2015 Surfing Australia Rule Book | Page 50

DK has its own separate Division at all amateur and professional levels, as being a completely different style of bodyboarding it is really incomparable to prone riding. Please note: In a prone heat, no part of any wave ridden DK, including where manoeuvres are performed can be scored and a wave ridden DK in a prone heat for the entire ride must be scored a zero. In a DK heat, no part of any wave ridden prone, including where manoeuvres are performed can be scored and a wave ridden prone in a DK heat for the entire ride must be scored a zero. Special note should be taken of the “momentum” rules in relation to when a bodyboarder in a competition is deemed to be “up and riding” and how this relates to interferences. Note that a prone rider is deemed to be “up” (or actually “riding” on a scoring wave) once they have completely stopped any paddling with their arms and are not forcing momentum by using their swim fins – to the extent that they have clear forward momentum on the wave under the waves’ own power. In terms of interferences, the following rules should be observed primarily for both prone and DK: “The first rider to gain momentum from the wave shall be deemed to have unconditional wave possession. The rider must have an unimpeded path across the face of the wave in the direction they have chosen to ride.” “If two or more riders gain momentum at the same time on the same wave and wish to ride the wave in the same direction, the rider on the inside shall have right of way.” Special points worth noting are: Criteria in relation to multiple-element aerial manoeuvres as in prone bodyboarding will not be emphasised due to the extreme difficulty of executing such moves in DK stance. Rather, the basic criteria in relation to speed, power and flow is emphasised and judges are primarily looking for “rail to rail” riding incorporating strong turns off the bottom and top of the wave as the basis for awarding higher scores DK manoeuvres must be completed in DK stance (and not prone) in order to be scored as functional DK manoeuvres DK spins where used to either regain balance out of a turn or in a non-functional manner such as single or multiple 360’s on the open face are not encouraged and should not be awarded high scores 48 SURFING AUSTRALIA RULE BOOK