On Tuesday of last week, during the 2009 Australian Longboard Titles, Surfing Australia conducted a workshop to "express concerns and ideas that will influence the direction of SUP surfing in Australia". The aim was to update the existing International Surfing Association's (ISA) criteria and scoring guidelines which will be included in the new 2010 Surfing Australia (SA) Rule Book.

The workshop was chaired by Glen Elliott (Judging Manager of Surfing Australia). Others present were:
- Jake White (Surfing Aust)
- Josh Constable QLD
- Keenan Roxburgh NSW
- Scott Downing NSW
- Ken Williams NSW
- Paul Young NSW
- Nick Pearson NSW
- Phil Moller QLD
- John Ayton VIC
- Roy Forbes TAS
- Kane McLeod TAS
- Brett Mason WA
- Dave Flower WA
- Greg Redfern WA

Names highlighted in bold were competitors in the Australian SUP Titles held five days later (these guys were already present at Port Macquarie as they were also competitors in the Australian Longboard Titles).

Here is a link to the existing ISA Rules:
www.australianpaddlesurfer.com.au/Docs/ISA%20SUP%20Surf%20Rules.pdf

Here is a link to new SA Rules:
www.australianpaddlesurfer.com.au/Docs/SA%20SUP%20Surf%20Rules.pdf

From my analysis, the major things that have been changed are:

Longboard vs shortboard judging criteria:
- the phrase "it is important to set criteria's that set it apart from just longboarding" has been removed from the introduction.
- the phrase "Traditional longboard surfing compared to progressive SUP surfing techniques: Because the paddle allows large SUP boards to be turned with high rates of speed and power, stand-up paddle surfing is deemed to be, at the competition level, a performance-centred branch of surfing, much like conventional shortboarding" has been removed from the judging criteria.

Paddling out:
- the phrase "A surfer must demonstrate board handling skills in the transition phase and the surfing phase of their performance, for it to be considered complete." has been removed from the judging criteria.
- the phrase "Good SUP transition time [end of one wave to paddle-in to next one] should be spent standing and paddling with good technique and stable wave negotiation. Kneeling, lying or sitting whilst paddling, unless necessary for safety is regarded as bad SUP form." has been removed from the judging criteria.

Using the paddle while surfing:
- the phrase "(only) average scores for manoeuvres will be allocated unless the paddle is used as a pivot or tool in manoeuvres" has been removed from the judging criteria.

What are your thoughts?

Just a clarification, the definition of "a Paddle", can it be a kayak paddle? and if I paddle out, kneeling, catch the wave ,pop up, surf using my paddle how would the authorities view this . I thought I was stand up paddle surfing but maybe I'll have to swap forums and start my own Kneeldownstandup forum . I'll be down the list where LANDYACHTING is .

goatman said...

That's totally f#rked!

Sets it up nicely for longboard style surfing to become the new criteria for judging SUP events. You don't even have to use a paddle by the looks.

So a bunch of longboarders get together and change the rules to suit longboard riding - great!

Maybe I am reading this wrong - please tell me I am if that's the case.

Agree ENTIRELY-JOKE!

Might as well forget about the paddle.

Time for a breakaway-it's really only and insurance and sanctioning issue, right?

Casso has anything been added?

I think they are trying to allow for people to come in from all different backgrounds.... but the sport is still in early days... so i can see these rules being revised some what..

As I don't compete it really doesn't phase me too much either way. I will do what I do the way I like that is fun for me... So I win everyday.

But I do understand that people do want to compete as I have done for many years in windsurfing.

So get to the point, I am interested to hear if there was an invitation to attend this meeting sent out at any stage? For instance, were the presedents of the clubs that have started forming across Australia informed and invited?

If not, just as much as the rules themselves should questioned, I really question the motivation behind them. If surfing Australia is looking to represent SUP without the input of the clubs then I think each of the SUP clubs should be looking closely at the position and motivation of SA with-in the sport.

goatman said...

That's totally f#rked!

Sets it up nicely for longboard style surfing to become the new criteria for judging SUP events. You don't even have to use a paddle by the looks.

So a bunch of longboarders get together and change the rules to suit longboard riding - great!

That was my take on it too.

aus301 said...

