Revision	Name	Date	Description
0.0	Pat Chewning	10SEP2007	Initial outline of rule sections
0.1	Pat Chewning	30SEP2007	Filled text into all sections, for internal ISSA review.
0.2	Pat Chewning	04OCT2007	Added Racer Classifications, Tech description of courses.

^2.^Introduction

These are the ISSA 2008-2009 Slalom Skateboarding Rules. The objectives of these rules are to:

1. Provide contest directors and racers with a uniform set of written rules.

2. Allow some variation for contest directors to customize events to suit their tastes.

3. Allow for a method to change these rules in the future.

A slalom skateboard race consists of a prescribed course set out on a hard surface, marked with cones. The skateboard racer passes through the course, alternately passing the cones on the left and right. The racer is timed through the course. Time penalties are assessed if the racer fails to complete the course or displaces cones in the course.

These rules are in effect for the calendar years 2008-2009

These rules will be updated in 2009. Members of the ISSA may propose rules changes at any time before September 1 2009. The rules committee of the ISSA may then accept, modify, or reject the proposed rule change for the 2010-2011 rules.

The ISSA Board of Directors may make clarifications, emergency changes, or alterations to these rules during the race season by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

^3.^Equipment

3.1. Required Equipment

· Helmet

· Shoes

· Skateboard

· Deck (rigid or semi-rigid flat platform for the feet)

· 4 Wheels

· At least one lean-to-steer mechanism attaching the wheels to the deck

3.2. Prohibited Equipment

· Propulsion devices or mechanisms

· Brakes, clutches or other devices providing torque to the wheels.

· Bindings or other devices attaching the shoes to the deck.

· Aerodynamic fairings, parachutes, sails, or other such devices.

· Mechanisms which alter the flex, camber, stiffness, steering devices or other characteristics of the equipment during the race.

· Handles, seats, supports, or other equipment that provides an interface from the racer to the board other than the sole of the shoe.

· Equipment that is consumed, discarded, or jettisoned during the race.

· Steering mechanisms activated by means other than lean-to-steer.

3.3. Allowed Equipment (including, but not limited to)

· Foot stops or other devices to limit the lateral movement of the feet on the deck.

· Concave, kick-tail, camber, and other shape modifications to the flat deck.

· Additional protective equipment (knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, etc)

· Bearings for the wheels.

^4.^{Slalom Race Description}

4.1. Single-Lane

Single-lane slalom races are run 1-racer at a time. Two runs are made by each racer. The final placings of the racers are determined by taking the single best time from each racer.

4.2. Dual-Lane

Dual-lane slalom races consist of two identical (either parallel or mirrored) courses. Two racers run at the same time. The race is split into a Qualifying round and a Head-to-Head round.

· Qualifying: The racers take one run on each course.

· The qualifying position is determined by taking the single best time from either course.

· Head-to-Head racing: The racers are seeded into brackets and take one run in each course, with their opponent in the other course.

· The winner of the round is determined by taking the sum of both runs.

· The loser of the round is eliminated from further competition.

· Rounds are taken until the final 2 racers face off for the 1^st place round.

4.3. Start

The start consists of a starting platform (ramp) elevated above the surface of the course. The racer stands on the start platform with his feet on the skateboard and upon signal from the race official, propels down the platform and onto the race course. A signaling device determines when the racer has started.

4.4. Cones and Course

Cones are placed on the course surface to indicate the turn points for the racer. The cones shall be negotiated in left/right sequence down the course. Cone spacing and placement depends on the type of course (see Section 9). The object of the race is to successfully pass each turn point in the fastest time.

The course direction at the 1^st cone shall be marked to indicate the entry direction into the course.

Once the course is set, the course officials shall mark a cone-circle around each cone to determine placement of the cones after each run, and to determine cone displacements during a run.

Cone specification:

· Base diameter: 140 mm

· Cone height: 250 mm

· Material: Plastic

· Construction: Hollow (light weight)

4.5. Finish

The finish consists of a line perpendicular to the course and no closer than 2m from the final cone. The finish shall provide a signal to the timing equipment to stop the timing when the racer passes the finish line.

^5.^{Race Runs}

5.1. Start of Run

The start of the run shall follow a predictable and consistent sequence for all racers:

· Racers are called to the start and assume a ready position in the start ramp

· Race officials determine that the course is ready and the racers are ready.

· The timing system is armed and the racers given an audible signal.

· The timing system provides tones on 1-second intervals:

· 3 seconds to start

· 2 seconds to start

· 1 second to start

· START (Shall differ in pitch, duration, or volume from the preceding tones)

· Upon START signal, the clock will start for both courses, regardless of whether the racers have passed the start line.

· Should a racer start before the START signal, the racer shall be penalized by an amount of 2X the early-start interval.

