Greetings, fellow bloggers and internet enthusiasts! It’s that time again – time to flex those writing muscles, unleash your creativity, and go for the gold in The Blogger Games III!

As the world turns its eyes to Paris for the Summer Olympic Games starting this Friday, July 26, we’re bringing you our own virtual spectacle of blogging brilliance. Inspired by the original Blogger Games hosted by the incomparable Paul over at The Captain’s Speech, we’re carrying the torch forward for our third installment.

How to Participate

Ready to represent your nation in this global blogging bonanza? Simply leave a comment on this post to officially sign up. Don’t forget to mention which country you’re representing – whether it’s your actual homeland or your favorite vacation spot, we want to know!

Event Schedule

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “Will there really be 329 events in 32 categories like the real Olympics?” Ha! Got you there. While we admire the ambition of our Parisian counterparts, we’re keeping things a bit more manageable.

We’ll be hosting a new competition each day, starting Friday, July 26, and concluding on Saturday, August 10. That’s 16 days of blogging bliss!

Judging and Scoring

Though I won’t be participating in the events myself, each competition will be judged by an objective third party. We’ll use a simple scoring system tailored to each event, ensuring fair play all around. When keeping up with our leaderboard, bear in mind that points will be given based on overall performance in an event, rather than a cumulative score from each event. For example, if you should win 1st place in an event by scoring 200 points in that event, you would earn 10 points for the leaderboard. Therefore, scoring will look like this overall:

• 1st place: 10 points
• 2nd place: 8 points
• 3rd place: 6 points
• 4th place: 5 points
• 5th place: 4 points
• 6th place: 3 points
• 7th place: 2 points
• 8th place: 1 point

Scores in individual events determine what score you earn on our leaderboard. So keep an eye on the daily updated leaderboard to track your progress and see who’s in the running for those coveted medals.

Closing Ceremonies and Prizes

Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 11, when we’ll host our virtual Closing Ceremonies and announce our champions. Here’s what’s at stake:

• 🥇 Gold Medalist: $25 Amazon gift card
• 🥈 Silver Medalist: $15 Amazon gift card
• 🥉 Bronze Medalist: $10 Amazon gift card

And for all our valiant competitors who don’t quite make the podium, fear not! You’ll receive a firm pat on the back and a free glass of tap water from your local kitchen. Hydration is key in any competition, after all!

Spread the Word

We encourage you to share the excitement with your own audiences. Blog about it, tweet it, skywrite it if you must! Just be sure to use our official hashtag: #BloggerGames2024. Let’s get this trending, people!

Ready, Set, Blog!

Thank you all for your enthusiasm and participation. Remember to sign up in the comments below, and don’t forget to mention your representing nation.

Set your alarms and mark your planners – our first event will be revealed this Friday, July 26, at 9:00 AM EDT sharp. May the best blogger win!