Maritime Throwdown Expands Athlete Divisions

October 1, 2025

Today, Captain Kenny Brown shares exciting news with the Maritime Community. My business partner, John McDermott, and I secured some great feedback from operators, our partners (We Work the Waterways, Living Lands and Waters, WIMOS) and several well known ISDs and maritime academies.  And, our early competitors, now in other roles within maritime came back to just show they still had the skills

"This ignited my drive to push forward and with John's help resolve two issues. First, address the tremendous industry challenge: attracting new young men and women to a career in maritime." states MTD Founder, Kenny Brown. He continues, "John's work on the Industrial Maritime Athlete Challenger Guide earlier this year brought us a lot closer to my vision for multi-divisional qualifiers."

The second issue, as the Maritime Throwdown approaches its tenth year, our early competitors are proudly now serving in the wheelhouse and other roles. Kenny notes, "The group of legacy competitors has grown; and, they are very vocal about wanting to still compete. So, I said, why not. Put your skills on the line where your mouth is." This is sure to add a level of excitement for the entire industry.      

Maritime Throwdown Divisions & Competition Pathway

Here we go folks. The Maritime Throwdown divisions provide a structured pathway for competitors of all backgrounds and  experience levels. Brown outlines, "Each division emphasizes line-handling skills, safety, and real-world application."  Below are the division descriptions and requirements.

• Foundations Division (High School) For high school students (10th–12th grade). Introduces younger students to maritime fundamentals and safety culture.
• Cadet Division (Maritime Colleges & Training Programs) For maritime academy and training program students. Prepares cadets for industry-level skill testing and allows upward mobility into the Pro Division.
• Maritime Throwdown (Main Division – Active Deckhands) For active deckhands up to first-issue master’s license. Core competition with full-scale industrial skill requirements
• Legacy Division For captains, office staff, service providers, and veterans with prior deck experience. Honors skill and tradition, keeping experienced mariners engaged.

For more information go to our website page Industrial Maritime Challenge explained and register for upcoming events.  Share your comments below on your thoughts on the new divisions.