Official RS:X Olympic Windsurfing Class Website

A prospective event organiser (Local Organising Authority-LOA) should write to the RS:X Executive Secretary to express interest in organising a sanctioned event, giving details of the type of championship / event proposed (world, continental or regional ; championship, series or¡@ qualification ), the¡@ event site, background information on previous regattas organised, the experience of his local race committee and indicating one or more date/year preferences. Tourist brochures of the area proposed should also be included giving an idea of the cost of airfares from major world airports.¡@

The RS:X will check whether the LOA fulfills the requirements of RRS 88.1, or there is a member National Windsurfing Association in that country as well as a paid up RS:X National Class Association. The RS:X will then acknowledge the application and forward the standard Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) together with the relevant class technical criteria.

The LOA shall then confirm by e-mail that he:

• accepts the terms of the proposed event contract;
• proposes dates for the site visit.

The purpose of the site visit is to examine the facilities at the race site, hotels, camp sites, self catering apartments, examine the proposed race committee boats, see the racing area, establish a rapport with the local authority, meet the LOA's Race Director and Event Chairman and run through this Appendix in detail.

The site visit should take place at least 12 months prior to the first published day of the championship. A report will be prepared and circulated to the class committee concerned for discussion.

After a successful site visit, the prospective LOA should prepare a detailed bid covering the topics set out below:

• Specify type and title of event
• Sponsorship
• Event budget
• The Management Team
• The Race Committee
• Shore Based Facilities (Section 4)
• Water Based Facilities (Section 5)
• Weather Data (5 Years) - Air/Sea Temperature
• Outline of opening and closing ceremonies (Section 7)
• Host Broadcaster/ TV Production & Distribution (Section 10)
• Publicity ( Section 11)
• Supporting letters from the National Sailing Authority, Local authorities & Tourist boards.
• Large Scale Chart showing racing areas, depth of water; tidal flow/range; harbour facilities;
• Detailed plan of the venue;

On receipt of the detailed bid by the RS:X office, a report shall be prepared by the technical delegate who made the site visit giving his/her evaluation of the bid and if necessary comparing its quality with that of other bids received to host the same event. This will be passed to the Executive Committee concerned for their comments and advice.


A short list of bidders will be drawn up after the evaluation process is complete. Those on the list will be invited to make a presentation during the Class World Championship.


Based on the pitches made and the report of the technical delegate, the Annual General Meeting will be invited to vote for the bid they most favour. The bid with the most votes is awarded the event subject to receipt of the sanctioning fee and final detailed negotiations.


An RS:X sanctioned event organiser who has completed the bid process and been awarded the "Event" stipulated in the relevant Event Contract is granted the following rights for the period of the "Event" only:

1. Authority to contract facilities for the "Event" as required by section 8 of this document;
2. The right to seek local/national sponsorship for the "Event" and, with the written agreement of the RS:X, contract with sponsors (See Art D below);
3. The right to provide merchandise for sale at the "Event" (See Art K below);
4. The right to provide sampling opportunities at the "Event" (See Art M below);
5. The right to raise funds, with the specific agreement of the RS: X, for the "Event" by other means.

Any contracts, signed by the LOA, are his sole liability. The RS:X is only bound by its agreement with the LOA and written confirmation of sponsorship details.
i. It is the responsibility of the LOA, to arrange insurance cover for the event itself and associated functions, together with all designated event property, left within secured offices and the board racks.
ii. Public liability Insurance shall cover all the LOA¡¦s/RS:X¡¦s staff, sponsors and event officials.
iii. Insurances shall cover the Build up & Breakdown of the event infrastructure and personnel involved, not already covered by commercially contracted organisations.
iv. Competitor's equipment, not left within the board racks at night, is their own responsibility.
v. The LOA shall produce, on demand, a copy of the necessary insurance certificate
vi. The LOA shall provide for 24hr security cover for the period of the event as advertised in the NoR.

i. It is the LOA's sole responsibility, to obtain all necessary local permits and licences.
ii. The LOA's shall be solely responsible, to ensure that any temporary structures meet local building regulations and have written agreement, from the necessary authorities, to erect them.
iii. The LOA shall produce all said documentation on demand.

