Sponsored by: Blind Side, O'Neill, Hyperlite, Jobe, Liquid Force, O'Brien, Moose Juice, Tige, Air Nautique

Format, Rules, and Competitor Information
This will be a fun event for wakeboarders of all abilities. The emphasis will be on having fun and we also expect to see some of the best riders in BC going for huge air tricks and doing all sorts of flips.

Competitors should be at the site by 8:00am (on the beach in front of FINZ at Captain's Village Marina). It is important to be on time, as we plan to get going as quickly as possible. We expect to run to about 3:00pm and will go rain, wind, or shine, so come prepared for Mother Nature!

Everyone must register before the event. With a limit of 30 total competitors, this should be done immediately. To be sure you are registered before the 30 cut-off, fax the registration form/waiver to the Shuswap Ski & Board Club:(250) 955-0937.

We plan to have each competitor ride twice in an Expression Session format and results will be based on total combined scores.

Contestants are expected to have their own wakeboard, bindings, and safety vest, and wetsuit if desired. The Shuswap Ski & Board School will provide a rope and handle but riders may use their own as long as they are in safe condition and ready to use. Riders should be prepared to tell the boat driver what speed they would like the boat to go, and drivers will help out if needed.

Divisions for each event will be as follows:
Boys: Novice ability, under 13 as of January 1/01.
Girls: Novice ability, under 13 as of January 1/01.
Novice Male: Ages 13+, have no inverts (flips) in their run.
Novice Female: Ages 13+, have no inverts (flips) in their run.
Intermediate: Ages 13+, with 1 to 6 inverts in their run.
Pro: Ages 13+, with 7 or more inverts.

The order of divisions is tentatively set to be as follows, starting at Round 1:

Round 1		Novice Male	Round 2	Novice Male
		Novice Female		Novice Female
		Boys		Boys
		Girls		Girls
		Intermediate		Intermediate
		Pro		Pro

** NOTE: Schedules at tournaments are subject to change. We will do our best to follow this schedule but circumstances may require us to make changes. For this reason, competitors should plan to be on site for the duration of the tournament.

Expression Session

1. Riders perform a subjectively judged routine. Contestants may perform any manoeuvres they choose in any order they wish. There are no predetermined points for any tricks, and no attack sheets are necessary. Riders are judged on the difficulty and proficiency of the moves executed, how big they are going, variety of moves performed, creativity of the routine, and the overall impression of the run.
2. The course is normally about 1000' long, and marked by a start buoy and an end buoy. Contestants will be notified as to what we are using for the course before their division starts.
3. Each contestant?s Expression Session will be two minutes long. Starting as they get up out of the water, and ending after the second fall, or when two minutes has elapsed.
4. Riders will be awarded points for their Execution, Intensity, and Composition during his/her Expression Session.
5. At the completion of his/her Round 1, each rider will be given one cut at the wake (15 seconds maximum) to do their bonus "Big Air" trick. They must ride it out and the judges will rate the trick from 1 to 10 based on how high the lowest part of the rider's body or board was from the water surface. The rider with the highest score wins the "Big Air" prize.

Competition Results

Results will be based on combined scores and prizes will be awarded by results within each Division. We are looking for as many prizes as possible so prize donations are welcome and encouraged. The decision of the judges will be final and anyone worried about results should realise they're taking the whole thing too seriously. We do encourage parents and competitors to ask questions so they can better understand how these things work.

How Scores Compare: All competitors should be aware that judging is based on comparing them against the very best boarders in the world, executing a perfect run. So with the top pros earning scores in the 90% range novices can expect scores of 10 - 20%, intermediates 30 - 50% and BC's best, the 60 - 80% range. So have fun ask lots of questions and don?t worry too much about your scores. With 20 competitions in BC each summer there'll be lots of chances to try again and of course, there will be next year's Big Air Contest.