Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course
Encyclopedia
, sometime abbreviated to Viking: TUOC, is a Japan
ese obstacle course
endurance game show using an obstacle course produced by Fuji TV and Monster9. The English version of Viking is produced by ESPN2
with two American commentators
calling the action. In Europe it airs on Eurosport 2
with the American commentators in the first season and British commentator Colin Bryce
in the second. In the Philippines
, Viking was aired in TV5
and hosted by Brod Pete, Richard del Rosario, and Gabe Mercardo. And in Taiwan on JET TV
in its original form with Chinese subtitles. The entire show is broadcast from Tokyo Bay
.
Note: Sometimes, the two following obstacles will both be on the course and the contestant gets to choose which one they would like to do. In other cases, the only choice is the Survival Flag
Note: This ends the timed part of the 2nd Adventure Stage. The following obstacle, although referred as 3rd Fantasy Stage by ESPN2 and other broadcasting systems, is the 2nd part of the 2nd Adventure Stage.
, who was the only man ever to get to the Final Viking stage, came close but ran out of time when he was 5 feet away from the finish. No contestant has ever completed Final Viking; but if one does he or she will be crowned the Ultimate Viking. Nagano, incidentally, has completed the fourth and final stage of SASUKE
(called Ninja Warrior
in the US and UK), a similar obstacle course contest, which has featured many of the same contestants that have competed on Viking.
It consists of 3 (sometimes 4) stages.
Some of the events have been head to head races.
Various Celebrities take on the course, including Tv presenters, fighters, wrestlers and comedians.
Note: There is a "Brain Ship Stage" which was a stage between the First Marine Stage and the Second Adventure Stage. Competitors would be split into two groups and would be given a series of numbers to memorize. After a few seconds the numbers would disappear, and competitors would write down the numbers on a piece of paper. The person with the most mistakes from each group would be eliminated. Due to bad weather, there was no Brain Ship Stage in the first competition.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese obstacle course
Obstacle course
An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual or team must navigate usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed and endurance. Sometimes a course...
endurance game show using an obstacle course produced by Fuji TV and Monster9. The English version of Viking is produced by ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
with two American commentators
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
calling the action. In Europe it airs on Eurosport 2
Eurosport 2
Eurosport 2 is a European sports television network. It is a sister channel to Eurosport and Eurosport News. Several different versions of the channel exist across Europe, where television rights for sport differ.-Launch:...
with the American commentators in the first season and British commentator Colin Bryce
Colin Bryce
Colin Bryce is a former Great Britain Olympic bobsledder and strongman now working as a television presenter and producer...
in the second. In the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Viking was aired in TV5
Associated Broadcasting Company
The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal...
and hosted by Brod Pete, Richard del Rosario, and Gabe Mercardo. And in Taiwan on JET TV
Japan Entertainment Television
Japan Entertainment Television, or JET TV, is a television station in Taiwan that broadcasts programs relating to aspects of Japanese culture...
in its original form with Chinese subtitles. The entire show is broadcast from Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
.
Summary
The object of the show is to complete a giant obstacle course that tests the body and mind of 50 contestants for each show. Round by round, the contestants that do not get eliminated advance to the next round. There are 4 grueling stages called "1st Marine", "2nd Adventure", "3rd Fantasy" and "Final Viking". Whoever survives "Final Viking" is crowned the Ultimate Survivor. Obstacles change during each of the stages except for Final Viking at the end.1st Marine Stage
| Comp # | Marine Stage Obstacles | Time Limit | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Odysseys | Loading Docks | Castaway | Main Deck | Maths Parley | Cannonball Run | Swing Mast | Captain's Cabin | 120.0 | |
| 2 | Odysseys | Loading Docks | Castaway | Main Deck | Maths Parley | Cannonball Run | Swing Mast | Captain's Cabin | 110.0 | |
| 3 | Odysseys | Loading Docks | Alphabet Parley | Castaway | Island Escape | Maths Parley | Cannonball Run | Swing Mast | Captain's Cabin | 135.0 |
2nd Adventure Stage
| Comp # | Adventure Stage Obstacles | Time Limit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galleon | Galley | Rope Maze | Survival Flag or Survival Jump |
Log Screw | Heavenly Climb | 120.0 |
| 2 | Galleon | Galley | Rope Maze | Survival Flag or Survival Jump |
Log Screw | Heavenly Climb | 120.0 |
| 3 | Galleon | Colour Fusion | Rope Maze | Survival Flag or Survival Jump |
Tactical Parley | Heavenly Climb | 135.0 |
3rd Fantasy Stage
| Comp # | Fantasy Stage Obstacles | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heartbreaker | Steady Voyager or Ultimate Plank |
Bio Clock | |||
| 2 | Heartbreaker | Steady Voyager or Ultimate Plank |
Bio Clock | |||
Final Viking Stage
| Comp # | Viking Stage Obstacles | Time Limit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horizontal Rope (25m) | Vertical Rope (10m) | 100.0 | ||||
| 2 | Horizontal Rope (25m) | Vertical Rope (10m) | 100.0 | ||||
| 3 | Hawkeye | Steady Voyager | Ultimate Plank | Heartbreaker | None | ||
1st Marine Stage
Each contestant has 1 minute 50 seconds (otherwise for men: 2 minutes 15 seconds; for the women: 2 minutes 22 seconds) to run from the start to stop the clock at the top by going through the obstacles.- Odysseys: a tilting rotating platform that must be crossed.
