COMPETITION TIPS
The Venue:
Typical - a beach break
with multiple random peaks
Introductions:
As a competitor you will be scored by a panel of judges. The
role of a judge in a surfing contest is to decide which surfer performs the closest to the “Judging Criteria”
in any heat. The fundamental importance of the criteria is that each judge understands what he is looking for from the surfers,
and each surfer knows the points on which he is going to be judged.
The Judging
Criteria:
“A surfer must
execute the most radical controlled maneuvers in the critical section of a wave with speed and power throughout. The surfer
who executes such maneuvers on the biggest and or best waves for the longest functional distance shall be given higher scores.”
The criteria has purposely
been broken into two sentences. The first being the major emphasis of the criteria, concerns the maneuvers, how radical and
controlled they are and the section of the wave they are performed on.
Wave selection is the
single most important factor for a surfer in their heat. The waves they select will determine the maneuvers they are able
to perform. Today, there is less emphasis put on wave size in small and medium conditions due to the fact that the best waves
may not necessarily be the biggest.
It is extremely important
to note that wave selection (size or quality) does not automatically score high. A surfer must comply with the first sentence
of the criteria and wave selection to receive the higher score!
What the
judges consider when scoring:
* The competitors
earn the higher scores by performing the higher quality maneuvers. Generate speed and show power throughout the execution.
* The judges
look at what the competitors are doing right - not for their mistakes. This will prevent the judges from holding down scores
on good and excellent waves. Maneuvers must be completed 100% in order to score.
* The judges
will reward good and excellent surfing with good (6.0 to 7.5) and excellent (8.0 - 10.0).
* The judges
will not reward poor surfing. Competitors may surf poorly on quality waves for a long distance, however the fact remains -
it’s still poor surfing no matter how long the ride. Judges are looking for quality not quantity.
Interference
Criteria:
“The
surfer deemed to have 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 that wave. Anyone who stands up in front of a surfer with the right of
way has the chance to ride or kick out of the wave without being called for interference, unless he hinders the scoring potential
of the surfer with ROW, and the interference should be called.
Note: Interference
calls will be announced immediately during heat.
What to
consider regarding interference at this contest venue:
The venue
is a beach break with multiple random peaks.
Where there
is one peak with two directions:
* At the
initial point of take off concentration on the shape of the wave and the position of the surfers on the peak.
* The direction
with the greatest scoring potential should have the “ROW”. If neither direction has greater scoring potential
the surfer with the inside position at the initial point of take off has ROW.
Where there
are two separate peaks that eventually meet:
* The first
surfer to stand and execute a maneuver has the ROW.
* If two
surfers stand at the same time and
a) they both give way so that neither hindered the other - no penalty.
b) they cross paths, collide, or hinder each other the judges will penalize the aggressor at the point of
contact
c) neither surfer gives way and both share responsibility for the confrontation then a double interference
may be called.
Good advice
is to avoid having more than one surfer per wave. Usually it is a lack of ability and effort that leads to an interference
call. The better surfers will position themselves, read and analyze the surfing conditions and waves and gain position. Surfers
here at the United States Surfing Championships are some of the best athletes in the nation. We are proud to be a part of
something as special as the USSC which brings together all of this talent in Southern California.
COMPETITION
STRATEGY
Precontest
Training
* Time
your paddleouts - every time
* Surf
a heat for the first 15 minutes of every free session
* Over
emphasize your maneuvers and length of rides especially during free surfing
* Paddle
hard, work out, drink lots of water and stay in the shade
* Stretch
every day and tune your equipment
Heat Strategy
* Watch
at least the one heat if not two heats before your own. Study how the waves are breaking; where are the sets coming in and
how often; judge a heat in the sand; what does it look like from the beach
* Check
in on time
* Do not
free surf too much prior to your heat
* Drink
lots of water and stay in the shade
* Use a
watch
* Remember
only your best 3 or best 4 in a final will score
* Try to
catch the first quality wave
* Rip hard
to the beach, do not bounce or waste time milking the white water get back outside and get another set wave - go for the big
maneuvers outside!
* Outpaddle
your opponent
* Finish
each wave cleanly - never fall off!
* Always
check your heat sheets. Look at what scores well for the day.
* Do not
catch too many waves - be selective and hustle into deeper positioning
* ALWAYS
BE A GOOD SPORT! IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU! REMAIN POSITIVE, UPBEAT AND WHERE A SMILE AT ALL TIMES - IN THE WATER, ON THE BEACH
OR IN THE PARKING LOT! DO NOT COMPLAIN. POSITIVE ATTITUDES HAVE A WAY OF ATTRACTING POSITIVE HAPPENINGS AND PEOPLE. THE SAME
IS TRUE FOR NEGATIVE ONES. BE SMART, BE HAPPY! MANY THINGS ARE BEYOND YOUR CONTROL EXCEPT YOUR ATTITUDE WHY NOT MAKE IT A
GOOD ONE!
Win and
lose like a king, be gracious, courteous - remember -
surfing, after all, is the “sport of
kings”
THE SURFING CRITERIA
“A SURFER MUST EXECUTE
THE MOST RADICAL CONTROLLED MANEUVERS IN THE CRITICAL SECTION OF A WAVE WITH SPEED AND POWER THROUGHOUT. THE SURFER WHO EXECUTES SUCH MANEUVERS ON THE BIGGEST AND OR BEST WAVES FOR THE LONGEST FUNCTIONAL DISTANCE
SHALL BE DEEMED WINNER.”
ANALYSIS OF THE SURFING CRITERIA
The criteria has purposely been broken into two sentences. The first
sentence being the major emphasis of the Criteria, concerns the maneuvers, how radical and controlled they are, the section
of the wave they are performed on, and how they are strung together.
