IWT Streaming

About the IWT

The IWT (International Windsurfing Tour) is the Hawaiian based organization for the wave riders.

The IWT organise wave riding events across North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and more. The IWT supports all riders, young and old, beginner and pro, men and women. Seeking out the best locations, with the best wave riding conditions on earth, for the best quality wave riding competitions, our ultimate purpose is to discover, support and crown the most radical wave riders on earth.

In 2019 IWT wave riders had over 20 million views across our Facebook and Instagram platforms. We’re taking the sport and it’s champions to a new digital generation.

IWT Competition

The IWT runs both the (1) The IWT Wave Tour leading into (2) The Grand Final Aloha Classic, and (3) IWT Big Wave Challenge. For details of each please go to the relevant tabs for details and updates. The IWT also creates world class entertainment content, including the feature movie by Director Jace Panebianco, called RIDERS of the Liquid Plains. Below you can read a brief history of the IWT, and finally there is a section for marketing partners. The IWT content is all live-streamed exclusively with the global action sports platform RIDERS.tv.

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  1. The IWT Waver Tour

The IWT takes riders to the best waves on the planet to push the riders and the sport to the limit. We nurture youth and amateur riders as well as the best riders in the world. All together. All seeking the rush of riding the best waves. The Wave Tour events include:

  1. Margaret River, AUSTRALIA
  2. Omaezaki, JAPAN
  3. Topocalma, CHILE
  4. Pacasmayo, PERU
  5. Baja, MEXICO
  6. Pistol River, USA

2. The IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic

This is the pinnacle event of our sport. The single most prestigious windsurfing event title in the world today. To earn a place in this elite event, riders qualify by competing at the earlier IWT Wave Tour events, or be granted one of the limited wild-cards (or be in the top PWA rankings with event partnership). This really is The Super Bowl of Windsurfing and the whole wave riding world tunes in to see the best of the best battle it out in the giant waves of mighty Ho’okipa Beach on Maui’s legendary North Shore. This event decides the champions in all major divisions:

7. Ho’okipa Beach Park, Maui, HAWAII
32 Open Pro*
16 Pro Women*
16 Youth**
16 Masters**
16 G.Masters**
16 Open AM**

* PRIORITY fields for Open Pro and Women will expand if PWA partner
** Y+M+GM+OA divisions pending extended window approval from Maui County
Champions are crowned at the official closing ceremony and party.

3. The IWT Big Wave Challenge

To get the best big waves on the planet, this contest uses an online format (Covid-Safe), where riders and image makers enter a photo or video of their biggest wave rides using the hashtag #iwtbigwave on Instagram. An international panel of judges determines the biggest and best for Men, Women, Youth (<20) and now also Masters (45+). There are awards for the ‘all-time best’ and the ‘annual best’. We receive entries of giant waves from all across the planet, but by far the dominant big wave location is Pe’ahi (Jaws) on Maui’s north shore. This is where most of the top big wave riders base themselves to catch the biggest ridable waves from October through to March each year. This is the thunder-dome of windsurfing.

Global Window April 1 – March 31
Pe’ahi JAWS window October 1 – March 31

#1 Biggest Ride – photo + video categories
#2 Most Radical – photo + video categories
#3 Storm Rider – photo + video categories
#4 Worst Wipeout – photo + video categories

Winners announced at the IWT Big Wave Awards in April
Categories: All-Time Awards + Annual Awards
Divisions: Men, Women, Youth (<20), Masters (45+)

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The RIDERS Movie

‘Riders of the Liquid Plains’ is a film by the great ocean action cinematographer, Jace Panebianco from Poor Boyz Productions. The movie captures the powerful story of riders on the IWT Wave Tour as they travel to the best wave riding locations on earth and compete for the coveted IWT Wave Title. The hero emerges as the wild French aerialist Antoine Martin, who takes on the wave tour to battle with US legends Morgan Noireaux, Bernd Roediger, Levi Siver and many more across events in Japan, Chile, Peru, Mexico, USA Wild West coast, and then takes on the whole world to win the IWT Grand Final Mercedes-Benz Aloha Classic on Maui’s north shore. Watch it now on this website in the IWT Streaming tab. Be inspired! IWT Streaming

