Official's Guide to Lifesaving South Africa Surf Competitions All Ages 2022/23

To officiate at any LSA competition you must:

• Be a registered member of an affiliated province, district, region, branch, club or kindred organisation.
• Hold the appropriate award and be proficient as that award prescribes.
• Not be in default on financial, disciplinary or duty/patrol commitments.
• Be accredited by your branch or provincial lifesaving sport body, with your application endorsed before you are appointed.

Minimum qualification: Level 1 Accreditation (Judges Certificate) or equivalent. At provincial, district, regional, branch or club competitions, probationary or on-the-job trainees may be appointed to gain experience.

For LSA National Championships you must also be an active technical official in your province or regional association.

Appointments

• National events: the Chief Referee and Deputy are appointed by the LSA Sport Advisory Board.
• Provincial and lower competitions: they are appointed by the provincial authority.
• Other officials are appointed by the Chief Referee, to criteria endorsed by the Sport Advisory Board.
• Technical officials (judges) are appointed annually by their province, district, region, branch or club and endorsed at the LSA AGM on the recommendation of the LSA Director: Sport.

Once appointed, you should be told your duties, briefing times and reporting arrangements, and you must attend the briefings.

LSA's standard dress for technical officials and officials (Section 13.5):

• White or navy blue shorts, slacks or skirt.
• White shirt or blouse, and a white or navy blue sweater.
• Protective clothing is allowed in bad weather.
• White caps or hats for sun protection are strongly recommended but not compulsory.
• If the organiser provides an event uniform, or the LSA authority requires coloured garments for specific roles, wear it.
• Sponsor-branded apparel is allowed only with the LSA authority's prior approval.
• No club identification. Cover it if possible, or you may be removed from duty.
• Some officials (e.g. water-based judges) may wear costumes or wetsuits.

You are also encouraged to protect yourself from the weather with eye protection, suitable footwear and sunblock, and to avoid keeping competitors standing exposed to the elements for long periods.

No. Technical officials at an LSA championship or LSA-sanctioned competition may not coach or similarly help a competitor or team for the duration of the competition.

• Penalty: an official found breaking this rule is declared ineligible to act as a technical official at LSA competitions for at least two years.
• Exception: running seminars or clinics for groups that include competitors is not a breach.
• Officials must be impartial and are bound by the same spirit of behaviour as competitors.
• Officials may not wear or display club identification while on duty. Cover it if possible, or you may be removed from your duties.

Team managers, coaches and chaperones are not officials. They may only enter the competition arena if registered, must wear their registration tag and club skull cap, and may not coach there.

Starter:

• Has sole control of competitors (with the Check Starter) from handover until the race has started, including briefing them on course conditions.
• Stands elevated, or wherever they can best see the start and the Check Starter's signal.
• Makes sure competitors, water safety, duty boats, judges and equipment are in position before starting.
• Recalls the field (whistle, second gun shot or other signal) if the start was unfair.
• Can disqualify, or in beach flags eliminate, a competitor for breaking, wilfully disobeying orders or obstructing the start, and notifies the Sectional Referee.
• Ear protection is strongly recommended.

Check Starter (Break Judge): signals the Starter when competitors are in line and ready, can recall a start, and may act as a Course Judge, for example at relay changeovers.

Start sequence: "Take your marks", "Set", then "Go". If the Starter has to speak to anyone after a command, or isn't satisfied, the start is recommenced.

False starts

• The first competitor to leave their mark after "Take your marks" and before the signal is disqualified (eliminated in beach flags). Competitors who follow them are not at fault.
• Commencing a forward starting motion before the signal is a disqualification. An involuntary movement on its own is not.
• If the start was unfair because of an equipment fault or anything else not caused by competitors, it must be recalled and restarted.
• If there is no recall by the Starter, Check Starter or Chief or Sectional Referee, no protest is allowed on the start. Starters' decisions on starts can't be protested or appealed.

In water events the decision to "go" rests with the competitor, provided they don't interfere with others.

Finish Judges (Section 13.9.12.3 and 4.2.18):

• Stand on either side of the finish line, away from the poles, elevated where appropriate, for a clear view.
• Overlap their picks: Judge 1 picks finishers 1 and 2, Judge 2 picks 2 and 3, and so on. Each is primarily responsible for their own number.
• May use LSA judging aids (video, iPad, RFID). Where judges differ, a majority decision is taken under the Referee or Chief Judge. Video playback is for appointed officials only.
• Issue placing discs at the Chief Judge's signal. The competitor takes the disc to the Recorder personally (it can't be handed to a manager or teammate) and keeps their skull cap on.

How the finish is judged

• Run finishes: judged on the chest crossing the line, on the feet and upright, with no falling or diving across. A competitor who doesn't cross correctly may recover and re-cross. One who never crosses correctly is DNF.
• Wet finishes (skis, surf boats): any part of the craft crosses the line with the competitor in contact with it and the required paddles or oars retained.
• Electronic tags: if the Chief Referee authorises them, the tag order decides. If the tags fail, placings are judged visually.

