Kayak:
The kayak may have a maximum length of 270cm. Only mass-produced creeker/ white water kayaks that meet the newest safety standards are allowed. The race organizers reserve the right to refuse admission to certain kayaks i.e. Eskimo Kendo, Dagger GTX, GT etc.
Safety equipment:
All participants must wear:
- a helmet conforming to EN1385 Norm
- a white water buoyancy aid conforming to EN393 Norm or ISO 12402-5 Norm
- sufficient protection against cold water, i.e. a dry suit or a neoprene suit
Rescue / safety:
The kayak must be equipped with airbags. Every competitor needs a rescue setup including:
throw sack, carabineer, slings, rope, pulleys, etc. This equipment mustn't be carried in the kayak during the race.
Protest:
In case of a protest, a fee of 100€ is charged and is only returned if the judges decide in favor of the protest. A protest must be lodged at the race organizers within 30 minutes after the end of the run.
Medical Form
Every participant has to read, understand and sign the medical form.
adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship:
The timing is done by light barriers. The competitor must pass the finish line sitting upright. He may not throw his paddle to break the finish light barrier. This would be a reason for immediate disqualification.
All participants must attend the race briefing at the Expo Area on Friday from 10:30 till 11:00. Those who don't attend the briefing mustn't take part at the race. All participants must have paddled the qualification course at least once before the qualification.
All participants, who qualify for the finals must be acquainted with the course at “Wellerbrücke”. Training with safety practice is from 08:30 to 09:30 on Saturday morning. The mandatory race briefing for our finalists will take place between 20:00 till 20:30 on Friday evening after dinner in the AREA 47. Those who don't attend the briefing will not be allowed to participate in the finals.
The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant who's capabilities do not match the difficulties of the course. Furthermore the organizers reserve the right to stop the contest at any time in the interests of the safety of everyone involved (inc. staff, camera teams, first aid, spectators etc.). All participants must arrive punctually with all the necessary equipment. Participants arriving late won't be approved to compete.
All participants must take an anti-doping test.
Starting field
max 150 starters
All kayakers must be verifiable 18 years old and master whitewater class 5.
Qualification runs:
All qualifying runs will be held on Friday, October 1st. At 11:30, the first group will start with their warm-up and have their first qualification run right afterwards at 12:00. At 12:30 the second group will start with their warm-up run and the first qualification run at 13:00.
A total of 90 participants advance to the second qualification run at 14:00. The time of the second run will be summed up with the first run to determine the 45 finalists. The time interval for the individual starts will be 30 seconds.
Finals
For the finals, the start interval is approx. 1:30 - 2:30 min (the next paddler goes on course as soon as the previous one has finished and LIVE TV has given its go).
The Top 3 of the previous year are automatically qualified for the finals at Wellerbrücke. In addition, 45 athletes can qualify on Friday to compete in the world championship race.
The 48 finalists who race at Wellerbrücke, will compete in a ‚head-to-head’ format, i.e. the fastest of the qualification will battle the 48th, the second fastest will compete against the 47th and so on. Last year’s medallists will be integrated in the racing grid based on a timed run on the qualifying course. The faster kayaker will advance to next round, respectively, together with two ‘lucky losers’, i.e. the two fastest of the eliminated Top 48 athletes. Then the Top 26 compete once again in a dual mode. The 13 remaining athletes will then compete for world champion honours, together with two more ‘lucky losers’, i.e. the two fastest of the eliminated Top 26 athletes.
In the super final, the fastest time wins. Each of the top 15 kayakers has one try to secure a place on the podium. The kayaker with the slowest race time of the previous run will be the first to start. He will then climb the ‘hot seat’, the throne of the fastest athlete. His race time must now be beaten. If a kayaker is faster, he can dethrone the race leader. At the end, the athlete who is still sitting on the hot seat will be the well-deserved World Champion.
Warming up for the finals between 08:30 and 09:30 (only finalists!).
