Agenda

  1. Contest Format
    1. Cup Format
      1. Number of heats
      2. Heat length
      3. Number of riders in heats
      4. Ranked riders
      5. Trick Count (TC)
    2. Head to Head / Game of Skim Format
      1. Number of heats
      2. Heat length
      3. Number of riders in heats
      4. Ranked riders
      5. Advancing from qualifications to semifinals
      6. Final
      7. Final contest ranking
      8. Trick Count (TC)
  2. Final Ranking
  3. Judging Regulations
    1. Judging procedure
    2. Number of judges
    3. Headjudges
  4. Rights and Duties of ESC Skimboard Judges
    1. Duties of a skimboard judge
    2. Rights and Duties of Headjudge
    3. Additional guides
  5. Scoring
  6. Results & Protests
    1. Results
    2. Protests
European Skimboarding Cup 'Judge Manual'

1. Contest Format

European Skimboarding Cup contests can have two format.

1.1. Cup Format

Cup format is the most often used format in the European Skimboarding Cup. This format offers a typical cup ladder with heats consisting of around 10 riders each, up to the final. The final contest ranking is based solely on the riders from the final (10 places ranked).

1.1.1. Number of heats

  1. 0-10 riders
    • final
  2. 11-20 riders (Fig. 1)
    • semifinals (2 heats)
    • final
  3. 21-30 riders (Fig. 2)
    • semifinals (3 heats)
    • final
  4. 31-40 riders (Fig. 3)
    • quarterfinals (4 heats)
    • semifinals (2 heats)
    • final
  5. over 40 riders (Fig. 4)
    • qualifications
    • quarterfinals (4 heats)
    • semifinals (2 heats)
    • final

1.1.2. Heat length

  1. Basic heat length shoul be 15 minutes.
  2. Finals can be up to 30 minutes.

1.1.3. Number of riders in heats

  1. 10 riders in final.
  2. If possible, each heat should consist of 10 riders, if not then riders should be devided equaly into heats.
  3. Riders should be placed into heats on the date of the heat, before starting all the heats.

1.1.4. Ranked riders

  1. Riders should be placed into heats based on their current points in the ESC Ranking, or the last year ESC Ranking if it is the first stop of the Cup in the season.
  2. Riders should be placed into heats by the provided schema (Fig. 4, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4).
  3. Starting numbers (1-8) are based upon the amount of points a rider has in the ESC Ranking. The rider needs to be present on the competition. In example when, based on the ESC Ranking, riders that have 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th position are present at a competition, they get 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th starting position.

Contest with 2 starting heats. (fig. 1)
  • Final

    • Heat 1
      1st ranked rider
      4th ranked rider
      other riders

    • Heat 2
      2nd ranked rider
      3rd ranked rider
      other riders

Contest with 3 starting heats. (fig. 2)
  • Final

    • Heat 1
      1st ranked rider
      6th ranked rider
      other riders

    • Heat 2
      2nd ranked rider
      5th ranked rider
      other riders

    • Heat 3
      3rd ranked rider
      4th ranked rider
      other riders

 
Contest with 4 starting heats. (fig. 3)
  • Final

    • Semifinal 1

      • Heat 1
        1st ranked rider
        8th ranked rider
        other riders

      • Heat 2
        2nd ranked rider
        7th ranked rider
        other riders

    • Semifinal 2

      • Heat 3
        3rd ranked rider
        6th ranked rider
        other riders

      • Heat 4
        4th ranked rider
        5th ranked rider
        other riders

Contest with qualifications. (fig. 4)
  • Final

    • Semifinal 1

      • Quarterfinal 1
        1st ranked rider
        8th ranked rider
        other riders

        • Qualifications

      • Quarterfinal 2
        2nd ranked rider
        7th ranked rider
        other riders

        • Qualifications

    • Semifinal 2

      • Quarterfinal 3
        3rd ranked rider
        6th ranked rider
        other riders

        • Qualifications

      • Quarterfinal 4
        4th ranked rider
        5th ranked rider
        other riders

        • Qualifications

 

1.1.5. Trick Count (TC)

  1. With a heat length of 15 minutes, judges should count 5 best tricks for each rider.
  2. With a heat length of 30 minutes, judges should count 10 best tricks for each rider.
  3. With a heat length of 15-30 minutes, judges should count minutes / 3 best tricks for each rider.
  4. TC should be fixed for each stop of the ESC, for other events outside the ESC the TC can be modified.
  5. Smaller TC - Best Trick contest, Higher TC - Overall impression contest.


