WORLD EVENT PRACTISE

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:16 pm

As I remember, at last year's KSUSA Santa Cruz event judges were instructed to score less for anyone that grabbed their rail.
Worse, was that particular bit of info wasn't made clear to all the competitors.

Bud- Don't believe the hype.

That was an absolute lie started by a few disgruntled competitors who felt they didn't get the scores they "deserved."
The judges were very fair, and ONLY cared about radical surfing. Karl Ward got the only Perfect 10's of the contest because he took off behind the bowl and blew his fins out the back 4 times... I remember the year before Bob Schiff got 9.5's at Pleasure Point for doing a grand total of 2 turns (Granted, he took off in the bowl of a big set-wave, cranked his board upside-down into the lip, free-fell back down, and then whipped a full rail roundhouse into the white-water.)

Steamers was oddly mushy last year and guys were gliding out into the flats, grabbing their rails, and doing long-board turns on the shoulder... the judges were not impressed.
There are plenty of times railgrabs are neccesary... big bottom turns, airs, holding your line a tube... but steering on a 3 foot shoulder is not one of them.

Slandering those judges after the fact is absolute BullSh!t... those guys did a great job, and pushed us all the be better surfers.

EQ

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:39 pm

Ahh, the never ending judging debate! Here are a few facts:

1. All judges used in all of our contests are ASP accredited judges.
2. In 2004 and 2005, the head judge addressed all competititors and described the judging creteria and other items of interest. A Q&A period followed in which all competitors were given an opportunity to ask questions. During this session the head judge made it clear that radical surfing will receive the highest score (i.e. one radical off the lip will get a higher score than 10 good cutbacks). I do not recall him saying anything about deducts for rail grabbing although he did note that style and flow are important.
3. A rule book is avaialbe at the contest site for competitors to peruse at their leisure. As best I can recall we used the ASP rule book. The rule book is at the beach marshall's table.
4. In the three contests to date we have had very few judging disputes. I atribute this as much to the inexperience of the bulk of the competitors aas I do the quality of the judging. Keep in mind, even the ASP events have judging disputes.

After I confirm that the ASP rules are being used I will put a link to the ASP rule book on the website for everyone's benefit.

Hope that helps.

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:56 pm

Also, forgot to mention that I was the contest director the last three years and, therefore, speak with some knowledge.

Pray for surf for the contest!

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:06 pm

Having been at the judges presentations in the last few Santa Cruz contests, the phrase that stuck with me from the head judge was that a strong bottom turn that translated into a second strong move (off the lip, tube, floater, cutback) was what they loved to see. Then he said it two more times, "we want to see a strong bottom turn..."

Was I the only one who heard that?

Bud · Post by **Bud** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:17 pm

Thanks for all the details.

This isn't an attack on anyone especially the judges about any previous event's judging criteria.

I just think it only fair to the competitors, that the criteria be made clear in an official way, in print.

This website and the links to the World Kneeboard Surfing title event should include the information, competition rules, judging criteria etc.

The ASP's page on judging criteria was the only one I could find for an example. They were wise enough to also give a detailed explination of it including why.

Like I said previously...........

The judging criteria is not in print on any info regarding the World Kneeboard event.

My point is that, the criteria (what ever they actually are) should be made clear in an official way.....

& ASAP.

Good to hear somebody will do so.
I'm sure some competitors will be glad to have access to the info well before the event.

ross · Post by **ross** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:34 am

i'm thinking that most of us have surfed for that long. that judging criteria or not we would have a tough time changing to suit.

Years ago they used to score length of ride. You guys dont need me to tell you how bad a kneelo with his head down bum up in the white water can look. Accordingly i have lost many a heat through refusal to cowtow to such a rule. i reckon you just gotta surf the way you want, if you bow out thats just more time for socialising

just need to freesurf in a heat(not easy huh?)

the worst thing that could happen is you bomb out.

is being punk in drublic still not allowed in the US?

show up blow up.

quadfin · Post by **quadfin** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:00 pm

ross wrote:i'm thinking that most of us have surfed for that long. that judging criteria or not we would have a tough time changing to suit.

Years ago they used to score length of ride. You guys dont need me to tell you how bad a kneelo with his head down bum up in the white water can look. Accordingly i have lost many a heat through refusal to cowtow to such a rule. i reckon you just gotta surf the way you want, if you bow out thats just more time for socialising :P

just need to freesurf in a heat(not easy huh?) :lol:

the worst thing that could happen is you bomb out.

is being punk in drublic still not allowed in the US? :lol:

show up blow up. 8)

I was thinking the same thing about being a little late to change my "style" for this contest. My rail grabs are pretty much instinct by now.

They are pretty serious about being punk in the US but not here in Texas unless your gun is loaded and out on the bar.

Ler · Post by **Ler** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:12 am

Good is good, you can tell who ripping and is going make it out of a heat. Nobody is not going make it out of a heat, if there surfing well.

gene west · Post by **gene west** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:27 am

to rail grab or not to rail grab - no asp judge has ever deducted points from a surfer grabbing a rail and pigdogging through a barrell! If your surfing well the judges will score it. Easy enough. Just have a good time!

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 4:36 pm

I do think that Bud has a good point. The contest rules should be posted on the site. I will try and get that done ASAP.

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:49 pm

I have confirmed that we will be using ASP rules for the contest. You can view the rule book and the judging critria on the "media" page of the ASP website (aspwolrdtour.com). We should have these rules posted on the World Titles Info page on the website in the next sevral days.

Post by **joe** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:18 pm

Judging criteria and a link to the ASP rule book are now available on the World Titles web page.
wt_2007.php

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:51 pm

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:43 pm

Tip for cool / cold morning wet wet suit. Use plastic bag over feet to help slide on. After you are ziped up add warm watter. Drink lots of coffee.

KAVA · Post by **KAVA** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:22 am

thats kewl gumby never tried that one

lol you guys thought i was kidding about the cold