Photo: Paul van Bellen
11-19 November 2023 Severne Australian Wavesailing Championships at Sydney (Wanda) or Gerroa/Windang/Shoalhaven Heads
Thanks for the event sponsor:
Registration is now available here.
Divisions are:
- Juniors <20 years (under 13, 15 and 17 if numbers permit)
- Women
- Men
- Amateurs
- Masters 45+
- Grand masters 55+
- Social/beginner/party riders
NB: Competitors are to nominate the division they will compete in at the beginning of the comp. A minimum of 2 competitors must nominate a division for it to run.
Yes we have already secured council and waterways permits..
This event promises some fierce partying, competitive ping pong, some great surfing and SUP’ing and of course WAVESAILING. BRING IT ON.
Plus to add greater value for our interstate wavesailors, we have intentionally set this event so it runs just before the world famous Merimbula Classic 22-26 Nov 2023. More details at 41st Merimbula Classic
So, book time off from work and make sure you can get to the Severne 2023 Australian Wavesailing Championships. Sydney (Wanda), Gerroa and the other locations; Windang and Shoalhaven Heads can really turn on some great conditions.
You can book in Sydney via booking.com and if you want to base yourself down the coast at Gerroa then holiday rentals can be booked at First National or camping at Seven Mile Beach Caravan Park or Discovery Holiday Parks.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
There aren’t too many complicated rules at the Australian Wavesailing Championships (AWC), but we do have a few that are worth getting to know as you watch the sport as a fan or as a competitor. The rules are in place to ensure the safety of the athletes, the fairness of competition and, ultimately, to promote the best riding on the planet in the arena of live competition.
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WAVE SCORING
Australian Wavesailing Championships judging criteria are based primarily on the World Surf League wave scoring system.
1. Commitment and degree of difficulty.
2. Speed, power and flow.
3. Combination of major manoeuvres.
4. Variety of manoeuvres.
5. Innovative and progressive manoeuvres.
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JUMP SCORING
Australian Wavesailing Championships judging criteria are based primarily the PWA scoring system.
1. Height
2. Difficulty
3. Execution & Style
4. Clean Landing
5. Creativity
NOTE: Some reward for pushing new and difficult moves but a clean landing takes priority. ‘Wet’ landings receive lower scores.
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JUDGING SCALE
[0.0 — 1.9: Poor]
[2.0 — 3.9: Fair]
[4.0 — 5.9: Average]
[6.0 — 7.9: Good]
[8.0 — 10.0: Excellent]
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HEAD JUDGE
Every event is ruled by the Head Judge. The Head Judge decides where the heats will run, when they will run, in which order they will run, how long they will run, and what will be scored on every day of the competition window. It is the Head Judges discretion to run with only 2 waves and no jumps if conditions are not fair for jumping but great for wave riding and all combinations therein. The Head Judge has final say on all matters regarding the heats, format, seeding, and points awarded. There is no appeal process. The Head Judge’s word is final. The Head Judge overses the three Scoring Judges to ensure fairness, consistency and that all riders are treated fairly.
SCORING JUDGES
Every event has a panel of three (3) Scoring Judges who work under the (1) Head Judge. A local scoring judge ensures local knowledge of conditions are deeply understood in the judging process, while also ensuring local riders have very high confidence that they will be treated very fairly. Every wave ride and every jump is scored by all three judges, with Head Judge oversight. The three judges scores are added together to form total heat scores for each rider. The riders with the highest points tally win and move to the next round. If two or more riders end up with a tied points total in a heat, then the rider with the highest individual wave or jump score in that heat wins (unless there is a dissenting judging sheet – at which time the tie break method is at the discretion of the Head Judge).
HEATS
Like the WSL, events are comprised of rounds and those rounds are made up of heats, with anywhere from two-to-four riders looking to lock in their two highest-scoring wave rides. Both rides out of a possible 10 points. For a possible 20 point heat total for riding. At riding + jumping events, riders lock in their two (2) best waves and one (1) or two (2) best jumps, each out of 10. For a possible 30-40 point heat total. Pending the Head Judge’s assessment of conditions on the day. A panel of three scoring judges, with head judge oversight, score each wave, and each jump, on a scale of one to ten. There is no limit on the number of waves that will be scored, but the two best scoring waves and two best scoring jumps (each out of a possible 10) are added together to become a surfer’s heat total (out of a possible 20 for riding only heats, or 30-40 for riding and jumping heats.
ELIMINATION FORMAT
Like the WSL, the AWC starts with a non-elimination seeding round, progressing to knockout rounds, concluding with a final and a winner. All riders compete in at least two heats before elimination. Like the WSL, AWC riders compete in Seeding Round 1, winners advance to Round 3, losers enter Round 2 for a second chance to advance in the Redemption Round.
