It is time … time to vote in Round One of the Battle of the Best Dressed in Middle-earth!
Following our initial bracket reveal on last week’s TORn Tuesday, our Wild Card round at the end of last week saw Bard replace the Dwarf Women for a spot in the contest. So now we begin the match ups! Will Theoden’s splendid armour overcome Faramir’s coronation robes? Can the Haradrim defeat the Easterlings? And in an epic confrontation of elvish beauty, which will triumph: Galadriel’s dress in An Unexpected Journey, or Arwen’s gown on the bridge with Aragorn? Here’s how the bracket looks, for Round One of our contest:
We’ve been encouraging you to rally the vote for your favourite costumes, by showing us your cosplays for some of these characters. Let’s take a look at some we’ve received thus far! Voting begins below as well!
As we approach the end of March, once again, TheOneRing.net prepares for our take on ‘sports ball type activities’; yes, Middle-earth March Madness is almost here!
Last year, we had a hotly debated contest to decide the best scene from Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth films. Newly quarantined and locked down, many of us found solace and entertainment in discussing the match ups; and for the first time in MeMM’s history, we hosted live shows to discuss each round. We also shared a look back at all the previous MeMM contests – you can read that article here.
2021 is the TENTH edition of Middle-earth March Madness – and on last night’s TORn Tuesday, we revealed the theme for this year. It is ‘Battle of the Best Dressed in Middle-earth.’ Looking at costumes from Peter Jackson’s two Middle-earth trilogies, we want to know which outfit is your favourite. You can see the four ‘regions’, with 16 entrants in each, below.
Here’s the key thing: we’re hoping for lots of participation from you this year, and particularly, we want to see YOUR versions of these costumes and characters. In choosing from our ‘long list’, to decide the final 64, we thought particularly of all the amazing cosplays we’ve seen over the years. (That’s why the bracket includes characters such as Gollum and the Balrog – not exactly costumes as such, but we have seen some brilliant cosplays for these characters!) We tried to pick costumes which seem to have been popular with cosplayers; and we’d like you to campaign for your favourite. You can do this by sharing pictures of your cosplays; show us video if you have it; tell us about your creative process; whatever you’d like to share! Convince us that THIS is the costume which deserves to win, because it so inspired your own creativity.
You can share your images on our facebook page; you can email them to spymaster@theonering.net; or you can simply tag us on Twitter or Instagram, and use #middleearthbestdressed. As last year, we’ll have live shows to discuss each round, and we hope to share some of your images on these shows. Staffers are already prepping their armour, as they’re expecting some battles royale! Join in the fun: campaign for your favourite, and get ready to vote when the contest launches at the start of next week.
AND – stay tuned for an announcement coming later today, as we mix things up a bit before Middle-earth March Madness 2021 has even got going…
Mae govannen. Congratulations! You made it! You participated in the races and traversed Middle-earth, following in the footsteps of the Fellowship of the Ring. You emerged triumphant. Thank you for joining us. We hope your journey was both exhilarating and enjoyable. Namárië for now.
Congratulations! You are a true Rider (or runner, or maybe a walker). You answered the call to traverse the miles from Dunharrow to Minas Tirith. Here is your Finisher Certificate. Print it out and share a photo of yourself on our World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien Facebook page, and tell us a tale of your adventures, or perhaps share a poem or song.
If you complete all four races by May 31, you can download a final additional certificate that shows you completed all four races. Congratulations again! We hope you had fun.
Certificate design/illustration by staff member Mithril (Nancy Steinman). Additional illustration by BSGStudio and freedesignfile.
Whether you have run the previous three races or not, you can still participate in this one, so get psyched up for The Run of the Rohirrim Virtual 5k. This course follows the route that King Théoden and the Riders took from Harrowdale to the Pellenor, while Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and the Grey Company tread the Paths of the Dead.
This is a Virtual 5k Race (3.1 miles). You can run, jog, walk in your neighborhood or your backyard, use a treadmill, climb the stairs in your home, or use an elliptical – whatever is most convenient and safe for you. (Please follow your town’s current rules.) 30 minutes of exercise can also count as 1 mile. Run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself – our 5k’s are on the honor system.
Before you start wracking up miles, download a RACE BIB hereor from TheOneRing.net’s “The World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien” Facebook page. Write your name or nickname and/or race time in the white box, then you can stop by our Facebook page and post a photo wearing your bib. Once you have completed each race, let us know! Download your Finisher Certificate and share another photo. Finisher Certificates will be posted early next week.
This is the last race, but it is not too late to participate in the previous three. Just click these links to get your bibs and certificates. All races are 5k (3.1 miles). If you complete all four, an additional crowning certificate will be available next Friday to download.
If you’re so inclined, reading the section in “The Return of the King” that corresponds to this race might add a bit of color to your journey. Above all else, have fun. On your mark, get set, go!
Bibs and certificates designed and illustrated by TORN staff member Mithril, aka Nancy Steinman. The mountains on this bib were illustrated by BSGStudio.
If you survived the dark and dangerous halls of Moria, congratulations! Here is your Finisher Certificate. Print it out and share a photo of yourself on our World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien Facebook page, and tell us what you encountered on your run. Perhaps you had to fend off orcs or cave trolls? Did a Balrog singe your sneakers?
There is still time to run the two previous Middle-earth Virtual 5k races. The Shire Sprint and Racing to Rivendell are still up and available for download. The certificates for those races are in the posts.
You have until May 29th to complete all four races to be eligible for the final additional certificate that shows you completed all four races. The next and final race will be posted this Friday, May 22. We hope you’ll join us. Congratulations again!
