Rule 15 - SLALOM
15.1: General - Slalom
For the boat, see rule 11.1, and for the towlines, 11.12 and 11.14.1. For the tolerances see Rules 12.2.1, 12.2.2, 12.2.4 and 15.6.
15.2: Slalom Course Entrance
The entrance to the slalom course is the entrance gate. As an option, boat path alignment gates of colours contrasting to the official course buoys (green is recommended) may be placed outside the official course at a distance of 55m before the entrance gates at either end and at a 1.15m width of the interior boat guide buoys.
15.3: Slalom Pass
15.3.1
The contestant shall follow the tow boat through the entrance gate of the slalom course ( see Diagram 1 following the Appendices of this Rule Book), pass around the outside of all 6 buoys and proceed through the far end gate (constituting a pass), making the turn and returning through the course in similar fashion until such time as he/she falls, misses an entrance or exit gate, or fails to round a buoy. Any of the foregoing shall complete his/her competition and scoring in the event.
15.3.2
Once the contestant's competition has been completed, and the skier remains in skiing position, the skier shall return to the drop-off point by skiing directly behind the towboat. Failure to do so may, at the discretion of the event judges, result in the skier's disqualification in the event.
15.4: Boat Path
The boat shall follow a straight path within the limits set by the boat gate buoys.
15.5: Boat Speeds and Rope Lengths - Official Pass Numbers
The following speeds and tow line lengths shall be used for slalom. The skier must request his/her pass # or rope length and boat speed from those passes allowable from the following table:
Open Men, Girls III, Open Men V, VI, VII
Men I, II, Women, Women I
Boys III Men III, IV
Pass Total
No buoys km/h Rope km/h Rope km/h Rope
1 6 49 18.25 m 46 18.25 m 43 18.25 m
2 12 52 18.25 m 49 18.25 m 46 18.25 m
3 18 55 18.25 m 52 18.25 m 49 18.25 m
4 24 58 18.25 m 55 18.25 m 52 18.25 m
5 30 58 16.00 m 55 16.00 m 52 16.00 m
6 36 58 14.25 m 55 14.25 m 52 14.25 m
7 42 58 13.00 m 55 13.00 m 52 13.00 m
8 48 58 12.00 m 55 12.00 m 52 12.00 m
9 54 58 11.25 m 55 11.25 m 52 11.25 m
10 60 58 10.75 m 55 10.75 m 52 10.75 m
11 66 58 10.25 m 55 10.25 m 52 10.75 m
12 72 -- -- -- -- -- --
13 78 -- -- -- -- -- --
Women II,III,IV Women V Women VII Girls I,Boys I
Girls II, Women VI
Boys II
Pass Tot.
No buoys km/h Rope km/h Rope km/h Rope km/h Rope
1 6 40 18.25m 40 18.25m 37 18.25m 28 18.25m
2 12 43 18.25m 43 18.25m 40 18.25m 31 18.25m
3 18 46 18.25m 46 18.25m 43 18.25m 34 18.25m
4 24 49 18.25m 49 18.25m 46 18.25m 37 18.25m
5 30 52 18.25m 52 18.25m 49 18.25m 40 18.25m
6 36 55 18.25m 52 16.00m 49 16.00m 43 18.25m
7 42 55 16.00m 52 14.25m 49 14.25m 46 18.25m
8 48 55 14.25m 52 13.00m 49 13.00m 49 18.25m
9 54 55 13.00m 52 12.00m 49 12.00m 49 16.00m
10 60 55 12.00m 52 11.25m 49 11.25m 49 14.25m
11 66 55 11.25m 52 10.75m 49 10.75m 49 13.00m
12 72 55 10.75m - - - - 49 12.00m
13 78 55 10.25m - - - - 49 11.25m
In any subsequent runs, the line shall be shortened in 0.50 meter increments. If, in the opinion of the majority of the judges for the event, the weather or water conditions require, starting speeds may be lowered either 3 km/h or 6 km/h. However, for rating purposes, only official passes shall be scored.
