Battle Dig (also known as Water Slaughter) is physical race challenge that originated in Survivor: Palau, and has subsequently appeared in Survivor: Panama and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. A water-based version of the challenge was also used in Survivor: Caramoan.
Rules
In Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Micronesia and Survivor: Caramoan, two members of each tribe would race out in the water to retrieve a ring. The tribe members would then battle against each other to gain possession of the ring and bring it to their tribe flag/pontoon. The first tribe to score a given number of points would win.
In Survivor: Panama and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, for each tribe, a designated number of contestants will race out to a marked location and dig up a bag. The castaways then compete to return the bag to their tribe's mat. The first person to touch the tribe mat, with a hand on the bag, scores a point for their team. The first tribe to win a given number of rounds will win the challenge.
History
The challenge debuted in Survivor: Palau as the episode three Reward Challenge. Two contestants from each tribe would swim out to retrieve an inner tube and try to bring it back to their tribes platform while contestants from the other tribe would try to stop them. The first tribe to three points won. Ulong won this challenge.
The challenge re-appeared in Survivor: Panama as a tribal Immunity Challenge, with the entire tribe competing simultaneously. The first tribe to score three bags won the challenge. Casaya won immunity.
In Survivor: Micronesia, playing in an area similar to a football field, the tribes start at opposite ends of the playing field with three canvas bags. The tribes have to battle their way to their end zone. The challenge ends when one tribe has their three bags and two of the other tribe's bags in their end zone at the same time. The tribes, dressed in war paint, had a very physical battle in the rain with the reward of items chosen from a catalog. Malakal won the challenge, taking home a tarp, a lighting kit, and a survival kit.
The challenge was used as the first Reward Challenge in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. The challenge occurred immediately at the start of the game. Teams of two raced for each tribe, with the first tribe to reach three points winning. The Heroes tribe won the challenge (3-2), receiving flint. The challenge was notable for inflicting multiple injuries, with Stephenie LaGrossa dislocating her shoulder and Rupert Boneham breaking a toe.
In Survivor: Caramoan, a variation of this challenge was again used as the first Reward Challenge of the season. Adapted to an aquatic playing field, two members of each tribe would race to retrieve a buoy from one end of the course and return it to their tribe's pole. The Favorites tribe Bikal won the challenge (4-1), receiving flint and 20 pounds of beans.
Winners
Gallery
Trivia
- Cirie Fields, Amanda Kimmel, Parvati Shallow, Stephenie LaGrossa and Danielle DiLorenzo are the only contestants to compete in this challenge more than once.
- Cirie is the only castaway to have competed is this challenge in all of her seasons.
- Cirie and Stephenie are the only castaways to have won the challenge everytime they competed.
- Every contestant that has competed in this challenge more than once competed in it for the second time in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.
- This is the first - and only - challenge that returning player Francesca Hogi has won.
- In all of the seasons in which the challenge was used for reward, the winning tribe lost the subsequent immunity challenge.
- This challenge has been played by both members of the Hantz family who have competed on Survivor.
- Brandon Hantz won in Survivor: Caramoan, while his uncle, Russell Hantz, lost in Heroes vs Villains.
- Blue and purple tribes are the only tribes to win the challenge.
- When it was a purple tribe, the winner was on that tribe but when it was a blue tribe, the winner was not on that tribe.
References
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