INLINE VERT
Competition Format
Written by: Matt Lindenmuth
March 23, 2009
Inline Skate Vert Ramp Competition Format and Judging
Preliminary Qualifying Round
Each skater will be given two (2) runs in the Vert Ramp. A skater’s run is ten (10) walls in the Vert Ramp to perform their best run. Skater’s runs will not be timed. If a skater exits the Vert Ramp (i.e. exits onto the deck or platform of the Vert Ramp, or exits the flat-bottom of the ramp) prior to completing their 10 allocated walls, their run is deemed over. Each run will be judged on overall impression, which includes but is not limited to, amplitude, technicality, choreography/line, style, etc. Each skater’s low score will be dropped; their best-scored run will rank them in a Preliminary Qualifying ranking.
Skaters will start in reverse order of year-to-date rankings in the WRS points system. If a skater does not hold a WRS ranking in the Vert Ramp competition they will place at the bottom of the ranking list. If there are multiple skaters without rankings they will be placed at the bottom of the ranking list in a random order.
Judging in Preliminary Qualifying Round
A panel of five (5) judges will oversee each competitor’s run in the Vert Ramp. Each judge will award a score of over-all impression to each skater, following that skater’s run. The highest and lowest scores submitted by the judging panel will be dropped from scoring. The three (3) remaining scores will be averaged to create a skater’s score. Each skater’s run will be judged and scored according to overall impression, which includes but is not limited to, amplitude, technicality, choreography/line, style, etc. Each skater’s low score will be dropped; their best-scored run will rank them in a Preliminary Qualifying ranking.
Finals
The top ten (10) ranked skaters from the Preliminary Qualifying round will advance into the Finals. Skaters in the Finals will start in reverse order of the Preliminary Qualifying rankings. Each skater will be given two (2) runs in the Vert Ramp. A skater’s run is ten (10) walls in the Vert Ramp to perform their best run. Skater’s runs will not be timed. If a skater exits the Vert Ramp (i.e. exits onto the deck or platform of the Vert Ramp, or exits the flat-bottom of the ramp) prior to completing their 10 allocated walls, their run is deemed over. Each skater’s low score will be dropped; their best-scored run will act as fifty percent (50%) of their Final score. In the case of a tie, the tiebreaker is determined by reverting to the skater’s lower submitted score. In the case there is still a tie, the tiebreaker is determined by reverting to the skater’s best submitted score from the Preliminary Qualifying round.
After each skater is given two (2) Finals runs a clock will begin with a twenty (20) minute time limit starting the Finals Jam Session. Skaters who are qualified into the Finals may take as few or as many runs in the Vert Ramp as they desire. Each skater will be judged on overall impression throughout the Jam Session, which includes but is not limited to, amplitude, technicality, choreography/line, style, etc. Each skater’s over-all Jam Session score will act as fifty percent (50%) of their Final score.
If a competitor qualifies into the Finals and is unable to compete in the Final round due to injury that skater will be awarded the tenth place position (10th) or the last ranking in the Finals. If two (2) or more competitors are unable to compete in the Final round due to injury those skaters will be placed in the last remaining positions of the Finals ranking, and ranked among themselves according to the Preliminary Qualifying score.
If a competitor qualifies into the Finals and chooses not to compete with any evidence or provided proof of an injury that skater will forfeit their ranking to the next highest-ranking skater in the Preliminary Qualifying round.
Judging in Final Round
Introductory Runs
A panel of five (5) judges will oversee each competitor’s 2 introductory runs in the Vert Ramp. Each judge will award a score of over-all impression to each skater, following that skater’s run. The highest and lowest scores submitted by the judging panel will be dropped from scoring. The three (3) remaining scores will be averaged to create a skater’s score. Each skater’s run will be judged and scored according to overall impression, which includes but is not limited to, amplitude, technicality, choreography/line, style, etc. Each skater’s low score will be dropped; their best-scored run will rank them in a Preliminary Qualifying ranking. That score will equal fifty percent (50%) of the skater’s Final score.
Final Jam Session (Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit)
A panel of five (5) judges will oversee the Final Jam Session in the Vert Ramp. Each judge will award a score of over-all impression to each skater at the completion of the Jam Session. The highest and lowest scores submitted by the judging panel will be dropped from scoring. The three (3) remaining scores will be averaged to create a skater’s score. Each skater’s time in the Jam Session will be judged and scored according to overall impression, which includes but is not limited to, amplitude, technicality, choreography/line, style, etc. That score will equal fifty percent (50%) of the skater’s Final score.
Overall Final Round Scoring and Awards
Each competitor’s scores from their Introductory Runs and Jam Session will be added together to equal their Final score. In descending order skaters will be ranked according to their Overall Final Score. Judges will also award one (1) skater from Finals the Best Trick Award. If a skater is considered for the Best Trick Award they must have landed their trick within the time given during Finals, either in their Introductory Runs or the timed Jam Session. A landed trick means the skater landed and rolled, in adequate control, across the flat-bottom and up the next wall of the Vert Ramp.
5 Responses
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You guys have put a lot of work into this! Great job, well thought out and the consistency it will bring should really help the sport. Only thing it seems like 20 minutes is an awfully short time for the jam session. You want people to have fun and show their stuff without it becoming a snake session or unsafe with so many people trying to go. With 50% score riding on that round, maybe do 5 at a time in 2 heats? Or one at a time, max 3 tricks in a run & go through the whole line up a set number of times?
And make sure the judges know one trick from another and their level of difficulty– what’s harder, a 9 foot 540 or a 5 foot flat 900? If the judges aren’t very skaters, they need to be taught the differences and drilled on it and to really know what they are looking at.
And the announcer needs to focus, too. Sometimes it seems like the announcer is awol and all the skaters deserve the announcer to be talking up the skater’s tricks for the judges and for the crowd so they can get excited and feed the skaters.
I like those ideas. One of the reasons we want to have the head judge for Vert Competitions be an ex-vert skater is so that judge can oversee the integrity and value of Vert skating as a whole. That includes all aspects, amplitude, difficulty, line, and the combination of those elements.
We wish to keep the jam session open, and in a true “jam” format. If 20 minutes proves to be too short of time frame for the jam finals we can do 2 things. We can either extend the final in the rules so that it is a longer time. Or, we can have a 20 minute jam session and at the Head Judges discretion the jam session can be extended another 10 minutes. Why that is good is because if all the riders have landed their runs or are getting tired, the session can end as scheduled in 20 minutes. If the energy is high, the fans are into the show, and the skaters are going off, then we can extend and blow up up the event for another 10 minutes.
Great ideas keep them coming everyone
I like the ideas so far, but i’m wondering why you choose to steer away from the 60 second runs old-format into this new one. I was never a fan of the 60 second runs i felt like i had to be a robot for a minute.. is that where youre coming from, or something else?
also, i like the incorporation of Best Trick into the mix. Some people like myself are stronger with Best Trick instead of a full minute to throw everything you’ve got, so this will include a few different types of skaters in the mix, kudos. My only concern (small one) is with the jam session, if it will be tough for the judges to be accurate in their judging with a bunch of people constantly going back to back and the judges have to take into account style, amplitude, line, technicality, creativity or whatever for each person.
I would love to see vert somehow be incorporated into WRS. It is a part of rolling that really never got that much respect, even from it’s own skaters sometimes.
Maybe for shits and giggles throw in a height contest?
Hi Joe, this is Thumper! Good to see you back in blading!
anyway yeah there needs to be a change of some kind in vert skating. Just to get more interest in it. We want to eventually throw in a best trick and height award too at contests. It’s all in the works. Nothing is set in stone and suggestions are appreciated!