The ‘Sharing the Stoke’ Invitational
Team Surfing at Rincon - Benefit Event – March 29, 30 2008

Rules and Guidelines
(Please distribute to all participants)

Please remember that we are guests of Carpenteria State Park.
Park rules are in effect, including NO DOGS on the beach (even with leashes), and NO FIRES.

1.   Due to the nature of the event, there will be no water marshals to prevent the public from surfing in the event surf zone (the flag pole to the seawall). Courtesy is mandatory. (See #4a and #4b)

2.   Each team is invited to go surfing in the event surf zone for an hour, one team at a time. A team ‘competition’ will be conducted, based on ten person teams, and tallied as followed:

•       Total number of waves caught;
•       Total number of waves shared; and
•       Total number of surfers on shared waves

Under this system, there will be no judging of surfing performance.

•       All the waves caught during the hour will count up to a limit of 200 waves.
•       Each of ten team members will wear a singlet. These will be provided, but if possible bring your own, all in the same bright color. The rides of the surfers wearing singlets will be counted.

3.   It is suggested that each team be represented by no more than 15 surfers – with a max of 20.

•       Five surfers should be 16 or younger; there should be as many wahines (of all ages) as possible.
•       If you have more than ten surfers, your extras can be in the water, and substitutions are OK.
•       There are no restrictions on short/long boards, kneeboards, body boards, etc.
•       Teams must include experienced adult surfers to supervise young surfers at all times.

4.   Based on extensive experience from previous surfing events at Rincon, the interference rules for the Invitational are as follows: (Please read carefully.)

      A. If a team surfer blatantly takes a wave, or drops in and ruins the ride, of someone not in the     event, that surfer’s ride won’t count and five waves will be subtracted from his/her team’s total.
      B. No surfing in the event surf zone unless it is your team’s turn.  Violators risk a 20% reduction of their team's total scores.  Surfing up coast at the Rivermouth or the Indicator is OK.

5.   The flag system is: Green starts the session; Yellow = five minutes left; Green = next session.

•       So, enter the water as a team when you see the five minute yellow flag displayed.
•       Stay in a group downcoast of the judges until a green flag starts your session;
•       An hour later, when your session ends, please leave the water promptly. ( See #6b)

6.   Since the ‘competition’ is not based on surfing performance, we don’t need help with judging.     However, we do need two volunteers from each team to help tally wave and rider counts.Please see the schedule for the times assigned to each team’s volunteers.

7.   Six teams surf on Saturday, and six more on Sunday. Each day’s totals will be tallied separately and each day will have a separate awards ceremony. Awards will be presented for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place in each category approximately 30 minutes after the last session.