We return to the Andromedome and to the Rolldown, as we get to the midpoint of the season’s biggest competition that won’t get stopped by the Miami goddamn Marlins.

The last time we were here, records were falling left and right. The hurdles had the record continuously get lowered, and the block pushing had the Midnight Wisps end the night early since their first run set the record and got the handy win.

This week there are no records, since each track is unique, but there was plenty of drama. First off, the triathlon.

Event 8: Triathlon
Like any triathlon, marbles will compete in three disciplines in this event. It starts with a race across sand before moving onto a portion of Marbula One-style track—racers have to be careful moving from sand to track. From the track they move to an underwater section where they race to the finish. Like the hurdles, best two in each heat move to the semis, best to in each semifinal move to the final, and all non-advancing marbles will be classified by time in the round they went out.

Heat 1: Pulsar (Team Galactic), Stinger (Hornets), Green Eye (Crazy Cat’s Eyes), Disarray (Balls of Chaos)
It was a good launch for all four marbles, as Pulsar jumped out to the lead on the sand and approaching the track. Stinger was in pursuit ahead of Green Eye and Disarray, but Pulsar had a healthy lead through the esses so it took a while for Stinger to try to get the trackdown. It wasn’t until the water that the Hornets’ captain caught up, where everyone’s momentum slows. From there it was a matter of whether Stinger could get the draft, which he did successfully to get around Pulsar around the midpoint of the lap in the pool and power to the heat victory. However, both marbles would move on.
Results: Stinger, Pulsar, Green Eye, Disarray

Heat 2: Yellim (Mellow Yellow), Momo (Team Momo), Mallard (Green Ducks), Rapidly (Savage Speeders)
Mallard got the best launch, but was going up and down the sand course rather than just forward, and she lost a good chunk of time that way, giving way to Momo and Rapidly. She retook second from Rapidly but lost it just as quickly, hitting the side of the track as she entered. This gave Momo the chance to extend his lead as Mallard and Rapidly battled throughout the track portion and all the way into the pool, neck and neck. It was close for 2nd throughout, as Momo breezed to the heat victory, but in the end Rapidly took it by 18 hundredths. It’s another disappointing event in this Green Ducks sophomore slump.
Results: Momo, Rapidly, Mallard, Yellim

Heat 3: Shock (Thunderbolts), Minty Drizzel (Minty Maniacs), Orangin (O’rangers), Ruzzy (Raspberry Racers)
Shock, Minty Drizzel, and Orangin were neck and neck throughout the sand, with Orangin and Shock bumping into the track section, but with Minty Drizzel unable to pass. Ruzzy lurked behind as like Mallard he was bounding up and down the course. The two were connected through much of the track before Shock got the worse of a bump, falling back and in danger of Minty Drizzel catching up. At the pool, Ruzzy was quick with the launch but lost some of that momentum as Shock tried once more to get around Orangin but was unable. They would both advance though.
Result: Orangin, Shock, Minty Drizzel, Ruzzy

Heat 4: Foggy (Hazers), Bumble (Bumblebees), Wospy (Midnight Wisps), Shore (Oceanics)
Bumble got a good launch to lead through the sand but Shore was quick to catch up as Bumble veered through the end of the section, falling into last behind Foggy and Wospy. Shore had a decent enough lead through the track towards the water, as Greg Woods mentioned the Oceanics wanted to do well in a water event, for once. And you all know what happens next: Shore hits the water and loses all momentum, and gets passed by Foggy, and then by Wospy. The commentator’s curse strikes again, and the sky is blue, the water is wet, and the Oceanics falter in the aforementioned wet water.
Result: Foggy, Wospy, Shore, Bumble

Non-advancing marbles (9th-16th): Shore, Minty Drizzel, Ruzzy, Green Eye, Disarray, Bumble, Mallard, Yellim

Well, at least it was 9th for Shore?

Semifinal A: Stinger (Hornets), Wospy (Midnight Wisps), Rapidly (Savage Speeders), Orangin (O’rangers)
Wospy got out to the lead over the sand, bumping into Orangin and Stinger, who slowed, but Wospy veered across the course as a result and got the worst of it, falling to last as Orangin took the lead into the track. Rapidly had a hold of 2nd keeping Stinger at bay, but had a terrible entrance into the pool, losing second and trying to hold off Wospy for 3rd. Stinger and Orangin could escape the battle and they advanced.
Result: Orangin, Stinger, Wospy, Rapidly

