How are fouls, lane violations and disqualifications judged?

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Own water: lanes are numbered 1 to 9. A boat's water is the lane to the left of its numbered marker buoy, and each boat must keep to its own water throughout the race. A Referee is the judge of a boat's own water and proper course. A boat has completed its course when its bow reaches the finish line between the marginal buoys with all crew members in the boat. Foul: after the race has started, any competitor who by paddle, canoe or person touches the paddle, canoe or person of another competitor, or deliberately steers into another crew (whether or not that crew is in its own water). Contact so slight that, in the Referee's opinion, it does not influence the race is not a foul. Referee options: (i) stop the race with a short powerful sound, optionally disqualify the offending crew(s), and order the others to paddle the race over; or (ii) let the race continue. If a crew is to be disqualified while the race continues, the Referee must do it at the time of the infraction, notify the crew, and the crew must stop paddling. A crew may be disqualified without stopping the race at a Referee's discretion. Interference on own water: if a boat in its own water is interfered with by another boat, the Referee stops the race and orders it paddled over, if in the Referee's opinion the interference affects its chances of winning a medal or advancing to medal competition. Refusing directions: anyone refusing to obey a Referee or Starter is disqualified by them. Outside help: receiving external assistance during a race, or being accompanied alongside the course by other boats, results in disqualification of the crews involved. Signals and reports: each Referee shows a white flag ("race okay as run") or red flag ("an infraction of the Rules") to the Chief Official at the finish. All infractions are reported to the Chief Official immediately after the race, and the official who called the infraction submits a written report within 20 minutes. A disqualified crew must be told at the time of the infraction, except in 200 m events where it is told at the end of the race. Wash riding: the CKC Competition Rules mention wash riding only in rule 5.14: ICF rules on false starts, boat control, paddling on the course, and pacing and wash riding may be applied in races used to award points towards National Team ranking. In any conflict they supersede the CKC rules. Source: CKC Sprint Racing Discipline Competition Rules 2024-2026 (June 2025), rules 4.02, 4.03, 4.08, 4.09, 5.14.