NCWSA Judge’s Guide

To highlight NCWSA / AWSA differences

To highlight nuances

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This was created in October 2024, please always refer to the current AWSA & NCWSA Tournament Rulebooks

NCWSA Resources

NCWSA Governing Bylaws & Standards Page

General Governing Documents

• NCWSA Bylaws (pdf)
• NCWSA Policy and Procedures (pdf)
• NCWSA Tournament Rulebook (pdf)

Tournament Specific Documents

• NCWSA Nationals Standards (pdf)
• NCWSA All-Stars Standards (pdf)

Guides

• Tournament Host Guide (pdf)
• Tournament Committee Guide (pdf) - COMING SOON
• Officials 101 (pdf)
• Judge’s Guide (pdf)
• Scorer’s Guide (pdf)

Verification Documents & Examples

• NCWSA Letter of Eligibility Sample
• NCWSA Team/Club Verification Form

Applications

• NCWSA All-Stars – Application to Host (pdf)
• NCWSA Nationals – Application to Host (pdf)
• NCWSA Record Application (pdf)

Disclaimer: this guide must not contradict NCWSA or AWSA standards, the most current rulebook should always be referenced

General

Skier Does Not Attain Skiing Position

Why?

1. Aid in tracking skier eligibility (NCWSA Rule 4.1 Eligibility)
2. A “pass” in jump will not award a skier team points. A “fall” will. (NCWSA Rule 9.2 Jump Scoring)

If a skier does not attain skiing position, he/she should be judged/scored as a zero.

WSTIMS does not have a “doesn’t get up” button, so NCWSA recommends the following:

• Trick: Fall Before, Fall Before
• Slalom: Pull the skier’s entry gates with 0 buoys
• Jump: Attempt 1: PASS, SKIER DONE

Jump

Parameters

NCWSA Rule 9.1 Jump Height

NCWSA Rule 9.3 Jump Speed

AWSA Appendix Jump Timing

NCWSA 9.4 Jump Boat Path

Jump Height can be 5 ft or 4.5 ft

Jump Max Speed is 31.7 mph (51 kph)

Jump Min Speed is 24.2 mph (39 kph)

Jump Paths range from Collegiate Narrow to Wide Split

Jump - Fall in Course = PASS

Why? A “Pass” does NOT contribute to team points per NCWSA Rule 9.2.2

If a skier falls within the course, around the turn island, etc., then this should be judged as a “Pass” per AWSA Rule 9.03B

If a skier rides by, then this should be judged as a “Pass” per AWSA Rule 9.03D

A skier must have been in contact with the jump for it to be considered a “Jump” or “Fall”

AWSA Rulebook | Section 9. Jump (pulled Oct 2024)

9.03 Pass or Jump

1. A pass or jump shall be registered when a skier, in skiing position, passes the 180-meter buoy marking the beginning of the jump course (see Official Jump Course Diagram in Appendix), except when, in the opinion of the boat driver or boat judge, there is a hazard because of rough water, interference of another boat or other reasons. In this case the boat driver or boat judge shall hold up his hand and slow the boat a perceptible amount before the boat passes the ramp.
2. A pass shall also be registered if a skier falls within or outside the course, or if the reason for a handle throw is not acceptable to the judges (Rule 9.11).
3. A jump shall be scored when a skier passes over the ramp, lands, and skis away with a tight line in skiing position without falling. If a skier falls as a result of a jump, he loses that jump. If he shall purposely touch any part of the tow line other than the handle while in the air, he shall receive no score for that jump.
4. A pass is defined as the movement of the boat by and parallel to the ramp, regardless of what the skier does. A balk occurs when the skier refuses the ramp by either skiing to the left of the ramp and releasing the handle or by following the boat past the ramp while holding on to the rope. A skier shall receive no further jumps in a round if, after leaving the boat’s wake on a definite cut to the ramp, the skier elects to pass between the boat course and the ramp, whether or not he retains the tow line. A judgment decision is required by a majority of the Event judges as to whether the cut is “definite”.
5. The outcome of each attempt shall be communicated to the skier, including the distance and any reride possibilities, before the boat proceeds to any subsequent attempt by the same skier.

Slalom

Parameters

NCWSA Rule 10.2 Slalom Speed

Slalom Male Max Speed is 36.0 mph (58 kph)

Slalom Female Max Speed is 34.2 mph (55 kph)

Slalom Min Speed is 19.2 mph (31 kph)

Slalom - Mini Course

NCWSA Rulebook 10.3 Slalom Mini Course

Mini Course Buoy = ½

No partial credit of mini course buoy

A mixture of mini course and full course can be used consecutively

Mini course can only be used on the first pass

Full Course Illustration

AWSA Rule 10.12 Slalom Points for Full Course Buoys

Mini Course Illustration

NCWSA Rule 10.3 Slalom Mini Course

10.3.3: each mini course buoy is worth ½ a buoy

10.3.3.2: No partial credit is awarded for mini course buoys

10.3.4 Mini course scoring will only be used for the first pass

10.3.6 A mixture of mini course and full course buoys can be used to attain a final score

Recommendation!

Use one hand to count the full course buoys (left). 1 finger = 1 buoy

Use the other hand to count the mini course buoys (right)

left

right

Example 1

Skier A goes around 4 buoys and 2 mini-course buoys consecutively resulting in a score of 5. This is the end of Skier A’s turn.

1+1+.5+1+.5+1 = 5

= 5

Example 2

Skier B goes around 1 mini-course buoy, misses buoy 2, then continues on the mini course. Since Skier B did not consecutively ski around all the buoys, this results in in a score of 0.5. This is the end of Skier B’s turn.

0.5

= 0.5

Example 3

Skier C goes around 2 mini-course buoys consecutively then falls after rounding min-course buoy 3. This results in in a score of 1. This is the end of Skier C’s turn.

0.5+0.5=1

= 1

Tricks

Parameters

NCWSA Rule 11.1 Trick Pass

NCWSA Rule 11.3 Trick Ski

NCWSA Appendix Trick Chart

One pass of 20 sec

The trick ski front binder is within 9.9 degrees (11 percent) of parallel with the centerline (long) axis of the ski

The width of the ski may not exceed 35% of the length.

Trick point values vary from AWSA

Unlimited # of Flips

AWSA Rule 11.13.F Scoring

In a Class C tournament, the number of flips scored is unlimited