1.2. Head to Head / Game of Skim Format

Head to head / Game of skim format consists of regular qualifications, from which 6 riders advance to the semifinals. Semifinals are executed as a head-to-head battle. From each semifinal one rider advances to the final. The final is done as a game of SKIM. Riders, in turns, name a trick and present it. If they do NOT land the trick, they get a letter from the set of S, K, I, M. The last rider without all the letters, wins.

1.2.1. Number of heats (Fig. 5)

  1. 0-3 riders
    • final (Game of SKIM)
  2. 3-6 riders
    • semifinals (3 heats - Head to Head)
    • final (Game of SKIM)
  3. over 6 riders
    • qualifications
    • semifinals (3 heats - Head to Head)
    • final (Game of SKIM)

Contest with 3 starting heats. (fig. 5)
  • Final

    • Semifinal 1
      1st ranked rider
      6th ranked rider

      • Qualifications

    • Semifinal 2
      2nd ranked rider
      5th ranked rider

      • Qualifications

    • Semifinal 3
      3rd ranked rider
      4th ranked rider

      • Qualifications


1.2.2. Heat length

  1. Qualification heats length shoul be 15 minutes.
  2. Semifinals are Head to Head - heat length shoul be 15 minutes.
  3. Finals last up to the point, when two riders have all the letters: S, K, I, M.

1.2.3. Number of riders in heats

  1. Final - 3 riders in final - Game of SKIM.
  2. Semifinals - 2 riders in each of the 3 semifinals - Head to Head.
  3. Eliminations - If possible, each heat should consist of 10 riders, if not then riders should be devided equaly into heats.
  4. Riders should be placed into heats on the date of the heat, before starting all the heats.

1.2.4. Ranked riders

  1. All riders should start from qualifications.

1.2.5. Advancing from qualifications to semifinals

  1. Riders in the qualification round(s) are ranked.
  2. Qualification ranking is used to determine the order in semifinals, the final contest order of riders 4-6 and 7-10.
  3. 1st ranked rider from qualifications goes into semifinal 1 with 6th ranked rider from qualifications.
  4. 2nd ranked rider from qualifications goes into semifinal 2 with 5th ranked rider from qualifications.
  5. 3rd ranked rider from qualifications goes into semifinal 3 with 4th ranked rider from qualifications.

1.2.6. Final

  1. Riders decide by paper-rock-scissors the starting order in the final.
  2. The first rider (Presenting Rider) starts by naming a trick and showing it.
  3. If he succeeds, the following riders (Following Riders) need to perform the trick.
  4. If they succeed, then the Presenting Rider shows another trick.
  5. If one of the Following Riders does not manage to land the trick, he gets a letter (starting from S, to SKIM).
  6. If one of the Following Riders does not manage to land the trick and would in result get the last letter of SKIM (M), he gets to have one last attempt on landing the trick (Bonus Try).
  7. If he lands the Bonus Try, he does NOT get the last letter and continues to compete.
  8. If the Presenting Rider does not land the named trick, then the next Following Rider names the trick and presents it. In result becomes the Presenting Rider and the other ones become Following Riders.
  9. The first rider to get all letters (S, K, I, M), takes 3rd place.
  10. The second rider to get all letters (S, K, I, M), takes 2nd place.
  11. The last rider left, takes 1st place.

1.2.7. Contest Final Ranking

  1. Riders in the final are placed 1-3 based on the results in the final.
  2. Riders that where in the semifinals, but did not manage to advance to the final, are placed 4-6 based on the qualification ranking.
  3. Best 4 riders from the qualification round, that did not advance to the semifinals, are placed 7-10 based on the qualification ranking.

1.2.8. Trick Count (TC)

  1. Due to the format TC applies only to the qualification round.
  2. With a heat length of 15 minutes, judges should count 5 best tricks for each rider.
  3. With a heat length of 30 minutes, judges should count 10 best tricks for each rider.
  4. With a heat length of 15-30 minutes, judges should count minutes / 3 best tricks for each rider.
  5. TC should be fixed for each stop of the ESC, for other events outside the ESC the TC can be modified.
  6. Smaller TC - Best Trick contest, Higher TC - Overall impression contest.

