How do I know when my heat starts and ends?

Q: How do I know when my heat starts and ends?

Under the SSA Rulebook 2025 (Section 2.1): Horn or siren: one blast to start, two to finish. The heat ends when the first finishing blast is heard by the Head Judge; the siren takes precedence over the disc. Disc (at least 1 m square): green to start, red for the last five minutes, and neutral (no colour) at the end and between heats. If the siren fails, the disc is the timing signal. A visual and PA warning at five minutes to go, and the commentator gives a five-second countdown at the start and end of every heat. No time extensions once a heat has started. If a heat is interrupted, it resumes with the time that was left. Getting to the line-up: for water starts you may paddle out to the marshalling area when there are at least five minutes left in the previous heat, staying clear of that heat. Don't paddle towards the line-up until the previous heat ends; entering the take-off area early can be penalised. The Contest Director is the only person who can give the official schedule. Hand signals to the beach during a heat: one hand tapping the other wrist for time remaining; arms up vertically for priority; both arms out horizontally for the situation.

Question

Accepted Answer

Under the SSA Rulebook 2025 (Section 2.1):

Horn or siren: one blast to start, two to finish. The heat ends when the first finishing blast is heard by the Head Judge; the siren takes precedence over the disc.
Disc (at least 1 m square): green to start, red for the last five minutes, and neutral (no colour) at the end and between heats. If the siren fails, the disc is the timing signal.
A visual and PA warning at five minutes to go, and the commentator gives a five-second countdown at the start and end of every heat.
No time extensions once a heat has started. If a heat is interrupted, it resumes with the time that was left.

Getting to the line-up: for water starts you may paddle out to the marshalling area when there are at least five minutes left in the previous heat, staying clear of that heat. Don't paddle towards the line-up until the previous heat ends; entering the take-off area early can be penalised. The Contest Director is the only person who can give the official schedule.

Hand signals to the beach during a heat: one hand tapping the other wrist for time remaining; arms up vertically for priority; both arms out horizontally for the situation.