i. An LOA may seek sponsorship for its "Event" under the following categories:

• Title Sponsor
• Associate Sponsor
• Resort Sponsor

1. The LOA's sail advertising shall comply with RRS Regulation 20.
2. The LOA may grant official supplier status for a number of components of the event, such as: Airline / Car Hire / Bottled Water / Caterer / Hotel / Carbohydrate Loaded Drinks / Communication Equipment / Infrastructure Material etc.
3. The LOA may contract with prospective sponsor's of its "Event" provided that the RS:X has agreed in writing, in advance to the individual sponsor and the relevant contract.
4. Any sponsorship not approved in writing in advance by the RS:X is not legally binding on the RS:X Class.

1. All communications between the RS:X and local sponsors/organisations will be conducted via the LOA, unless an alternative route is specifically requested by the LOA.
2. Day to day liaison and communication with the RS:X Office shall be via E-mail.

In cases, where the RS:X is in discussions with a sponsor, regarding any of the above categories, there will be a 90 day prior cut off point. This means that, if no agreement has been reached 90 days prior to the event, the RS:X will not bring any sponsors to the event.

1. The LOA shall send the proposed "Event" logo (s) to the RS:X for approval in advance of production & printing.
2. The Title sponsor's logo, that of the RS:X and any other class involved in the "Event" shall be incorporated into the "Event" logo and be included in all printed & electronic material including posters, flyers, brochures, letterheads, race vests, official uniforms etc.
3. Associate and Resort Sponsors logos may appear in an appropriate size relative to their financial contribution.

1. The LOA shall send the RS:X a complete set of press cuttings & copy videos generated by his local PR team.
2. If the RS:X has contracted a Communications Agency to handle International PR for the ¡§Event¡¨, the LOA will receive a copy of the press cuttings book & copy videos, when they become available.

1. The  "Event" budget shall be produced by the LOA and submitted to the RS:X with the bid document.

Merchandising includes any form of branded product sold at the event, for example, T shirts, sweats, towels, programmes, mugs etc... The conditions for merchandising are:

• Merchandise may be sold in the month prior to, during, and one month after the event.
• Merchandise may be sold locally or through mail order, only.
• The term merchandise applies strictly to promotional goods, i.e. goods with a retail value of less than Euro 30, on which one or more of the following appear either separately or together:¡@ the ¡§Event¡¨ title, Event logo, sponsor¡¦s logos, event dates and/or relevant editorial. Thus, the term ¡§merchandise¡¨ as defined in this document cannot be applied to goods of any sort with a retail value of over Euro 30

LOAs or their local sponsors wishing to use the RS:X or a class logo, more extensively, should contact the RS:X Executive Secretary, in the first instance.

The RS:X reserve the right to promote, advertise, market and sell their own, range of merchandise at RS:X sanctioned events.

Sampling refers to the opportunities created, for a manufacturer or distributor, to offer free samples of a product to the crowds attending events. If sampling is offered, the LOA shall advise the RS:X in writing of:

• The number of sponsors staff involved on site in sampling
• The exact nature of what is being offered
• The amount of product being¡@ sampled

AND obtain the RS:X agreement
Some companies may offer support, in the form of free products for competitor packs or give-aways of branded product. This is a valuable method of adding extra value for competitors and audience. LOAs must be careful to ensure give-aways, like sampling, do not conflict with other sponsorship support of the event. Permission to distribute give-aways has to be treated like sampling and is subject to the conditions described above.

1. An RS:X Sanctioned Event is an established regatta of an international character, at which the rules of the class apply; where at least one RS:X Class Race Official is present and whose event organiser has signed an agreement with the RS:X.
2. The event may be subject to an international qualification system defined by the class.
3. National entries may also be subject to national qualification requirements established by the national sailing federation or its delegated authority.
4. The Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions are determined by the RS:X and the relevant class.
5. The following category of event has to be "sanctioned" by the RS:X:

• World Tour or World Ranking Regatta
• World & Continental Championship qualifying event

The following category of event has to be "Approved" by the RS:X but may also have to be "Sanctioned":

