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Launch It! Trebuchet Contest

Calling All Medieval Machine Mechanics!

Join us for the Launch It! Trebuchet Contest on Saturday, October 3, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM (rain date: October 15) at the Gayle Middle School Athletic Field, located at 100 Panther Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22406.

Registration opens at 9:30 AM, with the competition officially starting at 10:00 AM. Bring your handcrafted trebuchet to test your skills and compete for top honors in distance (how far), accuracy (how close to the target), and design.

What is a Trebuchet? NOT the same as a catapult!

A trebuchet was a common feature in medieval siege warfare. These powerful machines hurled missiles at town walls and castle defenses, creating openings large enough for invaders to breach. Trebuchets were often given distinctive names, a tradition that we continue in this competition. Unlike catapults, which rely on tension from a cord to launch their payloads, trebuchets use a heavy weight to propel their projectiles. While cords and ropes have a limit to how much they can stretch, there is no practical limit to how heavy the weight can be. As a result, trebuchets were typically much more powerful than catapults.

Contest Rules by Class

Page Class Rules

  1. Designed for Pre-K to 5th grade aged teams (adult “assistants” allowed); teams of primarily 6th grade or older should compete in Squire or Knight.
  2. Dimensions may not exceed 15.” x 15” x 15”.
  3. Ammunition (25 mm superballs) will be provided at the competition.

Squire Class Rules

  1. Designed for 6th-12th grade teams, though younger teams whose trebuchet fits the dimensions can register as Squire. Teams of primarily adults should compete in Knight.
  2. Dimensions between 15.1” x 15.1” x 15.1” and 30” x 30” x 30”.
  3. Ammunition (45 mm superballs) will be provided at the competition.

Knight Class Rules

  1. Designed for adult teams (including college age), though younger teams whose trebuchet fits the dimensions can register as Knight.
  2. Dimensions between 30.1” x 30.1” x 30.1” and 45” x 45” x 45”.
  3. Ammunition (standard golf balls) will be provided at the competition.