Competition rules
Foot strap forbidden
Leash mandatory
Helmets recommended for adults and compulsory for minors
Surf foil judging criteria
The surfer must execute radical, controlled maneuvers in the most critical section of the wave with speed, control and flow to maximize his or her scoring potential. Innovative and evolutionary surfing, as well as a varied technical repertoire
repertoire (maneuvers), should be taken into account when rewarding waves surfed. The surfer who respects these criteria, displaying the highest degree of difficulty and commitment on the waves, will be awarded the highest scores”.
The angle of attack is an easily identifiable element that will help to evaluate the risk-taking of trajectories and the technical difficulty of maneuvers.
The judges will pay particular attention to control and flow, as the fluidity of movements and sequences are part of the evaluation.
For surf foil and SUP foil competition, straps are forbidden and are reserved for expression sessions (demonstration) only. Heats may not comprise more than 4 riders, to enable the judges to follow the riders’ progress more easily.
Heats may not last less than 10 minutes.
Depending on the number of competitors and wave conditions, the competition management will set the time limit it deems most appropriate.
After surfing a wave, the competitor may connect to other waves with transitory phases known as “pumping”. However, the number of connections is limited to 1 or 2, depending on the conditions of the day (i.e. one take-off and one or two wave connections max, for a total of 3 waves). A single score, on a scale of 0 to 10 points, will be given for these waves surfed during the same “ride”. The scores of the two best rides will be added together to establish each competitor’s total score and thus the series ranking.
Once the 3 waves have been ridden, the competitor is forbidden to take another wave. If he does, he will be penalized with an interference.
Pumping is not taken into account in the scoring, but the way the wave is connected will be judged according to the basic criteria (speed, control, fluidity, angle grip). When a competitor uses a wave to simply start, take-off and pump for another wave, that first wave is counted.
Priority rules
The basic rule tolerates only one competitor per wave, unless two competitors are riding in radically opposite directions without interfering with each other.
A competitor will be penalized for interference if, on a given wave, the majority of judges feel that the priority surfer has lost potential points.
A competitor pumping up a wave does not have priority over a rider paddling down a wave.
When several competitors are pumping out of the wave at the same time, the competitor with priority will be the one who starts his or her connection turn first.
Any behavior deemed dangerous or unsportsmanlike will be penalized by an interference as well as any other sanctions provided for in the FFS disciplinary regulations. A briefing will be given at the start of the day by the chief judge to remind and clarify the judging criteria and the competition format according to conditions (length of series, etc.).