• Continental Tour Regatta
• Regional Championships

i. The same World or Continental Championship may not be staged by the same LOA in two consecutive years.
ii. A World championship cannot be held on the same continent (including adjacent islands) for more than two consecutive years. Nor may it be held in the same hemisphere for more than three years. It will circulate to each of the five Continents, in rotation, where possible.
iii. A bid for a World Championship will not normally be accepted until the proposed LOA has successfully run one continental championship or¡@ 2 sanctioned regattas¡@ in succeeding years .
iv. Regional/Tour events will be awarded to LOAs who agree to abide by the conditions set in Sect 7 & 8.
v. Seminars shall be run by LOAs, as a matter of course, at all continental and regional Championships.
vi. A World Championship shall consist of a minimum schedule of five days of racing. There shall be an additional two days of registration & measurement. A continental Championship shall consist of a minimum of four race days.
vii. One rest day may be scheduled depending on the format of the competition.
viii. The RRS Windsurfing edition shall govern, except as modified by the Class Rules, Notice of Race, Standard Championship Sailing Instructions and the Local Regatta Sailing Instructions.
ix. If any national prescriptions are to apply, they shall first be published in the Notice of Race.
x. Registration fees shall be set by the RS:X.

The LOA shall provide the following facilities. These requirements may not be changed without the written consent of RS:X.
A. Beach
i. The launching area shall be approx. 500 meters long and must have unimpeded access to the sea.
ii. Public bathing shall be confined to a set aside buoyed area away from the launching area.
B. Competitors Village
i. A competitors rest area shall be provided, from which the general public are excluded, of approx. 5000 sq. metres. This is to be immediately adjacent to the board storage area and the beach and shall provide adequate shade & storage.
ii. Food and soft drinks shall be available at reasonable cost in the village.
iii. Plenty of rubbish collection containers shall be provided within this area. These should be emptied daily.
C. Board / Sail Storage Area
i. Sails will be stored semi-rigged and suitably shaded from the sun in a suitable storage space with National or sponsor team sails being stored together.
ii. The LOA shall provide an adequate board storage area as agreed with the RS:X during the site visit. This storage shall be close to the sail storage and the launching area.
iii. The board/sail storage area shall be surrounded by a perimeter fence of approx. 2.4 metres in height and shall be guarded 24hrs. per day for the period of the event as advertised in the NoR as a minimum.
iv. This fence can act as a windbreak if local anticipated conditions require it. Access shall be confined to registered competitors; their coaches and official event personnel only.
v. These facilities shall be provided free of charge.
vi. During the event, It is mandatory that equipment is stored in this area to enable the LOA to provide effective security.
D. Charter Equipment
i. Charter equipment may be provided through the RS:X manufacturer. Each event is approached according to its need and importance.
ii. The LOA shall provide a separate storage area to the provider(s) of charter equipment free of charge for use before/after the event.
E. Toilets, Shower & Sail Wash Down Facilities
i. Sufficient toilets/fresh water showers shall be provided for competitors.
ii. Hard standing and fresh water hoses shall be provided for the washing of sails and boards daily. Toilets should be checked periodically during the day and be cleaned a minimum two times per day.
F. Competitor & Official Car/Van Parking
i. Limited number of car/van parking spaces shall be provided for officials and coaches free of charge for the duration of the championship and the 5 days preceding.
G. Jury secretary's Office
i. This shall be adjoining the Beach Office.
ii. It shall be equipped with:

• Photocopier
• Desk & two chairs
• Filing trays
• Telephone line & Pay Phone
• One full-time assistant (volunteer)
• Computer
• Printer
• Broadband internet connection

iii. The jury¡@ secretary's office shall also contain letter slots for the coaches, officials and RS:X delegates
iv. First Aid facilities shall be provided here for minor accidents only.
H. Jury Room
i. This shall be clean, dry and weather proof as well as furnished with one long table and 10 chairs.
ii. It shall be next to the Jury Secretary's office and very close to the Beach Office.
iii. Associated with it, there shall be a waiting area; shaded (in warmer climates), warm (in colder climates) & dry with seating for waiting competitors.
I. Beach Office (see Section 8 : Communications)
i. The beach office shall overlook and be very close to the beach and the official flagpoles. It shall, as a minimum, be glazed on the beach side from half height upwards.
ii. It shall be strictly private and out of bounds to all except authorised officials.
This shall contain:

