Surf Kayak World Cup 2008 Rule Book Info 2008 THE DISCIPLINES * MEN * WOMEN * JUNIOR TITLES * WORLD CUP TITLE MEN, WOMEN, JUNIOR I. Introduction 1. Purpose of SKWC a. To represent the World Cup of Surf Kayaking b. Establish and provide safety rules c. Create a rulebook d. Develop and spread its knowledge toward the SKWC surfers e. Create judging policy and standards in accordance with the competitors f. Encourage Junior participation at events 2. Purpose of SKWC a. To represent Surf Kayaking and the SKWC b. Establish and provide safety rules c. Modify and improve the rulebook with the SKWC d. Develop and spread their knowledge toward national associations with the SKWC 3. Communication a. Official language used in all SKWC documents and publications as well as disputes and voting procedures is English II. General Rules 1. Safety a. Competitor shall give all possible help to another competitor in danger b. Competitor is individually responsible for wearing protective gear adequate for the conditions c. Competitor must have signed the organizer's waiver if required d. All competitors under 18 must wear a helmet and life jacket during their heat and training time. Except with parental authorization signed before the event. e. No compliance will result in a penalty of the rider. 2. Fair Competing a. A competitor shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play. b. A competitor may be penalized under this rule only if it is clearly established that this rule has been violated. 3. Acceptance of rules a. By participating in an event conducted under rules of S.K.W.C. rulebook, each competitor agrees: i. To be governed by these rules ii. To accept the penalties imposed and other actions taken under these rules, subject to appeal and review procedures provided in them, as the final determination of any matter arising under the rules. 4. Decision to race a. A competitor is solely responsible for deciding whether or not to start or continue competing b. The competitor must respect the decisions of the race director team. All riders and Officials must follow the decisions of the race director 5. SKWC Events a. Any event conducted under these rules and judged by SKWC International Judges will be approved as SKWC events III. Conduct of a race/event of SKWC 1. Format of event Competition shall be conducted in heats as follows: 1. First (1st) round - heats of four (4) competitors - One/One if possible 2. Second (2nd) round - heats of four (3) competitors - One/One if possible 3. Quarter finals - heats of two (2) competitors 4. Semi finals - heats of two (2) competitors 5. Final - heat of two (2) competitors 6. All instructions regarding heat format shall be given on first skipper's meeting by the Race director. 7. No competitor can substitute other competitor in any heat. 2. Heat timing, duration and count down 1. Duration of heats and transition shall be specified by Race director before the start of the competition. If needed he will modify them at any time. 2. Duration of heats and transition period shall be determined depending on present wind and swell conditions by the Race director. 3. Each competitor is individually responsible to know when his/her heat will start. 4. Under no circumstances shall anyone from the organization be held responsible if a competitor misses his/her heat. 5. The timing of heats and transition periods shall be detailed by the Race director at the skippers meeting. 6. Under no circumstances shall there be any time extensions once a heat has started. 7. Heat cancellation can be decided only by the race director. 8. Once a heat result has been announced it can't be cancelled, unless a justified and accepted (by the committee) protest allows it. 9. Visual signals: a. Regulations of heats and transitions during event shall be made using 3 different flags. b. Colors of flags shall be green, yellow, and red if not specified otherwise by Head judge or Race director. c. Flag signals shall be: i. Green flag up at the beginning of the heat, and held up for 14 minutes. ii. Yellow flag is up for the remaining 5 minutes of the heat. iii. Red flag is up when the heat is over during the transition period. 10. Sound signals a. Regulation of heats, transitions during event shall be made using horn b. Sound signals shall be: i. One (1) horn stroke the start of the heat ii. Two (2) horn strokes to signify 5 minutes remaining in heat iii. Three (3) horn strokes for end of heat and start of transition period c. These sound signals shall be used if not decided otherwise by Race director. 3. Competitors and heat regulation 1. All competitors must report to the beach marshal at least five (5) minutes before the start of each of their heats to identify themselves and if necessary pick up their colored jersey. 2. If colored vests are used the competitor is obliged to return them as soon as he is done with his heat. 3. Colored vests are distributed and collected by the beach marshal. 