AWSA Summary of 2025 Rule Changes

Share:

Here are the new rule changes for 2025. The official rulebook should be out shortly. 

Adopt IWWF Officials Naming Language 

All language adds will be added to officials ratings. 

6.10 Defining Judge, Scorer, and Driver 

The term “Judge”, “Scorer”, and “Driver” refers to an official with a Senior, Regular or Assistant Judge, Scorer, or Driver rating or any equivalent or higher rating (see chart below, example J2 or higher). Other federations' or confederations’ judges’, scorers’, and drivers’ ratings are equated to those of AWSA as noted in the IWWF Rule Book for use in assigning tournament personnel and may be used in the same capacity in an AWSA tournament if they have a USA-WSWS membership and have completed any additional training. AWSA Official 

AWSA Class 

PanAm J1/S1/D1/H1 

All AWSA and IWWF 

Senior J2/S2/D2/H2 

C, E, L & R 

Regular J3/S3/D3/H3 

C, E, L 

Assistant J4/S4/D4 

C 


 11.07 Boat Path: 

The boat shall follow, as closely as possible, the path specified by the judges for the event. Such path includes the preparation time before each pass. The second pass shall be in the opposite direction. The boat must make a reasonably straight path through the course. If the skier falls during or at the end of the first pass, he will receive a maximum of 45 seconds in which to be ready to be taken by the boat for his second pass. At the skier's option, if he did not fall in his first pass, the boat may stop between passes for a maximum of 45 seconds. Skiers in M/W 8 and above may also have the option to stop after the first pass even if they fall. In each case the time shall start when the boat gets to the skier. In each case the skier is allowed to change equipment but must be in the water ready to go within the appropriate time frame or he loses the right to his second pass. If an approved ballast system is being used, the skier may have the option to change settings +/- 50% during this time. 

Rationale: BOD recommendation. 

13.03 Turn and Burn Format: 

  1. DEFINITION: In Class C, unseeded tournaments and at the discretion of the LOC, a skier may elect to begin the FINAL round of a multi-round event immediately upon the completion of the his current round before the final round with the same boat and crew; i.e., "turn and burn (T&B)." In a sanctioned four round tournament, “turn and burn” may only be used for the final round, (Round four on the second or final day of the tournament). 

Rationale: Clarifies what is meant by the final round of the tournament. There have been questions leading some skiers to believe this could be interpreted as their first round of a three or four round tournament so skiers could leave early. That is not the intent. 

15.04 Technical Controller 

  1. Each tournament with Record Capability shall require a rated Technical Controller, who shall be considered the Chief Technical Controller. 

Rationale: Gives the same distinction to all Chief officials. 

Eliminate the need for requiring a Pan am judge at L & R events. 

15.05J. IWWF-sanctioned Record Capability tournaments (Class L or R) must include one official certified by the Pan American Confederation or IWWF National Federation and this may be one of the chief officials. That official needs to be on site during a multi round tournament only while those events are being run. 

Rationale: We are the only country in the Pan Am region requiring this. The chief judge should be well capable of handling any issue that would arise that the Pan Am official would be handling. Pan am official rating should be used for officials aspiring to work international events. 

Add three new tricks already in IWWF and updated trick table. 

BFLSLB Wake Flip Ski Line with 180 F-B 65 - - 850 – 

BFLSLO Wake Flip Ski Line with 360 F-F 67 - - 900 

FFLSL5F Forward Somersault Ski Line with 540 B-F 69 - - 950 – 

Read More#