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Information and rules for events in the 2006 Blyth Rookie Festival are below.

2006 Rookie Festival

Saturday 15th July

South Beach, Blyth Northumberland

Eligibility

The competition is open to any member of an affiliated Club/Class/School. Minimum age for this event is 5 yrs of age on the day of the competition, and the following age groups will apply:

5 - 8 yrs
9 - 11 yrs
12 – 14 yrs
15 – 17 yrs
18yrs +

Entry Fees

•  Individual events (all events) £6.00
•  Beach Events Only £4.50
•  Ocean Events Only £4.50
•  Surf Swim £1.50
•  BBQ Only £3.50

Please note that entry fees are non-refundable .

Registration

All registration will take place within the vicinity of the Lifeguard Tower. Registration will be available from 11.30am and everyone must be registered by 12noon. The carnival will commence at 12.30pm.

On registration all competitors will be issued with a name badge, and an event card with the events they have entered, which is to taken to each event area for signing.

Medals

The Beach Carnival points will be awarded for each of the 4 disciplines with the points worked out as follows:

1 st place = 1 point
2 nd place = 2 points
3 rd Place = 3 points
4 th Place = 4 points etc

The points will be added together and the winner will be declared as the person with the least amount of points over the 4 disciplines.

Medals will be presented in all individual events for 1st , 2 nd and 3rd places.

The Overall Beach team will be awarded to the best club within the competition who received the most points following the events within the competition following the top 3 places in all categories.

1 st place = 10 points
2 nd place = 6 points
3 rd place = 2 points

The Surf Swim 1st , 2nd and 3rd place medals will also be awarded to competitors who complete the distance the fastest.

Club Hats

All competitors must wear uniform club hats whilst competing in the open water events. Failure to do so will result in the competitor being penalized within this event.

Events to be contested

The following events will be contested at this year's Blyth's Rookie Festival.

BEACH EVENTS

•  Beach Flags - All Age Groups
•  Beach Sprint - All Age Groups
•  Throwing Event - All Age Groups

OPEN WATER EVENTS

•  Blyth's Golden Challenge - 9-11 yrs, 12-14 yrs, 15-17 yrs, 18+
•  Board Race - 5-8 yrs
•  Wading rescue - All Age Groups

FESTIVAL RULES

Aquatic Events

THE WADING RACE

COURSE

•  The distances are to be determined by the age of the competitors and sea and weather conditions on the day.

THE START

•  Competitors will be told the expectations and course and at the start they will line up with toes behind the line

•  The starter will say, “Take you marks” and then blow the whistle or other starting device. A false start will be re-called by a number of blasts on the whistle

THE RACE

•  There will be no pushing or deliberate interference of other competitors. The race will run right hand (clockwise) around the two markers. No Dolphin Dives, swim or body surf is allowed.

•  Competitors are to remain upright but will not have time penalties for falling over in the water.

THE FINISH

•  This is determined when the competitor crosses the line between two finishing posts.

•  The finish is judged on the competitor chest crossing the finishing line.

TIME PENALTIES

•  Failure to complete the course as defined and described.

 

THE BOARD RACE

THE COURSE

•  The distance to be linked to sea and weather conditions on the day.

•  The boogie boards will be no longer than 165cm and 52cm in width at the widest point. They are to be made of polyurethane covered foam or similar.

THE START

•  Rookies are lined up with toes behind the marker line, holding onto their boards.

•  They will be told of the course prior to the start of the race.

•  The starter will say, “take your marks” and he/she will give the command to go which will be by the whistle or other starting device.

•  A false start will be re-called by a number of blasts on the whistle or other starting device.

THE RACE

•  The Rookies will carry/drag their board into the sea, get on and paddle around the course

•  Rookies must paddle right hand (clockwise) around the marker buoys

•  There will be no deliberate interference of other rookies or their boards.

THE FINISH

•  This is determined when the Rookie crosses the finishing line in contact with their board.

•  The finish is judged on the competitor's chest crossing the finishing line.

TIME PENALTIES

•  Failure to complete the course as defined and described.

 

THE BLYTH GOLDEN CHALLENGE

THE COURSE

•  The event is based on the iron boy/diamond girl event and involves, in this order, a swim and run, a board leg and a run finish.

•  The event is open to everyone except the 5-8 years age group.