4. If asked, competitor must report to the beach marshal kayak brand and color that be used during particular heat. 5. It is solely the responsibility of the competitor to report to the beach marshal. 6. Any competitor not reporting to the beach marshal prior to the heat will be penalized. 4. Weather conditions 1. Safety rules must be applied when deciding to conduct an event (wind and wave conditions) 2. The Race director of the SKWC can decide to cancel the heat due to dangerous wave or weather conditions. 3. Minimum wave height to conduct international event is 2 feet. If there is no waves during the event the Organization grants itself the right to extend the event with 2 more days maximum, or set - after consulting the representatives of the competitors - a format specific to the present conditions. 5. Double Elimination 1. Double elimination format of competition shall be applied on all competitions. 2. When the simple elimination has been completed, only then shall the double elimination bracket start. 3. If the double elimination bracket is not fully completed by the race committee will keep the result from simple elimination bracket. 4. In the case of a non-completed first bracket the race committee will keep the results of the rounds that are completed and so the ranking out of these results. 6. Breakdown and outside help 1. Outside help is allowed by a single caddy out of the judging zone. 2. Competitors are allowed to change any part of equipment during heats 7. Safety 1. Whenever a competitor is facing a difficulty on the water that makes it or impossible to come back to shore, the competitor must wave his arm to call the security. 2. Wearing security equipment is compulsory 3. In dangerous situations the competitor is obliged to ask for help. 4. If any competitor violates any safety rule given by this rulebook or Race committee he will be penalized. 5. Competitor can under no circumstances endanger his/her own safety, safety of other competitors, spectators and officials. The offending rider will be excluded from that particular competition. 8. Competition area 1. Size and position of a competition area will be decided by the Race director in accordance with the safety. 2. Competition area shall be a square shaped area if not specified otherwise by the Race director. 3. In case the competition area is positioned near rocks, boats or any other object that can violate the safety of competitors, a buffer zone of minimum twenty (20) meters must be applied. 4. Competition area must be positioned away from swimmers area at least twenty (20) meters. 5. Competition area shall be clearly marked up to two (2) visible marks. 6. In case any mark has been moved or is missing, the following heat will be postponed to return the mark on its original position. 7. No heat shall be cancelled due to mark movement. 9. Duty toward sponsors 1. Each competitor has the obligation to wear his jersey (colored or not) when competing in the event area. 2. All riders must be present at the opening and closing ceremonies. IV. Point System SKWC 2008 PLC 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 1 250 500 1000 2 200 400 800 3 175 350 700 4 160 320 640 5 145 290 580 6 130 260 520 7 120 240 480 8 110 220 440 9 100 200 400 10 95 190 380 11 90 180 360 12 85 170 340 13 80 160 320 14 76 152 304 15 72 144 288 16 69 138 276 17 66 132 264 18 64 128 256 19 62 124 248 20 61 122 244 21 60 120 240 22 59 118 236 23 58 116 232 24 57 114 228 25 56 112 224 26 55 110 220 27 54 108 216 28 53 106 212 29 52 104 208 30 51 102 204 31 50 100 200 32 49 98 196 V. Prize Money 1. On every competition the amount of prize money shall be decided by the SKWC. 2. If women competition is taking place as part of any professional event, prize money for women should be at least twenty-five percent (25%) of total prize money. V1. Registration Principal 1. Surf Kayak World Cup Finals a. The SKWCF contest for men is a ladder of twenty four (24) seats maximum as follows i. Twenty-Two (22) seats are a direct entry a. Top 3 spots are auto-qualified for a 3 star b. Top 2 spots are auto-qualified for a 2 star c. Top 1 spot is auto-qualified for a 1 star ii. Two (2) seats are reserved for wildcards b. For the women and junior contest 8 seats maximum as follows i. Seven (7) seats are a direct entry a. Top 2 spots are auto-qualified for a 3 star b. Top 1 spot is auto-qualified for a 2 star c. Top 1 spot is auto-qualified for a 1 star ii. One (1) seat are reserved for wild cards c. The twenty-two (22) seats available for direct entry are based on points accumulated from this years World Cup Qualifying events. d. Registration will be completed through the website www.active.com 30 days prior to the start of the World Cup Finals. e. All Entry Fees will be paid using the Euro as Currency. f. All Athletes competing in the World Cup must be members of WSKA g. Seeding is based on prior years World