- Loading Docks: a balance beam with three overhead conveyor belts. One 15 lb. bag drops from each, and the contestant must catch one of them and carry it across the balance beam. If they fail to catch a bag, the beam they are stood on rotates, tipping them into the water.
- Castaway: a zipline with a large globe which the competitor must grab that leads to a cargo net on the other side.
- Alphabet Parley: The contestant sits in a chair and a letter and a number appear on a screen. The contestant must speak out a letter in the English alphabet corresponding to the Parley board, for example if the Parley board reads "2 before X", the answer would be "V". A wrong guess drops the contestant through a trapdoor.
- Math Parley: The contestant hits 2 buttons that stop 2 random number generators. The contestant must add these 2 numbers together and enter in the correct answer using a keypad. For example, 76 + 45= 121. A wrong guess drops the contestant through a trapdoor.
- Island Escape: a small island platform with a rope. The contestant must jump from a ledge and onto the island and use the rope to pull himself/herself across to the next obstacle.
- Main Deck: an area where the contestant must lay a balance beam into one of two holes. They have a choice between a wider and heavier beam requiring strength or a light thin beam that tests their balance. The contestant must pick either one to cross. Alternates with Island Escape.
- Cannonball Run: a bridge of 4 cannonballs suspended over the water which the contestant must cross.
- Swing Mast: contestants throw a rope with a weight on the end around a beam in the air. Hopefully the rope will wrap around the beam allowing them to swing across onto a mat below. If the rope hasn't been thrown properly, it will come loose and the contestant won't make it to the mat.
- Captain's Cabin: a giant rotating ship's wheel with climbing spikes with the clock stopper at the top.
2nd Adventure Stage
The next round has the surviving contestants try to finish the course in under 2 minutes.- Galleon: a walk on a balance beam and a rotating Y-shaped bridge while the contestant has two 30-lb. buckets on a yoke on his/her back.
- Galley: a tunnel littered with spinning oars. Alternates with Color Fusion.
- Color Fusion: an area with a stopper that randomly makes two colors appear on a board. The contestant must then identify the color that is made when the two generated colors are mixed. Alternates with Galley.
- Rope Maze: a length of rope wrapped around an overhead maze as the contestant climbs and maneuvers it to cross to the other side. The Pole Maze in Sasuke is similar to this though it uses a pole instead of a rope.
Note: Sometimes, the two following obstacles will both be on the course and the contestant gets to choose which one they would like to do. In other cases, the only choice is the Survival Flag
- Survival Flag: an area where the contestant must raise a weighted flag weighing 65 lbs up a pole
- Survival Jump: an area where the contestant must jump onto a trampoline and onto a log platform
- Tactical Parley: an area almost the same as Math Parley from the 1st Marine Stage, except the math problem is a subtraction problem instead of addition. An incorrect answer drops the contestant through a trapdoor. Alternates with Log Screw.
- Log Screw: a bridge of 1 rotating log and 2 parallel spinning logs. Contestants must cross to the other side using either parallel log. Alternates with Tactical Parley.
