Gladiators Zone - Atlaspheres
Quick Jump
Event ID: ATLASPHERES
Time Limit: 60 SECONDS
Gladiators: 2
Contenders: 2
Weapons: NONE
Featured Tune: WE WILL ROCK YOU - QUEEN
Contenders and Gladiators are inside 2m diameter metal spheres called Atlaspheres.
The Contenders start from one end of the playing area on ramps, and the Gladiators start from ramps at the other end.
On the whistle Gladiators and Contenders roll their Atlaspheres to the centre of the arena before scoring can begin.
Contenders score points by rolling over four evenly placed pods, the Gladiators have to attempt to block them.
A successful score is when the base of the contenders sphere hits the sensor plate in the pod, setting of a plume of CO2.
A Contender may not score on the same pod in consecutive attempts unless they have first made an attempt to score on another pod and been thwarted.
Gladiators may not double-team a contender and cannot detain a Contender's Atlasphere for more than 10 seconds.
First Appearance: Series 1, 1992 - Heat 1
Last Appearance: 1999 - Battle Of The Giants
Domestic: 32
International: 2
Other: 6
Total: 40
UK
USA
Finland (Ihmiskuula)
South Africa
Successful Score: 3 POINTS
Atlaspheres was the first UK Gladiators Event to be aired on television.
Warrior dislocated his knee-cap in Atlaspheres during 1992 (Series 1).
Rio was locked inside her Atlasphere when she had hit the Contenders Atlasphere so hard that her door jammed and she had to wait to be released by the riggers (Series 7).
Atlaspheres was the first event to get its own pre game theme, being "We Will Rock You" by Queen.
In 1993 (Series 2), the scoring pods were changed to having red stripes around them, also one central large cloud of CO2 gas was emitted when a Contender scored, as opposed to two small clouds emitted diagonally in 1992 (Series 1).
The record for most points scored in this Event was 15 by Roland Hill against Hunter in 1993 Heat 7 (Series 2).
The Contenders Atlaspheres were red/orange and yellow. A blue Atlasphere later appeared in 1994 (Series 3), primarily for special shows in which three Contenders played and it was then used for the male Contenders.
In 1993 (Series 2), John Anderson would check each pod individually for smoke, however in 1994 (Series 3) this was reverted back to all pods being checked at once.
In 1994 (Series 3) new 'turbo charged' Atlaspheres were introduced which moved quicker across the arena floor.
This event was modified for various specials. For the first few Celebrity Specials, 3 Contenders (who started in the middle) would face 2 Gladiators (who started on opposite ramps). From 1995 (Series 4) onwards, 3 Contenders would face 3 Gladiators with all players aligned in 2 rows facing their opponent. In the 1999 Battle of the Gladiators, 3 Atlaspheres were lined up at one end and the participants would lap the arena in their Atlasphere (going on the outside of the pods). The first round the course won.
The final two times Atlaspheres appeared domestically it became a split Event and was played by the men only in 1998 (Series 7) and 1999 (Series 8).