Championship results. VII. Interference Rules 1.To determine interference, the judges first decide which surfer has the ROW (Right of Way) as a situation arises. The judges then determine whether the surfer with the ROW has been possibly hindered in his scoring potential. The key word in this criterion is "possibly." If the judge has to consider, did he/she or didnŐt he/she hinder, then he/she has possibly hindered the scoring potential of the ROW surfer, so the interference must be called. What Judges Consider a. Which surfer has the Right of Way? At the take off point, the inside surfer always has unconditional ROW. b. Was there interference or not? Did the surfer with unconditional ROW have his scoring potential possibly hindered? c. What rule in the book reflects to the infringement? Drop-in, snaking, paddling, breaking down a section, or excessive hassling? 2. The surfer deemed to have the inside position for a wave, has unconditional right of way for the entire duration of that ride. Interference will be called if during that ride, a majority of judges feel that a fellow competitor has possibly hindered the scoring potential of that surfer deemed to have the Right of Way for the wave. 3. Anyone who surfs in front of a surfer with the Right of Way has the chance to kick out of the wave without being called for interference, unless he/she hinders the scoring potential of the surfer with the Right of Way by any means including excessive hassling, hindering progress, or breaking down a section. a. Point Break (Single Direction Wave) - The inside surfer has unconditional ROW for the duration of that wave. b. SinglePeak (Left & Right Breaking Wave) - The surfer considered to have the inside position at the initial point of take off has unconditional ROW in the direction he chooses by making an obvious turn. A second surfer may surf in the opposite direction. c. Beach Break ( Multiple Random Peaks) - Two separate peaks that eventually meet then both surfers are required to kick out of the wave or straighten out to avoid collision. 4. If they both give way by cutting back or kicking out, so that neither is hindered, there will be no penalty. a. If they cross paths, collide or hinder one another, the judges may penalize the surfer who has been the aggressor at the point of contact, or may penalize both surfers. b. If neither surfer gives way, by cutting back or kicking out, and both share responsibility for the confrontation, then a double interference will be called. 5. Paddling interference may be called if: a. The offending surfer makes contact with, or forces the inside surfer to change his line while paddling to catch the wave causing possible loss of scoring potential. b. The offending surfer obviously causes a section to break down in front of the inside surfer, which would not normally have happened causing loss of scoring potential. c. When a surfer is put in a position while paddling out that he cannot get out of the way and a collision happens due to this, it is up to a majority of judges to call interference based on whether it is felt to be accidental or not. Note: If two or more paddlers collide there must have been either dangerous surfing or poor judgment from at least one of the paddlers involved. If one of the paddlers is not at fault for the collision, then both/all the paddlers must have an interference called against them. This is to enforce safety as a prime directive of the sport. 6. Snaking a. The surfer who is farthest inside at the initial take off point is entitled to that wave for the duration of his ride. However, if a surfer takes off on the white water behind the first surfer, he will be penalized if the surfer taking off at the peak is forced to pull out and loses the wave. (Note, this does not prevent behind-the-peak takeoffs started in green water). 7. The ROW rule says that the surfer who is farthest inside at the initial take off point is entitled to that wave for the duration of his ride. Judges expect that there will be jockeying for position on some waves. However, paddling in front of, around, or behind a competitor who has inside position and is about to take off on a wave, in order to impede the competitor and take possession of a wave, is considered to be snaking, and will result in an interference call. VIII. Judging 1. Judging panel for each heat shall consist of a minimum of three (3) judges, and one (1) Head Judge 2. Judges will vary from both stand-up surfing and sit-down surfing background. IX. Discipline Policy 1. General Rules a. Competitor who causes willful destruction or damage to property, or damage to the image of Surf Kayaking at a World Cup event will be subject to disciplinary action and a possible immediate fine or penalty. 2. Protests a. Competitor has a right to protest b. All protests (except the protest of a miscalculation) shall be presented in written format and in English language to the Event Committee.