Preliminary notice – final confirmation on Thursday
The forecast for this weekend looks good, Southerly 15 to 20 knots starting early afternoon Saturday and all day Sunday with around 2 m swell and rising.
So we are good to go for Saturday 10th November.
Safety briefing and outline of the day's event will be on Saturday morning at 11.00am and Sunday morning at 9am with the first heats commencing immediately after that. We expect to wrap up the competition each day by about 5.
Here's the information on the comp format, judging guidelines and other matters to help you prepare.
Divisions
Divisions are amateurs, juniors, womens, open, masters, legends. Divisions are consistent with AKSA divisions – check out the AKSA web site for further detail. We have trophies for winners in all divisions and Kite Addiction have donated a prize for every competitor.
Competition Format
This is a two day event - comp format and heat sizes depend on number of competitors and the hours of wind forecasted for each day. We will finalise start times on Thursday based on the forecast – it will be as early as is possible.
The final comp format, heat draw and heat times will be announced on Saturday. We aim to give competitors as many chances to compete and progress as possible for the conditions on the day. This is likely to be double elimination format, - we try not to use single elimination format – at least a combination of the two, with the winners from last year seeded into later rounds. Every competitor will have at least two chances to progress.
Judging Guidelines
The judges will be instructed to score heats as follows:
A surfer must perform radical controlled manoeuvres in the most critical sections of a wave with power, speed and flow to maximise scoring potential. Innovative and progressive surfing as well as a variety of repertoire (manoeuvres) will be taken into consideration when rewarding points for waves ridden.
The surfer who executes this criteria with the maximum degree of difficulty and commitment on the waves shall be rewarded with the higher scores.
Bad Wave Poor Wave Average Wave Good Wave Excellent Wave
0.1 to 1.9 2.0 to 3.9 4.0 to 5.9 6.0 to 7.9 8.0 to 10.0
In practice, judges will be looking for high performance surfing. They will be looking for big moves in the best part of the wave, rather than a consistent effort on a wave and through the heat. As a guide – look to the best guys in the latest magazines and movies – if you can do what they do – you will score highest.
To facilitate this, surfers will be judged on their 2 best scoring waves. This allows riders to lock in two solid scoring waves, then attempt high risk manoeuvres in the time remaining in the heat.
Amateurs Division
The amateur division is about getting onboard and competing, its a great division for a range of reasons. The judges are still looking for someone trying to surf the wave- being in the pocket, how many turns you can do, how vert you can get. But it doesn't matter how you get there - twin tip or a surfboard, strapped or unstrapped, hooked or unhooked - what matters is giving it a go and having some fun - that's the judging criteria.
Right of way
A surfer deemed to have the initial inside position on a wave has unconditional right of way for the entire duration of that ride. Any surfer that catches the same wave as the rider with right of way may pull off without penalty. To incur an interference penalty a rider must “hinder the scoring potential” of the surfer with right of way. Remember, “hindering the scoring potential” includes on the way out.
Other matters
Take Indian Ocean Drive to the Wedge Settlement. The comp site is 3 km's north of the settlement. Go to the beach at the settlement, head north along the beach for 3 km's. There is a reef and a small bay that sets up some nice banks. There is usually a left breaking off the reef closing out with a right and left peak just north all reforming on the inside.
You will need a 4WD to get to the comp site - or line up a lift off some one you know. You can get a 2WD to the Wedge settlement but you need a 4WD to get along the beach. There is a 2WD carpark just in front of the beach entrance at the Wedge settlement - line up your lifts from there
Wedge is a harsh and windy place - and there are no shops or services. Once the wind starts the fine sand starts whipping down the beach and gets everywhere. So bring your own food, water and shelter. The WAKSA tents will be up to provide some shelter for competitors and judges.
Photographer
A photographer will be there on both days to capture all the action. A compilation will be published and thousand of shots will be available on her website for you to buy.
Thats all for now, so get your entries in and lets hope the forecast hangs in there.
Any questions email
[email protected]Enter via the WAKSA website www.waksa.org.au
All entrants must be WAKSA members, Tags should be worn on harnesses whilst competing