Dead heats: in finals they stand, and trophies are allocated by the Chief Referee. In earlier rounds, tied qualifiers both go through.

The Chief Judge coordinates the results check, signs the result card, and confirms that every starter has finished or been recorded as DNF. Finish Judges' order-of-finish decisions can't be protested.

Course Judges are judges of fact on how an event is conducted. They:

• Sit in an elevated position where possible, or in a boat for water events, so they have a constant view.
• Report any breach of the rules to the Chief Judge, Sectional Referee or Event Director.
• Report safety concerns or rescue situations immediately to the Chief Referee or Safety Officer.
• Check the alignment of all buoys before and during the competition, especially when conditions change.

Course Judge in Boat (Sea Judge):

• Reports to the Sectional Referee or Chief Judge for instructions before the competition.
• In events where competitors must round all buoys, sits (sea permitting) on the inside of the buoy line, between the buoys and the beach.
• In board rescue and rescue tube rescue events, acts as both Course Judge and Finish Judge, watching that teams follow the event rules.
• Doubles as a rescue boat and helps in any rescue. The crew keeps board riders, other craft and surfers a reasonable distance from the competition area.

Breaches seen by a sea judge are decided by the Chief Judge or Sectional Referee together with the judges concerned.

Course errors: a competitor who misses a turning buoy or flag may return by the most direct route to correct it without penalty. Once they have correctly crossed the finish line they can't go back to fix an earlier error.

Marshall (works under the Chief Referee, Sectional Referee or Event Director):

• Checks entries are in order and marshals competitors before they go to the start.
• Organises and displays draws, assembles competitors in drawn order and keeps discipline in the marshalling area.
• Makes sure numbers in each race stay within the event's competitor limits, and confirms starting numbers for water races with the Chief Referee.
• Checks competitors comply with LSA general rules and works with Scrutineers on gear and safety compliance.
• Reports infringements or irregularities to the Chief Referee.

Check Marshall:

• Assists the Marshall and records every competitor's name and race number before the race.
• Accompanies competitors to the start line and makes sure they are positioned as drawn.
• Checks competitors are dressed as the manual requires (e.g. club skull cap fastened under the chin).
• Reports team changes and equipment infringements to the Marshall and Chief Referee.

Rules worth knowing: a competitor who reports late to marshalling can't start, and a competitor absent from the start is disqualified. Competitors declare that they will start, or withdraw, with the Marshall before the event. Before each start, a Marshall places competitors in drawn order and takes them and their equipment to the start area.

Like all officials, Marshalls must report safety concerns at once and may suspend competition in their area if there is a catastrophic event.

Distances (approximate):

Course: rectangular and squared, marked by four coloured 2 m poles. At least 8 lanes (10 preferred), separated by ropes, 1.8 m wide where possible (1.5 m minimum). There is a marshalling line 5 m behind the start and a run-off area of at least 20 m.

Start: the Starter stands on the seaward side and the Check Starter on the shoreward side, 5 m towards the finish (this can be swapped for wind). The commands are "On your marks", "Set", then a pistol shot or whistle. Toes and fingers must be on or behind the line. Competitors may shape sand holes or mounds, but no blocks or other materials. Leaving the mark with a hand or foot after "Set" and before the start is a break, which means disqualification. So does not being stationary after "Set" (an involuntary twitch doesn't count) or deliberately delaying. If the Starter speaks to a competitor after a command, everyone stands up and the start is redone.

Judging: placings go by any part of the chest crossing the line, on the feet and upright. A competitor who doesn't cross correctly may recover and re-cross, and is placed on the re-cross. Crossing into a neighbouring lane means disqualification. Competitors return to the finish line in their lane and keep their caps on until their placing is recorded. Lane Judges check that the course is run correctly.

Rounds: 50% go through from each run-off, using a "snake" line, until about 16 remain for the semi-finals and 8 for the final. There is a new draw for the final.

Course: 15 m for Nippers (all ages) and Masters, 20 m for Juniors and Seniors (approximate). There are always fewer batons than competitors. Anyone without a baton after a run-through is eliminated.

Start position: competitors lie face down at least 1.5 m apart, toes on the line, heels together, hands one on top of the other, elbows out at 90°, hips and stomach on the sand, head up. They may level and compress the sand and dig their toes in, but may not scoop sand, dig or build mounds.

Start sequence: "Competitors ready", then "Heads down" (chin on hands), then the Starter's whistle. The Starter must be out of sight when putting the whistle in their mouth.

Eliminations at the start: lifting or moving after "Heads down" and before the whistle is a break, and the first competitor to break is eliminated (those who follow are not). Repeatedly delaying the start also means elimination. If an official or the equipment caused the break, it is expunged. After an elimination, competitors and batons are realigned with no re-draw.

