-to match as close as possible the way of practising slalom on the spots, public places. -to make fair judging easier by direct comparison between the skaters
-to provide an exciting challenge to the skaters and an exciting show for the public
-to motivate the skaters to create new tricks or to raise difficulty of tricks again and again.
-to develop freestyle slalom fast thanks to the easiness of organisation
Pro = This category is not set yet, to make pro/am category, we can consider World ranking of skaters and past results.
-Registration must end at least 1h before the beginning of the competition to let time to make battle groups
Local & Basic events : 16m by 6m long, excl. judge table
Main & Major events : 26m by 8m long, excl. judge table
In special cases, WSSA can decide to use smaller place for Main and Major events.
In case Speed Slalom contest is organised, the area should be minimum 34m long by 8m wide.
The floor has to be flat and smooth, without holes or bumps.
Main & Major events : >= 3 lines, >=10 cones/line, 1 line 80's, 1 line 50's, 1 line 120's
On most events, the standard is 4 lines : 1 line of 14 cones 120cm ; 1 line of 20 cones 80cm ; 1 line of 10 cones 80cm ; 1 line of 20 cones 50cm.
Cones must be positioned in straight lines Circle must be marked for each individual cone position and may also indicate the center point.
Groups are calculated according to the latest WSSA world ranking. Each skater is ranked in the list according to his world ranking. Non ranked competitors are added randomly (draw) at the end of the list.
According to the number of competitors, there may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16 ... qualification groups.
Examples : 12-16 skaters --> 4 groups ; 18-23 skaters --> 6 groups ; 24-32 skaters --> 8 groups ; ... Each group is minimum 3 skaters, maximum 4 skaters (except for 1 on 1 battles)
Skaters of first group are called for warm up time (1 -> 5min). In the meantime, the m.c presents the skaters and announces the order to go. (This order will remain the same the whole group long)
Each skater has 2 or 3 runs of 30 sec. and perform one by one (chronometer starts when the first cone is skated). A “last trick” can be added after the 2 or 3 runs depending on judges and organisation.
In each battle group, skaters will have the same number of runs
Between each run, each skater has to wait for the m.c to allow him to go. Before each run, all cones must be replaced on circles.
During each run, skaters are free to do whatever they want, they don't have to use each line nor to skate each cone.
If there is no screen to show the time going, the m.c informs the skaters about the time left at least once during each run : 20sec, 10sec, 5sec.
When all competitors did their runs, the m.c calls the next group to warm-up during the judges' deliberation
When the deliberation is done, the m.c stops the warm-up and calls the skaters of the previous group to gather in the center of the area and announces the results : first the winner of the group (1st qualified) and then the 2nd qualified. The 2 qualified skaters go through to the next round, the 2 other skaters are knocked out.
The judges can ask for a last trick if they cannot decide between 2 skaters.
For the last trick, each skater will have maximum 2 consecutive attempts. The order to go is drawn by the main judge, the winner of the draw can choose the order.
The last trick consists in 1 single trick repeated as many times as possible or a combo of tricks of the same type.
If the first attempt lasts more than 10sec, there will be no second try.
The last trick cannot last more than 30sec.
Once the 2 skaters have done their last trick, the judges give the result to the m.c who announces it.
The same procedure restarts for each group.
Semi-Finals / Finals :
After semi-finals qualified skaters go to the final with the 4 best skaters of the competition, non-qualified skaters go to 5-8 final group.
In the final round only, the best ranked skater (WSSA world ranking) can choose first his place to go in the round (1,2,3 or 4) , the second best ranked skater can choose in second position his place to go in the round (only 3 choices left); the third best ranked skater can choose in third position his place to go in the round (only 2 choices left). The 4th ranked skater takes the last place left.
BATTLE JUDGING
Number of judges :
-3 table judges (incl.1 main judge)
-1 m.c (in charge of moderation and time)
-1-2 cone boys-girls
Table Judges :
Their main goal is to analyse the skaters' performances and to make a group ranking at the end of each group.
-analyse skaters' global performances to get a general impression (up+down body position, strong+weak points, execution speed, quantity+quality+variety+originality of tricks)
-rank skaters progressively (the ranking evolves as the group unfolds)
- identify tricks/combos that each skaters does, note the quality of execution (with “+” and “-” )
- number of cones managed per tricks (or number of repetitions of the trick), number of cones kicked and/or missed doing a trick
-no mark or points are given per tricks
-determine who goes through to the next round, and who is out
-judges can help each other, talk together or comment during battle rounds, but they are always concentrated on the performance of the skaters
-The notes taken are used to remind the judges of what the skaters did in case they hesitate between 2 or more skaters (whose performances are very close or equivalent.)
- For each group, the skaters start from scratch. Their previous round performance will not be taken into account in the current round. Judges have to “forget” the previous rounds for the skaters to start each battle group equal.
- Penalties :
- if a skater kicks a cone, the trick is not taken into account by the judges :
-egg: a wheeling on 8 cones with 2 cones kicked down will count as a 6-cone wheeling.
-egg: 4 spins on 1 cone with the cone kicked during the 3rd spin will count as 2 spins
- if a skater performs a trick on a kicked cone, the trick will not be taken into account, will be counted as Out>
- if a skater falls during his run, the trick he was performing is not taken into account from the beginning of the lost of his balance. The judges don't need to write it on his sheet, there is no specific penalty for falls, we will consider that the loss of time is already a penalty for the skater.
- if a skaters repeats several times the same tricks during one round, the judges will only take into account the best attempt.
- Judges decision :
at the end of each group, judges compare their ranking with that of the other judges :
-if they all agree about the result, it is validated without deliberation
-if they don't agree about the result, they start to deliberate and explain the reasons of their decision. If then they agree on the ranking, they validate the result.
-if they don't agree after deliberation, the majority will win the decision (2 out of 3)
-if judges cannot decide between 2 skaters, they can ask for a last trick to make their decision.
NOTE TAKING
to gain time while taking notes, the judges have to use codifications (of their own – can vary depending on the judges)
Example : a 6-cone frontward toe wheeling, to 3-cone backward toe wheeling, to 2-cone frontward toe wheeling, to toe spin out of the line
WT6 + bWT3 + WT2 + spin out.
Example : a 5-cone Heel-Toe Korean spin kicking one cone, to 3-cone seven
HTKspin5-1 + 7x3
if a skater does combos of easy tricks, the judge can call it freestyle, and note it “FR” for example.
The judge has to focus on the FR quality (speed, balance, difficulty...) >> example: FR++
Other examples of codification
- chicken leg: Chik
-wheeling: W
-toe / heel: T / H
-front / back: ft / bk
The judges have to make their own code in order to enable them to take fast and accurate notes, as well as re-reading their notes without ambiguity.
Battle judging recap
The Judges have to :
Watch skaters performance (general impression + specific tricks + quality & quantity)
Make a provisory ranking evolving in mind
Take notes about important performance to remember and quality and quantity of tricks
Validate their own ranking
Compare their rankings and agree on a final common ranking
Qualify the first two skaters of the group and knock out the others
Cone boys/girls
-They are here to put back the cones on the circles and to check the lines are clean for skaters to perform in the best conditions
-Before a skater starts, they have to check all the cones of each line
-When a skater hits a cone, they have to put it back on the circle
-They have to wait that the skater has left the line before replacing the cones.
-They have to be careful of competitors, always keep an eye on what's going on the battle area to prevent accidents.
-They have to be careful not to disturb the skater when he's performing
-They have to be careful not to disturb the table judges
JUDGE SHEET
Judge sheet are useful to judge in good conditions
1 sheet is used for each battle group
