Less Than 5 Rules & General Info

2023 Alliance Wake Less than 5 will consist of 3 events

  1. Global Online Qualifier
  2. Live Invitational Event + Qualifiers
  3. Global Online Fan Vote

Digital Event Qualifier Format:

The goal of Less Than 5 is to represent wakeboarding via moves that are smooth and stylish. This is the key criteria the judges will be looking for. Make it look proper.

Global Online Qualifier Rules

  • Each rider will enter their single best consecutive 5 trick line. There can be no breaks or edits in this video line submission.
  • Every trick must be less than a 540 degree move, no standard inverted or dangling (Raley) moves will be scored. It’s pretty simple; straight airs, 180’s, and 360’s only. No inverts, no raleys, no 5’s, 7’s, 9’s, etc. 
  • One of your 5 tricks must be a straight Method (no rotations – take off forward and land forward)
  • Rewind moves are allowed as long as the sum (360-180 = 180) of the spinning is 360 degrees or less. BUT, keep in mind – The goal of Less Than 5 is to make wakeboarding moves look smooth and stylish … More is not necessarily always better

Global Online Qualifier Video Submission Info

  • Have your cinematographer shoot from the middle of the inside the boat in HD (4K 60fps or 1080 60fps) any current iPhone can shoot in this quality, but an actual video camera is always better. 
  • Your video MUST BE SHOT HORIZONTALLY. DO NOT SHOOT YOUR LINE VERTICALLY. 
  • Have your driver drive into the sun so that you are lit properly
  • File naming convention: RiderfirstnameRiderlastname.LessThan5
  • Videos will be run at full speed when judged and when placed online
  • As this is a judged event we are looking for continuity, please adhere to these simple standards.

 

Global Digital Qualifier ENTRIES

  • Each prospective qualifier must register online – REGISTER HERE
  • Each prospective qualifier to upload their 1 consecutive 5 trick line – SUBMIT YOUR LINE HERE
  • Each rider’s 5 trick line will be posted in a heat on Alliancewake.com and judged accordingly
  • Once you submit your line you must also post it on your Instagram as a Reel and include the following tags – @alliancewake, @montaraboats, #lessthan5

 

Entry Deadline  

2023 Less Than 5 Presented by Montara Boats – Online qualifier entry due date: Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 before 11:59 PM

   

Safety Equipment:

All contestants shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard Approved life jacket or a life jacket that will absolutely float a contestant who is unconscious.  A “Wet Suit” life jacket shall have a locking device in addition to the zipper closure. A “Pull Over” or “Side Entry” life jacket shall have a locking device, zipper, or a drawstring.

 

Cancellation:

If an entrant desires to cancel his or her entry for whatever reason(s), they are required to notify the bill@alliancewake.com by email on or before 5:00 pm PT before the last date of open registration.

 

Scoring Criteria:

For the Digital Qualifier – For the Online Qualifier rounds, each athlete will receive 4 scores for each run. Riders will receive 3 scores from top level wakeboard officials and one score from the spectator/fan vote. Each judge’s score will be worth 25 percent of the athlete’s overall score. The judges will give each athlete’s run a score from .1 to 10, the fan vote scores will be allotted based on placement in the fan vote hierarchy for that specific heat. The four scores will be summed and multiplied by 2.5 to come up with an overall score out of 100. Each judge will evaluate/analyze the athletes’ runs based on an overall impression and score them appropriately. Judges will be able to reward as well as penalize athletes according to the performance of their runs. 

For the Live Event – The 3 judges scores will count for 100 percent of the judges scoring/placements. 

For the Fan Vote event – The fan vote will count for 100 percent of the fan vote score.

 

Ties:

Ties will be broken by the riders’ combined (sum of judges) method score. The tie breaker will go to the rider with the highest method score.

 

Review Scores:

There will be no whining or protesting of scores.

  

Heat Seeding:

All seeding for the 2023 Less Than 5 event will be based on previous placings and the opinions of the Alliance Wake Team and the judges.

Heat Flow:

For the 2023 Less Than 5 online qualifier, there will be an open qualification round open to all athletes. From this open qualification round, the top 4 riders will qualify into the live event on October 12th. 

For each round in the qualifying event, all rider lines will be placed on the https://lessthan5.co website for both the professional judges to review as well as the public to vote on. The athletes with the highest scores in each round will advance.

    • Opening rounds – TBD based on entry numbers
    • Semifinals – 4 heats of 4 riders, the top 2 riders in each heat will advance to the final round.
    • Finals – 8 riders, top 4 riders receive invites to the live Less Than 5 event.

 

Rounds:

Rounds can be altered at the discretion of Less Than 5 Management due to number of entries or any other applicable situation.

 

Code of Conduct:

Any Athlete or official whose conduct is deemed unsportsmanlike, or who may cause discredit to Less Than 5 or its partners or sponsors, during the contest window may be fined and/or disqualified, as determined by the Less Than 5 Staff, and/or Event Management. The Less Than 5 Code of Conduct outlines the standard of behavior expected of all athletes, family members and friends as well as all officials employed or volunteering with Less Than 5. The following is a formal statement of the values and ethical standards that guide individuals in sport. It is a set of principles and norms to which sportspeople and officials can be held accountable when representing their country, sponsors or simply themselves at any Less Than 5 event. The Code is used as a point of reference when dealing with disciplinary procedures for any athlete or extended family. I will: 

    • Respect the rules and play in the spirit of the game
    • Display high standards of behavior that promote a positive image for wakeboarding
    • Respect my opponents
    • Respect other athletes and official’s cultures and beliefs
    • Respect the officials and their decisions
    • Be gracious in victory and defeat
    • Compete fairly
    • Refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensive language or behavior on or off the water
    • Strive to maintain a sense of self-control and dignity at all times
    • Thank officials and contest organizers
    • Maintain a sense of integrity
    • Respect the facilities and equipment
    • Do my best to try to be a true team player
    • Never advocate or condone the abuse of drugs or other banned substances
    • Reject corruption, drug abuse, racism & violence 
    • Help others to resist corrupting pressures
    • Denounce those who attempt to discredit the sport
    • Honor those who defend the sport’s good reputation
    • Never provide under age participants with alcohol
    • Communicate and cooperate with registered medical practitioners/testing centers in the diagnoses, treatment and management of medical problems and respect the concerns these medical people have when they are considering my future health and well-being and when they are making decisions regarding my ability to continue to play or train
    • Provide interviews to official and on-site event media as requested regardless of heat results