IWT Divisions:

  1. Professional
  2. Women
  3. Open (all riders welcome to compete)
  4. Youth (Under 20 at the end of the year)
  5. Masters (45 and over at the start of the year)
  6. Grand Masters (55 and over at the start of the year)

Qualification for the Pro Division:

  1. Winning the IWT Open overall from any previous year.
  2. Winning any IWT Open event in the last 12 months.
  3. Having competed as an IWT Pro in the last 5 years.
  4. 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

  1. Pro Men and Pro Women best four (4) event results in the International Windsurfing Tour will count in the final tally for overall Wave Titles.
  2. 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.

  • 2021 COVID-19 Wave Tour Adjustment: All 2021 Wave Tour events leading up to the 2021 IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic will act as stand-alone qualifier events for local and regional riders to qualify for a spot directly into the Grand Final – whiteout the risks, costs, and complexity of international travel in another pandemic year.  International Travel will not be safe for most of 2021, and so the tour is focused on qualifying riders into a single IWT Grand Final event that will determine the IWT Wave Titles for 2021. It is hoped that the IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic event can run in late October / early November with Maui County support and permits and a full contingent of the world’s best international riders. It is hoped that full funding will be found to allow the PWA to join this event, as they have done in past years, with riders qualifying from both PWA and IWT to compete together in the Aloha Classic and decide the ultimate wave rider titles.  The top riders from the 2019 wave tour will be seeded directly into the IWT Grand Final Aloha Classic and will not need to compete at the qualifier events. The plan for the 2022 IWT Wave Tour is to revert back to the ‘normal’ full Wave Tour Calendar format with all events counting toward the overall with extra points for results in the IWT Grand Final.

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:

(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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 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.
  4. Only completed rounds will count toward overall points.  A minimum of one completed round is required for points to be earned at an event.
  5. Division winners must attend the closing ceremony in order to be guaranteed prize money and trophy.

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