Officiating Race Walk

1. Officiating Race Walk Presented by Les Chih January 19, 2014 USATF Ohio Association Clinic

2. People Needed • Chief Judge (can serve as Referee) • Five Judges • Head Judge selected among the five • Apprentice Judges (if present) • One Recorder (RW Official) • One or two officials • One Card Collector (Runner) • Starter, umpires, lap counters, finish line, aid station, timers. etc.

3. Equipment Needed • Recorder’s table with chairs • Judge’s white tally sheets (numbered) • Judge’s red disqualification cards (numbered) • Yellow paddles for all Judges • Red paddle for head Judge • Pencils with erasers or pens • Clip boards • Disqualification board and easel • Dry markers

4. Equipment Needed (con’t) • ~ (loss of contact) and > (bent knee) magnets for the white board • Summary sheet • Zip lock bags • Stapler • Water! • Rule book

5. Basic Rules • 1) Loss of contact signified by: ~ • 2) Bent knee signified by: > Perfect Loss of contact Bent knee • Judges have sole authority on the race. Head Judge’s decision is final. The running/track referee have no jurisdiction over race walks.

6. Judges Duties • Look for loss of contact and bent knees in your area “as seen by the human eye” • Judges shall act in an individual capacity • Judges must be visible to the athletes • Video replay not allowed • Teach the apprentices

7. Basic Operations • The Chief Judge is responsible for bringing all the equipment • Chief Judge decides on placement of table and disqualification (DQ) board • The five Judges select a Head Judge • Review the rules with judges/officials/head umpire • Synchronize watches. 99% of time will use real time, not race time • Head Judge places the remaining four Judges • Head judge gives final instructions to the athletes. After finishing, all athletes must stay in the finish area for 10 minutes or until they are released

8. Basic Operations (con’t) • At the beginning of the race, want 3 Judges in the first 100 m. This should include the Head Judge • If there is time, the Head Judge should walk the track and visit with each Judge • If the Judge is not satisfied with the athlete's form, the Judge will show the yellow paddle to the athlete indicating > or ~ • Judge will take notes on the white tally sheet indicating bib number, warning, and time of day

9. Basic Operations (con’t) • If the athlete made an infraction, the Judge writes up a proposal for disqualification or the red DQ card with bib number, infraction, time of day, and sign it • The Runner will pick-up the cards and deliver to the recorder’s table. The official tallies the red cards • Three red DQ cards from 3 different Judges results in disqualification

10. Tally sheet/DQ card

11. Basic Operations (con’t) • Official notifies the Head Judge. Head Judge shows the red DQ paddle to athlete. Athlete must leave the track immediately and remove bib # • By the last 2 laps of the race, want 3 Judges for the final 100m • The judges proposal for disqualification (red DQ) cards will be delivered during and after the race • RW Official will summarize all red cards. If there are additional DQ’s after the race the Head Judge will notify the athlete

13. End of race • Continue to record all the red cards on the summary sheet • All judges report to the officials table and turn in tally sheets and DQ cards • DQ’s do occur after the race • Head Judge notifies the athlete • That is why the athletes are held 10 minutes by the finish line helpers • Summary sheet filled out by the official and reviewed by the head. Both sign off • Summary sheet is turned in to the scorer’s table and posted by results • http://www.livestream.com/victorysports2/video?clipId=flv_c78e86ba-e285-4689-b780-4a186673ecb9