1.

RULES

1.1.  

The regatta will be governed by the “rules” as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing. The prescriptions of the National Authority will not apply.

1.2. 

Add to rule A11: ARB means scoring penalty after arbitration, PTS scoring penalty for a yellow flag after finish.

1.3. 

Advertising - The organising authority may require competing boats to carry event sponsor advertising on the hull.

1.4.  

Sails shall have the full sail number AND NATIONAL LETTERS in accordance with the Class Rules and Racing Rules of Sailing.

2.

ENTRY REGULATIONS

2.1.

Only current fully paid members of the International Laser Class Association may enter the regatta.

2.2

Crew substitution of the registered sailor is not permitted.

2.3.

Entry to the 2004 Laser Radial Open & Women's European Championship is open to competitors who are or will be at least 15 years old in the year in which the championship is held; i.e., a competitor for the 2004 Championship must be born in 1989 or earlier.  Proof of age will be required at registration.

2.4.

Entry to the 2004 Laser Radial Youth European Championship is open to competitors who are or will be 15 years old but not 19 years old in the calendar year in which the championship is held; i.e., a competitor for the 2004 Championship must be born in 1986, 1987, 1988 or 1989.  Proof of age will be required at registration.

2.5.

The entry list will be closed when the total number of entries reaches 280 or at the entry closing date, whichever is the earliest. In addition, the organisers may close the entry list for competitors living in IRL or GBR when a limit of 70 entries for each country is reached.

3.

ENTRIES AND ENTRY FEES

3.1.

2004 Laser Radial Open/Women’s Championships: £ 125 (English pounds)

3.2.

2004 Laser Radial Youth Championships: £ 125 (English pounds)

3.3.

Entries must be sent in the official Entry Form, available online at www.laserinternational.org

3.4.   

ALL entries and correspondence must be sent to:  International Laser Class Association, Box 26, Falmouth, Cornwall, UK TR11 3TN.  Telephone +44 1326 315064  Fax +44 1326 318968  Email: office@laserinternational.org    Website: www.laserinternational.org

3.5.  

The methods of payment are shown on the Entry Form. 

3.6.

Entries, together with full payment of entry fees shall be made by internet by the entry closing date, or shall arrive at the address shown on the Entry Form by the entry closing date.  NO ENTRY WILL BE ACCEPTED UNLESS FULL PAYMENT IS MADE AT THE TIME OF ENTRY.

3.7.   

NO FEES ARE REFUNDABLE AFTER THE ENTRY CLOSING DATE OF 16 JUNE.  Before that date entry fees may be refunded at the discretion of ILCA after deducting 50% administration expenses.

4.

ENTRY CLOSING DATE

4.1.

4.2.

4.3.

LATE ENTRIES FOR THE EVENT MAY BE ACCEPTED AFTER 16 JUNE 2004 ONLY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ORGANISERS UPON PAYMENT OF A LATE ENTRY FEE OF £50 (English pounds).

5.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Copies of Sailing Instructions will be available at the Race Office from 0900 hrs on 23 July.

6.

RACE OFFICE

The Race Office is situated at Ballyholme Yacht Club and will be open from 0800 hrs daily.

7.

MEASUREMENT

7.1.

All competitors shall present their boats for scrutiny by the Regatta Measurer before the start of the first race.  Boats shall be presented fully rigged with all control lines in position.
Measurement will take place at the boat park between the following times:
Friday 23 July & Saturday 24 July :  1000 - 2000          Sunday 25 July : 0900 - 1200
Measurement outside these times may be allowed at the discretion of the Regatta Measurer and will be charged £10 sterling per boat  (except in the event of damage).

7.2.

Wet clothing, measurement and equipment checks may be made throughout the Regatta at the discretion of the Class Representative, Race Committee or the International Jury.

8.

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT

8.1.

All competitors shall use only one hull, sail, mast, boom, centreboard and rudder all of which shall be identified during measurement.

8.2.

In the event of damage, boats and equipment may only be substituted with the written permission of the Regatta Measurer.  If the damage occurs later than 90 minutes before the first scheduled start on a racing day and before the start of the last race of the day, provisional verbal permission shall be obtained from the Jury or Race Committee and the written permission of the Jury or Race Committee shall be applied for before the end of Protest Time at the end of the day in which the substitution takes place.

