Canoe Wales is the national governing body for paddle sport in Wales. We:

  • Manage the National White Water Centre which is located on the river Tryweryn in Bala, North Wales
  • Represent the interests of our club and individual members
  • Advocate on behalf of the interests of the sport in Wales
  • Provide coaching and development programmes from local to international level
  • Stage national and international competitions.

BCU Surf Competition Rules

These rules supersede any rules previously issued by the committee.

  1. Competitors must be current members of the BCU or its federal associations.
  2. Competitors should have filled in an entry form and paid all fees no later than the closing date for entries.
  3. Competitors must have signed on, produced their card, and read the safety rules by the sign on time. (8am to 8.30 on Sat Normally.)
  4. Competitors should be able to perform an eskimo roll in rough water.
  5. Competitors must be available to act as rescue cover when requested.
  6. Competitors must be available to act as Judges and Scribes when requested.
  7. It is the responsibility of the competitor to report to the beach marshal before the start of the PREVIOUS heat to act as safety cover if required. Failure to comply will result in ranking points for that competition being halved.
  8. Any competitor who is eliminated cannot re-enter at a later stage.
  9. Any competitor surfing in the competition area while another heat is in progress will be disqualified.
  10. Competitors must ensure they wear the right colour bib as shown in the running order. Failure to observe this could result in elimination.
  11. Competitors may have assistance emptying their kayaks while the heat is in progress.
  12. Heats will be of 20 minutes duration unless previously notified by the organiser.
  13. Your kayak will be thoroughly scrutinised at every event. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPETITOR TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR CRAFT CONFORMS TO THE RULES.

Safety Regulations

  1. The overall responsibility for safety remains with the event organisers.
  2. Organisers should be conversant with all local emergency facilities. The location of the nearest accident/emergency hospital should also be at hand.
  3. Organisers will be responsible for the presence of a qualified first aider, they will also have to ensure that a first aid kit is on hand.
  4. A separate rescue system should be provided if possible. I.e. BCU Lifeguards.
  5. Competitors must be available to act as rescue cover when requested.
  6. The elected scrutineer must check the suitability of all competitors equipment.
  7. The rules of the competition and the safety regulation must be displayed at the control point.
  8. The organisers may check the ability to roll in heavy surf, of any competitor.

Craft Safety Rules

Craft Safety RulesPointed Ends: All kayaks must have a minimum diameter of 50 mm (allowing for 6 mm protuberance) in the plan view. All kayaks must have a minimum diameter of 20 mm (allowing for 6 mm protuberance) when viewed in the side view. Kayaks may only be brought back up to the required radii by means of a permanent repair or by the addition of a purpose made endcap. If the ends are damaged during a competition, adhesive tape may be used to effect a repair for the remainder of that competition.

Buoyancy: The bows of all kayaks must be fitted with solid buoyancy up to the foot rest, thus preventing the feet passing the footrest in the event of a failure. Kayaks with a full plate footrest may use airbags or foam to fill the void forward of the footrest. The stern of all kayaks must have the maximum practical space filled with buoyancy, ie air bags or foam.

End Grabs/Loops: End grabs should be sited no more than 300 mm from either end of the kayak. Toggles or tails still need to be fitted to these. Kayaks with end grabs/loops sited more than 300 mm from either end must have tails fitted which reach the end of the craft.

Toggles/Tails: All kayaks must be fitted with toggles or tails at bow and stern.

  • Tails: A tail including knotted end, must be at least 300 mm long, with a minimum width of 25 mm if webbing, or 10 mm diameter if rope. The ends must not be tied together to form an entrapment (loop).
  • Toggles: A toggle must be at least 75 mm in length and 20 mm in diameter and when mounted in the "T" position must stand 50 mm clear of the deck.

Personal Safety

  1. All competitors must wear a helmet and a buoyancy aid.
  2. Competitors must be current members of the BCU or its federal associations.

