APPENDIX F - KITEBOARD RACING RULES

Kiteboard course races shall be sailed under The Racing Rules of Sailing as changed by this appendix. The term ‘boat’ elsewhere in the racing rules means ‘kiteboard’ or ‘boat’ as appropriate.
Note: Rules for other kiteboard racing formats (such as Short Track, Kitecross, Slalom, Boarder X) or other kiteboard competitions (such as Freestyle, Wave, Big Air, Speed) are not included in this appendix. Links to current versions of these rules can be found on World Sailing website.

CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS
The definitions Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap, Finish, Keep Clear, Leeward and Windward, Mark-Room, Obstruction, Start, Tack, Starboard or Port and Zone are changed to:

Clear Astern and Clear Ahead; Overlap
One kiteboard is clear astern of another when her hull is behind a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other kiteboard’s hull. The other kiteboard is clear ahead. They overlap when neither is clear astern. However, they also overlap when a kiteboard between them overlaps both. These terms always apply to kiteboards on the same tack. They do not apply to kiteboards on opposite tacks unless both kiteboards are sailing more than ninety degrees from the true wind.

Finish
A kiteboard finishes when, while the competitor is in contact with the hull, any part of her hull, or the competitor in normal position, crosses the finishing line from the course side. However, she has not finished if after crossing the finishing line she
(a) takes a penalty under rule 44.2,
(b) corrects an error under rule 28.2 made at the line, or
(c) continues to sail the course.

Keep Clear
A kiteboard keeps clear of a right-of-way kiteboard
(a) if the right-of-way kiteboard can sail her course with no need to take avoiding action and,
(b) when the kiteboards are overlapped, if the right-of-way kiteboard can also, without immediately making contact, change course in both directions or move her kite in any direction.

Leeward and Windward
A kiteboard’s leeward side is the side that is or, when she is head to wind, was away from the wind. However, when sailing by the lee or directly downwind, her leeward side is the side on which her kite lies. The other side is her windward side. When two kiteboards on the same tack overlap, the one whose hull is on the leeward side of the other’s hull is the leeward kiteboard. The other is the windward kiteboard.

Mark-Room
Room for a kiteboard to sail her proper course to round or pass the mark on the required side.

Obstruction
An object that a kiteboard could not pass without changing course substantially, if she were sailing directly towards it and 10 metres from it. An object that can be safely passed on only one side and an area so designated by the sailing instructions are also obstructions. However, a kiteboard racing is not an obstruction to other kiteboards unless they are required to keep clear of her or, if rule 23 applies, avoid her. A vessel under way, including a kiteboard racing, is never a continuing obstruction.

Start
A kiteboard starts when, her hull and the competitor having been entirely on the pre-start side of the starting line at or after her starting signal, and having complied with rule 30.1 if it applies, any part of her hull, or the competitor crosses the starting line in the direction of the first mark.

Tack, Starboard or Port
A kiteboard is on the tack, starboard or port, corresponding to the competitor’s hand that would be forward if the competitor were in normal riding position (riding heel side with both hands on the control bar and arms not crossed). A kiteboard is on starboard tack when the competitor’s right hand would be forward and is on the port tack when the competitor’s left hand would be forward.

Zone
The area around a mark within a distance of 30 metres. A kiteboard is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

Add the following definitions:

Capsized
A kiteboard is capsized if
(a) her kite is in the water,
(b) her lines are tangled with another kiteboard’s lines, or
(c) the competitor has, clearly by accident and for a significant period of time,
(1) fallen into the water or
(2) become disconnected from the hull.

Jumping
A kiteboard is jumping when her hull, its appendages and the competitor are clear of the water.

Recovering
A kiteboard is recovering from the time her kite is out of the water until she has steerage way.

F1 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 1
[No changes.]

F2 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 2

PART 2 - PREAMBLE
In the second sentence of the preamble, ‘injury or serious damage’ is changed to ‘injury, serious damage or a tangle’.

13 WHILE TACKING
Rule 13 is deleted.

14 AVOIDING CONTACT
Rule 14(b) is changed to:
(b) shall be exonerated if she breaks this rule and the contact does not cause damage, injury or a tangle.

16 CHANGING COURSE OR KITE POSITION
Rule 16 is changed to:
16.1 When a right-of-way kiteboard changes course or the position of her kite, she shall give the other kiteboard room to keep clear.

16.2 In addition, when after the starting signal a port-tack kiteboard is keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of a starboard-tack kiteboard, the starboard-tack kiteboard shall not change course or the position of her kite if as a result the port-tack kiteboard would immediately need to change course or the position of her kite to continue keeping clear.