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IWT History

The IWT was created to serve all the wave riders of the Asia Pacific hemisphere. Until the AWT, now IWT, started in 2010, there had been no open international wave riding events on this big blue water half of the planet for a vey long time. The first event that started it all was the 2010 Pistol River Wave Bash on the Wild West Oregon coast of the USA. In 2011 the AWT (American Windsurfing Tour) was formed and expanded with events in Oregon, California and Baja. In 2013 the tour expanded to include Peru. From there the expansion went fully international and in 2016 was renamed the IWT (International Windsurfing Tour). 2019 saw the introduction of The IWT Big Wave Challenge. 2020 has seen the Covid-19 shutdown of the tour for public safety. 2021 will see a strong return with a clear structure connecting the grass roots to the elite level offering competition for all riders from entry level youth all the way up to elit pro, with a clear pathway for young riders to rise from beginner to the top of the world. Each year starts with The IWT Wave Tour open to all riders in all divisions. The best riders from these competitions gain Official IWT Qualification and rise to represent their nations in The IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic at Ho’okipa Beach Park on Maui’s North Shore at the end of each year. The IWT Grand Final crowns the IWT Wave Tour Champions. Then the most radical big wave riders battle the giants of Pe’ahi JAWS to crown The IWT Big Wave Champions.

The IWT Founders: The IWT was originally known as the AWT (The American Windsurfing Tour) founded by Russ Faurot and Sam Bittner in 2010. At the end of the 2016 season, the AWT changed its name to the IWT (The International Windsurfing Tour). At the end of the 2018 season, the IWT was acquired by IWT Marketing Pty Ltd ATF Pacific Trust, owned by Simeon Glasson and partnering with original co-founder Russ Faurot through his company Sideoff Events LLC. The mission of the co-founders was to offer more opportunity, for more riders, for more fun, to reveal the best riders from around the world, and this remains the core mission today.

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IWT Partnerships

IWT Vision: The Best Riders. The Best Waves. The Dream.

We bring the most spectacular wave riding action footage and star power to millions of new viewers, all around the world, with a particular interest in the under 25 digital consumer market. We’ve relaunched the sport of wave riding to a new generation. The IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic and the IWT Big Wave Challenge receive the strongest online engagement. These two products have the highest individual product marketing value for brand partners, but the combined IWT suite of products is the best overall value.

Ways To Partner With Us:
* Integration into experiences and events around the Asia Pasific
* Custom wave rider content creation and promotion
* Social media amplification and custom programs
* Surf athlete and influencer partnerships
* Digital and linear advertising

#1 The IWT Big Wave Challenge
* 5M+ views 19/20 big wave season
* #1 Naming Rights
* #2 Presenting Rights
* #3 Supporting Rights

#2 The IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic 
* 5M+ views 2019 single event
* #1 Naming Rights
* #2 Presenting Rights
* #3 Supporting Rights

#3 The IWT Wave Tour (the full package 1,#2,#3)
* 20M+ views 2019 – all events
* #1 Naming Rights (the full package 1,#2,#3)
* #2 Presenting Rights (the full package 1,#2,#3)
* #3 Supporting Rights (the full package 1,#2,#3)

Our reach is global, with opportunities to customize programs at regional, national and local levels across the Asia Pacific and Americas. With competition and community events on four continents, we can tailor a program to reach the markets that best serve your brand and business needs.

* 8+ global events
* 1.0M+ monthly digital reach
* 3.5M+ video minutes consumed
* 2.5M combined athlete social following
* 350K+ IWT social following
* 20M+ social views in 2019

We understand and engage with Millennials and Generation Z each and every day around the globe, serving them powerful, authentic and highly aspirational content.

* 70%+ are Millennial or Gen Z
* 70%+ have above average HHI
* 30%+ Female

We are a gateway to one of the most desirable lifestyles and audiences on the planet. Our fans are:

* Active
* Healthy
* Adventurous
* Authentic
* Progressive
* Eco-Conscious

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The IWT Wave Tour Details

IWT Divisions:

  • Open Pro 
  • Women
  • Open AM (open to all non-pro riders)
  • Youth (< 20 at the end of the year)
  • Masters (45+ at the start of the year)
  • Grand Masters (55+ at the start of the year)

Qualification for the Open Pro Division:

  • Winning the IWT Open AM overall from any previous year.
  • Winning any IWT Open AM event in the last 12 months.
  • Having competed as an IWT Pro in the last 5 years.
  • Head Judge’s discretion.

Seeding

Riders are seeded according to their IWT Rolling Ranking which is calculated from the best four results from the previous one year of events, hence a whole year of data is always being used. Additionally, the current seeded event will be weighted by a factor of two, so that local riders may earn a stronger seed based on their performance from the previous year. If a PWA rider with a current or previous year top ten ranking enters an IWT event then the Head Judge will use discretion in the seeding process.

