We know marbles can run. We know marbles can slide. We know marbles can shake. But can marbles soar? That’s what the long jump event aims to answer. In this contest, each marble travels down a steep track and then up an angled ramp before launching themself into a sand pit. Those who remember high school physics will no doubt remember that it’s not just the marble’s speed that determines its trajectory, but also its angle of launch.1So basically just its velocity. Marbles that take too shallow or too steep an angle will find themselves falling short.
In the first group of four, all marbles manage to post decent scores above 80 cm, except Wasp of the Hornets, who can’t even clear 79 cm. Yelley of Mellow Yellow sets the mark to beat at 82.00 cm. In the second group, Anarchy of Balls of Chaos sets the new mark at 82.60 cm, besting Yelley’s original record. No marble in Group 3 reaches this mark. That changes in Group 4, with Blue Eye of Crazy Cat’s Eyes setting a new mark of 83.30 cm. This is not a mark that the Raspberry Racers, the Minty Maniacs, or the O’rangers can reach, thereby leaving the Crazy Cat’s Eyes, Balls of Chaos, and Mellow Yellow on the podium.
Stray thoughts:
- After this event, the Minty Maniacs and the O’rangers trade places again, with the Minty Maniacs now atop the standings. The gap between second and third has also narrowed considerably, with just two points separating the O’rangers and the Crazy Cat’s Eyes.
- With their performance today, Balls of Chaos have shot up five places in the rankings to fourth place overall.
- The Hornets are now at the bottom of the rankings, saving the Oceanics and Mellow Yellow from further embarrassment.
See you on July 16th for the 5 m hurdles!
Complete stats for Marble League 2020 can be found at the Jelle’s Marble Runs Wiki.