Semifinal B: Momo (Team Momo), Shock (Thunderbolts), Foggy (Hazers), Pulsar (Team Galactic)
It was an early three-way battle for the lead, as Momo, Shock, and Foggy got a better launch than Pulsar. But Shock and Momo each hit a bump (the same bump?) weirdly, oscillating in tandem and both hitting the sidewall entering the track as Pulsar took advantage for 2nd. All four marbles were spread on the course as a result and remained that way in the pool. Foggy remained far out and front and would take the semi, but all eyes were on 2nd as Momo reined in Pulsar looking for a way around. Greg Woods said the pass was too late, but it went to a photo finish for 2nd. And the photo finish showed that because the line was after that last jump, Momo was able to just barely get the pass done, by just one-hundredth of a second!
Result: Foggy, Momo, Pulsar, Shock

Non-advancing marbles (5th-8th): Pulsar, Wospy, Rapidly & Shock (T-7)

Final: Orangin (O’rangers), Foggy (Hazers), Stinger (Hornets), Momo (Team Momo)
Stinger got propelled forward as there was some contact in the sand between him, Foggy, and Orangin. Foggy got the worst of it, because he got re-bumped by Orangin and Momo from going up and down. They remained constant throughout the track, Stinger, Orangin, Momo, and Foggy, as they approached the water for the final time. Momo looked to get around Stinger and was successful, doing the same with Orangin. But behind all of them with a great deal of speed was Foggy, who entered the pool around a second and a half behind the other three but had caught up with a big draft, threading the needle between Momo and Orangin and somehow, someway, ending up with the victory. It was officially a photo finish, but the photos made it clear.
Result: Foggy, Momo, Orangin, Stinger

Also rough luck for Stinger, as the Hornets are thwarted in their quest for their first-ever Marble League medal.

Podium
Gold: Foggy, Hazers
Silver: Momo, Team Momo
Bronze: Orangin, O’rangers

The $5,000 donation in the Hazers’ name was made to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Rest of standings
Hornets, Team Galactic, Midnight Wisps, Thunderbolts (T-7), Savage Speeders (T-7), Oceanics, Minty Maniacs, Raspberry Racers, Crazy Cat’s Eyes, Balls of Chaos, Bumblebees, Green Ducks, Mellow Yellow

Your midpoint standings…

Standings (after Event 8 of 16)
1. Orangers-120 pts (2G 1S 2B)
2. Midnight Wisps-103 pts (1G 1S 1B) (tiebreaker over CCE, # of bronze)
3. Crazy Cat’s Eyes-103 pts (1G 1S)
4. Minty Maniacs-99 pts (2G 1B)
5. Raspberry Racers-90 pts (1G 1S 1B)
6. Team Momo-77 pts (2S)
7. Team Galactic-76 pts (1S)
8. Savage Speeders-73 pts (2B)
9. Hazers-70 pts (1G)
10. Balls of Chaos-56 pts (1S)
11. Hornets-47 pts
12. Thunderbolts-45 pts
13. Bumblebees-43 pts
14. Green Ducks-40 pts
15. Oceanics-37 pts
16. Mellow Yellow-29 pts (1B)

Biggest rise: Hornets (+3)
Biggest drop: Bumblebees & Green Ducks (-2)

So at the midpoint, I think there’s really 5 teams who could win the competition, or at least be on the podium after all is said and done, and three of them are former/defending champions, the Crazy Cat’s Eyes and Minty Maniacs being the newcomers. The reward for being in the top 3 when all is said and done is automatic qualification for the 2021 Marble League, along with whoever the hosts end up being. (In 2019, as the Oceanics finished top 3 in 2018, the 4th place team was added.)

Event 9: Sand Mogul Race
Competitors race down a sand track similar to the one in the triathlon, finding their way around any bumps and divots to try and find the best time. Scoring is just like the triathlon.

King Stardust ran it in an 8.164. Admittedly that’s a traffic-free run.

Heat 1: Tangerin (O’rangers), Minty Flav (Minty Maniacs), Ocean (Oceanics), Rozzy (Raspberry Racers)
Ocean got out to an early lead, with the rest close behind. Minty Flav was able to get out past Tangerin for 2nd, and that bump sent the O’rangers marble off course and into the back of the pack in this short race. Meanwhile in a fitting manner, the Oceanics’ captain Ocean took the heat, as a sand event doesn’t have water.
Result: Ocean, Minty Flav, Rozzy, Tangerin

Heat 2: Green Eye (Crazy Cat’s Eyes), Tumult (Balls of Chaos), Goose (Green Ducks), Mo (Team Momo)
Green Eye got to the lead as Mo and Goose jostled for 2nd. Goose built up speed but hit something in the sand and veered left, falling to last, as Mo built up a similar head of steam and took the lead and the heat.
Result: Mo, Green Eye, Tumult, Goose

