Judges | Scoring & Registration | Drivers | Safety | Technical Controller Central
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Upcoming Western Region Official's Clinics

Important!
Know the rules
Follow the rules
Be fair and impartial
Give the benefit of the doubt to the skier

 USAWS vs. IWSF Rule Differences

• Summarized in the rule book (page 70)

• Entry gates  (page 78)

• Can’t improve score on slow time for incomplete pass (AWSA class E 10.10-b-1, not mentioned in difference section)

• No practice fall in tricks (page 71, C-1)

Chief Judge Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for tournament – safety, rules, scoring …. 

• Assigning qualified event judges  6.03 (b)

• The Chief Judge may overrule any contemplated action or decision of the Safety Director. 12.02

• Designate manner in which late entries will be added to the order of contestants. 2.06 (b)

• Act as Chief Driver in areas where no Senior or Regular Drivers are available 6.03 (c)

• Complete record application forms.   14.05 (b)

• Notify EVP of changes in Chief officials or appointed judges.

• Make sure appointed judges are available and qualified.

Appointed Judge Responsibilities

• Vote on protests (7.05)

• Vote on disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct (7.07b)

• Change minimum starting speed (10.06b)

• Time for video gate review – allow skier to continue at risk (10.08b)

• Vote on schedule changes (2.03)

• On site rule interpretations (1.07)

 Event Judge Responsibilities - General

• Vote on reride requests – be aware of conditions (water, buoy height, floating debris, boat path,…) (7.01)

• Be prepared to vote on whether a handle throw was justified (9.11, 10.11, 11.11)

• Vote on request for 3 minute damaged equipment repair (9.15, 10.15, 11.15)

• On the radio, press the button and say “boat” or “tower a” before calling in the times or score.

• Bring your rule book for reference

Slalom - Boat Judge

• Bring table with division minimum and maximum speeds and time tolerances.

• During the simulation passes, check the all buoy times to make sure all the magnets are registering and that the times are in tolerance.  Check the driver’s boat path.

• Get the skier’s name, starting speed, line length, weight, KX, PX.

• Give the driver the speed control settings in the order requested by the system, i.e. speed, weight, KX, PX.  (KX can be changed once during a ride at the skier’s request, PX cannot be changed)

• Announce the skier’s name, speed, and line length for scoring before leaving the dock.  Call the boat speed in KPH, line length either as feet off or meters.  Use “minus 15” or “18.25 meters”.

• Confirm that the speed, line length and speed control settings are correct.

• After each pass, tell the driver the score so he knows what to do, i.e. drop the skier or return to starting dock. 

• Listen to the towers when they call in their scores to determine which all-buoy time is needed.  Tell the driver the final score and get the correct time.  If the time is lost, it can now be recovered (off, then up/down arrow together).

• After the towers call their score, call in the boat score and times (twice).  When calling in times use single digits, i.e “9-5”.  Also state speed & line length for the completed pass.

• Listen for confirmation from the scorer.  Make sure they have the correct speed & line length.

• Check the all buoy times to make sure all the magnets are registering and that the times are in tolerance on a complete pass before you need them.

• Notice if the slalom switch is engaging (bar moves up and down on display).

• Discuss speed control adjustments with the driver.  Be aware of balance between first & second segment.  To slow the second segment, increase SSB. Note the difference in times between the two course directions to help the driver make adjustments for wind.

• If video gate review is delayed and skier continues at risk, make sure to write down the “0” time.

 Jump - Boat Judge

• Bring table of minimum and maximum speeds, time tolerances and re-ride situations.

• Get the skier’s name, speed, boat path, weight, distance, option (fast or return to baseline), and requested letter.

• Give the driver the speed control settings in the order requested by the system, i.e. speed, weight, distance, option, letter.

• Announce the skier’s name, speed, and option (fast 2nd segment = Option 1, return to baseline is Option 2) for scoring.  Call the boat speed in KPH.

• Determine Pass, Jump or Fall.  This is a call made by the boat judge alone (9.08a)

• Call scoring with outcome of the jump (jump, pass or fall), and boat times (twice).

• Note whether the jump switch was activated.  Use the return to baseline tolerance if the switch did not engage properly (p. 86).

• Check the times and discuss required speed control changes with the driver.  If significant changes are needed to keep the times in tolerance, inform the skier.

• After each jump listen for distance and inform the skier of distance and any reride possibilities. (9.03e)

• Before each jump remind the driver of jump number, speed and boat path.

• Notify scoring of any change in boat speed.

 Trick - Boat Judge

• Get the skier’s name and requested speed.

• Tell the driver the speed

• Announce the skier’s name for the event judges 

• Watch the skier continuously prior to entering the course for speed and balance adjustments

• Check water conditions, speed, and boat path continuously during each pass

• Allow a 30 second stop between passes if there was no fall at end of first pass. (11.07)

• If the skier falls, determine if it was a fall while practicing.

 Trick – Form Judges

• Note when the horn sounded – trick must be complete before the horn to receive credit

• Keep calling after the horn 

• Write your name and the skier’s name on the form

• If the skier falls, determine if it was a fall while practicing.

 Check out Judging Problems for more information!

Please email any input to Linda Hockenbery.