Sumo at Sea (challenge)

This article is about the challenge. For the episode of the same name, see .
Sumo at Sea (also known as Kung Fu Cannibals, Sumo in Mud, Water Pillow Fight, Mud Sumo Wrestling, and Sumo-ans) is a recurring challenge that originated in and was used in later seasons.
==Rules==
One member from each tribe faces off on a platform surrounded by either water (, , and ) or mud ( and ). Using their padded bags, or any other body part other than their hands, they must try to knock each other off the platform. Doing so would score their tribe a point. The first tribe to reach a certain number of points would win.
==History==
=== United States ===
In , its debut season, Koror narrowly managed to beat out Ulong for immunity.
The challenge reappeared as a Reward Challenge in . Moto won, taking home fishing gear, toiletries, coffee, and potatoes.
The Heroes won this challenge in in a blowout 8-0 victory. In addition to immunity, the tribe also won rice, sugar, coffee, and the tribe's luxury items.
The challenge appeared once again in . Although Tadhana started off strong, Galang managed to make a comeback and ended up winning their third Immunity Challenge.
The challenge appeared again in  as the second Immunity Challenge. The two tribes were very evenly matched, and Kelley Wentworth avenged her loss to Jaclyn Schultz in the first round by defeating her in the final round, securing immunity for Hunahpu for the second straight time.
=== Australia ===
=== Mexico (Unofficial) ===
The challenge was used as a Final Challenge in , where the tribes played surrounded by water, and the first tribe to reach six points would win. The tribe had a blowout victory, not letting the tribe score a single point.
=== New Zealand ===
=== Quebec ===
=== Russia (Unofficial) ===
In Serdtse Afriki, the challenge was used for immunity. During the challenge, Roman Lebedev doesn't let Dmitry Makarov get up, and Dmitry pushes Roman off the platform with his hands, both of which were against the rules. Ultimately, Sand claims immunity once again.
===South Africa===
In , the tribes had to elect one member to represent them in the challenge, where the opponents would attempt to push each other off a balance beam using one of three stick weapons. Chibudu selected Okkert Brits, while Timbila selected Izak Davel. Although Izak won the first round, Okkert won the next three rounds to clinch an assortment of groceries for his tribe.
===Spain===
This was used as a reward challenge on , in which four members of each tribe played the four from the other. Miri Pérez-Cabrero lost narrowly to Blanca Manchón; Gorka Ibarguren beat Mario González after a restart; and Arantxa del Sol beat Rocío Madrid. Carmen Borrego withdrew from the last challenge to hand the Red Team the win. The prize was meatballs with spaghetti.https://www.telecinco.es/supervivientes/20240319/carmen-borrego-niega-juego-recompensa-playa-condena-victoria_18_012006139.html
===Sweden===
===United Kingdom===
The challenge was used as the fifth tribal Reward Challenge of , where the first tribe to score four points won camp comforts and hot chocolate. The rival Caletón and La Nena tribes were even heading into the seventh and final round, where Caletón's Rachel Golding faced off against La Nena's Christopher Haul. However, an unintentional headbutt caused both competitors to sustain injuries, prompting the Medical Team to step in and host Joel Dommett to cancel the challenge without a winner declared. Joel later showed up to both tribes with an even share of the reward.
==Winners==
<tabber>United States=
Episode	Challenge Type 	Winners
 	Tribal Immunity 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward/Immunity	
 	Tribal Reward/Immunity	
 	Tribal Immunity 	
|-|Australia=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 7	Tribal Immunity	
Episode 2	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 5	Tribal Reward 	
|-|Mexico (Unofficial)=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Cycle 3, Episode 11	Tribal Immunity	
|-|New Zealand=
Episode 	Challenge Type	Winners
Episode 4	Tribal Reward 	
|-|Quebec=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 5	Tribal Immunity	
|-|Russia (Unofficial)={| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center; font-size: 8pt; line-height:18px;"
! Episode
! Challenge Type
! Winners
|-
| Serdtse AfrikiEpisode 2
| Tribal Immunity
|
|}
|-|South Africa=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 3	Tribal Reward(Hero Challenge)	
Episode 1	Team Reward 	
|-|Spain=
Episode 	Challenge Type	Winners
Supervivientes 2024	Tribal Reward 	
|-|Sweden=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 22	Individual Reward	
|-|United Kingdom=
Episode 	Challenge Type	Winners
Episode 5	Tribal Reward 	NoneChallenge canceled due to injury
</tabber>
==Gallery==
<tabber>United States=
Survivor_sumo_palau.jpg|Coby against James in .
Ibrehem beats.jpg|Gregg fights Ibrehem in Palau.
Survivor-fiji-5-sumo.jpg|Rita and Cassandra in .
Michelleblog.jpg|Michelle fights Lisi in Fiji.
Sumoan-mud-challenge.jpg|Tyson Apostol competes against J.T. Thomas in .
100225-ent-survivor-hmed_grid-6x2.jpg|Amanda vs Danielle in Heroes vs. Villains.
survivor sumo aras vs vytas.png|Brothers Aras and Vytas fight in .
survivor sumo lauravciera.jpg|Ciera fights her mother Laura M. in Blood vs. Water.
0022-s29 press images ep2 0022.jpg|Jeremy takes on Wes in .
|-|Australia=
AU2017-Ep7-ImmunityChallenge.jpg|Mark W. and Jarrad fighting in .
AU2017-Ep7-ImmunityChallenge2.jpg|Anneliese fighting against Michelle in 2017.
Ep2RewardHeathBrian900x506.jpg|Brian attacks Heath in .
Ep2RewardRobbieMatt900x506.jpg|Robbie and Mat face off in 2018.
aus08e05 josh jordan sumo at sea.jpg|Cousins Josh and Jordan face off in .
|-|New Zealand=
SNZ2Ep04.png|Arun and Dylan face off in .
|-|Russia (Unofficial)=
Sand second immunity challenge.png|Roman fights Dmitry Mak. in Serdtse Afriki.
|-|South Africa=
ZAS3 Okkert Brits Challenge.jpg|Okkert pushes Izak off the beam in .
|-|Sweden= 
SES23 C5.png|Dennis B. and Dennis J. competing in .
</tabber>
==Trivia==
* Tom Westman and Tyson Apostol are the only people to participate in this challenge twice.
** However, Tom is the only person to be on the winning tribe of this challenge twice since Tyson only won it in his second attempt (despite Tyson losing his individual matchup).
** Both competed in a variation with water and mud.
* The occurrence of this challenge in marks the first time a challenge has ever taken place in the ocean in seasons filmed in Nicaragua.
* Tyson Apostol and Baylor Wilson have both been injured as a result of this challenge.
* According to challenge producer John Kirhoffer, the matches are usually two out of three instead of one single bout.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xqvGWS_oYI
==References==
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Australian Survivor
Category:La Isla: El Reality (Mexico)
Category:Survivor South Africa
Category:Unofficial Editions
Category:Challenges
Category:Recurring Challenges
Category:Palau Challenges
Category:Fiji Challenges
Category:Heroes vs. Villains Challenges
Category:Blood vs. Water Challenges
Category:San Juan del Sur Challenges
Category:Survivor: Palau
Category:Survivor: Fiji
Category:Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Category:Survivor: Blood vs. Water
Category:Survivor: San Juan del Sur
Category:La Isla 2012: El Reality
Category:La Isla (2012) Challenges
Category:Survivor Québec (2023)
Category:Survivor Québec (2023) Challenges
Category:Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina
Category:Santa Carolina Challenges
Category:Serdtse Afriki
Category:Serdtse Afriki Challenges