International Class Craft Rules

Construction: The kayak shall be of hollow construction, with the paddler sitting in, not on, the kayak. Any material is allowed for construction.

Design: The hull will consist totally of convex radii. The radii may vary over the entire length of the hull. There are no restrictions on deck design or radii. The centre line of the seat, shall be no less than 1.5 meters from either end of the kayak.

Length: Kayaks must be a minimum "as manufactured" length of 3.5 metres. Kayaks rendered undersize by damage or wear and tear may be brought back up to the minimum length by means of a permanent repair, or by the addition of a purpose made end cap.

Safety: Current craft and personal safety rules must be followed.

Plastic Class Craft Rules

Construction: The kayak or canoe shall be constructed from plastic. The craft may not be made from glassfibre, diolen, carbon fibre or any other composite derivative of glassfibre.

Design: There will be no restriction on the design of the kayak or canoe. Wave Skis do not count as either a kayak or a canoe. Sit-on-top kayaks or canoes are allowed.

Safety: Current craft and personal safety rules must be followed.

High Performance Class Craft Rules

Construction: The kayak shall be of hollow construction, with the paddler sitting in, not on, the kayak. Any material is allowed for construction.

Length: Kayaks may be a maximum "as manufactured" length of 3.4 m.

Design: There will be no restriction on the design of the kayak or canoe. Wave Skis do not count as either a kayak or a canoe. Sit-on-top kayaks or canoes are allowed.

Safety: Current craft and personal safety rules must be followed.

Ski Craft Rules

Ski’s must have an effective leash at least 1.4 m long.

Ski paddlers must wear a helmet.

Ski paddlers may wear a buoyancy aid.

Pointed ends should comply as per kayak.

Surf Etiquette

It is important that paddle surfers realise that they share the waves with our board riding counterparts. Relations between kayak surfers and "boardies" are very strained due to a number of incidents involving undisciplined kayak surfers.

In order to keep the peace, both between paddle surfers and boardies and even paddle surfers themselves, it is very important to comply with the following guidlines.

  1. Inexperienced kayak surfers should keep well clear of others. If this is not possible, then maybe you should find an alternative location. You may avoid an accident or even an insurance claim against you.
  2. The surfer (no matter what craft) nearest the shoulder has priority and should not be inhibited on their wave.
  3. Incoming surfers have right of way. It is up to outgoing surfers to take evasive action, even capsizing if necessary. NOTE. That this rule is only true for Competitions. In recreational (or Free) surfing the surfer coming in has most control, speed and manoeuvrability and should avoid those paddling out or stationary.
  4. Do not surf casually within any Surf Competition area. Respect the request of an event organiser.
  5. If collision is imminent you should capsize.

Interference Rules

Interference shall be interpreted by the judges as any action taken by a competitor to hinder or obstruct the performance of a fellow competitor. This shall include:

  1. Any practice considered dangerous.
  2. Dropping in: The first paddler surfing the shoulder of a wave has priority, and will be the only one to be scored.
  3. Paddling out though the competition area which could force competitors to take evasive action.
  4. "Stealing" a wave, caused by paddling across the front of a competitor who is poised for a well positioned take off.
  5. Snaking: A paddler taking off in the soup / broken wave may not move to the shoulder which is already occupied by a fellow competitor.
  6. Suspicious drop ins: Designed to interfere with a competitor already surfing, regardless of whether the offender leaves the wave or not.
  7. Closely following a 2nd competitor out through the break and thus preventing that competitor performing a paddle-out take-off.
  8. Collision: In the event of a protest committee deciding that action have taken place between persons, either on or off the water, which are designed to unfairly influence the result of the competition all persons involved will be disqualified.
  9. The penalty for an interference is that for each offence the lowest scoring wave is removed, ie for one interference the top three scoring rides become two.

International Qualification

A person is eligible to represent either the country of their birth, or the country of birth of either parent, or the country in which they have resided for the past three years. Persons must not change from one country to another during any one year.

See Also:

Competition Organisation