During the run-through

• Competitors may use their body and shoulder to take a position in front, but deliberate impedance (using hands, arms, feet or legs) means elimination. If two competitors impede, the first to do so goes.
• Picking up two batons means disqualification from the event.
• No more than one elimination per run-through in quarter-finals, semis and finals (up to three in early rounds or with the snake/line system).
• A lost baton or a tie on one baton is settled by a run-off between those involved.
• Infringements don't carry over from one run-through to the next.

Elimination vs disqualification: an eliminated competitor keeps their placing. A disqualified one loses all standing in the event.

Protests: a protest against an elimination is verbal, within 2 minutes or before the next run-through (whichever is first). The Chief Referee decides it straight away and there is no appeal.

• Before water events: no surf or open water event may run until the Chief Referee or Safety Officer has assessed the conditions and reported to the Competition Committee.
• Suspending: if there is a credible basis for concluding there is an unreasonable risk of serious injury, the Chief Referee, consulting the Safety Officer, suspends all or part of the competition. The Safety Officer, Deputy Chief Referee and Sectional Referees can also suspend in their areas and must refer the decision on.
• Cancelling or moving: the Competition Committee (at minimum the Chief Referee and Deputy, the Local Organising Committee chair, Event Manager, Safety Officer and, where applicable, the Director of Sport or delegate) decides whether to postpone, cancel or relocate. Section 4.2.6 also lets the Organising Committee, with the Chief Referee, cancel or reschedule an event or final. A cancellation decision can't be challenged by competitors, team managers or another lifesaving authority.
• Points: if an event is cancelled, even after some heats, no points from it count. If the competition is cancelled before more than 75% of beach and surf events are contested, no Grand Aggregate or Competitor of the Championships award is made.
• Courses may be adjusted at any time for safety, tide, sea and beach changes. Teams must be told of a course change before the event starts.
• Sunset: no ocean water event may start within 1½ hours of sunset.
• Lightning: if thunder follows lightning by less than 30 seconds (about 10 km), stop all water activity, clear the water and move everyone to a solid building, or a car (not the back of a bakkie). Resume about 30 minutes after the storm has passed, and restart the 30-minute clock with each new flash or thunder.

Section 1.3 of the manual sets the standard for Nipper (U9 to U14) competitions:

• Water events should preferably not run unless Safety Lifeguards carrying a rescue torpedo buoy or rescue tube are in attendance.
• Ratio: one Safety Lifeguard to five competitors, or one to ten where an Event Safety Guide Sheet shows low-risk conditions (generally surf under one metre, taking other conditions into account). The Safety Officer and Chief Referee make this call.
• A crewed rescue watercraft counts as two water safety personnel. At every competition, no event may start unless a crewed rescue watercraft is on the water in the competition area.
• Safety Lifeguards must hold an LA or JLA (surf or open water) award with a valid annual retest (a JLA holder should have held it for at least a year), and wear a red/yellow duty skull cap.
• With fewer than 10 competitors in an event, cover may be reduced proportionally, as long as safety is not compromised.

A Nipper who is assisted by a Safety Lifeguard is out of that event and is not placed. The Chief Referee and Safety Officer may withdraw a Nipper at the start or during an event if conditions are unsuitable or the Nipper seems unable to finish.

Disqualifications. The Chief Referee or Sectional Referee may penalise or disqualify a competitor who fails to complete the course, compete fairly or follow a rule. Competitors are told of an event disqualification at the end of the race by the Chief Referee or the relevant technical official, and must stay in the competition area until dismissed. The Chief Referee does not have to announce a disqualification until the event ends. If an official's error follows a competitor's fault, the Chief Referee may expunge the fault.

When a competitor is disqualified, everyone below them moves up one place. A competitor or team can also be disqualified from the whole competition, for example for abusing officials, impersonation, discrimination or racism, or breaching the LSA code of conduct.

Protests (Section 9.2)

• No protest against the Finish Judges' order of finish.
• A protest about the course or conditions must be made verbally to the Chief Referee before the race.
• A protest against a competitor, team or official's decision must be made verbally to the Chief Referee within 15 minutes of the result being posted or of being told of the decision, then in writing (in English, on the Protest/Appeal Form) within a further 15 minutes.
• You can only protest another competitor's actions if you were in the same race and suffered direct interference.
• There is no protest fee. The official result is withheld until the protest is decided.

Appeals (Section 9.3). If the Chief Referee dismisses or refuses a protest, the competitor can appeal to the Appeals Committee Convenor within 30 minutes, with the appeal fee. The fee is refunded if the appeal is upheld. Appeals committees normally have three members (quorum two), none of whom took part in the original decision. Their decision is final.

Beach flags eliminations are different: the protest is verbal, within 2 minutes or before the next run-through starts (whichever is first), the Chief Referee decides it on the spot, and there is no appeal. A beach flags disqualification follows the normal protest and appeal process.