Ocean(wo)man Relay
Σκυταλοδρομία Ωκεάνιου
Event description
The Oceanman/Oceanwoman Relays are a variation of the individual Oceanman/Oceanwoman events. Teams of four competitors (one swimmer, one board paddler, one surf ski paddler, and one runner) cover the course in a sequence of legs determined by draw at the start of each competition. The run leg is always the final leg. If the surf ski leg is first, competitors shall start with a typical inwater start. Masters: Teams of three competitors – one swimmer, one board paddler, one surf ski paddler. There is no running leg in Masters Oceanman/Oceanwoman Relay (refer also below for event procedure variation). Except for the differences noted in this section, the conditions of racing of each leg are as generally required for the individual conditions of that discipline including the rules governing the component disciplines. To ensure fair starts and finishes, alignment of the start line and finish line to the buoys may be altered at the discretion of the Chief Referee, depending on the prevailing sea conditions. Competitors must commence their leg of the event from the correct allotted beach position. Note: The second and third competitors do not need to cross the start/changeover line to enter the water after being tagged. The starting positions are reversed for the board and surf ski legs. For example, in a 16-team race in which a team has drawn position 1: the initial craft leg is commenced from position 1 but the other craft leg is commenced from position 16. 1st craft leg starting position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...16 2nd craft leg starting position 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 …1
Note: If the swim leg is the second or third leg of the race, competitors are to commence their leg of the race from the same drawn position of their team in the leg immediately prior to the swim leg. The following event description assumes the order to be: swim – board – surf ski – run. The course direction is clockwise. Swim leg: From a beach start, swimmers enter the water, swim around the swimming course buoys and return to the beach, run around the two turning flags to tag with the board paddlers who are waiting with their boards, feet on, or on the shoreward side of, the start/changeover line. Board leg: Board paddlers enter the water with their boards; pass swim buoy 1 on the outside; round the two board course buoys; return to the beach passing swim buoy 9 on the outside; round the two turning flags, and through the start/changeover line to tag with the surf ski paddlers, who are waiting with their surf skis and paddles in approximately knee depth water. On their return, board paddlers may leave their boards at the water’s edge. Surf ski leg: Surf ski paddlers paddle around the surf ski course buoys and return to shore to tag the runners waiting at the water’s edge or in the water. Paddlers must pass on the outside of all buoys. Paddlers shall not cut through the swim course or board course buoys. The location of the tag is at the discretion of the team provided it occurs after the last swim course buoy and before the first turning flag. Run leg: Runners then round one turning flag, pass the other flag on the shoreward side, and continue to the finish between the two finish flags.
Note: It is permitted to tag the competitor anywhere from the shoreward side of the last turning buoy to the first turning flag on the beach. All tags must be performed above the water surface so that they are visible. In addition, runners are permitted to enter the water to tag the incoming competitor and may wade, porpoise off the bottom, catch waves and or run to the turning flag but are not permitted to swim at any time (this includes taking any over arm action to either catch or stay on a wave).
Disqualification
In addition to the General Rules in Section 2 and those outlined in 4.1 through 4.3, the following behaviour shall result in disqualification: Failure to complete the course as defined and described (DQ12).
