ISF SUP RRD Cup

This event will be conducted by

sofia Cedric Reynard, Switzerland.

Cedric represents the International Organization of SUP, RRD(http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com/) at ISF2013. As a professional, he conducted the SUP race organised by Odisha Tourism at the first edition of ISF in 2012. He provides his expertise in the field of SUP instructor training and popularizes Odisha & Kerala as the potential professional surfing circuits in India.


sofia April Zilg,USA.
An Alumnus of University of North Carolina, and having worked as a marine biologist with the likes of UNCW, Center for Marine Science, Carolina Ocean Studies, she is now a professional paddler who has competed in many international circuits and is associated with World Paddle Association. She is now spreading the stoke of Stand Up Paddling around India and has paddled in the waters of Chilika, Bay of Bengal, Khusabhadra River, Mulki and Goa to spread the vibes of SUP among locales alongside mapping and sharing new surf SUP locations. She also blogs and writes articles on surf and travel and is a speaker on an internet radio station called Distress Mullet.For SUP related information, send an email to April@indiasurffestival.com 
sofiaSurfing Federation of India.(http://www.surfingfederationofindia.org/)
Members of federation from Mulki will conduct and supervise the overall race conditions.

The Race

The elite race will begin with a water start out through the surf and around the starting buoy. Depending on conditions for the day, the course will either test the participants balance and speed through the river inlet or put participants head to head in a technical Battle of Paddle style course with buoy turns in and out of the surf with beach runs in between. Depending on the number of competitors entered, this course may be run in heats of 4-5 racers at a time. Racers will finish on the beach as well, and must have their paddle in hand to qualify. The event will be spectator friendly, and will be a joy to observe as athletes have their skills put to the test. Athletes will be competing for the ISF SUP RRD Cup title.

The recreational race will begin approximately 30 minutes after the elite racers finish. This race will also consist of a beach start and finish, but will run in the calm waters of the river adjacent to Lotus Resort. Paddlers will sprint across flat waters to strategically place buoys, make the turns, and return to the beach where they must finish with paddle in hand. Depending on the number of competitors entered, this course may be run in heats of 4-5 racers at a time.

Assemble your best team! The sprint-relay race will begin after the recreational racers have had some time to rest. Teams of 4-5 will perform a relay style race with a maximum of two elite racers. The overall team that wins will hold the ISF SUP RRD Cup team title.


* Check back closer to race day for official maps of the race courses.
** Race organizers reserve the right to change the race course for the safety of the competitors.
*** All important rules will be covered in the racers meeting before race start.
~ Please contact the ISF team for race information & rules.~

Competitor Rules and Safety

a) A competitor must be standing while paddling once a race has started until crossing over the finish line.  A competitor is allowed to sit, lay or kneel to rest without making forward progress. If a competitor takes more than five strokes while sitting, laying or kneeling once a race has started the competitor may be disqualified (DNF). The exception with this would be for safety reasons where a competitor needs to avoid or may be put into a potentially dangerous situation that would put them or others at risk of injury and or property damage.

b) A competitor shall only use the paddle, waves and wind to propel the board forward during a race. No outside assistance drafting a vessel not in the race, form of a sail, clothing designed to catch wind, or any other speed device is allowed. 

c) The safety of all participants and competitions is the number one priority.  Participants shall attend all competitor meetings and race postings to keep themselves informed with the typical conditions for the race and also the day of conditions to be expected. 

Starting and Finishing Procedures

a) Starting Sequence- A start of a race should provide a start timing sequence that would have been announced at the paddlers meeting that would give a minimum of a 3 minute warning before the start and a countdown sequence giving the racers a one minute count down outside of one minute and a minimum of a 30 second countdown inside one minute.

b) Water Start- To form a straight line perpendicular to the first buoy rounding and between two points like with two buoy’s, start boat and a buoy or two start boats in the water.

c) Beach Start- To form a straight line perpendicular to the first buoy rounding and between two points like with flags or other points of reference to determine the starting line in which racers will start.

d) Beach Finish- Where racers will exit the water and cross a point for reference like with two flags or other points of reference to determine the finish line.  Paddlers must carry their paddle with them across the stated finish line unless it is determined that it may be unsafe to racers.

Violations/Penalties/Protest

a) It is the competitor’s responsibility to act in a sportsman like fashion, avoid a collision at all times and obey the rules as listed by the race director.  If there is contact or un-sportsmen like conduct during the time of a race that effects the outcome for any racer and they feel they have been penalized or interfered with that has caused the racer to lose position and or time beyond just giving a 360 penalty, the competitor that was deemed penalized must file a protest within 15 minutes of the last person to finish the race in question.  In doing so the competitor must inform the other party(s) that they may have fouled them during the course of the race and also bring in any witness’s to attest to their claim and or protest to the race committee.  All protest decisions are final upon the committee’s review and the protest committee may rule in favor or overrule the protest.

b) Violations of the rules and or unsportsmanlike conduct by a competitor that is described by the race director but not limited to: purposely obstructing or interfering with another competitor, causing damage or bodily harm to another competitor, use of profane language/body language toward any persons or competitor while at a race, not rounding a mark, competing on the proper course, over the start line early, avoiding a collision and adhering to the drafting rules.

c) Penalties for any violation of the rules by a competitor shall be:  one 360’ turn at the earliest and safest opportunity, major infraction- two 360’ turns at the earliest and safest opportunity.  Once a competitor has completed their penalty turns they have cleared themselves of the stated penalty. 

d) If a competitor does not feel that they were in the wrong they must declare to the other party that they feel they are not in violation and will continue on racing however they must be able to bring witnesses to the protest committee to state their case or they risk being given a Disqualification (DQ).

For more rules see the official World Paddle Association rulebook at: india.worldpaddleassociation.com