So get to the point, I am interested to hear if there was an invitation to attend this meeting sent out at any stage? For instance, were the presedents of the clubs that have started forming across Australia informed and invited?

All I know was that the three NSW representatives for the SUP Titles (in Far North Coast, Sydney, Wollongong) were invited via email the day before the Port Macquarie workshop was to take place - none of us could get there in time. Not sure if the other competitors were invited and I'm pretty sure none of the SUP Club Presidents around the country were invited.

So where to from here? Are there things we as plebs can do? Do the clubs lobby to have another meeting so the actual people that ride SUPs can be involved?

our club will post our take on it and see if the other committees have ideas then we can have an official stance,are all the clubs affilliated with surfing aust/qld/nsw/vic

Sounds good Firstpoint, I'm sure our club for example can do the same.

firstpoint said...

are all the clubs affilliated with surfing aust/qld/nsw/vic

Sydney Paddle Surfing Club is associated with Surfing NSW.

Casso said...

loco4olas said...

Time for a breakaway-it's really only and insurance and sanctioning issue, right?

And a massive organisational effort with heaps of government and corporate funding required. I think we have to be careful not to ostracise ourselves from the established bodies.

got to agree with casso,we tried to breakaway from surfing queensland in 1989,noosa alexander headland and super 8 gold coast malibu clubs,,with a good committee chaired by richard harvey,6 months of planning and meetings then alex pulled out and it was all over.i was on that committee.to set this up would take a national body with a committee willing to do the work(how do we pay them for the hours they put in)all surfing australia etc heads get paid.its ok to say lets break away but very hard to do.i believe nsw longboard association broke away initially but now are under the umbrella of surfing nsw.

I think the use of the paddle should be high on the scoring agenda , and as per the name stand up paddling , competitors should be paddling out standing up , maybee not judged on it.We might see guys paddling out on their guts on a 7ft board catching a wave on their knees and then sufing it.How lame would that look.

Is it possible to organise a meeting/conference or the like at the two big upcoming events at The Honolua on the Goldy and Mambo in NSW regarding the proposed rule changes and any input from interested parties. I assume that anyone who has any interest in competing will be at either one of these gatherings and if we can organise the governing bodies to have a representative there also then it may be a good time to nut a few things out and for everyone to have their say. So far it has been a total cock up and very confusing for all and even though these events are a couple of months away it will give everyone a chance to put their thoughts and ideas down and bring them along to the meetings and get things sorted.

I for one am a longboarder and I ride my sup like a longboard but with the obvious addition of a paddle. If I compete in a comp I would like to be getting scored appropriately to take into account my longboard manouvres but I also believe that the guys out there riding 8ft sups and who are tearing the backs out of waves should also have the same opportunity to be getting appropriate scoring for what they do. I am hoping that future comps will accommodate both disciplines, either as separate heats or combined with appropriate judging and acknowledgement of of the individual skills.

To be honest I am reluctant at this stage to enter comps because I am not competant or really interested in the shortboard type of supping although I know many people are. I do feel strongly though that as a longboarder that I would like to compete and in a format where I feel comfortable and am having some fun and hell maybe even have half a chance of doing well. So I am not asking for the rules to suit me - but for the rules to include me.

I tend to agree and I believe the scoring will show how much you put into a wave. If you knee paddle into an 8ft set then the points awarded should not be as high as the person who stands to paddle into a similar wave and the standing paddler should be awarded a much higher score for his committment to the critical takeoff and the same as any scoring manouvre on the wave - for example: if a nice big cutty without use of a paddle is a 3 point move then the same move with full use of the paddle should be perhaps a 4.5 or something like that. Sure, recognize the big drop knee cutty as used by mal riders but mark it up with paddle use and the same with every other shortboard or longboard manouvre.

this may sound stupid because I'm not into the comp stuff
but surely this is not the FIRST sup comp in the world .
are the rules used for sup in Hawaii for example not usable in Oz ?
i dunno is that a dumb question ?
tom

I know in Hawaii most contests they require the SUP rider to stand up when paddling back out to the lineup and to remain standing most of the time. The reasoning I was told was this was a necessary component of SUPing. Some people can get back to the lineup better and thus they caught or were in better position for the waves. Just like in prone surfing contest sometimes the better paddler has the advantage. I am only relaying what I was told.

Aloha

Byron