February 11, 2006
-- Atlanta, GA
The Wildwater Committee of USA Canoe/Kayak has unanimously voted to amend our Bylaws to reflect the
new ICF rules that allow for larger teams.
The team selection method for Team Trials in 2006 and future years is amended due to new ICF rules
that permit 6 boats per class at World Cups, and 6 boats per class at the World Championships
(with our best four boats racing in classic or sprint races at the Worlds). In summary, the new
selection method is:
- The 2 fastest sprinters are automatically selected providing they minimum meet percentages already
established.
- The 2 fastest classic racers are automatically selected providing they minimum meet percentage
already established.
- The best combined percentages from the sprint and the class races will be used to fill the remaining
vacant positions in the Sprint or Classic or both, providing they meet the percentage cutoff for making
the team.
Unanimously approving the measure for 2006 Team Trials and subsequent years was John Pinyerd, Doug
Ritchie, Ben Sandiford, Chris Hipgrave, Rob Murphy, Tom Wier, Shaun Smith (and non voting members
Chris Wiegand and David Jones).
Amendment 4 to the Bylaws of the Wildwater Committee is below:
4.A.1. The selection process of the USA Wildwater Team applies to all years, all classes, juniors and
seniors.
4.A.2. The provisions for Team Selection in Amendment 3 of the Bylaws of the Wildwater Committee will
apply to the extent that they do not conflict with the revisions set forth in this Amendment.
4.A.3. National Team Trails must include a Classic Race and a Sprint Event (consisting of two Sprint
races/heats where the results are combined into one total time). The amended selection criteria are:
- Sprint (top two Sprint boats in each class): On day one of Team Trials the top two Sprint finishers
in each class are automatically qualified to the Team. If either of the top two finishers in the Sprint
has declared not to contend for the Team, then the selection goes to the next top finisher in each
class who has declared intent to contend for a position on the Team. Regardless of overall position,
athletes must finish inside the committee established percentage cutoff to be eligible for a Team
position. These top two finishers in the Sprint shall race the Sprint in the World Championships,
Pre-World Championships or World Cup.
- Classic (top two Classic boats in each class ): On day two of Team Trials the top two Classic race
finishers in each class are automatically qualified to the Team. If either of the top two finishers
in the Classic has declared not to contend for the Team, then the selection goes to the next top
finisher in each class who has declared intent to contend for a position on the Team. Regardless of
overall position, athletes must finish inside the committee established percentage cutoff (as
described in Amendment 3) to be eligible for a Team position. These top two finishers in the
Classic shall race the Classic in the World Championships, Pre-World Championships or World Cup.
- Remaining Positions (best combined percentages): Percentage behind the fastest boat in each class
shall be calculated for all other racers (as more fully described in Amendment 3). For calculation of
percentage of finish, the top finisher of the class regardless of intention to compete for a position
on the Team, shall be used for calculation of percentage of finish for all the competitors in that
class. All remaining positions for the Team will be selected at the end of day two, by calculating the
combined percentage of finishes from both days of competition.
- World Championship Team Selection: For World Championships, the fifth and sixth Team positions will
only be filled if the top two finishers of day one are different from the top two finishers of day two
AND the finish time of the 5th and/or 6th boat in either the Sprint or the Classic is fast enough to
have placed them in the top 4 boats (in that event). These positions will be filled by participants
who have the best combined percentages from two days of racing. For each racer, calculate the percentage
of finish on day one, then calculate the percentage of finish on day two, and then add the two percent
values together. Regardless of overall position, athletes must finish inside the committee established
percentage cutoff to be eligible for a Team position. These Team positions will be used to ensure that
the four (4) fastest eligible boats per class will race in the Sprint and the four (4) fastest eligible
boats per class will race in the Classic at the World Championships (with a maximum of six (6) boats
per class attending the World Championships).
Click here to see the complete bylaws.
John Pinyerd
Chairman - USA Wildwater
jpinyerd@usawildwater.com