Heat 3: Honey (Bumblebees), Cosmo (Team Galactic), Swifty (Savage Speeders), Wespy (Midnight Wisps)
Swifty got a slight lead from the launch as Cosmo got a draft to take 2nd from Honey. But Honey got a bump draft from Wespy, who couldn’t get around, and Honey took back the position before the line.
Result: Swifty, Honey, Cosmo, Wespy

Heat 4: Zap (Thunderbolts), Hazy (Hazers), Yellow (Mellow Yellow), Yellowjacket (Hornets)
Hazy and Yellow got the best launch and some separation, just ahead of Zap and Yellowjacket. Yellowjacket could get by Zap for 3rd as Zap hit a bunch of bumps in a row, but neither would advance.
Result: Hazy, Yellow, Yellowjacket, Zap

Non-advancing marbles (9th-16th): Cosmo, Wespy, Rozzy, Tangerin, Yellowjacket, Zap, Tumult, Goose

Semifinal A: Swifty (Savage Speeders), Yellow (Mellow Yellow), Green Eye (Crazy Cat’s Eyes), Ocean (Oceanics)
With the O’rangers and Wisps out now is the Crazy Cat’s Eyes chance to really cut into the lead or even potentially take it. Swifty and Green Eye took the top two spots off the launch, as Ocean tried to get by. They got a bump draft from Yellow, but then Ocean and Green Eye collided, and while Green Eye’s momentum stopped and was sent backwards, dropping to last, Ocean was propelled forward into the semifinal victory. No investigation, it was all incidental contact, but Green Eye’s loss was Ocean’s gain.
Result: Ocean, Swifty, Yellow, Green Eye

Semifinal B: Hazy (Hazers), Mo (Team Momo), Minty Flav (Minty Maniacs), Honey (Bumblebees)
Green Eye couldn’t hammer home the initiative, but maybe Minty Flav could be able to to get the Maniacs back in the championship hunt. The captain was able to jump out to the lead and stay out of trouble long enough for the real question to be Hazy or Mo, who would take 2nd? Honey was behind, able to pick up the pieces in case the former two jostled themselves out of position, but Hazy was able to get the overtake last, and Hazy got the transfer spot.
Result: Minty Flav, Hazy, Mo, Honey

Non-advancing marbles (5th-8th): Yellow, Mo, Green Eye, Honey

Final: Ocean (Oceanics), Swifty (Savage Speeders), Hazy (Hazers), Minty Flav (Minty Maniacs)
It was an even launch, but Ocean and Hazy were able to get out to the lead. Minty Flav and Swifty were in the mix, but a bump draft from Swifty was able to give Hazy a boost to stay in 2nd. Minty Flav caused some more contact and gave Ocean another much-needed boost right as Hazy was about to take the lead as Ocean had the speed he needed to cross the line!
Result: Ocean, Hazy, Minty Flav, Swifty

The streak is over! For the Oceanics it’s their first medal since 2018’s curling (which was also gold), a string of 27 medal-less events, an unfortunate Marble League record. But put it away for now, because the Oceanics have a gold.

Podium
Gold: Ocean, Oceanics
Silver: Hazy, Hazers
Bronze: Minty Flav, Minty Maniacs

A $5,000 donation in the Oceanics’ name was made to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Rest of standings:
Savage Speeders, Mellow Yellow, Team Momo, Crazy Cat’s Eyes, Bumblebees, Team Galactic, Midnight Wisps, Raspberry Racers, O’rangers, Hornets, Thunderbolts, Balls of Chaos, Green Ducks

Standings (after Event 9 of 16)
1. O’rangers-124 pts (2G 1S 2B)
2. Minty Maniacs-114 pts (2G 2B)
3. Crazy Cat’s Eyes-112 pts (1G 1S)
4. Midnight Wisps-109 pts (1G 1S 1B)
5. Raspberry Racers-95 pts (1G 1S 1B)
6. Hazers-90 pts (1G 1S)
7. Team Momo-87 pts (2S)
8. Savage Speeders-85 pts (2B)
9. Team Galactic-83 pts (1S)
10. Oceanics-62 pts (1G)
11. Balls of Chaos-57 pts (1S)
12. Hornets-50 pts (tiebreaker over BMB, best single-event position)
13. Bumblebees-50 pts
14. Thunderbolts-47 pts
15. Mellow Yellow-40 pts (1B) (tiebreaker over GDK, # of bronze)
16. Green Ducks-40 pts

There are seven events left, with the next being the 5 meter sprint on Thursday (Event 11 on Sunday is not confirmed as of writing). And we’ll see you next week.