•  The distances should be altered for the different age groups, taking weather and surf conditions into consideration.

•  The competitor may leave their board in the water anywhere after rounding the final marker buoy.

THE START

•  Competitors will be told the expectations and course and at the start they will line up with toes behind the line.

•  The starter will say, “take your marks” and then blow a whistle or another starting device. A false start will be re-called by a number of blasts on the whistle.

THE RACE

•  There will be no pushing or deliberate interference of other competitors

•  The competitors will swim right hand (clockwise) around two markers.

•  Competitors may dolphin dive and body surf as much as they wish to help themselves on their return to shore

•  After rounding the two markers they will return to the beach where they will around the two flags before picking up their board and entering the water for the board

•  After rounding the final marker buoy the competitors may leave the board anywhere ((so as long it does not cause an obstruction to other competitors) and enter the final phase.

•  The competitor completes the course by running through the two finish flags

THE FINISH

•  This is determined when the competitor crosses the finishing line in between the finish flags.

•  The finish is judged on the competitor's chest crossing the finishing line.

TIME PENALTIES

Failure to complete the course as defined and described.

 

Beach Events

BEACH SPRINT

The Course

•  The course shall be between 70 and 90 metres in length, the distance to be determined by the softness of the sand – the softer the sand, the shorter the distance to run.

The Start

•  Competitors will wear different colored bibs supplied by the organizers. The same color will be used in the same lane throughout the competition to assist the judges in determining the order of finishing

•  Upon the starters command “Take your Marks”, the competitors will take up their positions on the start line with toes on or behind the line. They can take any stance they wish for the start but no blocks or equipment can be used.

•  On the command from the starter “Set”, the competitors will assume a racing start posture. When all the competitors are stationary then the starter will give an acoustic starting signal.

•  If a competitor moves between the “Set” and start signal, it shall be called as a false start. They can be recalled by a number of blasts. Any competitor making a false start will be warned. After the first false start, if any competitor then makes a further false start they shall be penalised.

 

The Finish

•  The finish is judged when the chest of the competitor crosses the line

•  The competitor must be on their feet and in an upright position

•  At the conclusion of the race, all competitors in the race, no matter in what position they think they have finished in must return to the finish line and stand in their lane, still wearing their running bib and club hat.

•  When the timekeeper has marked your name and time and the judges have agreed the finishing order, then you will be free to leave the area.

Time Penalties

Failure to complete the course as defined and described.

Throwing Event

The Course

•  The course shall be designed so the competitor will stand in the designated area which will be 5m x 5m. The box will be deigned with colored rope to allow the competitor to see it.

•  The width of the throwing area will be marked with brightly colored rope working from the edge of the competitor box out to 20 meter's.

•  The spectators must be kept behind the lines to avoid being hit from the lifebelts.

•  The competitors must be kept in the area designated away from the throwing zone for safety.

•  The course will be designed so that the competitors will throw against the elements.

 

The Start

•  The competitor will commence inside the competitor box. The competitor will have 2 lifebelts placed inside the box.

•  On the starting signal (whistle) the competitor has 30 seconds to throw the first lifebelt into the marked area. The competitor must not step out of the box to throw the lifebelt.

•  On the second signal the competitor must have released the lifebelt into the marked area or they will receive a NO THROW.

•  On the third signal the competitor will throw the lifebelt into the marked area. On the fourth signal the competitor must have thrown the lifebelt or they will receive a NO THROW.

•  The competitor may throw the lifebelt anyway they want, providing it lands within the marked competition area.

 

The Finish

•  Once the Lifebelt has been thrown the judge will measure from the centre point on the edge of the competitors box to the point within the marked area where the lifebelt first touches the ground.

•  The distance will be recorded and with the second throw the distances will be added together to give the overall distance.

•  The winner will be the competitor who throws the furthest distance.

•  The competitor can only step outside the area when the judge gives them instructions to leave the competition area.

Penalties

•  If the competitor steps outside the competitors box during the two throws they will be penalised with a NO THROW.

•  If the lifebelt initially falls outside the width markers this will be recorded as a NO THROW.

Beach Flags

The Course

•  The course shall be 15 to 20 metres in length from the start of the flags to the batons and with 1.5m between each competitor. The distance to be determined by the space available and the softness of the sand – the softer the sand the shorter the distance.