15.6: Boat Speed Tolerances
Two segment timing is required. The tolerances for slalom are as follows:
2 SEGMENT TIMING FOR SLALOM
(Record Capable Standard)
Speed Range FIRST SEGMENT SECOND SEGMENT
(kph) (mph) Actual Fast Slow Actual Fast Slow
25 15.5 15.70 15.24 16.18 21.60 20.97 22.27
28 17.4 14.01 13.65 14.40 19.29 18.78 19.82
31 19.3 12.66 12.36 12.97 17.42 17.01 17.85
34 21.1 11.54 11.29 11.80 15.88 15.54 16.24
37 23.0 10.61 10.39 10.82 14.59 14.30 14.90
40 24.9 9.81 9.63 10.00 13.50 13.25 13.76
43 26.7 9.13 8.99 9.27 12.56 12.37 12.75
46 28.6 8.53 8.41 8.65 11.74 11.58 11.91
49 30.5 8.01 7.90 8.12 11.02 10.88 11.17
52 32.3 7.55 7.45 7.64 10.38 10.26 10.52
55 34.2 7.13 7.05 7.22 9.82 9.70 9.94
58 36.0 6.77 6.69 6.84 9.31 9.21 9.42
15.7: Successful Pass
A skier shall have the option of choosing any starting speed above the minimum speed for his/her division (15.5). Further optional selection of slalom passes is also allowed. If any but the minimum starting speed for the skier's division is selected and his/her first pass is not completed, the skier scores the number of buoys actually rounded, but at the minimum starting speed as set for his/her division in Rule 15.5. If the first pass is completed, the skier is credited with all skipped buoys. In the case of optional selection of further passes, the pass selected must be completed to receive a score at that rope length and speed. In the case of a pass not completed, the skier will receive credit for the number of buoys actually rounded but at the rope length or speed which would have been the consecutive order as in rule 15.5. A pass is considered ÒcompletedÓ when the skier has scored six and passed through the entrance and exit gates.
15.8: Grazing and Riding Over a Buoy
It is a miss to ride inside a buoy or outside the entrance or end gate or to ride over, straddle or jump over a buoy or gate buoy; but there is no penalty for grazing a buoy with a ski or part of the body.
"Riding over" shall be defined as hitting a buoy with the ski so as to move it significantly from its position or temporarily sink it. Hitting a buoy less severely shall be considered as "grazing".
15.9: Slalom Scoring
15.9.1
A buoy not missed is scored as follows, up to the point of the first miss (see illustration next page):
a) 1/4 point when the skier crosses the line C-D, in skiing
position, before the buoy to be rounded. The skier shall not receive
the 1/4 point if he passes inside the buoy.
b) 1/2 point when the skier has re-crossed line C-D without
falling (2.2) before the level of the next buoy or end gate.
c) One point when the skier has returned to within the wake before
passing the level of the next buoy (or end gate in the case of the
final buoy) without falling (2.2). A gate is not scored in any
manner.
15.9.2
Each contestant's score shall be totalled to yield his/her score for determining placement in the event.
15.10: Fall
A fall (a) before the course, (b) in the course (c) outside the course while the boat is turning around for the return pass, (d) during the unscored return pass before a rerun if, in the judge's opinion, the skier was not following straight behind the boat, concludes the run at that point; but the contestant shall receive credit for buoys scored before the fall.
15.11: Ties Slalom
15.11.1
In the case where a tie exists with skiers at different boat speeds and/or rope lengths, the skier with the fastest boat speed shall be the winner. If a tie still exists, the shortest rope length shall be used to determine the winner.
15.11.2
If after applying Rule 15.11.1, a tie still exists, the tie shall be run off for the first three placings only. A new drawing for order shall be conducted and the tied contestants shall start by repeating the pass before the one in which their miss occurred. If another tie results, the pass one higher than the one in which the original miss occurred shall be used, with a new draw; except when the tie occurs in the skiers' first pass, in which case, the starting speed will remain the same. If, after this procedure has been completed, a tie still persists, the foregoing process shall be repeated until the tie is broken.
15.11.3
In an elimination and final round tournament, ties will be decided on the basis of the highest final round score. If a tie still exists, it will be run off as in Rule 15.11.2 above.
15.12: Slalom Event Officials
15.12.1
There shall be a boat judge and boat timer riding in the boat. Four additional judges shall be positioned in the slalom judging towers to judge the buoys scored. At the conclusion of each skier's pass, the judges shall signal their score to the Chief of Competition. Any disagreement shall be settled before the next skier starts.
