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2024 Masters Water Ski Qualifying Series Event Rules

Slalom Starting Speeds and Line Lengths:

  • Junior Men Slalom - 55kph/16.00 meters
  • Junior Women’s Slalom is 52kph/18.25 meters
  • Pro Men is 58kph/13 meters
  • Pro Women is 55kph/14.25 meters

Jump Ramp Heights:

  • Pro Men jump at 6’
  • Pro Women jump at 5.5’
  • Junior Men may jump at 5’ or 5.5’ (*all 5’ jumpers must go first off the dock and forfeit seeding)
  • Junior Women jump at 5’

Rounds:

  • Each qualifying series tournament event will have 2 rounds of slalom, 2 rounds of trick and 2 rounds of jump. Overall will be calculated utilizing the scores from all 3 events within the same round only. The highest single score from either round will determine event placement. 

Ties: For all 3 events, slalom, trick and jump, there will be one traditional run-off attempt before moving to a “sudden death” run-off format.

  • In the traditional run-off attempt, skiers will run-off in random draw order. For slalom, skiers will start one line-length below the pass where the tie occurred. Skiers with the highest score in the run-off will advance. Jump skiers will have 2 jumps and trick skiers will have one single (1) trick pass.
  • If, after the single traditional run-off, ties still exist then skiers will run-off again using the “sudden death” format. For the purposes of seeding for the sudden death run-off only, the tied skiers’ back up scores from this event shall determine the seeding. If a tie still exists, the seeding for the sudden death run-off will be broken by the MQS ranking list. The higher seeded skier will choose to ski first or second off the dock. The second skier off the dock must beat the first skier off the dock to win. Should the second skier off the dock tie the first skier off the dock, the first skier off the dock will be pronounced the winner.

Protests: There will be no protests allowed at the Masters Qualifying Series events. If there is disagreement between the officials on the score, video review rules will be adhered to by the officiating team and the final call made. Athletes may not challenge the video review calls.

Code of Conduct: All athletes must sign the MQS Code of Conduct Agreement prior to competing at a MQS event. Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in penalty and/or disqualification from the Masters Qualification Series, the Masters Water Ski Tournament, and other Nautique Series events.  

Seeding for MQS Series Events: For all 3 events, slalom, trick and jump, athletes will be seeded for round 1 of each qualifying series tournament utilizing the applicable 2023 qualification score into the series. (*See Qualifications below.) These scores will produce a Masters Qualification Ranking List. The Masters Qualification Ranking List will break ties utilizing the next highest produced 2023 qualification score. We will continue to the next highest 2023 score until the tie is broken. If a tie still exists after the top five (5) 2023 scores are reviewed, the tie will be broken by random draw on the list. Round 2 of each qualifying series tournament will be seeded from Round 1 scores. If a tie exists after Round 1, the tie will be broken by the Masters Qualification Ranking List.

Refunds: Should any athlete qualify for the Masters at a Qualifying Series event, refunds will only be granted from future MQS events if the athlete notifies the upcoming qualifying event tournament director no later than 5 pm on the Monday prior to the MQS event. Refunds will not be granted after this time. Contact Lelani Travers at sunet@atlantic.net by deadline for cancellation and refunds for MQS event #2.

Qualifications: Skiers may only compete in the individual events that said skier qualified for per the Masters’ criteria posted on masterswaterski.com/news. Scores must have been achieved in a Class R or L event during the 2022 season no later than December 1, 2023.

Pro Qualifications:

  • Men’s Slalom: 2.5 @ 10.25 meters
  • Women’s Slalom: 1 @ 10.75 meters
  • Men’s Trick: 9,750 points
  • Women’s Trick: 6,500 points
  • Men’s Jump: 63.30 meters
  • Women’s Jump: 44.0 meters

Junior Qualifications:

  • Junior Men’s Slalom: 2 @11.25 meters
  • Junior Women’s Slalom: 1 @12 meters
  • Junior Men’s Trick: 6,000 points
  • Junior Women’s Trick: 4,000 points
  • Junior Men’s Jump: 44.50 meters
  • Junior Women’s Jump: 31.30 meters
  • Junior Men’s Overall: Meet or exceed the IWSF overall score of 1,870.00 OR meet or exceed at least two individual event disciplines benchmark scores
  • Junior Women’s Overall: Meet or exceed the IWSF overall score of 1,700.00 OR meet or exceed at least two individual event discipline benchmark scores

Seeding from Masters MQS Events into the 2024 Masters Water Ski & Wakeboard Tournament: The defending 2023 Junior Masters and Masters Champions will ski top seed in each discipline. The 2023 World Water Ski Champions will be seeded second to last for the Masters. All other Junior and Masters skiers will be seeded into the 2024 Masters based on the 2023 Masters Qualifying Series Ranking List.


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