WAVE PRIORITY
1. The rider with priority is the one who is ‘first to be propelled by the power of the wave’.
2. Other riders in the heat can go for, and catch, the same wave, but only if they do not hinder the scoring potential of the rider with priority.
3. A rider loses priority once they go for but miss or pull out of that wave.
INTERFERENCE
1. A rider who hinders the scoring potential of another rider with priority over them will be given an interference penalty.
2. In most situations, this means that their total heat score will be calculated using only their best scoring wave (1 wave score, not 2).
3. If a rider causes two interferences during a heat they will be disqualified from the heat.
AWC CODE OF CONDUCT
AWC endorse the following code of conduct for wavesailing members, parents, spectators, particularly those responsible for activities involving members under the age of 18 years. As a member of AWC you should meet the following standard of conduct:
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.
• Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealing with others.
• Be professional in, and accept responsibility for, your actions.
• Make a commitment to providing quality service.
• Operate within the rules of the sport including national and international guidelines that govern Wavesailing.
• Do not use your involvement with AWC to promote your own beliefs, behaviours or practices where these are inconsistent with those of the Relevant Organisation.
• Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example.
• Avoid unaccompanied and unobserved activities with persons under 18 years of age, wherever possible.
• Refrain from any form of harassment of others.
• Refrain from any behaviour that may bring AWC into disrepute.
• Provide a safe environment for the conduct of the activity.
• Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured.
• Be a positive role model.
Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct Parents should:
• Remember that children participate in wavesailing for their enjoyment, not yours.
• Encourage children to participate, not force them.
• Focus on the child’s efforts and performance rather than winning or losing.
• Encourage children to wavesail according to the rules and to settle disagreements without resorting to hostility, violence or abuse.
• Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a heat.
• Remember that children learn best by example. Appreciate good performances and skills displayed by all participants.
• Support all efforts to eliminate verbal and physical abuse from sport.
• Respect officials’ decisions and teach children to do likewise.
• Show appreciation of the efforts of volunteer coaches, officials, administrators and other helpers as without them there would be no sport for your children to participate in.
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Spectator Code of Conduct Spectators should:
• Applaud good performance and efforts from all wavesailors, boating participants and teams. Congratulate all wavesailors participants on their performance regardless of the event’s outcome.
• Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.
• Never ridicule or scold a young wavesailor for making a mistake. Positive comments are motivational.
• Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by other spectators, coaches, officials, wavesailors or boating participants.
• Encourage wavesailors to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions.
• Do not use violence, harassment or abuse in any form (i.e. do not use foul language, sledge or harass wavesailors, committee members or other spectators).
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Wavesailing Participant Code of Conduct
Competitors are expected to comply with the AWC event rules and rules of wavesailing. As a competitor you shall:
• Be tolerant of other wavesailors.
• Give space for the head judge to manage AWC events without question or challenging decisions.
• Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials and sledging other wavesailors, deliberately distracting or provoking another wavesailor are not acceptable or permitted behaviour.
• Not abuse other committee members.
• Abide by the Australian Sailing Anti-Doping Policy.
• Be a good sport.
• Treat all participants as you like to be treated. Do not bully or try to take an unfair advantage of another competitor.
• Cooperate with your fellow wavesailors, without them there would be no association.
• Participate for your own enjoyment and benefit not just to please others.
• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion
RIDER DISCIPLINE
1. The Head Judge is in charge of rider discipline when necessary. The Head Judge’s call is final.
2. No fines will be issued.
3. Penalties will be issued as follows. 1st breach of code of conduct = warning, 2nd breach of code of conduct = lose highest scoring wave in previous or next heat. 3rd breach of code of conduct = disqualified from the AWC event and registration fee refunded.
4. We promote aloha between all riders at all times.
HEAT RESTART
If no one catches a wave during the first 10 minutes of a heat or >50% riders are water starting for >3mins then the Head Judge has the discretion to abandon and restart the heat.
ANTI-DOPING POLICY
The AWC’s Anti-Doping Policy is based on the WSL policy. The policy covers use of both performance-enhancing and illicit substances and applies to riders and their support staff. Dietary supplements may contain prohibited substances and cause a positive drug test. AWC tour staff are also bound by the Policy.
TOUR NOTES:
- General Note: Throughout the event, the judges and the AWC organization reserve the right to change and update the judging criteria according to feedback and evaluation of heats, rider comments, sponsor feedback and more.
- Incomplete Event Points: Only completed rounds will count toward overall points.
- Incomplete Event Points: A minimum of one completed round is required for points to be earned at an event.
- Prizes and Trophies: division winners must attend the closing ceremony to be guaranteed prizes and trophies.
- Filling A Spot in the Bracket: Before round three, if an advancing rider drops out of the event, the spot may be filled at the Head Judge’s discretion. Most often this would be done using an extra heat of top people cut from the previous round.
See you on the water guys and gals.