· Should a racer start after the START signal, no additional penalty is given

5.2. Successful Passing Through The Course

A racer is deemed to have successfully passed through the course if the skateboard:

· Passes thru the start line and triggers the start signal.

· Passes cones on the correct side.

· Passes cones on the incorrect side, yet displaces the cone.

· Passes through the finish line and triggers the finish signal.

· The racer is not disqualified for other reasons.

5.3. Cone Displacements

A cone is counted as being displaced if either of these occurs:

· The entire base of the cone is outside of the entire cone-circle on the surface of the course.

· The cone is tipped over and not standing upright.

A cone is NOT counted as being displaced if:

· The cone is tipped over by an outside agent (includes being hit by a cone from the adjacent course).

The cone penalty shall be:

· 0.1 second for Slalom races

· 0.2 second for GS races

· 0.3 second for Super-GS races

5.4. Disqualifications

The racer is disqualified during the run for any of the following:

· Unsuccessfully passing through the course.

· Displacing more than 10 cones.

· Displacing any cone by contact above the knees.

· Placing any part of the body (including hands and feet) onto the course surface during the race.

· Unsporting conduct (interfering with a racer, damaging equipment, etc.)

5.5. Finish of Run

The time for each racer stops when the racer passes over the finish line.

After passing the finish line, the racer may stop in any manner (foot-drag, slide, carve, turn uphill, etc.)

^6.^{Calculation of Time}

6.1. Calculating the Resulting Time

The time for each racer is calculated by the formula:

RT = ET + SP + (CD*CP)

Where:

· RT is the Resulting (final) Time

· ET is the Elapsed Time from the START tone to the racer’s finish

· SP is the Start Penalty for starting early

· CD is the # of Cones Displaced

· CP is the Cone Penalty for this race

6.2. Penalty for Disqualifications

The racer’s Resultant Time (RT) is set at 999 seconds if the racer is disqualified during the run.

6.3. Provisions for Ties

If racers should be tied during a race, the following shall apply in the order given:

· During qualification runs

· The racer’s slower run of the 2 runs are compared to break the tie.

· The racers who are still tied are placed into the head-to-head seeding in random order among the tied racers.

· During single-lane competition:

· The racer’s slower run of the 2 runs are compared to break the tie.

· If that does not break the tie, then the racers are tied in the final placement.

· During head-to-head competition:

· The racer with the higher placement in the qualifying round shall be declared the winner of the head-to-head round.

^7.^{Head-to-Head Brackets}

7.1. Size of Brackets

Racing brackets shall be formulated as follows. The Qualifying Group size is determined after the qualifying runs have been made, eliminating all racers who did not receive a qualifying time (after DQ on both runs):

Qualifying group equal or greater than	Qualifying group Less than or equal to	Head-to-Head Bracket size
3	9	4
10	19	8
20	29	16
30	59	24
60	------	32

7.2. Seeding of Brackets

The racing bracket shall be constructed by placing the qualifying racers into the qualifying positions indicated.

32-group	24-group	16-group	8-group	4-group
1	1	1	1	1
32	BYE
16	16	16
17	17
8	8	8	8
25	BYE
9	9	9
24	24
4	4	4	4	4
29	BYE
13	13	13
20	20
5	5	5	5
28	BYE
12	12	12
21	21				FINALS FOR 1st, 2nd
2	2	2	2	2	CONSOLATION for 3rd, 4th
31	BYE
15	15	15
18	18
7	7	7	7
26	BYE
10	10	10
23	23
3	3	3	3	3
30	BYE
14	14	14
19	19
6	6	6	6
27	BYE
11	11	11
22	22

When the racing gets to the final 4:

· 1v4 and 2v3

· Losers proceed to the “consolation” (3^rd and 4^th place) bracket

· Winner proceed to the “championship” (1^st and 2^nd place) bracket

7.3. Final Placement of Racers

Final placement of the racers in head-to-head competition is as follows:

· Those racers who did not receive a qualifying time due to DQ on both runs shall share last place.

· Those racers whose qualifying time does not place them into the head-to-head brackets receive a final placement equal to their qualifying placement.

· Those racers eliminated in the group of 32 will receive places 17-32 in order of their qualifying placement.

· Those racers eliminated in the group of 16 will receive places 9-16 in order of their qualifying placement.

· Those racers eliminated in the group of 8 will receive places 5-8 in order of their qualifying placement.

· Winner of the consolation round receives 3^rd place, loser receives 4^th place.

· Winner of the championship round receives 1^st place, loser receives 2^nd place.

^8.^{Special Situations and
Exceptions}

8.1. Re-Runs

8.1.1. Situations leading to a Re-Run

A Re-Run may be granted in the following cases:

· The timing equipment malfunctions.

· The start ramp is displaced or damaged.

· The course is not set properly with each cone within the circle.

