What are judges really looking for in a contest

[haddy]

I know how they judge for short boards, i.e. the most critical move in the most critical part of the wave showing consistency and flow etc (Something along those lines) but I have a query I've been told that 360's etc don't score high in knee boarding. Just wondering what the general thoughts are about this? as I have seen in the vids on this web site in a couple of comps 360's etc being pulled off.

Also can anyone give me some tips on knee board competition surfing. I have only been in 3 state rounds only being a straight out final due to numbers usually 3 0r 4 of us, and i first started knee boarding in the Australian Open Surf Masters last year 2004. where I came 4th out of 4 ha a two heat combined score system. In the first heat I came third but them bummed out in the second.

Any of you ozzies competing this year at the Australian Open Surf Masters in New South Wales at Soldiers Beach? If so I look forward to meeting you. I don't think the others from S.A. can make it so I't might just be me, hope I have improved from last year? we'll see.

[albert]

The thing with 360s is they tend to be a non critical maneuver, hence they dont quite fit the criteria all that well. I suppose they were high scoring maneuvers in the early 80s, but not anymore.

[ross]

i think maybe because as kneeboarders 360's are easy to do,hence the low scores.
maybe if your throwing your tail through a floater or something and its easier to spin when landing its ok(but still frowned upon,cause i reckon its a display of control loss)
should be some differing opinions on this one
i reckon judges are always gonna be more impressed with any turn that uses the rail properly

[red]

..but Nov still gets good points for his 'hit the lip, come down the wrong way' 360 - and Pete Fairweather does a cutback into the tube and then spins the board so he comes out forward - both a fair bit different from a lame spinner 360.

Look smooth, put the board vertical into the foam and have an over sensitive tail that kicks the ass out when you throw a turn and you're guaranteed to score high(er than deserved?)

One day I'll narrow my fin cluster and move my wide point forward to make a comp board. Naaa, I prefer to rip the guts out of the lip and damn the score.

Sorry, haddy, just a bit jaded after 30 years of comps - now I just wanna have some fun and occasionally get the judges to say, "wow".

Just ask Pinebox - he knows almost everything there is about contests.

[waka]

haddy
Flat spinners are always fun to pull off, but arn't scored as a critical maneuver.
Why ? i dont know. i luv doing flat spinners, forward, backwards, and best is on the takeoff, its like a slingshot coming out of spinner into a top turn. Some are slow and others are so fast depending on the wave.
Back in the twinnie days i could ride backwards for so many yards, before slideing the board back to a forward motion. But its all about control, if any turn is controled, it looks good, when its all wobberly......nah.
Just have fun and enjoy yourself, let your surfing do the talking

[haddy]

Cheers for all your replys,

It was Pine Box who told me not to do em (360s) in comps etc but after watching the vids I was eager for more veiws and wasn't sure how the US rate em.

Yeah Pin Box is kinda my knee boarding mentor in a sense, besides my old man (waxer) a knee boarder from way back who's board I am currently riding which I have been told is a collectors item etc an old albert whiteman thruster about as old as me. Will put it on the wall soon.

I usually compete against Pine Box (well make up numbers), and party after.

I usually just have fun anyway I'm not that serious in comps, still i like to push myself and hopefully get better. I do it for the fun, just to get involved and to put more numbers into the comps.

I'll be taking one of pine box's reasonably new boards for a bit of a spin when I get home from work if I like it I have the option to buy it (he's a good bloke), can't wait 6 days to go damm I'm hungry for a surf. I just bought an old Cutloose quad so I'm interested to see how that goes?

I do how ever need all the practice I can get before the Masters etc i only have 20 days of available time to surf before if I am that lucky.

I'd just like to say the vids and photos on the web site etc have really helped me in identifying positions on boards and parts of waves etc and how moves are pulled off i.e. wait distribution rail to rail forward backward etc.

I'll be catching up with the other knelos from S.K.A. at the next meet looking forward to it and learning as much as I can from watching and surfing with other knelos.

[Jack Beresford]

Haddy,

Here in the US, a clean, well-performed 360 can be useful in attracting the judges attention. Most of the judges are stand-ups who may already be struggling to differentiate a bunch of kneelos. So it never hurts to show them something different. El Rollos/barrel rolls would also fall into this category - although fewer guys still do them. Both moves seem to get a few hoots (and sneers) from the gallery. Things may be different Down Under.

In my opinion, not all 360s are equal. Doing them in a critical part of the wave or as an extension of another move is a lot different than in the flats. I've seen some photos of the Simpsons doing what appear to be carving (looping I think is a better descrip) 360s. Insane. And, of course, you can take it all above the lip and do one in the air. To each his own.

Jack

[ScottMac]

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[ShaunMurphy]

how about round house cut backs, i think thats what they are called (cutbacks into whitewash, then back onto face) how do they score. Oh and floaters vs. tube rides
which score more?
-shaun