Freewave Sailing Instructions

These Sailing Instructions (SI’s) are intended to ensure that the best competitor wins through individual skill, good fortune, and quality of equipment alone, and not as a result of procedural devices or legalistic argument.

They should be read in conjunction with the Championship Rules and the relevant Notice of Event.

  1. RULES

    1. The Wave, Freestyle and “freewave” events will be governed by the ISAF Windsurfing Competition Rules 2005-2008 (WCR), the Notice of Event (NoE), the Championship Rules (CR), and these Sailing Instructions (SI’s).
    2. Failure to comply with the rules may result in disqualification.

  2. SAFETY

    1. Responsibility

      1. The safety of the sailboard and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the competitor using the sailboard who must ensure that the sailboard is adequate to face the conditions that may arise in the course of the event. Neither the establishment of these sailing instructions nor the inspection of the board under these conditions in any way limits or reduces the absolute responsibility of the competitor for his/her board and the entire management thereof.
      2. The event organisers, the event committee and officials will not be responsible for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the competitor as a result of their taking place in the event.
      3. It is the sole responsibility of each competitor to decide whether or not to start or continue in the event.

    2. Wetsuits

      When ICF “numeral 3” is displayed ashore competitors shall wear wetsuits.

    3. Juniors

      1. All junior competitors shall, if directed, wear above the waist a jacket or vest with a minimum buoyancy of 4kg uninflated in fresh water. The buoyancy shall be tested with a metal (lead) weight of 4kg, which shall remain supported for a minimum of 5 minutes.
      2. Any competitor needing assistance shall try to signal by making the international distress signal (waving both arms above the head making an ‘X’ with open hands). If no assistance is needed the competitor shall signal by waving one hand with closed fist. If the event committee or its delegated representative deems any competitor to need assistance, the competitor shall accept this assistance and shall follow the directions given.
      3. Failure to comply .The penalty for infringement of Safety Rules may be disqualification from the round. A repeat infringement may mean disqualification from the event. When the Event Committee disqualifies a competitor for such an infringement it need not protest him or her. This Amends RRS. 63.1.

  3. SAILOR IDENTIFICATION

    1. Sail Numbers

      Sail numbers are compulsory for Pro fleet competitors, however if a sailor is unable to comply and makes a representation to the EC in good time, giving good reasons this rule may be waived.

    2. Identifying streamers

      Competitors shall collect their streamer from the beach marshal no sooner than two heats before their own. The streamers must be returned immediately after their heat. Late return may lead to disqualification.

  4. NOTICES TO COMPETITORS

    Notices to competitors will be posted on the Official Notice Board (ONB)

  5. CHANGES TO SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

    Any changes in the SI’s will be posted on the official notice board (ONB) at least 30 minutes before they take affect. In exceptional circumstances the Event Director or Head Judge may announce such changes orally at a briefing.

  6. SIGNALS MADE ASHORE

    1. Location

      Signals made ashore shall be displayed on the official flagpole at or near the ONB.

    2. Postponement/Abandonment.

      When the postponement flag (AP - red/white pennant) is flown ashore all heats are postponed. In the event of a heat being abandoned after it has been started, boards should return to the beach and standby for announcement and/or signals. The Heat Schedule may be changed.

      When the “N” flag (blue/white chequered) is flown ashore that heat is abandoned.

  7. DAILY SCHEDULE

    1. The briefing on the first day of the event will be at or near the Event Office, at the time published in the Notice of Event. Further briefings may be held.
    2. First Start. The first possible Warning Signal will be 15 minutes after the Heat Schedule is posted on the ONB
    3. Last possible start. The last possible start will be at the discretion of the event committee, unless published in the Notice of Event.
    4. Heat schedule. The Schedule of heats shall be posted on the O.N.B. at least 15 mins before the start of competition. It shall be the sole responsibility of each competitor to know in which heat they will be competing.

  8. COMPETITION AREA & BEACH MARSHALL

    1. The competition area will be illustrated on the ONB and/or described at the briefing.
    2. When not competing, competitors shall not sail into the competition area.
    3. Boards will only be scored in the competition area.
    4. Sailors must report to the Beach Marshall prior to their heat and not go onto the water until he releases them, which will generally be after the previous heat has finished.
    5. Sailors must return as quickly as possible to the Beach Marshall immediately after their heat to have the results announced, failure to do so may lead to disqualification.

  9. HEAT SIGNALS AND DURATION

    1. The start and finish of a heat shall be signaled as follows.
      • Attention (3mins) –heat number
      • Warning signal (2 mins) - red flag displayed with 1 sound signal.
      • Preparatory signal (1 min) - yellow flag displayed with 1 sound signal
      • Start signal (0 min) - green flag displayed with 1 sound signal.
      • End of heat warning (1 min. remaining) - green flag lowered with 1 sound signal
      • End of heat (0 mins remaining) - red flag displayed, with sound signal.
      • The attention signal for succeeding heats may be displayed at the “end of heat” warning.
      • Each flag will be lowered when the next is raised.
      • Programme Break. The postponement signal shall be used to indicate a break in the competition and it shall be lowered one minute before the next warning signal.