2. Final Ranking

The final ranking will be based on the sum of points from 70% of ESC competitions
  1. With 5 stops - points from 4 best stops count to the final ranking
  2. With 6 stops - points from 4 best stops count to the final ranking
  3. With 7 stops - points from 5 best stops count to the final ranking
  4. With 8 stops - points from 6 best stops count to the final ranking
  5. With 9 stops - points from 6 best stops to the final ranking

3. Judging Regulations

3.1. Judging procedure

  1. The judges use the ESC Judging Rules criteria at each ESC competition.
  2. The judges shall work independently.
  3. The judges shall pick the best tricks independently, based on the Trick Count.
  4. There must be a Headjudge present on each ESC stop.
  5. If possible, judges should be from different countries.
  6. Judges need to be fixed on the competition. There is no option for changing judges during the competition.
  7. Judges can not compete in the competition.
  8. Judges are picked and approved by the competition organiser and the Headjudge of the competition.
  9. Each judge shall make a pernament written record of his/her scores at all times.
  10. Judges need to write down each trick, they can add additional + if the execution is perfect and - if the execution is bad.
  11. In the event of a protest, the Headjudge and judges involved shall review the permanent written record and, if necessary, consult with other scoring judges and use any other meands available to the Headjudge to review the protest. The Headjudge shall have the final say in determining the score that will be used.
  12. No scores shall be released as official until verified and approved by the Headjudge.

3.2. Number of judges

There must be a minimum of 3 judges at the competition, including the Headjudge.

3.3. Headjudges

Each country can provide a Headjudge candidature to the ESC for approval.


4. Rights and Duties of ESC Skimboard Judges

4.1. Duties of a skimboard judge

  1. Judge riders without bias regardless of their person or nationality.
  2. Be at the judges stand 15 minutes before the start of the competition or at the time announced by the Headjudge.
  3. Wait on the judges stand 15 minutes after the competition or longer if the Headjudge requests.
  4. If necessary, check and help with the calculation of results.
  5. Inspect the competition site in due time.

4.2. Rights and Duties of Headjudge

  1. Is appointed by the ESC.
  2. Shall have a valid ESC license to Headjudge at the competition concerned.
  3. Shall have a complete knowledge of the ESC judging procedure and follow the rules and guidelines set forth therein.
  4. Is responsible for coordination of judges before and during competition.
  5. Is responsible to see that all judges follow the ESC Skimboard judges criteria. If a judge does not follow the criteria, is not acting in a professional manner or is unfit to judge, the Headjudge may replace the judge in question.
  6. Can and should score the event.
  7. Inspect the location of the judges stand and construction befor the competition.
  8. Has the final decision when there is a draw.
  9. Decides on the final rank of the competition based on all ranks provided by judges.
  10. Approves the judges at the event.

4.3. Additional guides

  1. Head judge can sum up the ranks of all judges and average the rank to form a reversed ranking.
  2. Head judge has the final decision on the rank.

5. Scoring

As an overall impression judge must consider (these are not in any particular order)
  1. Amplitude (greater amplitude increases the risk of the trick)
  2. Difficulty
    Judges consider:
    • switch take offs or landings
    • frontside or backside rotations
    • different grabs
  3. Execution
    Control should be maintained during the whole run, from start to finish. The riding should be done with good stability and fluidity. Each trick should be performed with full control. Clear landing with speed is essential. Each trick should be ridden away with full control, speed and a clear landing.
  4. Variety
    When the athlete performs the run, variety must be a key factor. Mixing different tricks in a heat.
  5. Progression / Risk Taking / WOW factor
    By rewarding progression we help to push the sport forward. Introducing new tricks that have not been performed before. We want to see the athletes to push their run to its maximum but not beyond.

6. Results & Protests

6.1. Results

  1. Results are announced after the competition on the results board.
  2. The Head Judge of the competition shall be responsible for ensuring that the time of the announcement of all results is recorded.
  3. If no protest are made within 15 minutes of the official announcement of the result of the competition, the results are final.

6.2. Protests

  1. Protests concerning the result or conduct of an ESC competition shall be made within 15 minutes of the official announcement of the results.
  2. The results of an event conducted "under protest" shall be withheld (not announced or published) and prizes, point scores and awards shall not be awarded until the protest is resolved.
  3. Protests shall be made to the Head Judge.
  4. Protests can be made only to the Finals. No protests will be possible for Qualifications, Quarterfinals, Semifinals.
  5. In case protests are made, the judges shall meet as soon as logistically possible.
  6. The judges will invite, for discussion on protests, the riders, other officials, possible witnesses. In addition, any other material such as video, film, photographs, etc., shall be examined.
  7. Only the judges shall be present for the final decision on the protest.
  8. Judges close out protests by
    • informing the protesting parties of the decision;
    • providing the event organiser of the decision - to make necessary corrections to the results;
    • posting a copy of the decision on the results board.
  9. The judges decision on the protest is final.