NAUTIQUE LADY BIG DAWG RULES (NLBD)

June 17, 2014

General:

All events will follow the rules of the local governing body e.g. USA Water Ski (AWSA), IWWF.   Event finals will adhere to the rules as outlined by those governing bodies and this document.

Who is Eligible NLBD / Entry information:

Skiers 30 years and older, skiing in 34 mph divisions, who have not competed in the Open Division of a Pro Slalom Tournament (listed below) in the past 3 years.   All skiers meeting the eligibility criteria above, and based upon qualification ranking criteria described below, will be extended an invitation. There will be a total of 8 skiers invited to NLBD finals.  All accepted skiers must submit to the tournament registrar an (a) entry form, (b) proof of membership as required per the governing body of the host country and (c) advertised entry fee. Although skiers will be competing against other Women’s Divisions in this format, participation in the Lady Big Dawg does not constitute any other classifications (e.g. Open, etc).

2011 : Moomba Masters, Australia; Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard, Callaway Gardens, GA; Global Invitational, MI; Malibu Open, WI; Princess Pro-Am, London, UK; Diablo Shores Pro-Am, CA; Katy Ski Jam, Katy, TX; World Championships, Russia; Sac Town Gold Rush, CA.

2012: Moomba Masters, Australia; Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard, Callaway Gardens, GA; Global Invitational, MI; Malibu Open, WI.;  Diablo Shores Pro-Am, CA; World Cup, Pelembang Indonesia; Soaked, Orlando FL.

2013:  World Cup Palembang; Moomba Masters, Australia; Atlanta ProAm, Atlanta GA; Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard, Callaway Gardens, GA; Malibu Open, WI.;  Mastercraft Pro Water Ski Shootout, Calgary CAN; Diablo Shores Pro-Am, CA; Sunset Lakes Fall Classic & U.S. OPEN TEAM TRIALS, FL; World Championships, Santiago, Chile.

How to Qualify for NLBD Finals (to be held at the 2014 USA Waterski National Championships on Friday August 15^th 2014):

Eight weeks prior to the start of USA Waterski Nationals (August 11, 2014) a composite listing of Women’s skiers over the age of 30 will be compiled using the USA Rankings List (12 month rolling average) as of June 16th 2014.

• Invitations will be extended to the top 8 women on the composite listing.

-           If ties exist within skiers ranking list score, selection / seeding will be broken using a compilation of the skiers top 5 individual tournament scores (e.g. each tournament can only use one score)

• Skiers must respond to the invitation by the announced deadline in order to compete. A positive response includes (1) email notification to NLBD committee and NBLD Registrar, (2) submission of registration forms, and (3) payment of entry fees.
• After the deadline or if the invitation is declined, the next skier on the waiting list will be notified.
• This process will be followed until 8 skiers have accepted and completed all registration tasks for the Invitational 8-skier head to head event.
• If a tie exists for the 8th slot, selection / seeding will be broken using a compilation of the skiers top 5 individual tournament scores (e.g. each tournament can only use one score)

Seeding Procedures (Finals):

• Seeding procedure for US Invitation Finals:  Seeding will be based on USA Waterski Rankings List (composite), as of eight weeks prior to the event.
• If ties exist for seeding, tiebreaks will be broken using a compilation of the skier’s top 5 individual tournament scores (e.g. each tournament can only use one score).

-           If unable to break ties using top 5 tournament scores from USA Waterski, final tiebreak will be IWSF Rankings List.

Head-to-Head Competition Rules and Pairings:

• **Head to head Seeds 1-8 will be based upon USA Rankings List as of 8 weeks prior to the event. Ties will be broken by using skier’s best score as part of their ranking average.
• Officials & Boat Order: Officiating crews will be split into two boats (Boat 1 & Boat 2). Designation of Boat 1 and Boat 2 will be based upon a coin flip by the drivers at the start of the head-to-head, and will not change during the event (i.e. same two drivers will pull the head-to-head). The boats will rotate which crew takes the first skier off the dock in the head-to-Head pairing in accordance with the following:

• Skier pairings and selection of ski order: Higher seed in each pairing selects which skier in will ski first. The second skier’s score must beat the first skier’s score to advance.  The final 2 skiers, (and only the final 2 skiers), will run off any tie per rules of governing body to determine the champion. 
• Starting Rope Lengths – May change at the discretion of the tournament officials.
  • Elite 8 – 14.25m
  • Final 4/Championship – 14.25m
  • A skier may, with notification to the boat judge; continue to ski in an effort to break a record.
  • In the Elite 8 head-to-head; opting up is not an option.
  • The 3rd and 4th place will be determined by the best score (of the two losing skiers) in the Final 4.
  • The 5th through 8th place will be determined by best single score in the round of 8.

Head-to-Head Running Order:

See chart below.

Schedule & Skier Clock, Elite 8, Final 4, and Championship:

• Immediately upon completion of the Elite 8 (upon completion of the 4th pairing in the Elite 8), both skiers associated with ski order 1 of the Final 4, should be prepared and ready for boat deployment.
• The Elite 8 pairings will ski as per schedule below. After the fourth and final pairings of the Elite 8 and once both boats have returned to the dock, a 3-minute clock will start. At the end of the 3 minutes, the skiers associated with the ski order 1 of the Final 4 must be ready and in the water for immediate start of the Final 4.  *
• The Final 4 will ski as per the schedule below. After the second and final pairing, (of the Final 4), and once both boats have returned to the dock, a 3 minute clock will start. At the end of the 3 minutes, the two skiers competing for the Championship must be ready and in the water for an immediate start. *
• *A skier not prepared to compete at the end of the 3 minute clock will be disqualified.

Injury Protocol:

During the head-to-head competition, if one of the skiers cannot continue due to injury, the next highest scoring non-winner in that bracket will move into the next bracket to take her place. Example: if seed #3 wins her pairing in the Elite 8, but is hurt in the process and cannot continue the next non-winning skier with the highest score in the Elite 8, will take the injured ‎skiers place and move into the next bracket (Final 4 in this case).   If ties exist when identifying the next highest scoring non-winner, the tie will be broken by taking the highest non-winning score from the original Elite 8 seeding of the event.

Notes:

• A skier who is 30 years old, and is eligible to ski in the 2014 Lady Big Dawg but is not eligible to ski in a Senior 1 or 2 Division (35+, 45+, etc) in her country will not have her scores count towards that division or any record of that division.
• The scorebook for each event will post each skier in the division each skier stated on her registration form.
• The scorebook for each event will show final placements based on best round not cumulative.

Cancellations:

Should a skier cancel after the initial invitations and field of 8 have been set, an invitation will be extended to the next available skier. No refund for cancellation will be given unless slot is filled.

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