Overall Wave Tour Points

  • Open Pro and Women best four (4) event results in the International Windsurfing Tour will count in the final tally for overall Wave Titles (including the Grand Final Aloha Classic).
  • Open, Youth, Masters, Grand Masters best three (3) event results in the International Windsurfing Tour will count in the final tally for overall Wave Titles.

Points will be awarded in each event with the winner scoring maximum points. Winners will be awarded at each individual event and the overall tour champions will be announced at the ceremony following the IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic in Maui.

COVID-19 Wave Tour Adjustment: All Wave Tour and Grand Final events have been on indefinite hold during the global pandemic.

Tie-Break for Overall Rankings:

In the event of a tie in the Overall Rank, a one-heat sail off will be run. If time or wind does not allow the one-heat sail off, the tie will be broken by the rider placing highest in the final event. If the final event does not happen due to conditions, the tie will be broken by the rider placing highest in their previously dropped fifth event.

Points will be awarded as follows:

Judging Criteria Riding Criteria:

(1) Wave height
(2) Turns in critical sections
(3) Angles in the turns
(4) Length of ride
(5) Completion of tricks
(6) Technical skills demonstrated
(7) Wow factor to the judges.

Things to consider when selecting your wave: size, caught at peak, speed, continuity, length of ride, functional moves [ex. bottom turns], tricks, vertical riding, progressive moves, use of rail, linking sections, number and quality of turns (critical section), aerials, moves/tricks using the wave and landing back on the wave. Turns made in the critical part of the wave will be judged highly. The more critical the section, the tighter the turns and harder the hit, the better the score. We want to see big connected hits in the right spots. Timing is a big factor in wave performance. Best scores will be given for critical riding in the power of the wave, going most vertical, use of your rail, and continuation along the peeling wave. Basically, staying as close to the power of the wave while going vertical and making use of the whole wave will score highest.

Jumping Criteria:

Judging scale:
POOR: 0.0 — 1.9
FAIR: 2.0 — 3.9
AVERAGE: 4.0 — 5.9
GOOD: 6.0 — 7.9
EXCELLENT: 8.0 — 10.0

(1) Difficulty
(2) Height
(3) Execution & landing
(4) How clean & smooth
(5) Creativity
(6) NOTE: Some reward for pushing new moves but a clean landing takes priority

The highest scoring jump of each type will be counted. In the case where two jumps are being counted, they need to be different moves, or different variations of the same move. Jumps will be scored according to the level of execution and the difficulty of the move and the details below are for guide purposes only;

  • Straight jump: 1 – 3
  • Table Top: 3 – 4
  • Forward Loop: 3.5 – 5.5
  • Push Loop: 4 – 6
  • Stalled Forward: 5.5 – 7
  • Back Loop: 6 – 8
  • Tweaked Push Loop: 6.5 – 8.5
  • Double Forward: 8 – 10
  • Push-loop Forward: 8.5 – 10
  • Other combination moves (points will be awarded by discretion)
  • NOTE: Scores can be increased from the guide ranges depending on height and style, one handed and rail grab adds 0.2 – 1.0 points, one footed adds 0.2 – 1.0 points.

Changes

  • General Note. Throughout the Wave Tour, the judges and the IWT organization reserve the right to change and update the judging criteria according to feedback and evaluation of heats, rider comments, sponsor feedback and more.
  • DNS. In the event of an athlete entering and attending an event, but unable to sail, will receive a Did Not Sail (DNS). A DNS is number of competitors entered plus one. The best possible ranking for DNS is 8th place.
  • DNF. If an athlete starts a heat, but is injured or has to withdraw from the event, he/she will be awarded a Did Not Finish (DNF). The rider will receive points earned up to the moment of withdrawal.
  • Incomplete Event Points.
  • 1. Only completed rounds will count toward overall points.
  • 2. A minimum of one completed round is required for points to be earned at an event. Division winners must attend the closing ceremony in order to be guaranteed prize money and trophy.
  • Filling A Spot in the Bracket. Before round three, if an advancing rider drops out of the event, the spot may be filled at the Head Judge’s discretion. Most often this would be done using an extra heat of top people cut from the previous round.
  • Event Cancellation. In the unfortunate circumstance that an IWT event has to be cancelled, due to unforeseen circumstances such as this the current Covid-19 crisis, then any registered rider is entitled to a refund. The IWT reserves the right to withhold 5% of the original transaction to help pay for credit card fees and non-refundable costs incurred by the IWT. If a rider wishes to extend their registration to a different event, or the same event in the following year, he/she is welcome to do so at no additional cost.

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