- Heavenly Climb: A climb up a pole near a rotating propeller towards a pipe beam where the contestant must cross and stop the clock.
Note: This ends the timed part of the 2nd Adventure Stage. The following obstacle, although referred as 3rd Fantasy Stage by ESPN2 and other broadcasting systems, is the 2nd part of the 2nd Adventure Stage.
- Heartbreaker: An upside-down stair-like cliff 25 feet high is climbed to jump across 7 feet to the other side where a sword is drawn out to signify the completion of the obstacle. In 2007, part of the obstacle was put in the 3rd stage of Sasuke and was renamed as the Spider Flip.
3rd Fantasy Stage
Survivors of the Adventure Stage have to complete several parts of the Fantasy Stage to make it to Final Viking. There are no time limits in any of the parts except Hawkeye.- Hawkeye: The contestant is shown a rotating wheel of letters with one number hidden among the characters. The contestant must identify the number in 10 seconds or be dropped through a trapdoor.
- Steady Voyage: The contestant balances a long metal pole on his/her hand and maneuvers the pole through an electrified metal maze above them. If the pole touches the metal edges, sparks will fly and the contestant is eliminated. This is similar to Unbeatable Banzuke's "Ottoto 9"
- Ultimate Plank: A giant pegboard sign that spells out VIKING and where contestants use two metal pegs and upper body strength to cross the entire word to the other side without using their legs during the run.
- Bio Clock: Similar to the 1st Stage Math Parley, contestant stands on a trap door with a button in front of them. The clock starts ticking when the contestant presses the button and must stop within .5 seconds of 10 seconds (±.5) in order to proceed to the Final Viking. If the contestant fails, the trap door will open, causing the contestant to drop.
Final Viking
The Final Viking challenge has the remaining contestants scramble across a 75-foot horizontal rope and climb up a 30-foot vertical rope to the top. If the contestant makes it to the top in under 1 minute 40 seconds, they win. One man, Makoto NaganoMakoto Nagano
is a commercial fisherman and the captain of his vessel, and musician. He is regularly seen on the Japanese television show Sasuke where he is one of the "SASUKE All-Stars," a group of favored competitors who possess the greatest potential in completing the four grueling obstacle courses of Ninja...
, who was the only man ever to get to the Final Viking stage, came close but ran out of time when he was 5 feet away from the finish. No contestant has ever completed Final Viking; but if one does he or she will be crowned the Ultimate Viking. Nagano, incidentally, has completed the fourth and final stage of SASUKE
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
(called Ninja Warrior
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
in the US and UK), a similar obstacle course contest, which has featured many of the same contestants that have competed on Viking.
Other versions
Viking also airs special editions of the show featuring revamped obstacle courses.Family edition
This family version of Viking features 2 person teams (usually a parent and child, but occasionally a husband and wife) running the course. They must work as a team to get through the course helping each other to complete various obstacles. If either team member falls in the water, then the team is eliminated. Children as young as 5 have competed on these episodes.It consists of 3 (sometimes 4) stages.
- 1st Marine Stage
Comp # Marine Stage Obstacles Time Limit 1 Rendezvous The Walls Pipe Slider Horse Vault Geography Parley Island Escape Stilt Walk Horizontal Bar Final Slope 135.0 2 Rendezvous The Walls Pipe Slider Horse Vault Geography Parley Island Escape Stilt Walk Horizontal Bar Final Slope 111.0 3 Rendezvous Great Dive The Wall Pipe Slider Horse Vault Maths Parley The Raft Stilt Walk Underwater Net Final Slope 150.0
- 2nd Adventure Stage - Teammates are attached together by a rope for this stage making it harder. Contains obstacles such as Equilibrium pathway (a.k.a. Each to His Own Way), Swinging hammers, Net leap and Vertical pole climb.
- 3rd Fantasy Stage- Only appears in one version of family Viking. Parent and Child must ride a tandem bicycle across a long thin beam over a pool of water to the other side.
- Final Viking - Different from other versions of Viking, the 2 best families from the 2nd Adventure Stage are flown out to Okinawa to complete a course built in the sea. The first family to complete the course wins a new car. The family that got the fastest time in the 2nd stage gets the right to attempt the Final Stage first. Obstacles include - Long balance beam, Climb the platform and Final swing.
