repechage

Losers' bracket comeback

Repechage is a system in competitions—especially rowing, wrestling, and track cycling—that gives eliminated contestants a second chance to advance.

Losers from early heats compete against each other, with top finishers rejoining the main bracket.

The French word means "fishing out again," suggesting rescue from elimination: She lost her heat but qualified through the repechage.

secondChance

redemption

Recovery or moral restoration

comebackRecovery after decline
reprievePostponement of punishment
opportunityFavorable circumstance for advancement

revival · recovery · resurgence · lifeline · last chance · qualification · advancement · progression · survival

format

heats

Increases temperature

qualifiersWords limiting scope
preliminariesInitial preparatory actions
eliminationAct of removing entirely

bracket · semifinals · finals · rounds · wildcard · seedings · draw · fixtures · schedule · losers bracket

sports

cycling

Riding on two wheels

wrestlingCombat sport requiring holds
judoJapanese throwing discipline
swimmingLocomotion through water

track · fencing · taekwondo · canoe · kayak · trials · athletes · contestants · competitors · entrants

rowing

regatta

Organized boat racing event

shellHard outer covering
coxswainBoat steerer and commander
laneDesignated travel strip

sprint · sculling · sweep · stroke · oarsman · boathouse · ergometer · catch · feather · blade

Categories

racingrace, racing, race track, racetrack, lap
track and fieldtrack and field, sprinters, sprinter, sprinting, sprint
elimination formatssingle elimination, double elimination, sudden death, playoffs, semifinals
tournament roundsfirst round, second round, third round, final round, opening round
tournamentstournament, tournaments, bracket, brackets, tournament brackets
rowingoars, oar, rowing, crew, scull

Opposites

tournament elimination format

repechagesingle elimination

sudden death · one-and-done · winner-take-all

opportunity after failure

repechagezero tolerance

Policy allowing no infractions

competitive finality

repechagefinal

Last and decisive

gold medal match · sudden death overtime · tiebreaker · final judgment

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G