17 ON THE SAME TACK; PROPER COURSE
Rule 17 is deleted.

18 MARK-ROOM
Rule 18 is changed to:
18.1 When Rule 18 Applies
Rule 18 applies between kiteboards when they are required to leave a mark on
the same side and at least one of them is in the zone. However, it does not apply
(a) between a kiteboard approaching a mark and one leaving it, or
(b) between kiteboards on opposite tacks.

18.2 Giving Mark-Room
(a) When the first kiteboard reaches the zone,
(1) if kiteboards are overlapped, the outside kiteboard at that moment shall thereafter give the inside kiteboard mark-room.
(2) if kiteboards are not overlapped, the kiteboard that has not reached the zone shall thereafter give mark-room.

(b) If the kiteboard entitled to mark-room leaves the zone, the entitlement to mark-room ceases and rule 18.2(a) is applied again if required based on the relationship of the kiteboards at the time rule 18.2(a) is re-applied.

(c) If a kiteboard obtained an inside overlap and, from the time the overlap began, the outside kiteboard is unable to give mark-room, she is not required to give it.

18.3 Tacking and Gybing
When an inside overlapped right-of-way kiteboard must change tack at a mark to sail her proper course, until she changes tack she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.3 does not apply at a gate mark or a finishing mark and a kitebaord shall not be penalized for breaking this rule unless the course of another kiteboard was affected by the breach of this rule.

20 ROOM TO TACK AT AN OBSTRUCTION

20.4 Arm Signals
The following arm signals are required in addition to the hails
(a) for ‘Room to tack’, repeatedly and clearly circling one hand over the head; and

(b) for ‘You tack’, repeatedly and clearly pointing at the other kiteboard and waving the arm to windward.

22 STARTING ERRORS; TAKING PENALTIES; JUMPING
Rule 22.3 is changed and new rules 22.4 are added:
22.3 During the last minute before her starting signal, a kiteboard that stops, slows down significantly, or one that is not making significant forward progress shall keep clear of all others unless she is accidentally capsized.

22.4 A kiteboard that is jumping shall keep clear of one that is not.

23 CAPSIZED; RECOVERING; AGROUND; RESCUING
Rule 23 is changed to:
23.1 If possible, a kiteboard shall avoid a kiteboard that is capsized or has not regained control after capsizing, is aground, or is trying to help a person or vessel in danger.

23.2 A kiteboard that is recovering shall keep clear of a kiteboard that is not.

F3 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 3

29 RECALLS
In rule 29.1 ‘crew or equipment’ is changed to ‘competitor’.

30 STARTING PENALTIES
In rules 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 and 30.4, ‘crew or equipment’ is changed to ‘or competitor’.
In rule 30.4, ‘sail number’ is changed to ‘competitor number’.

31 TOUCHING A MARK
Rule 31 is changed to:
While racing, a kiteboard shall not touch a windward mark.

36 RACES RESTARTED OR RESAILED
Rule 36(b) is changed to:
(b) cause a kiteboard to be penalized except under rule 30.2, 30.4 or 69 or under rule 14 when she has caused injury, serious damage or a tangle.

F4 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 4

41 OUTSIDE HELP
Add new rules 41(e) and 41(f):
(e) help from another competitor in the same race to assist a relaunch;
(f) help to change equipment, but only in the launching area.

42 PROPULSION
Rule 42 is changed to:
A kiteboard shall be propelled only by the action of the wind on the kite, by the action of the water on the hull and by the unassisted actions of the competitor. However, the competitor shall not make significant progress by paddling, swimming or walking.

43 COMPETITOR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
Rule 43.1(a) is changed to:
(a) Competitors shall not wear or carry clothing or equipment for the purpose of increasing their weight. However, a competitor may wear a drinking container that shall have a capacity of at least one litre and weigh no more than 1.5 kilograms when full.

44 PENALTIES AT THE TIME OF AN INCIDENT
Rules 44.1 and 44.2 are changed to:

44.1 Taking a Penalty
A kiteboard may take a One-Turn Penalty when she may have broken one or more rules of Part 2 or rule 31 in an incident while racing. Alternatively, the notice of race or sailing instructions may specify the use of the Scoring Penalty or some other penalty, in which case the specified penalty shall replace the One-Turn Penalty. However,

(a) when a kiteboard may have broken a rule of Part 2 and rule 31 in the same incident she need not take the penalty for breaking rule 31; and

(b) if the kiteboard caused injury, damage or a tangle or, despite taking a penalty, gained a significant advantage in the race or series by her breach, her penalty shall be to retire.

44.2 One-Turn Penalty
After getting well clear of other kiteboards as soon after the incident as possible, a kiteboard takes a One-Turn Penalty by promptly making one turn with her hull in the water. The turn shall include one completed tack and one completed gybe. Forward motion shall be established between the tack and the gybe (or vice versa) with the competitor on the correct side of the hull in normal sailing position. When a kiteboard takes the penalty at or near the finishing line, she shall sail completely to the course side of the line before finishing.