  10. Heat Duration

    The duration of the heats will be written on the ONB before the start of a round.

  11. HEAT SIZE, ELIMINATION SYSTEM AND SEEDING PROCEDURE

    The Event Committee will publish the details on the ONB before or at the close of registration.

    The Event Committee decision is absolute and cannot be protested.

  12. MINIMUM CONDITIONS

    There is no minimum wind or swell size. The Event Committee shall decide if the conditions are suitable to start competition, and if to proceed with or cancel the event/heat. The Event Committee decision cannot be protested.

  13. RIGHT OF WAY RULES

    These rules, reproduced here for convenience, replace all rules of Part 2 of Racing Rules of Sailing and are incorporated in the ISAF Windsurfing Competition Rules (WCR).

    1. COMING IN AND GOING OUT

      A board coming in shall keep clear of a board going out. When two boards are going out or coming in while on the same wave, or when neither is going out or coming in, the board on port tack shall keep clear of the one on starboard tack.

    2. BOARDS ON THE SAME WAVE COMING IN

      When two or more boards are on a wave coming in, a board that does not have possession shall keep clear.

    3. CLEAR ASTERN, CLEAR AHEAD AND OVERTAKING

      A board clear astern and not on a wave shall keep clear of a board clear ahead. An overtaking board that is not on a wave shall keep clear.

    4. TRANSITION

      A board in transition shall keep clear of one that is not. When two boards are in transition at the same time, the one on the others port side or the one astern shall keep clear.

  14. PROTEST

    1. A protest shall be made in accordance with the rules governing protests for competitors in heats i.e. RRS 61.2.b. Written protests are not required.
    2. All parties to the protest must report immediately to the Protest Committee.
    3. The Protest Comittee will hear the protests as soon as possible.
    4. Appeals. There shall be no appeal except against decisions under rule 69 - gross misconduct.
      RRS 70.6 applies.

  15. SCORING

    1. Each board in an Elimination Series will be scored points using the Alternative System as follows:

      Position- Points
      1 - 0.7
      2 - 2
      3 - 3 etc as per position
      dne = number of entries +1 14.2

      Event Result. Each boards event score shall be the total of her elimination series scores with the number of her worst scores excluded as follows:

      1 –2 elimination series : 0 excluded
      3 –4 : 1 excluded
      5 –7 : 2 excluded

  16. EVENT PRIZES AND AWARDS

    Awards shall be made as published in the Notice of Event

APPENDICES

  1. Definitions

    1. Coming in/going out
      A board sailing in the same direction as the incoming surf is coming in. A board sailing in the
      direction opposite to the incoming surf is going out.
    2. Competing
      A board is competing from its preparatory signal until the end of the heat, or until the heat has
      been postponed or abandoned.
    3. Mark
      A mark is any object specified in the sailing instructions which delineates the competition area.
    4. Possession
      The first board sailing shoreward immediately in front of the wave has possession of that wave.
      When it is impossible to determine which board is first the windward board has possession.
    5. Overtaking
      A board is overtaking from the moment she gains an overlap from clear astern until the
      moment she is clear ahead of the overtaken board.
    6. Jumping
      A board is jumping when she takes off at the top of a wave while going out.
    7. Surfing
      A board is surfing when she is on or immediately in front of a wave while coming in.
    8. Recovering
      A board is recovering from the time her sail or, when water-starting, the competitor is out of
      the water until she has steerage way.
    9. Transition
      A board changing tacks, or taking off while coming in, or one that is not surfng, jumping, capsized or recovering is in transition.
    10. Capsized
      A board is capsized when her sail or the competitor is in the water.

  2. Misconduct

    The event committee may penalise a competitor for misconduct, without a hearing, for the following reasons:

    1. Sailing in the course/ competition area when not competing
    2. Littering
    3. Audible and visible abuse
    4. Unsportsmanlike conduct: competitors shall at all times conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner and give due regard to the authority of officials and the rights of opponents, spectators, members of the media or other persons. For the purposes of this rule, unsportsmanlike conduct is defined as any misconduct that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport, but does not fall within the prohibition of any specific on site offence contained within these rules. In addition, unsportsmanlike conduct shall include but not be limited to the giving, making issuing, authorising or endorsing any public statement within the precincts of the event site or at event functions having or designed to have an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of the sport.
    5. Other abusive or aggressive behaviour.
    6. Non attendance of event opening or closing ceremonies.
    7. Competitors hinder or otherwise distract scorers or officials carrying out their duties in the course of competition, or otherwise obstruct the progress of the competition.