Beach Championships Rules

WA Beach Ultimate Championships

About

The WA Beach Championships is a mixed-gender beach tournament held annually. Beach Ultimate is a variant of grass Ultimate. The rules are the same with the exception that Beach Ultimate is played on a smaller field (75x25m) and is generally played 5-a-side.

Tournament Specific Rules

• All WAFDA and AFDA policies will be adhered to.
• The latest edition of the official WFDF Rules of 5-on-5 Beach Ultimate is in play with the following modifications.

1. Registration
1.1 Teams and players must be registered via the AFDA website (www.afda.com) online registration system.
1.2 All players must be registered and paid all associated competition fees prior to commencing play.

2. Fees
2.2 Fees are set by and approved by the WAFDA Executive Committee.
2.3 The host is responsible for the collection of all fees applicable to the tournament.

3. Eligibility
3.1 The following eligibility requirements are in place for WA Beach Ultimate Championships
3.2 All teams to meet payment deadlines
3.3 All teams will need to appoint a Spirit Captain
3.4 All teams must meet the minimum requirement for rules accreditation
3.5 All teams must meet minimum uniform requirements

4. Rules Accreditation
4.1 For Phoenix Has Risen, all players on your roster MUST be STANDARD rules accredited. 
4.2 Additionally, a minimum of four (4) MUST have the advanced accreditation (this number must include the team Captain and Spirit Captain).

5. Rules of Play
5.1 The 2019 WFDF WFDF Rules of 5-on-5 Beach Ultimate will be followed.
5.2 If bad light or extreme weather forces stoppage of games, the schedule will be revised using the guiding principles outlined in WFDF rules will apply as per Appendix B5.
5.3 Where possible games will be rescheduled. Time caps and points caps may be reduced to allow games to be rescheduled.

6. Equipment
6.1 Any flying disc acceptable to both captains may be used, however non-white (i.e. yellow, orange, pink) discs are preferred.
6.2 Each player must wear a uniform that distinguishes their team.
6.3 No player may wear items of clothing or equipment that reasonably could harm the wearer or other players, or impede an opponent's ability to play.
6.4 Playing barefoot is highly recommended, but players may wear socks or any kind of foot covering of a similar texture, so long it respects 6.3.

7.Gender Split
7.1 Gender Ratio: Ratio Rule A ie "prescribed ratio” rule.
7.2 At the start of the game, after the first disc flip, an additional disc flip happens with the winner selecting the gender ratio for the first point. For the second and third points, the ratio must be the reverse of the first point. For the fourth and fifth points, the ratio must be the same as the first point. This pattern of alternating the ratio every two points repeats until the end of the game (half time has no impact on the pattern).
7.3 If a team cannot play with the gender split as per rule 7.2 above, the team can play with a gender split for less than 5 players, so long as it does not involve more than three (3) players of one gender. Captains may agree at any point in the game to play with a gender split outside of these Tournament Rules, so long as it does not involve more than three (3) players of one gender.

8. Tournament Rules
8.1 Points cap: 13
8.2 Time cap: 45 minutes. (60-minute time slots).
8.3 Half time: 5 minutes break after one team has scored 7 points. No break at the half, mirror start for the second half. Captains agree before the game if they want to take any time at half.
8.4 At time cap: Finish current point. Add 1 to the highest score to establish a win-by-1 target.
8.5 Time-outs: 1 per team, per game. 75 seconds each.

9. Forfeits
9.1 Teams are expected to take the field on time. If a team is unable to field at least five (3) players from their permanent roster ten (10) minutes after the scheduled game start time, they automatically forfeit the game.
9.2 Gender Split alterations must align with rule 7.3
9.3 Teams will forfeit if they field an unpaid player.
9.4 Teams will forfeit if they field less than five (3) players at any point.
9.5 A Forfeit will result in a 13-nil result.

10. Score Submission
10.1 Each team must submit their score at the end of every game via the online scheduling system. 
10.2 Most Valuable Player votes are to be submitted as one MVP for each gender.
10.3 All Spirit of the Game scores are to be submitted using the WFDF SOTG system.

11. Field of Play
11.1 The playing field is a rectangle area with dimensions and zones as shown on Figure 1 and should be essentially flat, free of obstructions and afford reasonable player safety.
11.2 The entire playing surface of the field of play must be sand
11.3 The brick mark is the intersection in the central zone set fifteen (15) meters from each goal line, midway between the sidelines.

Figure 1.

12. Tie-Breakers
12.1 In the event that two or more teams have the same win/ loss record (or a number of points) at the conclusion of the round-robin or cross-over matches, the higher placed team will be decided by applying the following WFDF Ranking Criteria and Tie Breakers rules:
12.2 After round-robin pool play, rank all teams in each pool by the number of games won. If teams are tied, break that tie using the ranking criteria.
12.3 Each ranking criterion is used to rank all of the tied teams, not just to determine the highest-ranked team.
12.4 If, after the application of a ranking criterion, all of the teams remain tied, go to the next criterion. 
12.5 If not all teams remain tied, but one or more subgroups of the teams remain tied, separate these subgroups from the ranking. Each subgroup is then to be ranked separately, starting with the first ranking criterion.
12.6 Ranking criteria, in order:

12.6.1 The number of games won, counting only games between the teams that are tied.
12.6.2 Fewest games forfeited.
12.6.3 Goal difference, counting only games between the teams that are tied.
12.6.4 Goal difference, counting games against all common opponents.
12.6.5 Goals scored per game, counting only games between the teams that are tied.
12.6.6 Goals scored per game, counting games against all common opponents.
12.6.7 Each team nominates one player to throw one disc from behind the goal line to the far brick point on a regulation playing field. Throwing order is determined randomly, by disc toss or otherwise. Teams are ranked in order by the distance from the resting place of each disc to the brick point, from closest to furthest