• Base Station for the PA system;
• ICF & sponsors flags to be used ashore;
• Ship-to-Shore Base Stations (one per course area);
• 29meg. base station for shore-side communication net;
• Facilities to Tape Record all radio traffic, in an emergency;
• 1 telephone line & phone/fax machine.
• Broadband internet connection

iii. The PA system shall be supplied with a radio mike with a range to cover the race site (plus a spare).
iv. Tables and chairs shall be provided.
J. Notice boards
i. These shall be located on the back of the beach office if possible; they shall be well lit; weather proof; notices shall be easily visible to competitors & officials; but impossible to remove except by authorised personnel.
ii. The following notice boards are required and shall be titled as such:

Race Management Notices	2 x 2metres
Jury Notices	2 x 2metres
Results	2 x 2metres
RS:X Class Notices	2 x 2metres
Weather	1 x 2metres
General Notice	1 x 2metres

iii. It is recommended that these be spaced out over a reasonable distance so that competitors can get to the board they wish to, during busy times.
K. Commentary Position/Commentators
i. Shore based commentators shall keep competitors and spectators informed of the action on the water. Where possible course commentary shall be provided if possible.
ii. Two shall be available at all times during racing. They shall be knowledgeable, entertaining and informative.
iii. The commentary position can be over the beach office; be protected from the elements; and have space to allow interviews to be conducted. Tables and chairs shall be provided.
L. Official Flag Poles
i. One official flag pole for each course area shall be provided close to the beach office and easily visible by competitors from the pit area, board racks, and launching beach.
ii. This shall have a cross beam to provide four lines and be of sturdy construction.
M. Other Flag Poles
i. The regatta site shall have an abundance of substantial flag poles for:

• National flags of participating countries,
• Title and associate sponsor's flags,
• Neil Pryde RS:X Racing flags.

ii. These shall be kept away from the Official Flag Pole (J above).
N. Measurement Area & equipment
i. The LOA shall provide the following equipment for the RS:X official measurer:

• 20 litre barrel of fresh water;
• 4kg metal weight (tied to the barrel on a 1.2metre line);
• Calibrated scale to weigh boards (2 no.);
• Calibrated scale with separate digital read out to weigh competitors (2 no.);
• Event stamps with water proof ink pads (3 no.);
• Indelible waterproof ink marker pens (black & silver);
• Equipment required for detailed measurement as specified by the class chief measurer.

ii. The LOA shall provide a measurement area including sail measurement tables and other furniture as agreed during the RS:X site visit.
0. Regatta Secretariat
i. This is the main administration centre for the regatta and shall contain first aid facilities.
ii. It is the service centre for competitor non-technical questions i.e. Travel arrangements, accommodation problems, payments etc.
iii. It should contain desks, chairs, computers, printers and a robust photocopier which sorts as it prints.
iv. It should be fully equipped with office consumables (pens, staplers etc) and A4 paper.
v. NB a recent world championship used nearly 15,000 sheets of A4 paper
vi. There shall be a clear reception point which shall be staffed by knowledgeable staff. (volunteers)
P. Meeting Room
This shall seat 12 and will be used for administrative meetings, meetings of LOA key race officers and RS:X personnel etc.
Q. Results Office (see section 7: communications)
i. The location of this important facility shall be confidential and only known to key personnel.
ii. The results computer shall not be in any of the aforementioned offices / rooms.
iii. It shall be quiet, warm and dry and shall be furnished as follows:

• Long desk & Four chairs,
• Further long table,
• Stacking paper trays,
• Computer,
• Fast modem & reliable printer,
• Uninterruptible power supply,
• Surge protected,
• Ex-regatta directory phone line,
• 1 no. phone,
• Fax machine,
• Broadband internet connection and WiFi base station.