The criteria can be graded into four main sections:
1. RADICAL CONTROLLED MANEUVERS
This is by far the MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE CRITERIA. Contemporary
maneuvers basically constitute change of direction
of the board on the wave (not the
surfer on the board).
Such maneuvers would include re-entries, cut backs, floaters,
aerials, tube rides, etc. How radical they are, followed by the amount of control and
commitment put into each of them, will determine how
high they will score.
POWER
COMMITMENT
CONTROL
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, EVEN IF A SURFER HAS COMPLETED 90% OF A MANEUVER, IT WILL NOT SCORE IF HE LOSES CONTROL AND
FALLS!
2. MOST CRITICAL SECTION
This part of the Criteria describes the positions
on the wave maneuvers should be
performed to score the maximum points.
THE CRITICAL SECTION OF THE WAVE IS THE “POCKET”, CLOSEST TO THE CURL.
The degree of commitment and risk involved in performing a maneuver close to the curl is the reason that it scores
higher. Generally, the most critical section of a wave is the first section...”out
the back” or “outside”.
THE BIGGEST AND OR BEST WAVES
WAVE SELECTION IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR A SURFER IN
HIS HEAT. The waves he selects will dictate the maneuvers he is able to perform. Today
there is less emphasis put on wave size in small to medium conditions
due to the fact that
the best waves may not necessarily be the biggest waves.
4. LONGEST FUNCTIONAL DISTANCE
It is important to note that the functional length
of a ride means the longest possible distance that can
be ridden in the horizontal plane across the judges “field of vision” WHILE PERFORMING MANEUVERS. Once
the maneuvers end, so does the score – milking a wave or doing “spinners” on the white water does not meet
the criteria.
JUDGING
The point scoring system to be used is zero to ten broken up into one tenth increments like this:
0 - 2.0
BAD
2.0
- 4.0
POOR
4.0 - 6.0
AVERAGE
6.0
- 8.0
GOOD
8.0 -10.0
EXCELLENT
NOTE: Refer to this to establish
first wave exchanges.
USE WHOLE POINTS AND HALF POINTS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN DURING A
HEAT. RESORT TO DECIMAL POINTS ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. DO SO TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WAVES IN THE GOOD TO EXCELLENT RANGE AT
THE END OF A HEAT.
During the course of a heat, try to use the whole of your scale from 0 -10 regardless
of surf conditions. Score the good waves up and the bad waves down.
Avoid scoring higher as the heat continues. Bear in mind the previous
scoring waves. The final wave exchange in a heat should be in context to the
first waves scored in a heat.
It is important that a judge concentrates on the scoring of individual waves and ignores the final outcome of a heat.
No rides are identical, so try to differentiate between all scoring waves.
Do not deliberate on your scores, put pen to paper.
JUDGE COURSE OVERVIEW NOTES
A Judge
must judge the Maneuvers. Not the wave, or length of the ride. Therefore,
it is important to judge the maneuvers, not the distance traveled.
“The surfer must perform committed
(outside) radical maneuvers in the most critical sections of a wave with style (control), power, and speed to maximize scoring
potential. Innovative and progressive surfing will be taken into account when rewarding points for committed surfing. The
surfer who executes these criteria with the highest degree of difficulty and control on the better waves shall be rewarded
with the highest scores.”
JUDGING IN BAD CONDITIONS
A lot of events take lace in
marginal conditions. In poor surf you should concentrate on surfers who are utilizing
the mini pockets on the wave with explosive maneuvers that are timed to occur at each of these spots on the wave.
Observe if each maneuver has
been linked directly to another without “groveling” (rail to rail turns through the flat sections should be distinguished
from hopping all the way to the next section). Establish if the surfer is generating
and creating his own speed out of turns because the wave will certainly not be cooperating.
You also must notice which surfers are completing each wave flawlessly with major significant, perfectly executed maneuvers.
NOTE: Keep in mind the fact that each heat can have 10.0 rides
regardless of the wave conditions
JUDGING “HEAVY” HEATS
The following factors should be considered when analyzing each wave in such heats:
1. Where was the first maneuver performed?
2. How well was the first maneuver executed?
3. How well were the maneuvers connected together?
4. Did the surfer execute rail-to-rail maneuvers through the flat sections
or did he just hop all the
way to the next section?
5. Compare outside maneuvers to inside maneuvers.
6. Compare take off areas and how deep the surfer was at the initial
point of take-off.
7. Consider how the surfer utilized the wave.
8. Consider the ability of the surfer to make sections and whether the
maneuvers were functional in doing so.
9. Did the surfer actually complete the maneuver and with control?
10. What did
the surfer complete before falling?
11. Comparison
between the first scoring wave and the last scoring
wave is extremely important.
Inexperienced judges tend to over
score last waves as they forget or ignore what has taken place
during a heat. This often affects
a result.
JUDGING LONGBOARD HEATS
SUMMARY OF POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN JUDGING
- How well were the maneuvers connected together?
- Did the surfer walk foot over foot or did they shuffle?
- Are the surfer’s toes really hanging over or are they back from the nose?
- Has the surfer used the whole length of their surfboard?
- Compare outside maneuvers to inside maneuvers. Are they major or minor maneuvers?
- Compare take off area and how deep the surfer was at the initial point of take off
- Consider how the surfer utilized the wave
- Consider the ability of the surfer to make sections and whether the maneuvers were functional in doing
so
- Did the surfer actually complete the maneuver and with control?
- What did the surfer complete before falling?
- Do not be fooled by tricks or arched backs. Judge the real maneuvers
- Most importantly, the rules state that longboarders will be judged on a 50-50-percentage combination of
traditional and modern maneuvers with control being the major factor.
