of 10 competitors and half the total number of competitors).

Unlike our qualifiers, each stage at the State Youth Finals will have a time limit, so competitors will not only have to beat the obstacles, but the clock too!

The first stage will be designed as a speed course with easier obstacles but a tight time limit. If a competitor fails an obstacle on the first stage, their official run will end, but they’ll be able to attempt the remaining obstacles until their time limit runs out.

The second stage will be designed as a technical course with harder obstacles to test the athletes’ strength and endurance. If a competitor fails an obstacle on the second stage, the competitor’s run will end and they will have to clear the course for the next competitor.

Unlike our qualifiers, the courses and rules will not be revealed until the weekend of the competition, as the NCL Commissioner will be overseeing the course set-up and design and will need to test and modify the courses when he arrives in town.

Courses will be uploaded to YouTube and sent out to competitors ahead of the competition.

However, unlike our qualifiers, competitors will not have a rules walkthrough, so must study the official rules video carefully to ensure they know the rules. We know this is a lot to ask for youth competitors on short notice, so rest assured we’ll be designing the courses/rules with this in mind and will make the rules as intuitive and easy to follow as possible.

Event schedule

The schedule for each event will be released after bookings have closed, but typically the order of operations would be as follows:

• Kids/Mature Kids Registration/Finals t-shirt collection
• Kids Stage 1
• Mature Kids Stage 1
• Kids Stage 2
• Mature Kids Stage 2
• Kids/Mature Kids Podiums
• Course changeover for older divisions
• Pre-Teens/Teens Registration/Finals t-shirt collection
• Pre-Teens Stage 1
• Teens Stage 1
• Pre-Teens Stage 2
• Teens Stage 2
• Pre-Teens/Teens Podiums

Medals/Prizes

Prizes and medals will be awarded to the top three overall competitors in each division at each event.

As we’re sure some of you have seen on social media, one of our major prize sponsors, OZIGRIP, has had an unfortunate setback with a fire at their factory.

As a result, the status of prizes from OZIGRIP for the State Youth Finals series is uncertain. This may result in no OZIGRIP prizes being awarded, or simply a delay in prizes being delivered.

Goodman Grips will be supplying prizes as normal.

World Ninja League Championships qualification

The 2024 World Ninja League (WNL) Championships just wrapped up in North Carolina last weekend, with some of Australia’s top ninjas smashing buzzers in the green and gold and placing highly against the world’s best.

If you want to be a part of the WNL Championships in 2025, the road to qualification starts at the State Youth Finals series. Each event will act as a qualifier for the 2025 World Ninja League Championships, with the top male and female competitors in each division earning an opportunity to don the green and gold and represent Australia on the world stage.

WNL Premier Series Qualifier

Earlier this month, we sent out invitations to some of our top ninjas to participate in the WNL Premier Series Qualifier being hosted at The Compound Training on Saturday, August 31.

We remind you that all queries about this event should be directed to Clem Vertigan at trainer@thecompoundtraining.com.au as we won’t have capacity to respond with our focus on the State Youth Finals series.

If you have any questions that haven’t been answered here, please don’t hesitate to ask.

All the best,

Mark Ravi
NCL Commissioner

The official results for WA Ninja Challenge #3 sponsored by OZIGRIP and Goodman Grips at Ninja Academy Perth on Sunday, 9 June 2024.

Click the images to enlarge.

See how these results have affected the national leaderboard here.

Well done to all who participated!

Qualifying athletes will receive their official invitation to the NCL Finals 2024 via email and some of the top runners will be featured on our social media channels.

The official results for NSW Ninja Challenge #3 sponsored by OZIGRIP and Goodman Grips at OCR School on Sunday, 9 June 2024.

Click the images to enlarge.

See how these results have affected the national leaderboard here.

Well done to all who participated!

Qualifying athletes will receive their official invitation to the NCL Finals 2024 via email and some of the top runners will be featured on our social media channels.

For the past eight years, the Ninja Challenge League has been my baby. I couldn’t be prouder of what the NCL has become in this time. I’ve poured hours and hours into helping it grow, adapt and thrive – juggling full-time work and my own training to do so. In many ways, the NCL has been my top priority for almost a decade.

This November, that is going to change. Summer and I are happy to announce that the NCL family will grow by one, when we welcome our son into the world.

This is something we’ve wanted for a long time, and we’re already looking forward to the day that our baby ninja steps up to the starting line for his first NCL competition (if that’s what he chooses to do!)

While we couldn’t be more excited, it will result in some changes to the NCL as we navigate this next stage in our lives.

In the coming months we’ll be asking for input from the ninja community to help shape the path forward for the league.

With your help, we’re confident that we can create a system where both the NCL – and our actual baby – can thrive well into the future.

Until then, we remain focused on delivering an amazing end to the 2024 season, so be sure to make the most of the opportunity to prove your moves at this year’s Finals events and the Australian Ninja Open.

All the best,

Mark Ravi
NCL Commissioner