World Championship Rules 

1.              General

1.1.        A World Championship shall be arranged each year unless required otherwise by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

1.2.        The Executive Committee of the International Tempest Association (ITA) is responsible for selecting a host nation for each World Championship.

1.3.        The World Championship shall be arranged, conducted and judged in accordance with the current ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing (ISAF RRS), the Notice of Race of the host National Authority and these World Championship Rules.

2.              Trophies and Prizes

2.1.        The World Championship Trophy and other donated trophies are the property of the ITA and shall be awarded to the helmsmen and/or crews of the appropriate yachts upon its satisfaction that the event has been conducted in accordance with the provisions of rule1.3.

2.2.        Each trophy shall be retained by the winner until the next Championship takes place. The winner shall be responsible for engraving and returning the trophy to the ITA before the start of the following Championship.

2.3.        When prizes are presented by the host club, they shall be of equal value for both helmsman and crew.

3.              Eligibility and Entries

3.1.        No yacht shall be permitted to race unless it holds a valid Measurement Certificate and displays a valid subscription label.

3.2.        One member of the crew of each yacht must have been a resident and/or citizen of the country from which it is entered for the six months preceding the first race. One member of the crew must also be a member in good standing of the ITA.

3.3.        The Executive Committee of the ITA may impose entry limitations for the purpose of maintaining a 60 yacht maximum for the Championship. Any limitation so imposed shall take into consideration the number of paid up members in a country and the performance standard of the entrant.

3.4.        Notwithstanding rule 3.3., the current champion shall always have the right to defend his title without having to qualify and without his entry affecting the number of yachts his country is permitted to enter.

4.              Jury

4.1.        Unless otherwise authorised in writing by the ITA, an International Jury shall be constituted in accordance with ISAF RRS, Appendix M.

4.2.        Final decision concerning interpretation of the Class Rules shall rest with the Jury.

5.              Measurement

5.1.        The ITA and its approved measurer shall be responsible for the measurement program.

5.2.        Measurement shall be taken under the current ISAF Measurement Instructions except where varied by the Class Rules.

5.3.        The measurer at the Championship shall measure neither yachts nor sails owned or built or made by himself.

5.4.        For each measured yacht, any deviation from the dimensions or from the tolerances stated in the Class Rules shall be reported to the Jury and the owner.

5.5.        No more than two mainsails, two jibs and three spinnakers shall be measured or used.

5.6.        Sails shall not be altered after they are measured. Repairs other than cosmetics shall be undertaken only with written permission of the Jury. If a sail requires major repair, the Jury may order the sail re-measured.

5.7.        In the event of accidental damage which in the opinion of the Jury cannot be adequately repaired, the Jury may authorise a spare sail to be measured and used for the remaining races of the championship and the damaged sail shall then be deposited with the Race Committee for the duration of the Championship.

6.              Sailing Instructions

6.1.        The Sailing Instructions shall conform to the Championship Sailing Instructions (see Appendix) unless otherwise authorised by the ITA and shall be approved in writing by the ITA.

6.2.        Prescriptions of the host National Authority shall be published together with the Sailing Instructions.

7.              Alterations

7.1.        Alterations to the Championship Rules shall be made by International Ballot in accordance with Association Rule 6.3, except that the Championship Sailing Instructions may be changed to confirm to revisions of the ISAF RRS.

Appendix _ Championship Sailing Instructions

The following shall be part of the Notice of Race:

International Tempest World Championship 20 ..  (insert year); dates: begin of measurement, reserve day; name, city and country of the organising authority.

1.              Rules

The Championship will be governed by the latest edition of the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing (ISAF RRS), the prescriptions of the host National Authority, the ITA Class and Championship Rules and by these sailing instructions.

2.              Entries

Eligible yachts may be entered by completing registration with the organising authority.

3.              Notices to Competitors

Notices to competitors will be posted on the Regatta Notice Board(s) located at (insert location).

4.              Changes in Sailing Instructions

Any change in the sailing instructions will be posted before (insert time) on the day it will take effect. When possible, any change in the schedule of races will be posted (insert time) on the day before it will take effect.