15.12.2
The boat judge shall observe the accuracy of the boat path and course conditions, and monitor the water speed measuring devices. The boat timer shall verify the speed of the boat by using a timing device pursuant to procedures outlined in 12.3. Alternately, the boat may be timed by an automatic timing device. In the event the time is recorded elsewhere than in the boat, it must be communicated to the boat immediately after each pass. When an incorrect speed results, the boat timer shall so advise the boat judge. In addition to the official timer, at least one other timing device shall be operated from the shore or slalom tower. In the event that the official timer fails to record a time, the back-up timer shall govern.
15.13: Entrance/Exit Gate Judging
15.13.1
The skier's passage through the entrance/exit gate shall only be judged by the judges on the adjacent tower. To take away credit for the gate requires a unanimous decision by both of the tower judges.
15.14: Rerides Slalom
15.14.1
In the case where the boat's path is not within the boat guide buoys and where in such case, in the boat judge's opinion, the skier was given an unfair advantage, a mandatory reride shall be taken. If the action was disadvantageous, the skier shall be awarded an optional reride.
15.14.2
Where the speed is slower than allowable on any pass (15.6), a rerun shall be mandatory, except as provided below.
For maximum boat speeds, if either segment time is too slow, a rerun is mandatory. If the pass was not a perfect pass, the skier may not improve his/her score over that obtained on the slow pass, unless the speed is so slow that it is equal to or below the fast tolerance of the next slower pass. If the pass was a successful pass (score is 6, skier to continue), the skier may choose to proceed to the next pass instead of repeating the pass. If the skier then makes a successful pass, he/she receives credit for both passes. If the pass is missed, he/she will receive credit for the buoys made as if it were the lower, skipped pass.
If the skier's score is greater than 2-1/2 and the 1st segment time is good or fast but the 2nd segment l time is slow, he/she may choose to accept a score of 2 1/2 instead of the mandatory reride.
If the skier scores more than 2-1/2, and one segment is fast and the other segment is slow, a re-ride is mandatory, but the skier can improve his/her score.
15.14.3
Where the speed is faster than allowable and the skier has not made a perfect pass, the skier has the option of a re-ride but shall not be scored less than the score obtained on the pass leading to the re-ride.
15.14.4
If a rerun is to be taken, the boat shall immediately return through the course in an unscored pass, and the rerun shall then follow in the original direction through the course.
15.14.5
If a skier has damaged his/her equipment during a run that leads to a reride, the skier must be back on his/her skis within 3 minutes from the time the reride has been granted or he/she is not allowed to continue in the round.
15.14.6
If the above occurs in the case of a mandatory reride, the pass that brought about the reride is scored as '0'.
15.14.7
If the above occurs in the case of an optional reride (and the skier is not back on his skis within 3 minutes), the skier is credited with the score obtained in the run that brought about the reride.
15.14.8
If, in the case of a skier starting at a rope length shorter or longer than requested, it shall be handled in a fashion similar to a fast or slow speed.
15.14.9
If a contestant inadvertently receives a speed higher or a rope length shorter than the intended pass, he/she will be given the option of receiving credit for the actual score or of taking a reride.
Boat Times and Reride Situations
1st 2nd 2-1/2 3-6w/Miss 6 No Miss
Segment Segment or less
OK OK -- -- --
OK S -- MR or 2-1/2 MR, 2-1/2, GO UP
OK F -- OR --
F OK OR OR --
F S OR MR, improve,or2-1/2 MR, 2-1/2, GO UP
F F OR OR --
S OK MR MR MR, GO UP
S S MR MR MR, GO UP
S F MR MR, improve MR, GO UP
OK = good time F = fast S = slow
GO UP = skier option to continue -- = score stands as is
OR = optional reride MR = mandatory reride
improve = skier allowed to improve score
15.15: Video Tape
A video camera shall be used to record end course video for all runs of 12m or shorter from both ends of the slalom course. The video shall be a minimum of 8X power (a standard video camera). 12X power is desirable if available. If the video is 24X power or greater, video from one end only is sufficient. Results that do not conform to Rules 10.5, 15.3, and 15.4 and 15.6 are subject to annulment.
The end course camera shall be placed as close as feasibly possible to the end gates. Preferably, the camera should be on shore and no more than 180m from the end gates.