The Victorian Wavesailing Series (VWS) are to be an informal series of wave sailing competitions that run with minimum organization effort, maximum sailing time, and minimum loitering.

Objective

To unite wavesailors together, enable involvement of wavesailors of varying skill levels to socialise and compete in a friendly motivating environment. It is not intended to create elaborate events (which mean intensive organization permits, safety boats, Even Director, non-sailing judges, installations on beach etc.)

Tasks

Run 2 to 3 wavesailing competition events at well known wavesailing locations around Victoria on specific weekends given appropriate weather conditions.
Run a fun event that incorporates freesailing and judged competition which ultimately determines a Victorian wavesailing champion at the completion of the season.
Produce a website to inform Victorian wavesailors when the upcoming events are happening and current championship rankings.  Website could include pictures, sponsors, videos etc.

Conditions for Events

Each event is to be completed in 1 day.

Conditions for Participation

1. A current annual membership of Windsurfing Victoria is required. This latter obligation may be waved by the president of Windsurfing Victoria if the President deems the competitor holds a suitably equivalent association affiliation and insurance in place is sufficient.
2. The participant will be required to complete entry/waiver form (one form covers whole series). Entry Form

Event dates

• 12th & 13th September
• 10th & 11th October
• SHQ Regatta, Sandy Pt – 31 October to 3 November
• 5th & 6th December
• 9th & 10th January
• 13th & 14th February
• 13th & 14th March

Note: The event will only be run for 1 day.

Note 2: Elwood Sailing Club will also host one event “King of the Bay”.  King of the bay will be held on call at Elwood Sailing Club and will focus on jumping at the stormwater outlet at Cole Street.  Elwood Sailing Club to fully organise the event.  Results from the event shall be included in the Vic Wavesailing Series.  Event window and competition details are still to be finalised.

Weather Suitability (Wind Guru's)

A select group of individuals will be required to to convene and determine suitability of the weather for each event. This team will determine by 4pm on Thursday the suitability of the weather. If it is suitable they will also determine by that time the actual date of the event, the briefing location and time etc. These details will be announced no later than by 5pm on the following Friday before each designated weekend. Notification will be posted on the website and an email and/or text message sent to participants and organisers.

Note: The term "Wind Guru" may be used to identify this group.

Event Locations

The selected locations by coast are;

West Coast

Ocean Grove – SW wind.
13th Beach – NW to W wind.
Point Impossible – WSW wind.
Phillip Island
Woolami – SE to E wind.
Surfies Point – NW to W wind.
Cat Bay – SSW to SW.

East Coast

Waratah Bay – W, SW, NW, E
Sandy Point – W, NW, E, SE, NNE

Port Phillip Bay

Elwood – S, SW (King of the bay event)

Event Format

The will be an “event structure” but will it will be flexible to suit the conditions and number of participants on the day.  On the event day, the selected judges will convene before the briefing and decide on what is the best format to adopt to maximise enjoyment, competition and sailing time for everyone.

Briefing

The time and location of the briefing will be issued by Wind Guru’s on Friday prior to event.

Divisions/Participants

Each event will have two divisions for experienced and beginner/intermediate wavesailors.  The participant, with help from the co-ordinators will assist participants which group they shall compete in.

Division A – Experienced wavesailors.

• Competent waveriders on both tacks.
• Can jump and perform aerial manoeuvres eg. table top, forward loop, back loop etc.

Division B – Beginner/Intermediate

• Have wavesailed only a couple of times.  Still learning to sail down the line/backside riding.
• Can jump, but not doing aerial manoeuvres.

Format/Judging

• First 30/45min is free sailing.  Gives everyone a chance to have a wavesail and get used to conditions.  Also gives event co-ordinators some time to decide on event format and wavesailors skill levels.
• Everyone comes off the water and is put into Division A or B.
• Depending on numbers, Division A and B will be split into 2 groups.
• Judges will decide what wavesailing discipline will have greater influence on scoring (eg. waveriding or jumping)
• There will be 2 expression session heats of 30min duration.  1 group of each division will sail in one expression session (i.e. every competitor sails only 1 expression session)
• For each of the expression sessions, the selected judges will select the top 4-6 wavesailors of each division.
• The top 4-6 sailors in each division will compete in judged 15-20 minute heats.
• Red and Green Flag to signal whether heat is on or over.
• Have award for best manoeuvre, biggest jump, biggest crash etc?  Decided by judges.

Shown below is an example of an event program.  Table 2 shows the number of entrants and how they are split up for the expression sessions.

Table 1 – Event Schedule

Table 2 – Example of number of participants

Table 3 – Example how participants are split up for the expressions session.

Table 4 - Expression Session 1(30 minute session)

Table 4 Expression Session 2 (30 minute session)

From Expression Session 1 and 2, the four best sailors from Group 1 and 2 in Division A proceed into the next round. The two best sailors from Group 1 and 2 in Division B also proceed to the next round. Therefore the sailors who proceed to the judged heats are:

Table 5 – Winners of Expression Session

The selected best sailors from the expression sessions then compete in judged heats as shown in the event tree below.

Judging in heats

There will be a judging structure that is flexible to suit the conditions.  Given this is a waveriding competition, more emphasis will be placed on waveriding.  General conditions for the events are;

• Expression Sessions and heats to have at least 3 judges.
• Each waveride or jump is scored out of 10.
• Given the conditions, waveride and jump scores are weighted.  Eg, if conditions are more suited to wavesailing, each waveride score is multiplied by 5 and each jump multiplied by 3.
• For each heat, the competitors best 3 waverides and best 2 jumps are counted.  The number of waves and jumps scored will be dependent on conditions.
• Judges scores are accumulated for each competitor which decides winner.

Victorian Wavesailing Rankings

A points scoring system will be established to determine a VWS Champion.  The points scoring system will be structured to award the winners and participation of committed sailors.

Table 6 – VWS Scoring System

Photography/Video

Jodi from whitecaps photography
Jamie Foster – Photo and video

Location Guide Developers

Andrew Hocking
Tom Price

Logo and Graphics

Tim Kentley

Sponsorship

RPS and SHQ to provide prizes for winner/runner up, biggest jump and lucky dip prize?
Core Boardsports – West Coast windsurfing store.

Webmasters

Tim Kentley & Rupert Bailey

Trophies

Windsurfing Victoria to supply perpetual trophies for Division A and B.