GENERAL RULES 

                                                 
1. Rules
1.1 Each event shall be governed by:
• The IFCA Class Rules and these IFCA Grand Prix General Rules;
• The local official rules of the national windsurfing/sailing associations if they are approved by IFCA &published in the NoR;
• The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions;
• World Sailing Regulation’s 19, 20 and 21.
1.2 Some rules may differ between events. Changes of the international rules shall be announced in the Notice of Race and/or the Sailing Instructions.
1.3 Each discipline/format event is “Graded” for an IFCA Grand Prix Series Ranking.
2. Divisions
2.1 Two gender groups can be identified: men and women.
2.2 When 5 or more women are registered, they shall have a separate start.
2.3 There may be separate prizes or trophies in the following age divisions: Youth (under 21), Masters (40 or older) and Grand Masters (50 or older).
2.4 The standing of a competitor within a division shall be calculated by making a simple extraction from the overall results. Scores will not be recalculated in the process.
2.5 A competitor must have reached the minimum age limit by Dec 31st. in the year preceding the date of competition.
2.6 A competitor must not be older than the maximum age limit by Dec 31st of the year of competition.
2.7 A minimum of 5 entries is required to constitute a division.
3. Disciplines/Formats and conditions
3.1 A discipline/format event may include course racing, slalom racing, long distance /marathon, foiling and freestyle.
3.2 Competition shall only be run in suitable conditions. The race committee shall consult the appointed Class Representative when it comes to deciding if conditions are suitable for competition.
4. Entries & Pre-Entries
4.1 The GP tour is an “Open Entry” event series for male and female competitors; ie there is no requirement to “qualify”.
4.2 Total competitor entry in any division may be limited, in which case the details shall be specified in the event NoR.
4.3 A competitor shall meet the requirements of World Sailing Regulation 19 - Eligibility Code and be a member of either a National Class Association in good standing with the IFCA or be an individual member of the IWA.
4.4 Competitors who enter or pre-enter for an event and do not register (compete), without giving an excuse acceptable to the IFCA, may be refused entry to future Tour events.
5. On site Registration
5.1 On site registration times shall be published in the NoR, which shall be posted on the Official Notice Board.
5.2 Competitors may be asked to show their membership card and/or licence card, and proof of 3rd party liability insurance.
6. Liability & Insurance
6.1 Competitors take part in events at their own risk. The IFCA, IWA, LOA, or any of their representatives, sponsors, or officials are not responsible under any circumstances for any damage, loss or injury to persons or equipment either ashore or on the water. Participation in this tour and each event within it, is at the sole discretion of the participant and at his/her own risk.
6.2 Competitors shall possess valid third party liability insurance covering personal injury or equipment damage.
7. Sail Insignia
7.1 National letters & sail numbers shall comply with the most recent directive from the IFCA.
8. Equipment & Inspection
8.1 Competitors may bring their own equipment, which shall comply with IFCA Class Rules.
8.2 Each competitor shall register their own equipment as specified in the NoR and by the published deadline.
8.3 Measurement and equipment checks may be made throughout the event.
9. Buoyancy
9.1 If personal buoyancy is prescribed by national law, the LOA shall state this in the NoR.
9.2 Foil events. A suitable protective helmet and impact vest shall be worn.
10. Support Personnel
10.1 Coaches & team support personnel are required to register in advance and give notice to the organisers if they propose to bring their own coach boats. Support Personnel registration fee to be agreed with each organiser.
11. Courses
11.1 Courses shall be as described in the Sailing Instructions.
12. Protest Committee
12.1 A Protest Committee will be appointed in accordance with WCR 91 ( a ).
13. Sailing Instructions (SI)/Event Programme
13.1 The SI’s shall be made available no later than event registration as will the event programme scheduling social events.
14. Drug Testing
14.1 Competitors are reminded of the binding effect of International rules and regulations concerning the use of banned methods and substances. Drug testing may take place during an event.
15. Television and Media
15.1 By registering for the event, competitors automatically grant the organising authority the right to make, use and show from time to time at their discretion, any motion pictures, still pictures and live, taped or filmed television and other reproduction of them, taken during the period of the event, for the said event as defined in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instruction in which he/she participates without any compensation arranged for.
16. Bibs/Vests & Competitors Sail Branding.
16.1 During racing, the LOA may require competitors to wear bibs/vests carrying the event sponsors' branding and the event sponsors’ advertising on their sails, which shall be placed back to back immediately below the sail insignias.
16.2 Event branding shall be worn at all times when afloat, and as requested by the organizers during media interviews.
17. Event and Series Scoring
17.1 Slalom. The Event scoring system and discard profile will be as specified in the ESCR.
17.2 Foil. The Event Scoring system, including discard profile, will be as specified in Foil Rules.
17.2 A valid event result can be declared after one completed race/round – up to and including the final.
17.3 Each valid event result will be scored as ”one race” for the Series Result.
17.4 Series Scoring - Event Points and Event Factor
       