Celebrity edition
This version of Viking features many Japanese celebrities competing against each other.Some of the events have been head to head races.
- 1st Marine Stage - 3 minutes. Including obstacles such as Odysseys, Pipe Slider, Raft Slide and Final Slopes. Unlike other versions of Viking, if a competitor falls in the water they can carry on the course.
- 2nd Adventure Stage - 1 minutes 15 seconds. A long pathway featuring 20 swinging hammers that try and knock the competitors off. It's similar to Sasuke's Hammer Dodge. From now on if a competitors falls in the water they are eliminated.
- 3rd Fantasy Stage- 2 minutes. Features obstacles such as Castaway, Swing Mast and Cannonball Run.
- Final Viking - All celebrities that completed the fantasy stage must separately climb up a tall scaffolding tower and hit a button at the top. The fastest time wins.
Various Celebrities take on the course, including Tv presenters, fighters, wrestlers and comedians.
Results
The following is a list of currently available information of people who managed to reach at least the Second Adventure Stage in each competition. Under each competition, the results are listed in order of who went the farthest first. Their names are listed along with their number (1-100) from the competition, and the obstacle/stage they failed to complete. The first Viking competition was a special competition where 80 celebrities and famous athletes competed. The 2nd Competition had 100 attempts at the First Marine Stage. The obstacles used in each competition as well as a description of each obstacle are listed above. The first two Viking competitions used "layout #1" listed above, while the third Viking tournament used "layout #2". All air dates are of the Japanese broadcast on Fuji TV. If there are two or more competitors who failed the same obstacle, then who made it farthest is listed first.Note: There is a "Brain Ship Stage" which was a stage between the First Marine Stage and the Second Adventure Stage. Competitors would be split into two groups and would be given a series of numbers to memorize. After a few seconds the numbers would disappear, and competitors would write down the numbers on a piece of paper. The person with the most mistakes from each group would be eliminated. Due to bad weather, there was no Brain Ship Stage in the first competition.
1st Competition
Aired: March 22, 2005| Competitor | Stage | Obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| No. 40 Kimihiro Minamide | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 33 Kenta Yamasaki | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 32 Yuta Yamasaki | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 78 Hiromitsu Takahashi | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Galleon |
| No. 58 Terukazu Ishikawa | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Galleon |
2nd Competition
Aired: April 4, 2005| Competitor | Stage | Obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| No. 90 Makoto Nagano | Final Viking | Failed Vertical Rope |
| No. 81 TERU | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Heartbreaker |
| No. 61 Hiroyuki Asaoka | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Heavenly Climb |
| No. 62 Manabu Satou | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Heavenly Climb |
| No. 51 Tomoyuki | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 96 Hiromitsu Takahashi | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 63 Tadashi Fukuda | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 74 Kimihiro Minamide | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 73 Kosuke Yamaguchi | Brain Ship Stage | Failed Brain Ship Stage |
| No. 97 Terukazu Ishikawa | Brain Ship Stage | Failed Brain Ship Stage |
3rd Competition
Aired: October 4, 2005| Competitor | Stage | Obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| No. 71 Kimihiro Minamide | Third Fantasy Stage | Failed Ultimate Plank |
| No. 80 Sho Maeda | Third Fantasy Stage | Failed Steady Voyager |
| No. 76 Yuji | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Tactical Parley |
| No. 45 Hiromitsu Takahashi | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Rope Maze |
| No. 100 Hiromichi Sato | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Color Fusion |
| No. 97 TERU | Second Adventure Stage | Failed Galleon |
See also
- Kinniku BanzukeKinniku Banzukea.k.a. Unbeatable Banzuke was a weekly Japanese television program and the premier sports entertainment variety show of the Tokyo Broadcasting System . Its successors were and . They succeeded by Muscle Musical...
- Sasuke (TV series)Sasuke (TV series)Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
- Obstacle courseObstacle courseAn obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual or team must navigate usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed and endurance. Sometimes a course...
- Viking on Japanese Wiki
External links
- Viking (and SASUKE) Fansite with Stage Pictures and Videos
- Fuji's "Viking" to Debut on America's ESPN 2, January 30, 2006, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
- Official Site
- Viking Mini Site