R. Press Office (see section 7: communications)
i. It shall be warm & quietly located on site and furnished as follows:
- sufficient no. of telephone lines,
- sufficient no. of telephones (phone card system),
- sufficient no. of robust fax machines,
- sufficient no. of computers with modems,
- sufficient no. of robust printers,
- at least one robust sorting photocopier,
- tables & chairs,
- large fully stocked fridge (soft drinks, snacks),
- tea / coffee making facilities,
- plenty of power points,
- Broadband internet connection and WiFi base station.
ii. It shall be available to domestic & international journalists (invited / independent) only.
S. TV Production Office
i. This shall be located close to the Press Office on site and be a minimum of 20 sq. metres in size.
ii. It shall be furnished with facilities to black out the light and:
- long sturdy tables along one wall,
- proper no. of chairs,
- telephone line
- phone / fax machine,
- sufficient no. of power sockets,
- uninterrupted power supply / surge protected,
- broadband internet connection and WiFi base station,
- TV interview area (branded).
T. Physiotherapy Rooms
i. A physiotherapy service shall be provided for competitors. This service shall be available first thing in the morning before the first race and in the afternoon after the last race.
ii. A private facility shall also be offered to competitors for a reasonable cost.
iii. The whole shall be staffed by experienced sports physios whose leader shall write a report on the work she/he has been asked to carry out. This shall be completed within six weeks of the end of the championship.
U. Food & drink
i. Packed lunches shall be provided free to race & class officials and LOA volunteers.
V. Bottled Water & Carbohydrate Loaded Drinks
i. Ample factory sealed still bottled water are recommended both on land and on the Race Committee & safety boats.
ii. Carbohydrate loaded drinks are medically recommended for athletes. The LOA shall use his best endeavours to get ample quantities for issuing free to racers.
W. Security
The LOA shall provide 24hr. security throughout the event. This shall pay special attention to the board storage area, the competitor¡¦s marquee, regatta secretariat, beach office, flag poles and press & media centre.
X. Stage
A raised stage area shall be provided to hold daily prize giving ceremonies. This shall have a backdrop with sponsors logos prominently displayed
Y. Incidentals
i. Regatta Clock - This will provide the official time throughout the Regatta.
ii. Signage - All of the above facilities are to be well signed except the Results office.
iii. First Aid facilities - These shall be provided and clearly sign posted and indicated on the event site plan.
iv. Site Plan - A detailed site plan shall be provided including all the above facilities plus the racing areas out to sea. It shall be printed in the event programme. Large scale prints of same shall be located in the Regatta Secretariat & Beach Office and on the General Notice Boards.