18. Medals, Trophies and Prizes at Events
18.1 The following medals or trophies may be awarded (minimum) at the Event prize giving:
1st place men
2nd place men
3rd place men
1st place women
2nd place women
3rd place women
1st place Youth
1st place Master
1st place GrandMaster

18.2 Additional trophies may be awarded at the discretion of the organiser – check event NoR.
19. Communications
19.1 The official website for the IFCA Grand Prix is - http://gpseries.ifcaclass.com/
19.2 The LOA’s websites may also carry valuable information and should be checked regularly.
19.3 The IWA ENews, distributed by the IWA, will carry GP news. Competitors should check they are on the IWA database.
20. Event Prize money
20.1 The LOA shall provide prize money for their event; the amount, net of taxes, published in the NoR.
20.2 Where an event declares a valid result, prize money shall be divided according to the system published on the GP website or as published in the NoR.
20.3 No valid result. In the event that no valid result can be achieved in a GP discipline, 50% of the advertised prize money shall be retained by the organiser; 50% shall be distributed equally between the registered competitors in that discipline.
21. Series Result & Prize Money
21.1 The GP Series Result shall be calculated on an annual basis for Men & Women.
21.2 The GP Series Prize Fund (euro) may be distributed to the top 3 men and top woman
Version date – April 2019
 

APPENDIX

IFCA GRAND PRIX – SERIES SCORING: EVENT POINTS & EVENT FACTOR
EVENT POINTS – STANDARD TABLE
Competitors will be awarded points in a discipline/format Series Ranking according to their finishing position in each of the discipline/format Series events.
The Top 20 competitors in an event ranking will be awarded points according to the following table:
1st – 100 points
2nd – 95 points
3rd – 90 points
4th – 85 points
5th – 80 points
6th to 18th - 75 points to 15 points, reducing in increments of 5 points
19th – 10 points
20th – 10 points
 
21st or lower – 5 points
Non participation in a series event – 0 points
 
EVENT FACTOR
Each event in a GP Series shall provide an event prize fund of a minimum 5,000 euro (net of taxes). An event providing an increased prize fund to top finishing competitors shall earn extra event points for the series ranking.
The points in the Standard Table will be multiplied by an Event Factor:
A) Discipline/Format Series Event with 5,000 euro prize money – factor 1.0
B) Discipline/Format Series Event with 10,000 euro prize money – factor 1.5
C) Discipline/Format Series Event with 15,000 euro prize money – factor 2.0
Illustration:
1st place in A) event = 100 points; 1st place in B) event = 150 points; 1st place in C) event = 200 points.
SERIES RANKING
A competitor’s final ranking position in a discipline/format GP Series Ranking will be determined by:
       - the sum of his/her event points if 2 events in the Series;
       - the sum of his/her event points less his/her worst score if 3 or 4 events in the Series;
       - the sum of his/her event points less his/her 2 worst scores if 5 or more events in the Series.
A series tie break will be broken according to the RRS – Windsurfing Edition (B8.A8)