Spectacular SASUKE 17

, officially SSAS 2021冬 or literally SSAS 2021 Winter, was the seventeenth SSAS tournament, which has been announced by C.W.H Entertainment on December 1, 2021. This was the sixth tournament after the total victories of Orm Marius and Bruce Wayne, and the last tournament of 2021.

Development
The seventeenth tournament was announced on December 1, 2021, much more quicker announcement than in previous few tournaments. This was due to producers pushing a new tournament which was expected to air in late December 2021. This also effectively delaying the premiere of SSAS: All-Stars Special, as well as the tapings of SSAS Beastmaster: The Darkside's League once more, a post-tournament series which was intended to air after SSAS 16. Due to a short development period, there will be no Preliminary Stage held.

Unlike the previous few tournaments, the tapings dates, as well as its lineup and courses were not announced to the public. According to the producers, the filming took place on December 9-12 and 15, 2021. On December 16, 2021, just the day after the filming, the full course except Final Stage was revealed on the Ninja Database spreadsheet. Full lineup as well as the official airdate, which was known to be December 30, 2021, have all been revealed later on the same day.

Tournament Summary
For the first time since SSAS 6, the First Stage receive no modifications at all, including the unchanged time limit at 140 seconds. The obstacles in the First Stage were relatively even in terms of its difficulty. The Sonic Stairs and Hyper Twist took out a total of 8 and 9 competitors respectively; the Free Fall and Dragon Drop took out 5 and 6 competitors respectively. Nonetheless, 14 out of 50 competitors survived the First Stage, slightly more than the previous tournament. Yet still, various notable competitors have been eliminated in this tournament, such as Sol Soria timed out at the Suicidal-Free, Cedric the Sorcerer surprisingly went out at the very first obstacle, while Matachi Ryo and Morimoto Yusuke surprisingly both went out on the Hyper Twist. Among the 14 clears this tournament, there were new faces such as Dimitri Smerdyakov, Park Heeyong and Yon-Rogg, as well as notable veterans such as Victor Stone, Kent Nelson, George Harkness, etc.

This tournament saw the introduction of Split Decision, which occurred at the last obstacle of the Second Stage. Its first incarnation consist of two new obstacles, competitors have to choose either Catch and Release or Falling Shelves. Due to the removal of Bullseye from the previous tournament, the time limit was reduced to 170 seconds, this becoming the third longest time limit at a Second Stage course, only behind SSAS C2 and SSAS 7 at 195 seconds, and SSAS 16 at 210 seconds. Despite the effort to make the Second Stage look more easier than before, the course is still proven to be brutal, where majority of the field found themselves trouble at the Overdrive Salmon. The new Split Decision only managed to eliminate one competitor, Park Heeyong, who chose Falling Shelves and failed there. As Victor Stone chose Catch and Release at the Split Decision and cleared it easily, more competitors start to attempt the obstacle, rather than risking themselves at the Falling Shelves. As a result, only 4 out of 14 competitors cleared the Second Stage. Among the 4 clears, Ethan Swanson was the only competitor to clear the stage with Falling Shelves being chosen in the Split Decision, while the other 3 competitors, Victor Stone, Jake Murray and Bruce Wayne, all chose Catch and Release.

The Third Stage saw the new Unstable Crossing made its debut this tournament. Despite the modification, all but Jake Murray, who failed at the Stegosaurus, made it to the Cliffhanger of Faith. Ethan Swason, who is the first competitor to attempt the obstacle, ultimately failed to blind transition at the 4th ledge. The other competitor, Victor Stone, who became the first competitor in a regular tournament to complete the blind transition at the obstacle, failed the transition to the 7th ledge. Bruce Wayne however, managed to clear the Cliffhanger of Faith for the first time. This also became the first time since SSAS 11, where the back half of the Third Stage has been revealed and attempted. Bruce Wayne, who's the only competitor left to attempt the rest of the course, did managed to clear the Pipe Dream, but unfortunately, failed the newly modified Vertical Limit Tri while attempting the first transition. Thus, leaving the rest of the Third Stage, as well as the Final Stage untouched.

Obstacles
① Sonic Stairs ② Hyper Twist ③ Free Fall ④ Dragon Drop ⑤ Sweep the Propeller ⑥ Warped Wall ⑦ The Sprinter ⑧ Suicidal-Free ⑨ Captain's Cabin

Time limit: 140 seconds ^ - Denotes New Obstacle * - Denotes Modified Obstacle ~ - Denotes Returning Obstacle

Obstacles
① Cannon Shoot ② Overdrive Salmon + ③ Flying Bar ④ ~Butterfly Valley ⑤ Barrier Pool ⑥ ^Split Decision (^Catch and Release OR ^Falling Shelves)

Time limit: 170 seconds ^ - Denotes New Obstacle * - Denotes Modified Obstacle ~ - Denotes Returning Obstacle

Obstacles
① ^Unstable Crossing ② Stegosaurus ③ Jamming Logs ④ Cliffhanger of Faith ⑤ Pipe Dream + ⑥ Vertical Limit Tri ⑦ Cone Adventure + ⑧ Inclined Pipe Slider

^ - Denotes New Obstacle * - Denotes Modified Obstacle ~ - Denotes Returning Obstacle

Comments
I want to compete in SSAS 17. My name is PaprikooLTU.

-- PaprikooLTU (talk) 22:47, 4 December 2021 (+08)