Skydive Chicago was awarded the 2016 World Parachuting Championships and Mondial (ie, including all events apart from CP). The Canopy Piloting World Championships 2014 goes to Zephyrhills, Florida. Felix Baumgartner was awarded the FAI Gold Parachuting Medal, and Marylou Laughlin the Leonardo da Vinci Parachuting Diploma. Speed Skydiving and Wingsuiting were accepted into the IPC fold. Next year’s IPC meeting will be held in Bulgaria. That’s the main news, a summary of rule changes follows, by judge Elisabet Mikaelsson who was at the meeting…
Artistic Events (Freestyle and Freefly)
There were no changes in the rules regarding compulsories, there will be the same number of compulsory rounds as last year, and the same moves included. (Some changes had been suggested but were not applied.) Scoring guidelines have been added in some compulsory sequences, giving maximum scores for common mistakes.
Freestyle
Toes not pointed / bent knees: Up to 8.0 (for all FR compulsories)
FR1 – Helix
When performer showing ‘open stag’ (leg pointed straight down, not crossing the other knee): Up to 3.0
FR2 – Double euzone
Videographer performs barrel roll on the first loop instead of on the second: Up to 5.0
FR 5 – Straddle spins
Videographer going under the straddle doing 180 turn to the wrong direction: Up to 5.0
FR – Head-down loop twists
1.0 point for each good loop if no twist is made. (Up to 3.0)
For 3 loops with just half a twist – up to 6.0
Freeflying
Grips taken wrong (when specifically said lower leg etc): Up to 7.0
When grips are not taken on the same time: Up to 8.0
FF 4 – Turning totem
When lower performer is sitting: Up to 5.0
FF 6 – Stand up star
When performed in sit/knee fly: Up to 5.0
FF 7 – Synchronised backloops
If each performer turns in a different direction: Up to 5.0
Presentation
Clarification of presentation scores in the compulsory rounds: “If no presentation element is seen the score for presentation will be zero (0) point”. Which means the team has to show something at exit, something at the end and something inbetween, not just the transitions.
Formation Skydiving and VFS
2.3 Grip line: This is the line linking the torsos of two competitors via their arms or legs and feet and the grip that joins them. (Added are the new words ‘and feet’.)
Tie-breaker
There is a new rule for determination of the final placings in the event of a tie:
i. One tie break round, if possible (for the first three placings only). The tie break round will be the next drawn round of the competition.
ii. The fastest time (measured to hundredths of a second) to the last common scoring formation in the last completed round after the jump-off.
New rule for training jumps
Two drawn rounds will be made available for teams to use. Teams can perform a sequence of their own choice instead and receive an evaluation from the judges. In this case, teams must provide the sequence to the judges with the video.
(BTW the sidebody grip that caused some controversy in 8-way at the DIPC, December 2013, wasn’t on the agenda)
Canopy Formation
Reduced speed for judging
The judges will watch each performance once at normal speed. At the request of any working judge, a second viewing at normal speed may be made. If, after the second viewing has taken place and a clear decision has not been made as to when the working time begins, the Event Judge may guide the Panel of Judges when to start their chronometers. A third viewing at normal or reduced speed at 70% may only occur at the discretion of the Event Judge. The judges shall start the timing when the first team member (including the team’s videographer) leaves the aircraft. At the end of working time, freeze frame of the video image shall be applied.
New wording
The wording has been changed for the determination of winners (but it’s still basically the same rule).
3.5.1. Where only one round is completed, the team that has the best score for that one round shall be the winner. If more than one team has the same score, the team with the fastest time within working time, calculated to the second decimal point, shall be the winner.
3.5.2. Where more than one round is completed, the team that has the best score after discarding their lowest score in the completed rounds (a disqualification or penalty score may not be discarded), calculated as follows:
3.5.2.1. Have the greatest number of formations in the completed rounds.
3.5.2.2 If two or more teams have an equal number of formations, the first three places will be decided by the highest number of points in any completed round for each team.
3.5.2.3. If there is still a tie, the team with the fastest time in those rounds with the highest points wins the tied place.
3.5.2.4 Tied teams placed lower than third remain tied.
Absolute rule
Changes in the ‘Absolute rule’. The decision on an ‘absolute’ no longer has to be unanimous, now changed to ‘minimum four to one judge’. This is only for CF.
6.3 If, after all viewings are complete, and within 15 seconds of knowledge of the result, the Chief Judge, Event Judge or any Judge on the panel considers that an absolutely incorrect assessment has occurred, the Chief Judge or Event Judge will direct that only that part(s) of the jump in question be reviewed. If the review results in a minimum four to one judge decision by the Judges that an absolutely incorrect assessment has occurred on the part(s) of the jump in question, the score for the jump will be adjusted accordingly. Only one review is permitted for each jump.
Canopy Piloting
As I am not a CP judge I’m not sure what all the changes were. A few are below but there may be more.
Changes on gates
2.2.1 The Entry Gate (G1) is the first Gate on the course.
2.2.2 The Exit Gate (G5) is the last Gate on the course.
2.4.1 Missed Entry (ME) – not scoring G1 for any reason
2.4.2 Missed Exit (ME) – not scoring G5 for any reason
Definition of Landing Zones
2.8 Landing Zones: In the Accuracy Event, Landing Zones (Z1 to Z9) are defined areas within the boundaries of the course with assigned point values as specified in Addendum D.
Clarification was added to the paragraph about landing and surface contact, to include natural and man-made structures and/or materials.
Definition changes or clarification
Minimum Result (MR): Zero (0) points in any round of an event.
Out-Flying (OF): no part of the body remains within the course-sidelines and Surface Contact occurs.
Determination of Champions
3.3.1 In each event, Carved Speed, Drag Distance or Zone Accuracy, the winner of an event is the competitor with the highest cumulative points for all completed rounds in the event.
3.3.2 Combined Champion
The competitor with the highest total number of points out of the completed rounds in all CP-events.
Style & Accuracy
Small changes were made to the wording. The maximum allowable wind speed at ground level in the accuracy events is set by the Chief Judge, FAI Controller and Meet Director within the range of no less than 6.0 m/s and no more than 8.0 m/s.
Instead after 15 seconds it is now an immediate decision
A competitor who lands during the period 10 seconds before the wind speed exceeds the limit, while the wind speed is over the limit and 30 seconds after the wind speed has returned below the limit, and does not score a dead centre, may accept a re-jump. The competitor must make an immediate decision and must inform the Event or Chief Judge of their decision, otherwise the competitor must do a re-jump.
Paraski
Has no longer a nominated jury, the FAI Controller would be the chair of the jury and appoint two other persons (experts) on site to be the jury. This is valid from 1 July 2014.
Wingsuit
We now have record classes for wingsuit. Large non-grip formations, defined by a grid and longest freefall up to 1,000 meters or deployment of the parachute (whichever comes first) and competition records for the furthest flight between 3,000 m and 2,000 m. There is nothing about wingsuit competitions – not yet. The working group has extended their terms of reference to look into competitions for next year.
Speed Skydiving
I’m very happy that Speed Skydiving now is an official IPC event, following it being trialled as a test event at the last two DIPC events in Dubai. The first IPC Speed World Cup will be in Czech Republic 24 Aug to 31 Aug 2014. There is now a new committee of IPC on Speed Skydiving, of which I am Chair. Our task is to work in close cooperation with speed skydivers worldwide in development and promotion. My goal is to make this discipline known to the IPC world and the best ever, but I will need help from you all. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or suggestions how to best promote this great discipline.
65th IPC Plenary Meeting Minutes
