INTERFERENCE RULES
8. PRIORITY RULES
a. Mandatory in priority one-on-one heats. The Head Judge or a designated Priority Judge
will be the priority referee using coloured discs corresponding to the surfers’ colours in
the water to indicate priority. Priority discs must be located on one end of the judging
booths. A buoy, where applicable, will be placed just outside the surfing break, which
surfers use by paddling around to gain priority. Placement of the buoy will be decided
by the Event Director in consultation with the Head Judge.
Wave priority is lost as soon as the surfer:
1. Rides a wave
2. Paddles for a wave and misses the wave
b. At the start of a heat once the first wave has been ridden, the second surfer gets
automatic priority for any other wave they choose, unless the surfer rides the wave
before the heat starts. If this happens then that wave will not count and the remaining
surfer will get automatic first priority. From then on the only way to establish wave
priority is by paddling around the bouy or paddling into the Primary Take-off Zone.
The first surfer around the buoy has wave priority and if the other surfer wishes they
may also paddle around the buoy to establish second priority. If no surfer has wave
priority, no discs are shown and the interference rule will determine priority.
c. A surfer cannot lose second priority by paddling for, and missing a wave but if the
surfer catches the wave and their hands leave the rails, as they attempt to stand, they
lose second priority. The exception to this rule is if it is a 3 or 4 person priority system.
d. If a surfer inside has second priority and their opponent paddles for, but misses a wave,
the inside surfer automatically assumes first priority. Therefore, if they also paddle for,
but miss the wave, then they have also lost priority. That is, both surfers have then lost
priority even though only one wave has passed and there was not sufficient time to
change the priority disc.
e. The surfer who has priority will also not be allowed to paddle in front of the other surfer
to deliberately impede them from catching a wave or they will lose priority. The surfer will
also lose priority if in the opinion of the Priority Judge they place themselves in th