ICF Rule Changes

[Canadian Paddler]

There were a number of 2017 Rule changes approved at the March ICF board meeting. Some of these were correcting the english of some rules, such as changing 3.4 to read

3.4 The first year a competitor can compete in an ICF or International competition is the year in which their 15th birthday falls. The last year they can compete in a Junior category is the year in which their 18th birthday falls. The last year they can compete in Under 23 category is the year in which their 23rd birthday falls.

The board has approved all the changes so they will be coming in internationally. I summarise the main ones below, with my view as to their applicability. As they are ICF changes, they will, by deafult, be applied to the UK Rules

7.1.2 Minimum Weight of Boats
All types of K1 and C1 9 kg.
All types of C2 15 kg.
During the weighing process, residual water must be removed from the boat.

This is to allow for introducing split boats for ease of equipment transport. Split boats at the lower weight are not robust.
Applicable to UK

7.1.5 Rudders and fins are prohibited on all boats.

Ending the use of fins, which are thought to provide a danger, and to make the spreading of the sport to further nations and continents more expensive
Applicable to UK

7.2.4 At ICF competitions (Level 1-3), Athletes should must wear the appropriate official clothing either a short or long sleeve top while competing with easy identification of the nation they represent.

NOT applicable in UK, we do not have level 1-3 ICF conmpetitions under UK rules

8.2 Officials:. . .
17) TVS / Video Judge Coordinator
9.7 The TVS / Video Judge Coordinator is responsible for the complete setup and proper functioning of any TVS and video judge hardware and software. He/she guides and troubleshoots the video production and distribution to meet the TVS and the Video Judge requirements.

Introduce as a role, similar ot other roles that may apply at events, but in the UK we do not generally have TVS (Technical Video Service)
Applicable to UK rule book, but not to practices.

17.2.1 The bib should be fixed visibly to the body of the competitors. In C2 both competitors wear a number.

Internationally both wear a bib, UK we will keep the bowman or both, to save having to buy yet more bibs
NOT applicable in UK, we do not have level 1-3 ICF conmpetitions under UK rules

23.3 The boat must be stationary at the start

Save having to hold boats - which we rarely do anyway
Applicable to UK

23.4 In the team runs, all boats must be stationary (preferably held). The boat in the start gate must activate the timing of the run. The boat can be either A, B, or C

Very rarely are boats numbered IF we run teams, this allows starting in any order, not just the nominated order.
Applicable to UK

26.2 A competitor's run is complete when the finish line is broken by the competitors body they cross the finish line. The competitor must not cross the finish line more than once or risk disqualification for that run (DSQ-R).

Just defines what part of the cometitor has to cross the gate line for a finish
Applicable to UK

26.4 If a competitor crosses the finish line upside down or capsized (see Rule 32), as deemed by the Finish Judge, then the competitor will be given a DNF for that run.

Removes 'or has left the boat completely ' which is handled elsewhere anyway
Applicable to UK

28.3 The gate line, in all circumstances is defined as the line between the outside edge of the bottom of the two poles.The gate line is defined as the line between the outside edge of the bottom of the pole projected vertically to the river bed.

Reinstates the gate line to the bottom of the river, so a boat under the water is still in the gate line
Applicable to UK

29.4.7 Part of the head breaks the gate line (in C2, one or both competitors) in the correct direction, with or without part of the boat, unless correctly renegotiated before any subsequent gate is negotiated.

confirms that splitting the gate for a C2 can be reversed by doing it correctly
Applicable to UK

Several changes relating to ranking of athletes with a result in one run only. Basically clarifying the treatment

Applicable to UK

Rule 36, clarifying and extending International Enquiries. Limits on how many enquiries, who can put in Enquiries and no Enquiries in the final.

We have a seperate Protest process so these rules are not used. We may want to debate no Protests on Finals (when they are held) to speed up the results, and getting everyone off home.
NOT applicable in UK

C2Mx. Rules introducing thsi to Wordl Championships.

UK we just have C2, not restructed to Men only, or mixed or Women (not an World Championship class). This is introduced so that IF a further medal could be found at Olympics we have a ready reintroduction of C2, keeping Gender Equity
NOT applicable in the UK

As noted above there are some change sthat just improve the English (not all the possible ones, but this is a start).

Anyone disagree with my PERSONAL interpreattion of what is / is not applicable

[Ken Trollope]

Quick read through

23.3. Still have to preferably hold team boats!!

26.2

A competitor's run is complete when the finish line is broken by the competitors body they cross the finish line.

Is this English ??

[JimW]

Is 23.3 to apply to all UK races and divisions?

[Canadian Paddler]

This was a quick post of the intent of the changes, taken from crossed out bits and highights. So the rules will need proper review and change. The rules MUST not be changed based on this, buy should wait for teh finalisation.

