Hosting a US Sailing Championship

Race Management Requirements

US Sailing Regulation 10.06: Race Management, Umpiring, and Judging

A. General Policy
  1. No person may serve as a member of the umpire team, protest committee, or as the principal race officer at an event in which any competitor in the event is a close relative, an employer, or an employee. A close relative is an individual related to another person or the person’s spouse within the third degree. This includes a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild, great-grandchild spouse or close relative of a spouse including a step- or in-law relative.
  2. Volunteers shall comply with US Sailing Regulation 14 – Code of Ethics.
  3. The host club or venue shall appoint US Sailing certified race officials, at the appropriate level, to the protest committee or the umpire team, and to key positions on the race committee.
  4. Except in case of illness or emergency, the protest committee shall consist of a minimum of three judges.
  5. The organizing authority shall file a Fleet or Team/Match Race Management Personnel Submission form (located at https://ussailing.org/racing/championships) with the US Sailing Area Championships Representative, the US Sailing chair of the applicable championship, or the national chair of the US Sailing Championships Committee, as appropriate, no later than 60 days before the start of the event, that includes the names and certification levels of all certified race officials.
B. US Sailing Championship qualifying events:
  1. Require the appointment of a certified US Sailing Regional Race Officer. However, a certified US Sailing Club Race Officer may serve as Principal Race Officer with the approval of the Area Race Officer (ARO) and the Area Championship Representative if a Regional or National Race Officer acts as Deputy Race Officer (DRO).
  2. Require the appointment of a certified US Sailing Judge or National Judge as chief judge. Require that a majority of the jury be certified US Sailing judges (at any certification level).
  3. At match or team racing events, require the appointment of a certified US Sailing National Umpire as chief umpire. Require that at least one half of the umpire team be US Sailing certified umpires (at any certification level).
  4. Exceptions must be approved by the US Sailing chair of the applicable championship and:
  • The national chair of the applicable championship committee, and
  • The chair of the applicable race officials committee (Judges, Race Management, Umpires).

If the requirements for appointments cannot be met at least 60 days before the start of the event after allowing for exceptions, an alternate venue may be chosen.

C. National Championship Events:
  1. Require the appointment of a certified US Sailing National Race Officer as PRO, but may accept a certified US Sailing Regional Race Officer if a US Sailing National Race Officer acts as DRO.
  2. Require the appointment of a certified US Sailing National Judge as chief judge. Require that a majority of the protest committee be certified US Sailing judges (at any certification level).
  3. At match or team racing events, require the appointment of a certified US Sailing National Umpire for chief umpire. Require that a minimum of one half of the umpire team be US Sailing National Umpires.
  4. The only exception shall be a reduction in certification level. Exceptions may be made with the approval of the chair of the US Sailing Championship committee involved, together with:
  • The national chair of the US Sailing Championships Committee, and
  • The chair of the applicable race officials committee (Judges, Race Management, Umpires).
  1. If the requirements for an appointment cannot be met at least 60 days before the start of the event after allowing for exceptions, an alternate venue may be chosen.

1. The Area representative is the Regional Administrative Judge for appointments to the umpire team.
2. The Area representative shall be the Area Race Officer for appointments to the race committee and the Regional Administrative Judge for appointments to the protest committee or umpire team

NOTE: 1. For the purpose of this policy the term “close relative” is defined as an individual related to another person or the person’s spouse within the third degree. This includes parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, spouses and close relatives of spouses including step- or in-law relatives.

2. In all cases, the corresponding ISAF certification will be acceptable in place of the US Sailing certification. For example, an ISAF International Umpire may serve without approval in place of a US Sailing certified Umpire

Approved December 2014