Newcastle Bodysurfing Experience
Judging bodysurfing contests
*Each Bodysurfer's wave will be judged by a 3 to 5 judging panel for 1st through 6th places in each division.*Highest scores will be given for the most difficult and inventive controlled maneuvers in the most critical section of the biggest and/or best wave for the longest distance.
*Sportsmanship and safety will also be considered.
*Only the first 10 waves on which a contestant establishes control will be judged: after catching 10 waves contestant will be required to leave the contest area or be subject to disqualification.
*The scores of the 3 waves receiving the highest scores will be totaled to determine placement by each judge; as necessary the scores of the fourth and subsequent waves will be tallied to break any ties.
*Interference is defined as having adversely affected the ride of another contestant who already had established right of way and control on a given wave: the contestant judged by at least 2 or 3 judges, to have interfered will receive a score of zero for that wave and it will be counted as one of his/her 3 tallied scores.
Rules of bodysurfing competitions
1. Competition area
Coloured flags will indicate the competition area. Flags are placed on the beach up to 100 meters apart (at the discretion to the head judge). Competitors MUST stay within this area to be judged. A scoring wave may begin within the area and bodysurfed outside the area - but not the opposite.2. Formats
Four-person formats are to be utilized for all rounds. Up to six-person heats at discretion of head judge, depending on number of competitors, wave frequency & time restrictions.3. Timing
(a) The amount of time for heats will be 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes for finals.(b) Official timing of all heats is the responsibility of the Head Judge.
(c) All heats are started from a marshalling area in the line-up. A bodysurfer may optionally start from the beach without any swimming time. A five minute visual flag and hooter warning is to be given prior to the finish of the heat.
(d) Horn blasts are used to start, the notification of 5 minutes remaining and finish heats. One blast to start, one blast 5 minutes remaining, two blasts to finish.
(e) A large flag system is be also used. Green to start, yellow for the last five minutes and red for heat finished.
(f) As soon as the end of the heat is sounded - bodysurfers in that heat should immediately pull their coloured neoprene cap off their head (and keep on around neck) , all bodysurfers should come straight to the beach in a prone position, doing NO manoeuvres. If no waves are available during that time - bodysurfers are expected to swim to the side of the contest area and make their way in as quickly as possible.
(g) An "up-after" penalty will be enforced if a bodysurfer performs unnecessary manoeuvres after the next heat has begun.
(h) An "up-before" penalty will be also be enforced if a bodysurfer catches a wave before the conclusion of the previous heat while waiting for theirs to start. In the above two cases, the appropriate fine will be levied on the competitor.
(i) Time delay between heats will be no more than 30 seconds unless due to some unforeseen circumstance.
4. Interference
Basic Rule (a) The first rider to gain momentum from the wave shall be deemed to have unconditional wave possession. The rider must have an unimpeded path across the face of the wave in the direction they have chosen to ride. If the riders gain momentum at the same time the rider on the inside shall have wave priority.(b) Beach Break:With multiple, random peaks, wave possession may vary slightly according to the nature of an individual wave.
(1) With Two Peaks, there will be cases where one swell will have two separate, defined peaks far apart that eventually meet at some point. Although two Bodysurfers may each have inside position on those receptive peaks, the Bodysurfer who is first to catch the wave shall be deemed to have wave possession and the second Bodysurfer must give way by cutting back or kicking out before hindering the right of way Bodysurfer.
(2) If two Bodysurfers catch the wave at the same time on two separate peaks that eventually meet, then:-
(i) If they both give way by cutting back or kicking out there will be no penalty.
(ii) If they cross paths and collide or hinder one another, the judges will penalise the Bodysurfer who has been the aggressor at the point of contact.
(iii) If neither Bodysurfer gives way, by cutting back or kicking out, and both share responsibility for the confrontation, then a double interference will be called.
5. The Right of Way Criteria
The choice of right-of-way criteria for each of the above possible situations is the responsibility of a majority of: the Head Judge of the Senior available Touring Judge or by the decision of those officials in that order.6. Priority Rules
(a) (in man on man only) Wave priority is lost as soon as the Bodysurfer(1) rides a wave or
(2) paddles for a wave and misses the wave. The first rider to reach the first line of breaking waves will have priority.