· The racer is interfered with by an outside agent (people on course, animals, wind blowing cones, soccer ball on course, etc.)

· The racer must abandon the course and immediately ask for a Re-Run.

8.1.2. Situations not leading to a Re-Run

· A cone from the adjacent course interferes with the racer.

· A cone from the racer’s course interferes with the racer.

· The racer’s own skateboard, pads, clothing, or other equipment fails.

· The racer does not immediately abandon the course and ask for a Re-Run.

8.1.3. Re-Run Procedure

· For single-lane courses, or during the Qualifying rounds.

· The racer receives a Re-Run at a time determined by the race officials.

· For Head-to-Head competition within the bracket rounds:

· The racer’s opponent is informed and may elect to also take a Re-Run.

· If the opponent does not elect to take a Re-Run, his results from the previous run stand as-is.

· If the opponent is taking a Re-Run, both racers take the Re-Run at the same time.

· The Re-Run must be completed before the current round is complete.

· The original run results are discarded and the Re-Run results are recorded.

8.2. Abandonment of Race

If the race should be abandoned by the race officials, the following shall apply to determine the final placings of the racers:

· During Qualifying or Single-Lane Racing:

· If the entire field of racers has not completed their 1^st run, the race is declared void and no final results posted.

· If the entire field of racers has completed their 1^st run and the race is abandoned during the 2^nd run, then only the results of the 1^st run shall be used to determine the placings.

· During Head-to-Head Racing:

· Racers not entering the head-to-head rounds receive results as usual, based on the completed qualifying round.

· Racers eliminated during complete rounds receive placings as usual.

· Racers currently competing in an abandoned round (both runs have not been completed) will receive the remaining placings based on their qualifying times.

8.3. Protests

Protests are only allowed in the higher status competitions (MAJOR, MAIN). Protests are not allowed in the lower status competitions (PRIME, BASIC, PLAIN). The procedure is:

· Race officials provide protest forms for the racer to fill in.

· Racer fills in a protest form.

· Within 10 minutes of the end of the current round (Qualifying, group of 32, etc)

· Racer states which rule was not followed and gives statements or evidence on the form.

· Race officials form a Protest Jury consisting of

· Head Race Judge

· Racer Jury Member (should be selected before race starts)

· One person chosen in agreement by the Racer Jury Member and the Head Race Judge.

· Protest Jury reviews the written protest form, may ask for witnesses, and may talk to the affected racer(s).

· Protest Jury renders a final verdict with one of the following outcomes

· The racer is allowed a re-run (subject to the rules on Re-Runs)

· The racer’s cone count or DQ status is adjusted based on the evidence.

· No changes in results are made.

· The decision of the Protest Jury is final and cannot be re-protested.

· A racer is only allowed one protest per race.

· A racer may only submit a protest for actions where the racer was involved.

^9.^{Course Technical
Specifications}

9.1. Starting Ramp

Start platforms shall:

· Be a minimum of 0.75m tall.

· Be a maximum of 2m tall

· Be a maximum angle of 45 degrees from horizontal

· Contain transitions of minimum radius 1m

· Be placed no closer than 4m from the 1^st cone in the course.

· Provide hand-holds for the racer to pull on for propulsion from the start

· Have a signaling device placed such that the timing equipment can be signaled when the racer starts from the ramp.

9.2. Slalom: Parallel (SP)

· Course Intent: Test the racer’s ability to turn as quickly as possible on a regular, straight line course down the fall line of the racing surface. Turns are all short radius.

· May be run on flat or sloped surfaces.

· Cone Spacing Limits: 1.0m to 3.0m

· Cone Spacing Suggestion: 1.5m to 2.0m

· Course Length: 25 to 100 cones. (Suggestion: 50 cones)

9.3. Slalom: Tight (ST)

· Course Intent: Test the racer’s ability to turn very quickly, with occasional rythym interruptions and offsets away from the fall line. Course is primarily down the fall line of the racing surface. Turns are all short radius.

· May be run on flat or sloped surfaces.

· Cone Spacing Limits: 1.4m to 3.0m

· Cone Spacing Suggestion: 1.5m to 2.5m

· Course Length: 25 to 100 cones. (Suggestion: 50 cones)

9.4. Slalom: Hybrid (SH) [also known as Slalom: Special (SS)]

· Course Intent: Test the racer’s ability to turn quickly, with constantly-changing interruptions and offsets away from the fall line. Course may combine fall-line sections, angled sections, and curved sections. Turns are a mixture of short-radius and medium-radius.

· Sloped surfaces of moderate pitch are used. (Suggestion 3% to 8% grade.)

