3.01 Each competitor must have in his possession an international licence issued by his Federation, endorsed by Region Racing Council on behalf of IWSF.

3.02 Each Federation shall notify the organisers of the names of their teams participating. The Chief Judge shall be notified of the Team members by the Team Captain prior to the start of each race.

3.03 A Team is defined as a skier, driver and observer. One member of the boat crew and the skier shall be of the entering team’s nationality. Each skier, driver and observer must notify the organisers of their blood groups.

3.04 Race Organisers must provide facilities for third party insurance for entrants and each boat must be insured against third party risks for a minimum of SF1,000,000 or the equivalent in local currency. The current policy of insurance with a valid renewal receipt for the same must be produced before or at the time of inscription.

3.05 In addition, any driver residing in a country whose Government controls the issue of boat driver licences shall not be permitted to compete in a race unless he has possession of such a licence.

4.01 At least six (6) months prior to the start of official practice at a World Championships, the President of the IWSF shall appoint the Chief Judge for the World Championships from among the judges proposed by each Regional Racing Council.

4.02 The President of the IWSF Racing Council shall also appoint the 9 judges, 3 from each region, the assistant to the Chief Judge and the Chief Calculator from among those proposed by each Regional Racing Council. Appointments for Region sanctioned events shall be made by the Region President on Region Racing Council’s recommendation.

4.03 The Chief Judge shall not serve as an event judge. The Chief Judge’s decision shall be final for the event. Any subsequent inquiry should be directed to the IWSF Racing Council.

4.04 The Chief Judge is responsible for briefing his assistant judges and for verifying that time-keepers, lap recorders and calculators carry out their jobs correctly.

4.05 The Jury for each separate race shall consist of 4 event judges selected by the Chief Judge, who will act as Chairman of such a jury. In case of disagreement between the judges the majority shall decide. In case of a tie the Chief Judge shall decide.

4.06 The control and observation at turn buoys will be carried out by judges and assistant judges who will submit a report to the Chief Judge at the end of the race. Video cameras shall be at World Championships, as an aid to judging, the use of the video to be at the discretion of the Jury prior to the start of the event. Cameras to be at the start, turns and finish. The video tapes shall be immediately handed to the Chief Judge and shall be erased at the completion of the Championships.

4.07 Race Organiser: shall be appointed and/or approved by the appropriate authority for the level of the competition and will be responsible for the pre-race organisation. He will act under the direction of the Chief Judge on the day or days of the Races and must not be a competitor at that event.

4.08 Safety Officer: normally a member of the organising Federation with expert knowledge of local water conditions, responsible for deployment of safety boats and advising the Race Organiser and the Chief Judge of dangerous conditions. He may also be required to advise the Race Organiser and Chief Judge on the likely safety of competing boats under local water conditions before the Chief Judge allows the first boat to start in a race.

  It is the Safety Officer’s responsibility to brief rescue boat drivers and to check that all competing and officials boats are safely accounted for at the conclusion of racing. The Safety Officer, with the consent of the Chief Judge, shall take whatever action is necessary whenever he observes a condition to be unsafe. He shall remain in personal or radio contact with the Chief Judge.

4.09 Chief Scrutineer: appointed by the appropriate authority for the level of the competition and by reason of his special technical knowledge of ski boats and their use in water similar to that on which the race will take place. Responsible for seeing no boat starts in the race until it and all racing equipment meets all Technical Rules and the engine(s) fall within the class structure for which entry has been made.

4.10 Assistant Judges shall be qualified National or International racing judges. They will be briefed by the Chief Judge and report infringements of the rules they have observed to the Chief Judge as soon as possible. They are not empowered to impose penalties themselves directly.

4.11 Starter: normally someone with reasonable experience of water ski racing. Will be appointed and briefed by the Chief Judge in consultation with the Race Organiser.

4.12 Official Timekeepers will be appointed by the organising Federation.

4.13 Lap scorers and Calculators will be appointed by the Race Organiser of organising Federation, but are ultimately responsible to the Chief Judge.

4.14 The organisers must hold a pre-race briefing supervised by the Chief Judge and the Safety Officer, during which fullest possible details must be given concerning navigation, details on passing, course and safety of the competition, including the dropping off area at the conclusion of the race. Competitors must comply.

4.15 A qualified Medical Practitioner or trained Paramedic must be present at events and on site during race practice. His decision on a competitor’s fitness is final.

4.16 All Judges, rescue and safety boats must carry appropriate fire fighting equipment.

4.17 On the day of the competition no alcohol is to be consumed by judges and officials until after completion of the competition.