A. Racing Area
i. The open area of sea/water shall be sufficient to comfortably take two racing areas each with a windward leg length of 1500 metres. (see course diagrams attached)
ii. The area shall have a small tidal range allowing courses to be set close to the regatta site, at all stages of the tide and allowing easy spectator viewing.
iii. Water depth shall be such that the race committee can set/alter the course without undue problem or delay to the racing schedule.
iv. The holding ground shall be such that marks will hold in 40 knots of wind.
B. Wind
i. Mean wind speeds for an acceptable site shall be between 6 and 30 knots for the period of the event.
ii. The prevailing wind shall be on shore or cross shore.
C. Marks & Ground Tackle
i. Marks shall be 2.0 metres high and either round or tetrahedral in shape. They shall not have net covers. They shall be bright orange, yellow or lime green in colour.
ii. Finish line marks shall be red round buoys approx. 0.6 meters in diameter capable of carrying flags as specified in the Sailing Instructions.
iii. All ground tackle shall be capable of holding, for prolonged periods, in 40 knots of wind.
D. Port facilities
i. A well protected harbour shall be close to the race site
ii. The LOA shall arrange for free berthing all craft associated with the regatta including coach boats.
iii. In-port fuelling shall be available at the venue proximity.
E. Race Committee Boats
i. RC boats shall be capable of staying anchored on station in up to 40 knots of wind, for prolonged periods.
ii. There shall be sufficient ground tackle on boards each boat to anchor in these conditions.
iii. Each boat shall fly a flag (600x400), the designated colour of the course, to which it is attached.
iv. The following are the requirements for boats per course area...
1 no. Starting Signal Vessel
- Large yacht or motorboat capable of carrying all flags specified in the SCSIs preferably with two drive units for holding station
1 no. Port End Start Boat
- Fast dry boat.
4 no. Mark Control Boats
- Fast dry boats for moving marks quickly & taking mark roundings.
1 no. Finishing Vessel
- Fast dry boat capable of moving quickly to reset finishing line.
F. Flags/sound signals specified in the Sailing Instructions
i. These shall be a minimum of 500mm x 700mm in size.
ii. On the RC vessel, these shall be on a horizontal beam, in the case of a yacht, or on long staffs if not and shall be easily visible by all competitors during the starting sequence.
iii. The pin end start boat shall carry¡@ a general recall flag / sound signal.
iv. Mark Control boats shall carry at least the following IC Flags: S, M, C plus a red rectangular panel and a green triangular panel.
G. Equipment to carried by RC Vessels, Safety, Press and Jury Boats
i. This list is not exhaustive and is additional to that normally required to be carried by the skipper/owner by Local Authorities:
- 4 no. spare life jackets.
- flares for use in an emergency.
- first aid equipment.
- bottled water.
H. Rescue/Safety Boats
i. The LOA shall provide a minimum of 1 designated rescue boat with an experienced crew for every 25 competitors on the water. Crews shall be experienced in the art of rescuing RS:X windsurfers.
ii. Rescue boats shall be a minimum of 5.50 metres long and be rigid inflatables (RIBs), if possible.
iii. In an emergency, where there are very many competitors in need of rescue, the RC vessel or finishing boat shall act as mother ships to take rescued competitors on boards whilst streaming equipment on lines astern. They shall be capable of taking large numbers of rescued competitors on boards. Rescue boats should return rescued competitors to mother ships rather than to the shore.
iv. Coach boats can act as rescue boats in a dire emergency but shall not be counted on until the RC abandon all racing.
I. International Jury Boat
The LOA shall provide at least #3 dedicated fast, dry boat to be at the disposal of the chairman of the International Jury.
J. Chief Measurer's Boat
The LOA shall provide one dedicated fast, dry boat to be at the disposal of the chief measurer, at all times.
K. Coach Boats
i. Coach boats are permitted on the water.
ii. A general coach boat(s) shall be provided for coaches who cannot afford to charter their own boat. The cost of this can be shared between the coaches concerned if the event budget cannot cover it.
iii. The LOA shall make rigid inflatables of a minimum length of 5.25 metres available for charter to coaches.
L. Press Boats / Jet Skis / Helicopter
i. Dedicated fast dry boats shall be provided that also offer a steady platform. These shall be completely under the control of the event press officer with the agreement of the RS:X Press Liaison Manager
ii. A suitable jet ski shall be provided for the event photographer.
iii. An event helicopter shall be provided, at pre-arranged times, for use by the event photographer/film unit.


i. This may play music, much as a popular continuous music radio station.
ii. The radio mike shall, automatically, be able to cut out the music for immediate announcements.
iii. Loudspeakers should be numerous to allow the system to remain audible by competitors and public alike without having to turn up the volume so that it disturbs the local population unduly.
iv. A loop should be provided through to the press room.
v. It should cover the board storage area, competitor's village, the beach, spectator viewing points and the car park. (see Beach Office for further details)


i. A 29meg. radio net shall be provided. The base station for same shall be located in the beach office.

ii. Those issued with hand held radios shall be the RS:X Event Director, jury chairman, jury secretary, security at board storage area, results office, protocol, press office and regatta secretariat.

iii. The press room shall be provided with an additional separate channel, with which to conduct their business on site and 6 hand held radios.

iv. One charger shall be provided with each hand held radio supplied. The LOA is responsible for ensuring that radios are charged.


i. The following items shall be provided:

phone / fax lines

broadband internet connections with fast modern

ii. The number of lines shall be as follows:

• Regatta Secretariat (3no)
• Beach Office (2no)
• Results Office (2no)
• Jury Secretary's area (1no)
• Press Office (6no)
• TV Production Office (1no)

iii. The Press office should also be provided with an ISDN line.


Each key official or named shore based office shall be supplied with a list of the following call signs/phone numbers: (see Results office for further details)

- ship to shore call signs for Principal Race Officer 29 meg. users & channels; phone numbers of site based phone lines and their locations (one number for the press office only); home phone numbers of key local staff inc. security chief & race officers; the official event doctor; local hospital & contact name; physios; local meteorological offices


i. The LOA shall ensure that race committee, rescue, press, jury and measurer's boats carry ship to shore radios.

ii. Each course area shall have a separate channel.