· Cone Spacing Limits: 1.5m to 4.5m

· Cone Spacing Suggestion: 2.0m to 3.0m

· Course Length: 25 to 100 cones (Suggestion: 50 cones)

9.5. Giant Slalom (GS)

· Course Intent: Test the racer’s ability to make a variety of short, medium, and long-radius turns through the course. The course should use the full width of the racing surface, with the course curving a smooth path down the hill. May be run single-lane or dual, depending on road width. Speeds are higher than the Slalom events. Racers tuck occasionally for short intervals.

· Sloped surfaces of moderately-steep pitch are used. (Suggestion 3% to 10% grade.)

· Cone Spacing Limits: 2.0m to 9.2m

· Cone Spacing Suggestion: 3.0m to 5.0m

· Course Length: 20 to 100 cones. (Suggestion: 40 cones)

9.6. Super-GS (SGS)

· Course Intent: Test the racer’s ability to make high-speed long-radius turns through the course. The course should use the full width of the racing surface, with the course curving a smooth path down the hill. Speeds are much higher than the Slalom events. Racers turn while tucking for whole subsections of the course. The cones shall determine the turning points, not just the curves in the road (to distinguish from downhill racing).

· Sloped surfaces of moderately-steep pitch are used. The road follows several natural curves and changes of pitch. (Suggestion 3% to 10% overall grade.)

· Cone Spacing Limits: 3.0m to 14m

· Cone Spacing Suggestion: 5m to 10m

· Course Length: 20 to 100 cones. (Suggestion: 40 cones)

^10.^{Racer Classifications,
Racer Groupings, Awards, AND Overall Winner}

10.1. Racer Classifications

The following racer classifications are recognized. Not every contest will award points, prizes, and medals to every one of these classifications. A racer must race in one and only one classification for each race.

· Open: Every racer may race in the “open” classification.

· Skill level (self declared grouping):

o Pro / Amateur

· Gender

o Female / Male

· Age:

o Juniors: (17 and under) those racers who’s age will not reach 18 in the current year.

o Teens: (14 and under) those racers who’s age will not reach 15 in the current year.

o Kids: (11 and under) those racers who’s age will not reach 12 in the current year.

o Masters: Those racers who’s age is 45 years or older.

10.2. Racer Groupings

The race organizer will decide which racer classifications will be run independently, and which ones grouped together under the “open” classification. It is suggested that racer groupings only be implemented if there are more than 8 racers in the group. The race organizer may choose to use different courses for different racer groups. (e.g. A less challenging “Kids” race.) The groupings can use the various logical combinations of racer classifications above (e.g. Amateur-Female-Kids group).

10.3. Prizes and awards

Award of prizes, points, and other items may be made into the various Racer Classifications even if the race is not separately grouped in that manner. (e.g. Giving the top Female finishers an award in a race with all racers in a single “Open” grouping.)

10.4. Overall Winner

An event with several races may give awards for the overall winner. The method of calculating the overall winner shall be:

· Only racers who enter all events are eligible.

· One event is declared the “tie breaker” before the competition begins.

· Racers receive points in each race equal to their placing. (3^rd place = 3 points)

· Racers are sorted from lowest to highest sum of total points over all events.

· Ties are broken by comparing racer placing in the “tie breaking” event.

^11.^{Contest Director
Instructions}

11.1. Course Officials

· Required Course Officials

· Head Race Judge – Makes on-the-hill decisions and is head of the Protest Jury

· Suggested Course Officials

· Head Timer – Runs timing equipment and records the final cone-counts.

· Head Cone Judge – Coordinates cone judges and informs Timer of the final cone count and DQ’s for each racer.

· Other possible Course Officials

· Cone Judges – Count displaced cones, determine if racer has negotiated the course correctly.

It should be made clear to all racers which people are acting as course officials, and which are merely doing clerical, voluntary, or manual-labor functions. It is suggested that the Course Officials wear some sort of identifying clothing (special shirt, hat, vest, etc).

11.2. Allowable Variations from Rules

Variations from these rules are allowable under the following conditions:

· For MAJOR and MAIN status competitions:

· Variations shall be stated clearly in the contest sanction application.

· Variations shall be declared in written communication to the racers on the day of the race.

· Variations shall be minor, few, and not significantly change the nature of the race.

· Examples of possible variations: Start ramp specification variation (larger, smaller, etc); Tone count-down variation.

· For PRIME, BASIC, PLAIN status competitions:

· Variations shall be stated clearly in the contest sanction application.

· Variations shall be declared to the racers on the day of the race (e.g. in a Racer’s meeting or announcement).

· Variations are allowed to alter the nature of the race.

· Examples of possible variations: Push-start vs. ramp start; A-B-C bracketing system to expand the # of racers entering head-to-head rounds, taking 4 runs on a single-lane race instead of 2 runs.

· ISSA Regional Contest Coordinators will review contest sanction applications and may reduce the contest status based on the number and magnitude of the declared variations from these rules.