4.18 A judge must be available for team practice on site.

7.01 The following flags are required:

7.02 Each Judge’s boat must continuously fly a green flag for identification; they also carry yellow, red and black flags on board. The red and the black flags can only be used after communication with the Chief Judge, and on his instructions.

7.03 The Safety and Rescue boats must continuously fly a green flag for identification.

7.04 Display Board

It is a requirement at World Racing Championships that a display board be mounted in full view of the spectators and the competitors, minimum dimension 3 metres x 3 metres, top half of board to display current positions of competitors, bottom half to advise Team Captains of impending reports and possible infringements or penalties.

8.01 Details of the competition shall be given by the organisers with the help of a plan, which shall be sent with the invitation. All courses shall run in an anti-clockwise direction.

Race Distances: Men - 1 hour + 1 lap; Women - 45 mins + 1 lap; Juniors - 30 mins + 1 lap.

Before a race may be declared a minimum time of 51% of the race must be recorded.

8.02 According to local circumstances any of the following methods of starts may be chosen:

8.03 All starts are only allowed if a distance of at least 10 metres on either side of each competing boat is allowed for. It is recommended the distances between the starting line and the first turn is 2.5kms. Races to be conducted over a 5km course where possible.

8.04 For simultaneous mass start, a 5 minute signal shall be given by raising the National flag together with a green flag on a starting boat or dock in sight of the skiers and boat crew. The 30 seconds signal shall be given by lowering the green flag. Skiers may then enter the water from their boats which may take up the slack in the ski line. The start will be signalled by the lowering of the National flag and skiers must not be in a skiing position until the start is signalled. In addition the start may be indicated by the firing of a flare. Boats must not be over start line prior to the lowering of the National flag. When the starting procedure is stopped the red flag must be raised during the interruption. The new start procedure shall normally be of 3 minutes instead of 5 minutes. The new 3 minute start shall follow the normal procedure. In grid starts the boats are to take the position they are allotted. Penalty for starting in incorrect poll will be 1 minute.

PENALTY 12.02

8.05 It is obligatory that all turns shall be marked by buoys, moored vessels or permanent sea marks. All course markers shall be passed on the outside. No passing on the inside or changing of lanes is permitted from within 100 metres of the turn buoy or mark, this distance to be clearly shown by a 100 metre buoy or marker, until the skier rounds the buoy and attains a straight line on the natural course.

PENALTY 12.01

8.06 Boats, which can take aboard at least two Judges chosen by the Chief Judge, will stand at near proximity to all turns.

8.07 In closed circuit racing the Jury must state at the briefing and display on a blackboard the manner of passing other competitors. The designated manner of passing other competitors must be complied with. A fallen skier may be passed on whichever side is deemed to be the safest.

PENALTY 12.01

8.08 The passing driver or observer shall acknowledge sight of a fallen skier by raising a hand. Failure to comply may incur a penalty.

PENALTY 12.02

8.09 A skier or a team shall not be allowed to start or continue in the competition if, in the opinion of the Chief Judge, after consultation with the Safety Director and/or Jury, their presence would be a danger to themselves or other competitors.

8.10 The organisers must provide an adequate rescue service at all times during the competition.

8.11 Substitution of Boats

A competitor may substitute a boat or engine once a boat or engine is pronounced unserviceable by the Chief Scrutineer, advising the Chief Judge who will rule. The Chief Judge may obtain independent technical advice.

V Hull to V Hull

Flat Hull to Flat Hull

Catamaran to Catamaran

Outboard to Outboard - equal horsepower or less

Inboard to Inboard - equal horsepower or less (a sterndrive is an inboard)

In the case of extreme circumstances where boat substitution of a similar craft is impossible the Chief Judge shall refer the matter to the IWSF Ski Racing Council on the site of the Championships.

The original hull or engine may only be resubmitted with the specified permission of the Chief Judge.

Definition of V hull: A V hull with a flat runner surface was still a V hull and may be exchanged for a normal V hull.

8.12 Substitution Forms must be used at World Championships.

8.13 Grid Positions

For first race Federation’s nominees by means of a Draw, after first event grid positions will be allocated on each competitor’s accumulated performance.

8.14 In the event of a race having to be red flagged, if the race is 51% complete, then the event is final. If the race is less than 51% complete the race will be started again.

9.01 In case of a fall of a competitor, the driver must immediately stop the boat and the observer must display the flame orange flag. The driver will turn to pick up the skier without interfering with the progress of the race. In picking up a fallen skier the driver must give right of way to oncoming boats and then turn in whichever direction is safer.

