There are many "skills competitions" held across the country. "Rodeos" as they were initially called, were a way for officers to develop inter-departmental communication in their area. Now, skills competitions bring officers together from across the country to a single event. Here they are able to learn from top instructors on the safety of operating their police motorcycle, as well as continue to develop open lines of communications, while having some spirited competition. Many of these events donate event proceeds to area or national charities.
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Rules
These are the official rules of the 1st Annual Bay Area Rally Police Rodeo Challenge. All rules are subject to revision without prior notice, subject to approval by the Rules Committee. All forms, documents, correspondence, the motorcycle riding committee logo, and materials used by the Bay Area Rally Police Rodeo Challenge are the property of the Bay Area Rally Police Rodeo Challenge. No one may use any of the aforementioned materials without permission of the Rules Committee of the Bay Area Rally Police Rodeo Challenge. All Rights Reserved
Rules Committee
A. DEFINED—On the day of the Skills Championship, a Rules Committee will be established to settle all disputes that cannot be settled at the judge's level.
B. DISPUTES—Disputes will handled in the following manner:
- Any dispute of scoring of a particular event must be addressed by the affected Competitor after completing said run.
- Only the Competitor may dispute scoring or a judge's decision.
- Disputes will be brought to the Head Judge for a ruling over an event / course score.
- If the dispute is not resolved by the Head Judge, the Rules Committee will resolve the dispute.
- All decisions of the Rules Committee are final for the day of the Skills Championship.
C. CONDUCT—Participants who display or engage in an unprofessional conduct as determined by the Head Judge (or their designees), may be ejected from the Skills Championship.
GENERAL RULES
A. ELIGIBILITY—Competition is open to all sworn Law Enforcement Officers who are authorized to ride a police motorcycle through their department.
B. RUNNING ORDER—Each rider will be assigned a number after registration. The rider must run in numerical order.
C. MOTORCYCLE REQUIREMENTS—Competitors must compete on a police motorcycle of at least 998 cc, equipped in the normal deployment configuration, with all rails attached as originally equipped.
D. COMPETITOR ATTIRE—Competitors must compete wearing the appropriate uniform normally worn while “on duty”.
E. PROTECTIVE GEAR—All Competitors must wear a helmet that is properly fastened while on the course.
F. EMERGENCY MOTORCYCLE REPAIRS—Prior to entering an event, a Competitor (or team) will be allowed 15 minutes to repair a motorcycle that is malfunctioning. If the motorcycle is unserviceable, the Competitor may continue in the competition provided that:
- The competitor can locate a replacement motorcycle within 15 minutes.
- The “new” motorcycle must already be qualified.
- The motorcycle must be assigned to compete in the same course as the Competitor.
G. MOTORCYCLE MALFUNCTIONS—Once a competitor or team has begun an event, no excuses for a breakdown will be allowed. THIS INCLUDES KICKSTAND PROBLEMS. It may be advantageous to secure the kickstand prior to competing.
H. ENTRY RESTRICTION—A competitor may compete in only one division.
I. COMPETITOR'S MEETING—A meeting of all Competitors riding in the Skills Championship will be held prior to the start of the competition.
- The scoring and the approved path of travel through the events will be reviewed.
- Competitors should understand course events prior to the end of the meeting.
- The meeting will be conducted by a designee of the Rules Committee.
- The Competitor's meeting time will be announced in advance.
- It is the competitor's responsibility to attend the meeting.
After the Competitor's meeting, any disputes concerning information disseminated at the Competitor's meeting will not be considered.
Competitions
Fastest Clean Run
This award is given to the competitor with no penalties and the fastest time. This award will be given to only one competitor, regardless of their division or level of experience.
Individual Competition
A. DIVISIONS
- Harley-Davidson FL Windshield
- Expert – Any competitor who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice – A competitor who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
- Harley-Davidson FL Fairing
- Expert – Any competitor who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice – A competitor who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
- Honda Goldwing
- Expert – Any competitor who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice – A competitor who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
- Other (Honda, Other Harley-Davidson, BMW, etc.)
- Expert – Any competitor who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice – A competitor who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
B. AWARDS
EXPERT
Division 1, 2 and 3 [1st - 5th place]
NOVICE
Division 1, 2 and 3 [1st - 5th place]
C. GOAL—The object of the competition is to receive NO penalty points. All competitors begin with a score of ZERO.
D. COURSE RUNS—Competitors are required to make two runs through five events. Both runs will be timed beginning when the competitor's front tire breaks the electric eye and ending when the front tire breaks the electric eye when exiting the last exercise.
E. PENALTY POINTS—Penalty points for all riders will be assessed as follows:
- Touch a cone-1 point penalty
- Knock a cone down-3 points penalty
- Put a foot down-5 points penalty
- Drop the motorcycle-10 points penalty
- Fail to complete an exercise-10 points penalty
F. FINAL SCORE
- Final score will consist of each competitor's final time of their timed runs.
- After completing both runs, competitor's times will be added together after penalty points (if any) have been factored in.
G. TIES—In the event of a tie, a third timed run will be added to the first two runs to determine the winner.
TEAM COMPETITION
A. AWARDS—First through fifth place will receive an award.
B. TEAM—A Team will consist of four pre-named members of any Department. Departments that do not have enough members to make a team are allowed to recruit members of other departments to make a four member team. All teams must submit the names of their team by 12:00 (noon) on Friday, April 11 th , to be eligible for team awards. Any changes to a declared team must be completed before the first timed run on competition day. Once competition has commenced no further teams will be added and no changes will be made.
C. TIES—All ties in the team competition will be broken in the following manner:
- Each team involved in a tie will designate one team member to ride in a timed run-off.