5.              Signals made ashore

Signals made ashore will be made according the Sailing Instructions and/or notices on the Regatta Notice Board.

6.              Scoring

Scoring will be according the preferred Scoring System by the ISAF, actually the low point system (ISAF RRS, Appendix A). Four completed races shall constitute a series. When only four races are completed, the scores for all four shall be counted. If five or more races are completed, the worst score shall be excluded.

7.              Schedule of Races

Will be handed out to the Competitors before the first race.

Depending on the race area, there should be between six and nine races scheduled over a time period of five days. At the first day, there should be not more than two races scheduled. Thereafter, the maximum number of races a day is three.

If there are not four races completed within five days, an additional day (reserve day) will be used.

8.              Racing Area

The racing area will be (as shown on [location] or described).

9.              The Course

9.1.        The diagram below shows the preferred courses – provided the course shown will be adequately adjustable to the local area – including the approximate angles between legs, the order which marks are to be rounded or passed, and the side on which each mark is to be left.

9.2.        The approximate compass bearing from the starting line to Mark 1 will be displayed from the race committee signal boat.

9.3.        The course will not be shortened before the starting signal. After the starting signal the course can be shortened.

                                                                                                      1                         F

                                                                                                    45°

                                                                       2          90°

                                                                                                   3

                                                                                                                                  S

 1  =  Mark 1      2  =  Mark 2       3  =  Mark 3

S  =  Starting line

F  =  Finishing line

Race course (long race)            S, 1,2,3, 1,3, 1,2,3, F

Marks to be rounded to port

Race course (short race)           S, 1,2,3, 1,3, F

Marks to be rounded to port

10.          Marks

10.1.     The course marks will be (insert description).

10.2.     The port end starting mark and the finishing mark will be (insert description). The port end starting and finishing marks can also be marks 1 or 3.

11.          The Start

11.1.     Races will be started in accordance with ISAF RRS, Rule 26. The warning signal will be Code Flag “T” (Tempest flag).

11.2.     The starting line will be between a staff displaying a flag on a race committee boat at the starboard end and the port end starting mark or Mark 3 at the port end.

11.3.     Any yacht shall not start later than ten minutes after her starting signal.

12.          Recalls

12.1.     Individual recalls will be signalled in accordance with ISAF RRS, Rule 29.2. using code flag “X”.

12.2.     A general recall will be signalled in accordance with ISAF RRS, Rule 29.3 and a new acoustic warning signal will be made one minute after the lowering of code flag “First Substitute”.

13.          Change of Course after the Start

According ISAF RRS, Rule 33.

14.          The Finish

The Fishing Line will be between a staff displaying a flag on a race committee boat at one end and the finishing mark or Mark 1 at the other end.

15.          Time Limits

15.1.  The minimum target time for each race is 55 minutes and the maximum target time 110 minutes.

15.2.     If no boat has rounded the first mark within 35 minutes, the race will be abandoned.

15.3.     The time limit for the first yacht to finish is 160 minutes.

15.4.     Yachts finishing more than 40 minutes after the first yacht finishes will be scored “Did not finish” (DNF).

16.          Protests

16.1.     Protests shall be posted within 60 minutes after the last boat entered the harbour. In case there are several races on a day without at least one hour break on shore between the races, the protest time will automatically begin 60 minutes after the last boat entered the harbour after the last race of the day.

16.2.     Informing of the Protestee according ISAF RRS, Rule 61.1.

16.3.     Protest forms will be available at the Race committee office and shall comply to ISAF RRS, Rule 61.2.

16.4.     Decisions of the Jury will be final in accordance with ISAF RRS, Rule 3.

17.          Alternative Penalties

According ISAF Racing Rules 44.1., 44.2. and 44.4.

18.          Haul-out Restrictions

All yachts shall be afloat before (insert date and time) and shall not be hauled out except with and according to the terms of prior written permission of the Jury.

19.          Substitute Competitors

Substitute competitors shall not be eligible to compete except with and according to prior written permission of the Jury.

..June 2001