PENALTY 12.01

9.02 A fallen skier is allowed to make physical contact with the boat and crew to enable the replacement of equipment. At all times whilst such action is being carried out, the motor of the tow boat “will be dead or in neutral, ie. propeller not rotating”. The flame orange flag must remain visible until the skier is in proper skiing position.

PENALTY 12.01

9.03 For a single skier race the skier must remain in the wake of the towing boat for the entire race.

PENALTY 12.01

9.04 An overtaking boat must not cut in until their skier is 100 metres ahead of the boat being overtaken.

PENALTY 12.01

9.05 Observers must remain seated in the cockpit of the boat and must keep the skier under observation at all times during his participation in the event.

PENALTY 12.01

9.06 Boats shall not follow closer than 100 metres directly behind any skier except when overtaking, in which case it is imperative the driver should keep his boat in a different line than the preceding one. When a pass (100m) is completed, the boat and skier must move to the inside of the course at once.

PENALTY 12.01

9.07 The driver must keep his attention ahead of the boat at all times.

PENALTY 12.01

9.08 Skiers are strictly prohibited from fastening their tow line or the handle of the tow line to their body in any way whatsoever. It is permissible to hook one arm through the bridle of the ski rope. No means of adjusting skier’s rope length allowed. Damaged ropes may be replaced during races.

PENALTY 12.03

9.09 The skier must always have at least one hand on his tow line.

PENALTY 12.01

9.10 When taking a turn, the teams on the outside must leave room for teams on the inside.

PENALTY 12.01

9.11 Refusing to give way to other competitors is strictly prohibited.

PENALTY 12.01

9.12 Drivers must maintain a minimum lateral distance of 2 metres between their boat and other competing boats after the start.

PENALTY 12.01

9.13 All team members shall wear their helmets in the normally accepted manner during the race and whilst under power on race day or practise periods.

PENALTY 12.03

9.14 Skiers must drop off in the areas indicated by the Chief Judge at the pre-race briefing.

PENALTY 12.01

9.15 Competitors must act at all times in a sportsmanlike manner towards other competitors.

PENALTY 12.01

9.16 On the day of the competition no alcohol to be consumed by competitors until after completion of event.

PENALTY 12.03

9.17 The use of drugs is prohibited as per the regulations of 1995 IWSF drug testing policy and procedure.

PENALTY 12.03

9.18 Competitors must inform the Jury or Jury’s Nominated Representative of intention to Train on Site on Practise Days. Failure to comply may lead to suspension from subsequent events.

PENALTY 12.03

10.01 Timing will be accurate to at least one hundredth of a second, this precision holding good as well for departure as for arrival of a skier.

10.02 Places in the competition shall be determined according to the skier times made, after addition of the penalties, if any.

10.03 When the leading team completes 1 hour in the Men’s Race (45 minutes for Women - 30 minutes for Juniors) the blue flag will be displayed. On completion of the leading team’s final lap the black and white chequered flag will be raised. Following the arrival of the leading team the black and white chequered flag will be lowered and a red and white chequered flag will then be displayed continuously from the finish boat and the jury tower until teams complete the same number of laps as the leading team up to a time of 15 minutes after the arrival of the leading team. The black and white chequered flag shall be displayed individually to each team until all competitors have completed the same amount of laps as the leading team within the 15 minutes. When the 15 minutes has elapsed any teams still competing will be shown the red flag on the completion of their lap at the finish boat and the jury tower, and shall retire from the race. These teams will be credited with the number of completed laps. A board to display numbers shall be on the finish boat for the purpose of notifying competitors where necessary when they have completed the same number of laps as the leading team.

10.04 A skier is not to be placed in a competition unless he is in a proper skiing position when crossing the finish line. A proper skiing position is defined as that position in which all of the following exists:

10.05 1000 POINT RULE

In each complete race points shall be awarded on the following basis:

The race shall be timed and the time of the winner will represent 1000 points, the remaining skiers will receive points based on the following formula:

Winners Time from racing distance in average per 1 km x 1000 = Skiers

Skiers/Team Time from racing distance in average per 1 km Points Points

Such points to be calculated to two decimal places. The third place will be ignored.

11.01 Protests shall be made to the Chief Judge by the team representative. Protests must be made in writing, give the reasons for the protest and be filed within 15 minutes after the results of the event are announced.

11.02 Protests directed against another contestant shall be made to the Chief Judge by the team representative. Protest must be in writing and indicate the reason for the protest. Protests must also give the names or identity of any other witnesses. They should be filed within 30 minutes after the arrival of the contestant.

11.03 Protests must be accompanied by the approximate equivalent in local currency of SF50. This amount will be refunded if the protest is considered reasonable by the Judges.

11.04 Jury Panel decisions shall not be subject to team protests.