[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Fred Sayre

(Rules quote)HURDLE: When a TRACKBALL CROSSES a FINISH LINE while passing above the OVERPASS and then contacts either the floor or another ROBOT before re-contacting the originating ROBOT.
(Fred wrote)
So the ball crosses the finish line, but is still touching the machine which does not meet this definition of a hurdle. This definition indicates that at least the machine has to lose contact with the ball before the ball has completely crosses the finish line.

I think, Fred, that with this interpretation any time a robot mechanism extends over the finish line during hurdling, the hurdle wouldn't count. Based on observations in Oregon and in watching Peachtree and San Jose on webcasts, a fair number of the hurdling robots would be disqualified, as their mechanisms are still touching the ball after the ball has passed the plane of the finish line. I would definitely want this clarified before Seattle -- there are a lot more robots that would be affected by this than just 190.