Form Rules ( Also see form and weapons judging criteria rule sheet)
TIME LIMIT: Each divisional form or weapons routine must be three (3) minutes or less. The time starts once the competitor enters the competition ring. Four (4) minutes is allowed for each form or weapons routine in the Night Time Finals. Each team form and/or demo routine as a four (4) minutes time limit. Any competitor, team form or team demo that goes over the allowed time limit is automatically disqualified. * New for 2011: at the 2 minute 45 second mark of a competitor’s form the time keeper will shout out “FIFTEEN SECONDS”. SCORING RANGES OF FORM AND WEAPONS: The Scoring range should be altered according to how many competitors are in a division. (Suggestion: Count the competitors in the division and multiply that by .02 and then subtract that number form 10.00 (10 competitors equal .20-10.00 = 9.80). Therefore the range for 10 competitors would be 9.80 to 10.00, with 9.90 as your average score. In the nighttime finals the range for scoring grand champions form and weapons rounds is 9.90 to 10.00. The center official should always discuss the scoring range with all the officials before the division starts. TIES: If there is a tie for 1st Thru 4th place, the majority of the judge’s scores determine the winner. If there is not a majority of judges for one competitor and one judge or more gave the same score for the tied competitor, the judge that gave the same scores must be ask to make a decision and break the tie. All judges must make scoring decisions by giving different scores to the competitors. Ties for 5th through 8th place are never broken. They will remain tied and all will receive points and awards. If there is a tie and there is not a majority judge’s decision and no judge gave the same score to any one competitor, the tied competitors will compete again and be scored again. TRADITIONAL, CREATIVE, MUSICAL AND EXTREME DIVISIONS: WEAPON DIVISIONS: See: “NASKA FORM AND WEAPONS CRITERIA”.Safety Rule: A competitor who unintentionally drops his/her weapon will be automatically disqualified. If a competitor recklessly or carelessly misuses his/her weapon, he/she may be penalized or disqualified. If a competitor’s weapon breaks or comes apart during his/her routine, he/she will be disqualified. STARTING A FORM OVER: If a competitor starts his/her form over because of a memory lapse or any other reason due to his/her own negligence, he/she may perform the form again. The officials will score as though there was not a mistake, but the center referee will instruct the scorekeeper to subtract .50 points from the competitor’s final score. The three-minute time limit will start over. A competitor can only start over one time for scoring. If a competitor has to start over not due to his/her negligence, he/she will not be penalized on the start over. FAIRNESS RULE: If a question arises that is not completely covered by this rule book, the official rules arbitrator may at his/her discretion, overrule, modify or change a delineated rule if he/she believes that enforcing such a rule would result in a inherent unfair outcome to a competitor. However, the rules arbitrator should overrule, modify or change a delineated rule only in extreme cases.