Latest News - Sure-Path GPS Boat Lane Tracking

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.7.3). Visit here to download.

• Slalom Cumulative tolerances adjusted in accordance with rule change.
• Minor tweaks and improvements.
  

• The existing Judging Application has been storing pass data for at least a year. These can now be viewed by the new Desktop Viewer Application without any further import process. Just install the Viewer on the same PC as the Judging Application.
• A days worth of pass files can be transferred directly from a Sure-Path rover phone into the database.
• Passes can be filtered by date range, event code, driver, athlete, rope length and boat speed; or any combination of these.
• The Viewer Application can export and import groups of pass files via a data transfer file format. This is useful for say exporting the data for an individual driver from the PC used during a torunament for them to take away and import into their own copy of the Viewer Application for further review.
  

See the User Guide.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.7.2). Visit here to download.

• Naming of the ST+52 timing (and deviation measurement) point in the jump course clarified to be "NT". the sequence of deviation measurement points is therefore ST, NT, MT, ET and EC.
• Protected slalom scores no longer displayed. Judges must work this out for themselves. See Rule 8.15.
• Minor tweaks and improvements.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.7.1). New Rule 8.15 implemented. Visit here to download.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.7.0). New Rule 8.15 implemented. Visit here to download.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.6.2). Misreporting of protected scores in certain circumstances now fixed. Visit here to download.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.6.0) to include support for Jump. Visit here to download.

The Data Transfer Utility can now export in two new formats:

• .hom file format is the native format used by Emmanuel Lion's Waterski Homologation software. Therefore the program can open the exported file directly without having to go through the intermediate process of copying/pasting via Microsoft Excel. See here for more information.
• .kml file format is the one supported by Google Earth and Google Maps. See Google documentation on how to import a KML file as an overlay. An interesting note here...Google Maps Satellite View has an accuracy of around 2 metres when comparing displayed and actual GPS coordinates (this is not the same as the accuracy of your GPS device when shown in Google Maps). This means that although Sure-Path and Google use the same Datum set (WGS84), you may well see an offset between the kml markers and the buoys you can see in your satellite view. Below is an example kml overlay showing the slalom entrance gates and the first two turn buoys.
  
  
  

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.5.3). Minor tweaks with the scoring integration. Visit here to download.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.5.3). Minor tweaks with the scoring integration. Visit here to download.

The Judging Application has been updated (version 2.5) to reflect the new Waterski Rule 8.15. Visit here to download.

In December 2020, the IWWF Waterski Council approved changes to Waterski Rule 8.15. These changes come into force in February 2021.

In 2020, the new GPS based boat path measurement systems allowed an enormous amount of boat path data to be collected under practice and tournament conditions. This in turn allowed a more robust approach to measuring and utilising boat deviations to be developed resulting in the recent Rule changes.

Sure-Path version 2.0.0 implements the new Rule and has been released ahead of the enforcement date so that drivers and officials have time to get used to the new system ahead of the northern hemisphere 2021 season. Sure-Path has provisional approval for tournament use in Europe and PanAm but southern hemisphere users should only use the new version "unofficially" until the enactment date. The previous version 1.5.3 is still available to those users who wish to use it officially under the current Rule.

New "Buoy Locator" function added. In this mode, the distance and direction to any buoy selected in Survey Mode can be displayed and used to "find" the buoy. This is particularly useful in climates where skiing sites are regularly frozen over during the winter months and it is common practice to remove floating buoys in the Autumn so that only sub buoys remain or the course is allowed to sink to the bottom. In Spring, this mode allows the user to locate again the exact position of any required buoy.

The European Confederation has given provisional approval for Sure-Path to be used in European Ranking List and Record Capability Tournaments under certain conditions. This approval is valid until Dec 31st 2020.

For full approval, Sure-Path needs to be run side by side with an existing approved boat path measurement system at two more sanctioned events. Obviously the pandemic has limited the availability of these events in 2020 and so we have not been able to go through this process yet, but we hope to be able to complete this before the end of this year.

Under the provisional approval, Sure-Path can be used as a boat path measurement system subject to the following:

• End Course Video MUST be recorded and submitted according to the Rules.
• End Course Video DOES NOT need to be monitored at the Judging Tower.
• The scorer's computer MUST be connected to the internet and WaterSkiConnect enabled in the scoring sytem so that there is a live link betwen Sure-Path and the scoring system.
• Rerides MUST be given according to the results from Sure-Path for BOTH individual and cumulative deviation.
• Cumulative deviation must be in tolerance at all buoys up to and including the skier's score.
• The boat path must be monitored in the Judging Tower (the Sure-Path Judging application may be used for this purpose). According to the rules the decision on rerides will be taken by the Chief Judge and the Judge appointed to monitor the Boat Path.

Floating Courses

The Gates are mapped before the event starts using the Sure-Path rover antenna. All reported deviations are based

on differences from this mapping. If the course moves from this original position due to wind, current, or the

movement of the boat, then the reported deviations will be incorrect.

It is responsibility of the Chief Judge and Homologator:

• That the course used is of a design and installation that it remains in tolerance throughout the competition.
• That if during the competition the course is not in tolerance then that should be noted in the dossier and appropriate action taken regarding the use of Sure-Path.
• That if the Chief Judge and Homologator believe that the course design and installation is not suitable for use with Sure-Path then they must ensure that Sure-Path is not used. If this is the case the End Course Video must be available at the Jury Tower and monitored as required by the rules.

For further guidance on using Sure-Path in tournament, see here.