- The timed run-off will consist of the same timed run course as in the individual competition, scored in the same manner.
TEAM SLOW RIDE COMPETITION
A. TEAM—Any four Competitors from a Department, or any four Competitors from different Departments may form a team.
- Departments may enter as many teams as they wish.
- Competitors may ride on no more than one team.
- All rules of the Skills Championship apply.
B. AWARDS—First through fifth place teams will receive trophies.
C. GOAL—The object of the team slow ride is for four Competitors to travel down a 35 foot long by 8 foot wide lane as slowly as possible. The slowest combined time of all four Competitors from a team will determine the winner.
D. PENALTIES—The team's time will stop at the occurrence of any of the following:
- Any team member puts a foot down in the lane.
- Any team member drops their motorcycle in the lane.
- Any team member touches a boundary line.
- The first team member does not start on time.
- The team member's exchange was not done in time.
E. TIMING
- The time starts when the fist team member's front axle crosses the start line.
- The time ends when the fourth team member's front axle crosses the end line.
- The first rider must be entered into the lane within 5 seconds of the Judge's starting command.
F. RIDER EXCHANGE—Team members shall enter on the right side of the lane.
- When the first team member's front wheel (the area of the tire in contact with the ground) is about to exit the lane (crosses the end line), but prior to its exit from the lane, the second team member must raise their foot and enter the lane (crosses the end line). Team member number 2's front wheel must be in the lane prior to team member number 1's front wheel exit from the lane. Team member number 2 then continues in the lane to the other end.
- Team members 3 and 4 proceed as stated above.
- A “GOOD” exchange occurs when the next team member enters the lane (across the end line) from a point in time prior to the previous team member exiting the lane with the front wheel, up to and/or until the previous team member's front wheel crosses the end line.
INDIVIDUAL SLOW RIDE COMPETITION
A. ELIGIBILITY
- A Competitor must be a member of a participating Department.
- All rules of the Skills Championship shall apply.
B. AWARDS—First through fifth place will receive awards.
C. GOAL—The object of the individual slow ride is for the Competitor to travel down a 35 foot long by an 8 foot wide lane as slowly as possible. The slowest time will determine the winner.
D. PENALTIES—The Competitor's time will stop at the occurrence of any of the following.
- A Competitor puts a foot down in the lane.
- A Competitor drops the motorcycle in the lane.
- A Competitor touches a boundary line.
- A Competitor does not start on time.
E. TIMING
- The time starts when the fist team member's front axle crosses the start line.
- The time ends when the fourth team member's front axle crosses the end line.
- The first rider must be entered into the lane within 5 seconds of the Judge's starting command.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, April 10th
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10:00am |
Registration opens
(All competitors must register individually)
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10:00am - 7:00pm |
Track is open for practice
(Registration required for entry)
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Friday, April 11th
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10:00am |
Registration opens
(All competitors must register individually)
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10:00am - 7:00pm |
Track is open for practice
(Registration required for entry)
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5:00pm |
Registration ends
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Saturday, April 12th
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10:00am |
Competitions Begin |
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Awards Ceremony Following Competition |
Glossary of Terms
Average Turning Radius: Left turn radius + right turn radius / 2
Competitor: A Law Enforcement Officer who is authorized to ride a police motorcycle by their department and is registered to compete in the Skills Competition.
Competitor's Meeting: A meeting of all competitors to review the rules, path of travel and scoring procedures of the Skills Competition.
Course: A series of six (6) events which a competitor must ride. Includes the path of travel between exercises in the individual timed run.
Cross Boundary Line: If the contact patch of a tire crosses a boundary line. Crossing is determined if a judge can see tire, surface, boundary line, surface.
Department: Any Police Agency who a competitor is a member.
Drop the Motorcycle: In an exercise, if the motorcycle falls to the surface and the competitor does not have control of the motorcycle, which would allow for safe operation of the motorcycle (includes any part of the entire course in the timed run).
Exercise: A specific set of obstacles, which makes up part of the course.
Expert Level: Primary level of competition for the individual competition.
Fail to Complete an Exercise: If a competitor starts an event, and does not finish by exiting the event at the normal exit point. Also if the competitor does not follow the correct path of travel as required.
Foot Down: In an exercise, whenever a competitor's foot comes in contact with the surface (includes any part of the course during the timed run).
Judge: A person designated to score and/or time a competitor on the course.
Judge's Meeting: A meeting of course judges to review rules and scoring procedures of the Skills Championship.
Knock over a Cone: Whenever any part of the motorcycle or competitor hits any part of a cone which causes the cone to fall over off its normal standing base.
Normal Deployment: How a Department's motorcycle is normally outfitted for Configuration everyday use as ridden by the Department's Motorcycle Officers. The exception to competing with the motorcycle the day of the Skills Championship is that cosmetic bag rails only may be removed. A bag rail is defined as the rail normally mounted in a horizontal configuration, with a minimum wall thickness of 75/1000 of an inch and a maximum wall thickness of 1/1000 of an inch. Does not include engine guards or crash bars.
Novice: A competitor who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
Participant: Any person who competes, judges, or offers support services to the Skills Championship.
Qualified Motorcycle: A motorcycle that has been measured in and assigned to compete in a course for the Skills Championship.
Rules Committee: Convened the day of the Skills Championship to handle disputes.
Running out of an Exercise: When the front and rear wheels cross the imaginary line between the center points of the two adjacent cones where the motorcycle would not normally enter or exit an event. In events which use a boundary line, if the tire contact patch crosses the boundary line, the competitor has run out of the exercise.
Timing: When events have to be timed, the time will start when the front axle crosses the starting gate/line and the time will end when the front axle crosses the finish gate/line.
Touch a Cone: Whenever any part of the motorcycle or competitor touches any part of a cone.
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