•  The course shall be squared so that the baton line is parallel with the starting line.

•  The course should be positioned on a flat space where possible, but if there is any slope on the beach all competitors should have the same graduation to run up. Competitors must never have to run downhill in this event.

•  Ideally the sand should be as soft as possible and thoroughly raked so that any stones are removed.

•  Batons shall be positioned in line parallel to the start line, and so that a “perpendicular line” between any two adjacent competitors shall pass approximately through a baton.

Equipment

•  Beach Flags

•  Baggy Shorts and T-shirts must not be worn for safety reasons

•  Sunglasses or optical glasses may not be worn in beach flags

•  Jewellery, that, in the opinion of the referee, has the potential to cause injury to either the wearer or other competitors must be removed or taped over prior to the competition.

The Start

•  there shall be fewer flags then competitors and no more than three to be eliminated in any run through until the final

•  From 16 down to 9 it is permissible to eliminate two at one time. Competitors will share points for the two places eliminated. From 8 down to 1 only one competitor can be eliminated on any run through.

•  A re-draw for positions will take place after each run through for the final 8 competitors.

•  Competitors lie face down with their toes on the start line with heels together, hands on top of each other with fingertips to wrist and with the head up.

•  Elbows must be extended forward so that the chest lies flat on the sand

•  The body's mid-line should be 90 degrees to the start line with heels together, hands on top of each other with fingertips to wrist and with the head up.

•  On the starters “Competitors Ready ” command, competitors shall assume the starting position as described.

•  On the starters “Heads Down” command, competitors – at once and without delay – shall place their chins on their hands.

•  After a deliberate pause and when all competitors are stationary, the starter shall signal the start with a whistle blast.

•  At the start signal, competitors shall rise to their feet and race to obtain a baton.

•  Competitors are not allowed to pick up more than one baton

•  Lifting any part of the body from the sand, or commencing any starting motion after the starters “Heads Down” command and prior to the start signal will be called as a false start.

•  After one false start, any competitors who subsequently commit a false start shall be eliminated, regardless of whether or not the competitor previously infringed the start.

•  If a competitor is disqualified or eliminated, the remaining competitors and batons shall be realigned with no re-draw of positions. The run-through shall continue with the current starting infringement in force until a fair start is effected.

 

•  Deliberate Impedance

•  A competitor will be disqualified if they deliberately impede another competitor. Deliberate impedance is defined as the deliberate use of hands, arms, feet or legs to impede another competitor

•  A competitor may use their body or negotiate their shoulder and body in front of another in order to improve their position to obtain a flag but may not use hands, arms, feet or legs to obtain or remain in this position.

•  If a competitor legally obtains this front position and maintains normal running action, the competitor behind is obliged to go around the competitor in front.

•  A competitor may cross over in front of a slower competitor

•  If two or more competitors are guilty of deliberate impedance, the competitor who first used hands, arms, feet or legs will be disqualified.

 

Penalties

Each run-through or run-off shall be judged as a separate segment of this event. An infringement in one segment shall not be carried over and counted against a competitor in a subsequent segment. A competitor eliminated from the event shall retain the point scored and/or placing as at the time of the event.

•  Failure to complete the event as described and defined

•  Deliberately impeding the progress of another competitor

•  Picking up more than one baton.

 

The Surf Swim

The Course

•  The distance to be linked to the sea and weather conditions on the day.

•  It may be that the race will not go outside the recognized break if this would unnecessarily lengthen the course.

•  Depending on conditions it may also be appropriate to do a straight “there and back” for the younger competitors.

•  Safety cover to be provided by the use of appropriate cover and equipment

The start

•  competitors will be told the expectations and course and at the start they will line up with toes behind the line

•  the starter will say “Take your marks” and then blow a whistle or other starting device. A false start will be re-called by a number of blasts on the whistle

The Race

•  There will be no pushing or deliberate interference of other competitors

•  Competitors to swim right hand (clockwise) around the markers

•  Competitors may dolphin dive and body surf as much as they wish to help themselves on their return to shore.

The Finish

i. This is determined when a competitor crosses the line between the two finishing posts.

ii. The finish is judged on the competitor chest crossing the finishing line.

Disqualification

•  Failure to complete the course as defined and described.

 

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