(b) The Bodysurfer who has priority will also not be allowed to swim in front of the other Bodysurfer to deliberately impede him from catching a wave or he will lose priority.
(c) When there is NO priority (in four-person format or more) , the interference rule shall determine wave possession. Both Bodysurfers may ride the wave in opposite directions provided they do not interfere with each other.
7. Snaking
(a) The rider on the wave first, that is the rider who reaches the wave first, begins paddling and dropping into it first, has possession of that wave, even if a rider who subsequently takes off later is closer to the breaking part of the wave or takes off in the white water behind him. The second rider will receive a snaking interference penalty.(b) If a Bodysurfer has possession of a wave and another Bodysurfer subsequently paddles around him to attempt to gain priority, and interferes with the first Bodysurfer, he will also be called for snaking interference and receive the appropriate penalty. ("S"= symbol of snaking interference will be marked on the line dividing the 2 scoring boxes following the score for the previous wave).
7. Swimming Interference
In four man heats a Bodysurfer who has inside position should not be excessively hindered by another Bodysurfer paddling for the same wave. swimming interference may be called if: -(a) The offending Bodysurfer makes contact with or forces the inside Bodysurfer to change his line while swimming to catch the wave causing possible loss of scoring potential.
(b) The offending Bodysurfer obviously causes a section to break down in front of the inside Bodysurfer which would not normally have done so causing a loss of scoring potential.
(c) When a Bodysurfer is put in a position while swimming out that he cannot get out of the way and a collision happens due to this it is up to a majority of the judges to call interference based on whether it is felt to be accidental or not.
(d) The offending Bodysurfer continues to swim for the same wave after the inside Bodysurfer is riding.
8. Swimming Collisions
In cases where two Bodysurfers are both swimming for the same wave and attempting to go in opposite directions, one Bodysurfer MUST give way: -(a) It is the responsibility of the judge to determine which Bodysurfer has the insider position based on whether the wave is a superior right or left. If at the initial point of take off neither the right or left can be deemed superior, the right of way will go to the first Bodysurfer to execute a maneuver or to make an obvious turn, and may elect to go left or right. The other rider, to avoid interference penalty, will either quickly pull off or elect to go in the opposite direction to the other rider.
(b) If at any time there is contact between two Bodysurfers, whether riding or paddling, interference must be called on one or both.
(c) The Bodysurfer who is judged not to have the right of way may be called for paddling interference, even though neither Bodysurfer catches the wave. ("P"= symbol of paddling interference will be marked on the line dividing the 2 scoring boxes following the score of the previous wave).
9. Interference Penalty
(a) If the majority of judges call interference, then that wave will count in the final tally as a zero score, if either a riding interference or a swimming interference where he/she catches that particular wave, and as a loss of one scoring ride, if a swimming interference. If a bodysurfer has less than the required minimum scoring rides and receives an interference then they will be scored one less wave i.e. if he/she has caught only three wave and the best four count then only his/her best two will be scored. Three of five judges (or 2 of 3) must call interference to be considered a majority. Interference will be shown as a triangle on each judge's score sheet with an arrow drawn to the rider's score who was interfered on. The triangle is placed around his score if caused by riding, above his score if he rides a wave but causes interference while paddling for that wave ridden, or between scores if caused by paddling for that ride.(b) A Head Judge or Tournament Referee may include, and in this case an interference would be determined on three of six judging sheets.
(c) Any interfering Bodysurfer must be penalised and a drop in decision once made is irrevocable with the judges not entering into any discussion over the interference call.
(d) The rider who is interfered with will not be allowed an additional wave beyond his ten wave maximum, within the prescribed time limit. Exception to this is a double interference where neither Bodysurfer gets an extra wave. An extra wave or heat delay, as decided by the Head Judge at the time, will also apply in cases of interference from water photographers, water security personnel, or outside interferences.
(e) A rider must leave the water after causing 2 interferences or will be fined/disqualified at the Head Judge's discretion.
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