I have not included all changes, just teh gist, so team boats being held is probably out as well.

yes 23.3 does apply to all divisions and classes, but as the only change is to remove the words 'preferably held' it does not change the purpose of the (or its implementation in the UK)

[JimW]

Shockingly I have obviously never read, or never taken in, the start rule.

I can only think of one race I've done in divisions 2 & 3 where boats started from stationary (held), generally the start line is in the flow and paddlers are a given a countdown so they can judge leaving the eddy to arrive at the line (with speed) at their start time. Is this covered as "special instructions" or are many races being started incorrectly?

[Canadian Paddler]

The rule is more ignored than strictly applied. It does say 'preferably

If you think of the Olympics (or the 2012 Games, or any international over the past 6 or 7 years, boats have not been held. So this change is bringing the rule more into line with practice.

In al cases you should be still when the starter says 'go', and you paddle to the start gate. It is not possible to have a standing start, and break an electronic beam with your body so the intnet is you start from still (ish) and then accelerate to the start gate.

[BaldockBabe]

If you think of the Olympics (or the 2012 Games, or any international over the past 6 or 7 years, boats have not been held. So this change is bringing the rule more into line with practice.

.

They were in Foz... But the reality is that at most venues it is not really practical and the job of holding boats really sucks as it is sooooooooooooo uncomfortable (as experienced at the HPP Euros all those years ago)

However, it is correct that if the paddler does not start from still and from the correct place they will be disqualified as one guy found out at the Worlds in London last year... Oopsy!!!

[Nick Penfold]

23.3 The boat must be stationary at the start

Not that it's new, but this is a curious rule: it could be read as meaning that the boat must be timed from a standing start. And it's not, and it isn't meant to be.

[JimW]

23.3 The boat must be stationary at the start

Not that it's new, but this is a curious rule: it could be read as meaning that the boat must be timed from a standing start. And it's not, and it isn't meant to be.

That's what I was trying to get at yesterday in a message I decided not to submit because I wasn't happy I it said what I meant it to!

The written rule, before or after the latest ICF change is applied, does not seem to me to convey in any way the intent that CP reports.
I completely agree with the intent as stated by CP (even though it means I need to remain stationary for a few seconds longer in future, I usually start moving at 5 or 3 depending on how far to the start line), but I cannot see how anyone could infer that from the actual rule 23.3.....

I have absolutely no intention of changing the way the start procedure is carried out but I think the rule needs looking at in more detail than the ICF review so paddlers (and organisers) can interpret it correctly, if we ever read it.

I see this a bit like QA, the process that is used is fine but it doesn't match the paperwork so would fail an audit, the solution is almost never to change the process but to change the paperwork to reflect the process.

[Nick Penfold]

The practice, UK and internationally, is that the paddler has a running start and is timed from the moment he/she breaks the start line, not from the starter's word "go" or the fifth peep. Before that, let's call it in the pre-start, the paddler is usually stationary-ish (often sort of pausing, or drifting) or, if there are pre-start waiting blocks, holding himself/herself there. Rule 23 doesn't recognise this at all. In fact I'd say it talks about a "start" that is not really the start at all!
But rule 33.1 (timing) says: The time of a run is measured from the time that the competitor's body...breaks the start line...
That clearly implies a running start. It's hard to see why it matters one way or another whether, before the start, the boat is stationary, held or otherwise, except that at really big events it's nice for the TV cameras to be able to zoom in on the next competitor!

[paddlerparent]

7.1.2 Minimum Weight of Boats
All types of K1 and C1 9 kg.
All types of C2 15 kg.

So is it fair to say that K1 & C1 will need to weigh 9kg next season? if thats the case there will be a high number of boats needing weights adding & people may need to consider buying a top spec full carbon boat in teh first place


Can anyone confirm please?

[BaldockBabe]

7.1.2 Minimum Weight of Boats
All types of K1 and C1 9 kg.
All types of C2 15 kg.

So is it fair to say that K1 & C1 will need to weigh 9kg next season? if thats the case there will be a high number of boats needing weights adding & people may need to consider buying a top spec full carbon boat in teh first place


Can anyone confirm please?

That would be correct. Thus, old boats are likely to need a weight in them. The boat manufacturers will be aware of the rule change.

[Slapdash Sal]

I would suggest that the boat weight changes are advertised at the last few races as some paddlers might not be aware of this.

[HPPaddle]

Are we going to be weighing boats at Div 1, 2 and 3? There are a lot of very light boats out there.

[BaldockBabe]

We do weigh boats at some Div 1 events. Not sure about 2 or 3 - not seen it happen there but it has been a while since I was last heavily involved in 2 or 3's...