AASP Judging and Priority

Events are comprised of rounds and those rounds are made up of heats ranged from two-to-four surfers looking to lock in their two highest-scoring waves, both out of a possible 10 points for a possible 20-point heat total. There will be an active judging panel of three scoring judges, one rotating judge and one priority judge. A Head Judge will be used to oversee the judging panel. The two best scoring waves (each out of a possible 10) are added together to become a surfer’s heat total (out of a possible 20). Surfers must perform to the ASP judging key elements to maximize their scoring potential. Judges analyze the following major elements when scoring a ride:

• Commitment and degree of difficulty
• Innovative and progressive maneuvers
• Combination of major maneuvers
• Variety of maneuvers
• Speed, power, flow and length of ride

Judging Scale

[0.0 — 1.9: Poor]
[2.0 — 3.9: Fair]
[4.0 — 5.9: Average]
[6.0 — 7.9: Good]
[8.0 — 10.0: Excellent]

The subjective judging system will be used (0-10 points using .1 integrals)

Priority

No more than four-man heats. All heats will be twenty minutes, twenty-minute heats allow for a maximum of 12 waves to be ridden. All final heats will be 25 minutes with a maximum of 15 waves ridden.

No priority will be given at the beginning of any heat. The first surfer to catch a wave will be given last priority at the end of the ride, the next surfer to catch a wave will move into last priority and so on until all surfers have established the priority structure. Once priority is established there is no “paddle priority”, it is first to take off will be given last priority throughout the heat. This is to insure every surfer get the opportunity to catch a scoring wave

The surfer with priority has the unconditional right of way to catch any wave they choose. Other surfers in the heat can paddle for, and catch, the same wave, but only if they do not hinder the scoring potential of a surfer with priority. A surfer loses priority once they catch a wave and/or a surfer paddles for but misses a wave.

Priority Interference 

The Infraction: A surfer without priority blocks, paddles for, or takes off on a wave in a way that hinders the scoring potential of the surfer who holds official priority.

The Penalty: The offending surfer loses their entire score for that wave, and their overall heat score is calculated using only their single best wave (losing the entire second highest scoring wave).

Paddle Interference

The Infraction: Another surfer paddling for the same wave should not excessively hinder a surfer who has inside position. A paddling interference may be called if:

1. The offending surfer makes contact with or forces the inside surfer to change their line  while paddling to catch the wave causing possible loss of scoring potential.
2. The offending surfer obviously causes a section to break down in front of the inside surfer which would not normally have done so causing loss of scoring potential.
3. When a surfer is put in a position while paddling out they cannot get out of the way and a collision happens due to this, it is up to a majority of the judges to call interference based on whether it is felt to be accidental or not.

The Penalty: The offending surfer is penalized by having their second highest scoring wave cut in half.

Waveski Blocking Rule

in Non-Priority Situations For all Events with a Priority Judge, a competitor with the inside position will be allocated lowest priority applicable at the time if they:

1. Make a committed paddle for a wave and block a competitor from catching that wave.
2. Position themselves in the take-off zone and block another Competitor from catching a wave.

In three or four man heats or non-priority one on one situations, another Waveski surfer paddling for the same wave should not excessively hinder a Waveski surfer who has inside position.

AASP will be a double elimination round robin format giving each surfer a second chance to advance.

Round Robin Requirements

Competitors are not required to surf both heats in the round robin format, surfers can use scores from heat one or heat two, or surf one of the two heats of the round robin format and use those scores to advance.

Infraction in the Round Robin: If an infraction is incurred in the first or second heat of the round robin format, the infraction will carry over into the overall score of the offending surfer in the round robin portion.

Judging Protests

Complaints and protests by competitors shall be in writing and handed to the event Beach Marshall before action can be taken. All written protests will only be received after a 20-minute cool down period after the heat end. The event Contest Director, Beach Marshall and/or The HEAD JUDGE will handle all written protests. THEIR DECISION WILL BE FINAL. Videotape of the wave(s) will not be watched or considered by the judges. No heat that involves a competitor whose advancement is under protest will take place prior to the resolution of the protest.

Equipment Requirements

The AASP equipment requirements listed below:

• Surfboard (Stand-Up/Prone)
• Knee Board
• Wave Ski
• Tandem Prone Surfboard

*No kayaks, surf ski’s, or open water canoes are permitted.

Point Structure

This point structure will be used by all tour events to determine an overall AASP World Champion in each division based on combined points per event.

The Winner of the annual Association of Adaptive Surfing Professionals Championship is the adaptive surfer with the most points after the tour events combined. If the number of points is the same the advantage is given to the adaptive surfer with the highest wave score at the tours final event stop.