PART 4 RULES DELETED
Rules 43.2, 44.3, 45, 47, 48.1, 49, 50, 51, 52 and 54 are deleted.
F5 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 5

61 PROTEST REQUIREMENTS
Rule 61.1(a) is changed to:
(a) A kiteboard intending to protest shall inform the other kiteboard at the first reasonable opportunity. When her protest will concern an incident in the racing area that she was involved in or saw, she shall hail ‘Protest’ at the first reasonable opportunity. However,

(1) if the other kiteboard is beyond hailing distance, the protesting kiteboard need not hail but she shall inform the other kiteboard at the first reasonable opportunity;

(2) no red flag need be displayed;

(3) if the incident was an error by the other kiteboard in sailing the course, she need not hail but she shall inform the other kiteboard before that kiteboard finishes or at the first reasonable opportunity after she finishes;

(4) if as a result of the incident either competitor is in danger, or there is injury, serious damage or a tangle that is obvious to the kiteboard intending to protest, the requirements of this rule do not apply to her, but she shall attempt to inform the other kiteboard within the time limit of rule 61.3.

62 REDRESS
Rule 62.1(b) is changed to:
(b) injury, physical damage or a tangle because of the action of a kiteboard that was breaking a rule of Part 2 or of a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear;

63 HEARINGS
For a race of an elimination series that will qualify a kiteboard to compete in a later stage of an event, rules 61.2 and 65.2 are deleted and rule 63.6 is changed to:

63.6 Protests and requests for redress need not be in writing; they shall be made orally to a member of the protest committee as soon as reasonably possible following the race. The protest committee may take evidence in any way it considers appropriate and may communicate its decision orally.

64 DECISIONS
Add new rule 64.1(d):
(d) when a kiteboard has broken a rule of Part 2 and, as a result, caused a tangle for which redress was given, she shall be scored RCT if she retired or DCT if she was disqualified. When she does this a second or subsequent time in the series, her penalty shall be DNE.

Rules 64.3(a) and 64.3(b) are changed to:
(a) When the protest committee finds that deviations in excess of acceptable manufacturing tolerances were caused by damage or normal wear and do not improve the performance of the kiteboard, it shall not penalize her. However, the kiteboard shall not race again until the deviations have been corrected, except when the protest committee decides there is or has been no reasonable opportunity to do so.

(b) When the protest committee is in doubt about any matter concerning the measurement of a kiteboard, the interpretation of a class rule, or a matter involving damage to a kiteboard, it shall refer its questions, together with the relevant facts, to an authority responsible for interpreting the rule. In making its decision, the committee shall be bound by the reply of the authority.

70 APPEALS AND REQUESTS TO A NATIONAL AUTHORITY
Add new rule 70.7:

70.7 Appeals are not permitted in disciplines and formats with elimination series.

F6 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 6
[No changes.]

F7 CHANGES TO THE RULES OF PART 7
90 RACE COMMITTEE; SAILING INSTRUCTIONS; SCORING
The last sentence of rule 90.2(c) is changed to: ‘Oral instructions may be given only if the procedure is stated in the sailing instructions.’

F8 CHANGES TO APPENDIX A

A1 NUMBER OF RACES; OVERALL SCORES
Rule A1 is changed to:
The number of races scheduled and the number required to be completed to constitute a series shall be stated in the notice of race or ssailing instructions. If an event includes more than one discipline or format, the notice of race or sailing instructions shall state how the overall scores are to be calculated.

A4 LOW POINT SYSTEM
Rule A4.2 is changed to:
A4.2 A kiteboard that did not start, did not finish, retired or was disqualified shall be scored points for the finishing place one more than the number of kiteboards entered in the series or, in a race of an elimination series, the number of kiteboards in that heat. A kiteboard that is penalized under rule 30.2 shall be scored points as provided in rule 44.3(c).

A11 SCORING ABBREVIATIONS
Add to Rule A11:

DCT Disqualified after causing a tangle in an incident

RCT Retired after causing a tangle

F9 CHANGES TO APPENDIX G
Appendix G is changed to:

Appendix G – Identification on Competitors
G1 Every kiteboard shall be identified as follows:

(a) Each competitor shall be provided with and wear a shirt with a personal competition number of no more than three digits.

(b) The numbers shall be displayed on the front and back of the shirts and be at least 15 cm high.

(c) The numbers shall be Arabic numerals, all of the same solid colour, clearly legible and in a commercially available typeface giving the same or better legibility as Helvetica. The colour of the numbers shall contrast with the colour of the shirt.