Freedom Paddle Doubles Series presented by Dunlop Results

SAFETY RULES

• No paddler will be allowed on the water without ALL the necessary safety equipment. 
• No paddler will be eligible for any prize money, prize, medal, result or acknowledgement if they are found to have broken any rule or safety rule. 
• No paddler will be eligible for any prize money, prize, medal, result or acknowledgement if they do not run SafeTrx Flotilla tracking in continuous mode for the duration of the race. 

RULES

1. All paddlers must view the race briefing video, the link to which will be sent via The Freedom Paddle Face Book Page, email and the official event WhatsApp group. 
2. Personal advertising will only be permitted as per the CSA personal advertising rules i.e behind the pedals and provided it does not conflict with the event sponsor or sponsors, in such an event the Race organisers reserve the right to have conflicting branding removed.
3. Personal advertising may not clash with the main sponsors, again race organisers reserve the right to remove any branding that may cause conflict with any of the event sponsors.
4. All surf skis/paddles must display any sponsor’s logo stickers that are supplied.
5. No stickers other than the sponsor stickers will be permitted in the area in front of the pedals to the nose of your ski, this includes personal branding and names.
6. Each paddler will wear a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) as approved by Canoeing South Africa and have a leash attaching the paddler to the surf ski, and a working cell phone. We recommend you carry a flare. Inflatable PFD's are not permitted. 
7. Paddlers must be registered with Canoeing South Africa (CSA) to be eligible to compete in any of the races.
8. Paddlers must display the correct CSA numbers on surf-ski – any incorrect/incomplete numbers will result in disqualification.
9. The numbers issued by CSA, or the race organizers (for internationals) must be placed at the front on both sides of your surf ski.
10. Any competitor who rides the wake of a motorized craft will be disqualified.
11. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (COLREGs) apply as published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and set out, among other things, the "rules of the road" or navigation rules to be followed by ships and other vessels at sea to prevent collisions between two or more vessels. 
12. All competitors will be checked in at the start into a demarcated start area. Here their craft and safety equipment will be checked and sent to the start line in respective batches.
13. Competitors will be allowed seconds to assist them before entering the water before the start. Seconds should take care not to infringe on the rules of the race by assisting competitors in the water.
14. Any competitor who receives physical support or assistance or who enters one of the rescue craft, will be disqualified, with the exception of those doing so to repair their craft.
15. No paddler under 16 years of age as at 31 December 2020, may enter in a single ski.
16. The race referee may decide whether a competitor should be prevented from continuing the race at any time. The decision of the race referee is final. NSRI are considered to be referee’s.
17. A safety mobile phone number for emergencies, as well as for notifying the race referee of withdrawals will be given at race briefing. The onus is on the competitor to notify the race referee of his/her withdrawal. The costs of any search resulting from a competitor not notifying the organizers of his or her withdrawal will be borne by the competitor. 
18. All paddlers will be required to have a smartphone with the SAFTRX app installed and running for the duration of the time on the water. Race organisers will be tracking all paddlers via the FLOTILLA feature of the SAFETRX app. Instructions on how to set this up to be confirmed and communicated to all entrants. Paddlers who do not run the SAFETRX app will not appear on the tracking software and will be disqualified. 
19. The finish will be between the white structure on the Oceana Breakwater and a buoy placed perpendicular off the break water. If a competitor approaches either Robin, Richard or Tim on race day and says jinkies can I have a scooby snack, they will go into a special prize draw for nerds who actually read the rules.
20. Paddlers must cross the finish line with their craft.
21. Double skis – Both competitors must start/ finish with their craft.
22. Competitors must finish the race with the craft they started the race in. Paddles may be changed.
23. Dispute Resolution Procedure - Only competitors or race officials may lodge protests or disputes. A panel of arbitrators, appointed by the race director (or in his absence by the organisers), will hear all protests and disputes. The decision taken by the panel of arbitrators will be final and binding on the parties. The panel of arbitrators may impose penalties for breach of any of the rules or regulations. This may include time penalties or disqualification, but without being limited thereto. Protests and disputes must be in writing and accompanied by a fee of R1000-00. This must be delivered to the Race Director within 30 min of last paddler finishing in the relevant classes. Fees will be refunded where the party lodging the dispute or protest is successful, or at the discretion of the arbitrators.
24. Prize Giving - competitors must be present at prize giving in order to claim their prizes.
25. Breach of these advertising/ sponsorship rules may result in the paddler:

• Forfeiting any prize money to which he or she may have been entitled;
• Risk disqualification