8.3.

Competitors in the Women’s European Championship shall place on their sails a red diamond above the top batten.

9.

PROGRAMME

9.1.

Date

Item

Friday 23 July

Registration, Measurement

Saturday 24 July

Registration, Measurement

Sunday 25 July

Registration, Measurement & Practice Race (warning signal 1400 hrs)

Monday 26 July

1st Racing Day - 2 qualifier races (1^st warning signal 1100 hrs.)

Tuesday 27 July

2nd Racing Day - 2 qualifier races

Wednesday 28 July

3rd Racing Day - 2 qualifier races 

Thursday 29 July

4th Racing Day - 2 qualifier races 

Friday 30 July

Finals - 2 races

Saturday 31 July

Finals - 2 races

9.2.

Any race whose warning signal is not given by 1200 hrs on the last day of the regatta will be abandoned and not re-sailed.

10.

RACING FORMAT

10.1.

All categories will sail together in a pool fleet system followed by finals (gold, silver, bronze etc.)

10.2.

The fleet will sail a qualifier series followed by a finals series.

11. 

IMMEDIATE PENALTIES FOR BREAKING RULE 42

11.1.

Appendix N will apply with the following changes:

11.2.  

On the first protest, if protested after she has finished, she will be given a scoring penalty of 8 points without a hearing.

11.3.  

RRS N 3 is modified as to read “If a boat has been protested for the first time under RRS N1 and the race committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment, the penalty from her first protest is cancelled, but the protest is counted to determine the number of times she has been protested during the series.  If a boat has been protested for the second time under RRS N1 and the race committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment, the boat shall not sail in this race, if it is restarted or resailed.  If the race is abandoned the boat shall not sail in the next race.  If she fails to do so, she shall be disqualified without a hearing and her score shall not be excluded.  If a boat has been protested for the third time under RRS N1 and the race committee signals a postponement, general recall or abandonment, RRS N 2.3 applies”.

11.4.

Action taken by the jury under Appendix N will not be grounds for redress by a competitor.

12.  

SCORING

12.1.

The Low Point Scoring System of Appendix A will apply.

12.2.

A total of 5 races are required to be completed to constitute a championship.

12.3.

A qualifier race will not count until all qualifier fleets have completed that race.

12.4.

A boat’s worst score will be excluded when calculating the division into the finals fleets.

12.5.

The qualifier races and final races will count for total points in the championship.

12.6. 

When 5 or more races are completed 1 race score will be excluded; when 10 or more races are completed 2 races scores will be excluded.

12.7.  

If a points scoring penalty for a breach of rule 42 or under the Arbitration System would result in a score worse than DSQ, the penalty will be that corresponding to DSQ. The scores of other boats will not be changed.

12.8.  

Competitors in each of the prize categories will be identified in the overall results with no re-scoring.

13.

INTERNATIONAL JURY

An international jury will be appointed in accordance with rule Appendix M and perform the duties listed in Rule M2.

14.

WHISTLE SYSTEM

To encourage boats to take penalties afloat, jury members may blow a whistle when they see what they believe to be a breach of a rule.

15.

APPEALS

There shall be no appeal from the decisions of protests.

16.

PRIZES

Prizes will be awarded in accordance with the ILCA Honours Award By Law for the following events:
Laser Radial Open European Championship
Laser Women’s European Championship
Laser Radial Youth European Championship

17.

COURSES

Trapezoid courses will be used with an upwind finish.

18.

LIABILITY

Ballyholme Yacht Club, the International Laser Class Association and their officers, members and volunteers do not accept liability for loss of life or property, or personal injury or damage caused by or arising out of the 2004 Laser Radial European Championships, and competitors take part in the championships at their own risk.
The establishment of the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions in no way limits or reduces the complete and unlimited responsibilities of a competitor being solely and entirely responsible for the management of a boat he or she is sailing.
A competitor must be of good health and a competent sailor capable of sailing a Laser in strong winds.
It is the responsibility of each sailor to decide to participate in a race or to continue racing.
A competitor is wholly and exclusively responsible for third party liability insurance on the boat that he or she is sailing and for his or her personal accident and health insurance.