Old Mal Judging and the Modern Loggers Judging – the news from Daffy

Comps will be back in the swing one day and just so you can’t say you didn’t know, here’s the inside info from Australian living longboard ledge Daffy Chisholm: 

The revised copies of Old Mal Australia Judging Overview & the Modern Loggers Judging Criteria are complete.

This is an ever-evolving process but this is where we are at currently.

Bare in mind when purchasing a new log and you wish to surf in an event running under Old Mal Criteria Board Shape & Judging these guidelines will apply.

"Keep Your Old Girls Wet" – cheers Daffy

OLD MAL AUSTRALIA JUDGING CRITERIA: 

Revised:

Old Mal / Timber:

Traditional style, grace & flow linking traditional manoeuvres into continual motion.

Drop knee & reverse drop knee turns, nose riding, tube riding, re-entries, delayed floaters & cross step walking in both directions.

Old Mal is judged on the Grace & style of the rider completing a repertoire of functional manoeuvres within the pocket of the wave.

Loggers:

Log riding is judged on a Traditional Criteria with continual motion, style & grace in the critical section of the wave. 

We are looking for flowing, controlled turns.... nose riding in the critical section of the wave & stylish gracefull manoeuvres with an Emphasis on a Clean Transition into your next Manoeuvre with little down time or fragmentation.

High scoring potential is placed on a Minimum Four to Six Step Pattern to & from the nose cleanly, Technical Nose riding only when executed well, leading into a smooth transition to your next manoeuvre of your repertoire.

This is “Not a Nose Riding Division” but more about surfing the wave with all manoeuvres.

Modern Log Judging is critiqued over the WHOLE WAVE PACKAGE.

We are judging Traditional Surfing with the emphasis on FLOW,  CONTROL & STYLE.

Early 70s Single fins, Transitional / Trackers.

“Judged on Morning of the Earth Style Surfing”.

Judges are looking for Flow & Power with focus on engaging the rail to drive down the line or in the pocket of the wave exhibiting control, style & the ability to perform & complete manoeuvres cleanly.

Length of ride can be considered in Extreme conditions or Small close out beach breaks.

All surfers are to judge 2 heats prior to their event.

Enjoy the step back in an era of surfing.

Quote: “Yhey were the best years of our lives,” the 1960’s crew!

MODERN LOGGER JUDGING CRITERIA: 

Revised 2019:

Modern Logging is the “EYE CANDY” of longboarding at this point in time.  Traditional Longboarding is at an all time high after the introduction & refinement of Modern Logging.

This is a guideline to Judging the Modern Logger Division. 

Bare in mind the important factor in judging this division is that you consider the whole wave selection, the functional defined manoeuvre repertoire & how cleanly with flow / control the Surfer transitions into the next manoeuvre which in turn creates minimal down time or fragmentation in the surfing of that particular wave.

Points to consider when Judging a Modern Loggers Division:

We judge the whole ride / wave as a package!

Cross step walking: A minimum of a four to six step timely footwork that flows gracefully when            linking tail, rail & nose work.                 

Turns: Rewarded well when the Round House, Cutbacks & Fades are used to link the 

Surfing maintaining speed & flow with the entire rail engaged into & out of each turn with a clear, clean transition into your next manoeuvre or high line trim.

Nose Riding:  Clean, Defined Critical Nose Rides that provide elevation. There should be air under the nose displaying commitment in the critical section of the wave.

Technical Nose Riding is sometimes defined as Trick Nose Riding.

Most Technical Nose Riding are performed from a Hang 10 position. EG: Kick Fives, Kick Heel, Kick Reverse Heel, Reverse Heel Hang 10 & Cheater Five / Hang 10 combination. These manoeuvres are only to be rewarded highly if performed successfully, cleanly & there is a smooth transition into the next section of the wave.

Style & Control: Unique individual style displaying balance, control & poise at all time.

Surfers that are in tune with the ocean / surf are able to read & define this style of surfing, flow with & make the task look effortless. We DO NOT reward pushing the longboard into position & setting up manoeuvres in this division!

OLD MAL AUSTRALIA BOARD CRITERIA: 

LOGGERS :

9ft plus
Single fin with no provision for any other configuration
Minimum weight 8 kgs – scales at competitions…
50/50 rails
No hard rails around the tail, rail or nose 
No resin edge from rail down to tail
No Legrope – optional to each event organiser

TRANSITIONAL :

Surf Craft between 1968 & 1971.
General length between 7’ & 8’6”.
Trackers, stringerless & V Bottoms.
Generally Greenough fin design.

TIMBER SINGLE FIN:

Length for Mal Comps over 9ft.
Full Timber Chambered construction or solid balsa’s.
Fin can be fixed or fin box set up.
Only Single fin configuration for Old Mal Contest’s.
NO Laminated ply / timber decks over blown blanks.

TIMBER FINLESS:

Original & remakes of Toothpicks.
If designated Alai’s for a specific division.
Must be full timber construction at Old Mal Contests
No regulation on length of craft.

OLD MAL :

Pre 1968 Surf Craft.
Over 9ft minimal.
Must be Fibreglass over foam if specifically an Old Mal Event.
Single fin configuration only.
Old Mal Nationals Only: No American Boards in the Pre 1963 D fin division.
Old Mal Nationals Only: Pre 1963 division Can Only be D Fins. Other fins at other events.

Pre-1963 & Pre-1969 boards are generally identified by their fin shape - as in the photo at top.