One hundred participants (though only eighty got the chance in VIKING 1) are given the opportunity to attempt the First Marine Stage (stylized 1st MARINE STAGE), a course which primarily tests one's speed and mind. The object is to hit the buzzer at the end of the course before the allotted time expires. If a competitor goes out of bounds or comes into contact with the water in any of the pits below the course, he is disqualified.
Typically, 90 to 95 of the 100 original entrants are eliminated in this stage.