2025 IWWF European International Wakeboard and Wakesurf Officials Seminar

2025 IWWF European International Wakeboard and Wakesurf Officials Seminar

04 Apr 2025 - 06 Apr 2025

Wakeboard UK, Wakesurf UK and the BWSW are pleased to announce that the 2025 IWWF International Officials Seminar for Wakeboarding and Wakesurfing Officials will be held in Birmingham, UK this coming April 4th-6th. The seminar will provide training and examinations for judging, calculating and driving for both wakeboarding and wakesurfing under IWWF rules. We look forward to welcoming the IWWF Officials and our European friends to the event.

Entry Details


IWWF European Wakeboard Boat and Wakesurf Seminar

for Judges, Drivers and Scorers

to be held in Birmingham, Great Britain, April 4th - 6th 2025, presented by the IWWF - EC Wakeboard Boat Council and EC Wakesurf Committee.

International Officials' Seminars have been held in the following countries to promote wakeboarding and wakesurfing and assist with the development of officials:

  • Nottingham, UK
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Nemours, France
  • Birmingham, UK
  • Frankfurt, Germany
  • Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Brussels, Belgium
  • Riga, Latvia
  • Rome, Italy
  • Paris, France
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Lisbon, Portugal
  • Brussels, Belgium
  • Cranes Montana, Switzerland
  • Lyon, France
  • Antwerp, Belgium
  • Frankfurt, Germany
  • Paris, France
  • Castelldefels, Spain
  • Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Athens, Greece
  • Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Bregenz, Austria

This year British Water Ski and Wakeboard Federation will host seminar for both wakeboard and wakesurf judges, scorers and drivers near Birmingham, Great Britain.

We very much hope that you will take this opportunity to attend the international officials seminar to develop or update the officials from your country, to promote the development of wakeboarding and wakesurfing.

Scoring System and Officials Training

As with most board sports, both wakeboarding and wakesurfing use a subjective scoring system. It is therefore essential that all officials are trained to apply the rules and judging criteria consistently and are equipped with the right tools for the job. This is more important than ever as the skills of the athletes and the changes in rules require the officials to maintain and to update their knowledge to match the developing skills of the athletes.

The seminar will be held in a relaxed informal atmosphere, with plenty of time for discussion to learn together and share experience as well as meeting new friends and old ones within our sports community.

This is vitally important to ensure that all Officials progress their knowledge and their experience in accordance with the pace of development and skills of the athletes.

All officials, especially of International level, must continue to attend seminars after certification to ensure that new experiences are shared and importantly to keep up to date with new developments in judging and scoring.


Official Bulletin

Download the Official Bulletin pdf


Event Management System (EMS)

It is vital that all Federations and Officials become familiar with the new Event Management System (EMS). The EMS will be used by all Disciplines of the IWWF to manage all events and the ranking within each discipline at regional and world level. Athletes and officials will be unable to participate and officiate at any event without an understanding of the EMS and their contribution to the process.


Wakesurf Judges/Scorers/Drivers levels of examination:

  • National Level
  • International Level 2
  • International Level 1

Wakeboard Judging - levels of examination:

  • 1 Star
  • 2 Star
  • 3 Star
  • 4 Star
  • 5 Star

Each level allows the judges to progress each year, gaining and building on experience along the way.

Typical events that International 5* judges are qualified to judge are:

  • IWWF Europe and Africa Championships
  • IWWF International Competitions/ Tour events
  • IWWF Wakeboard World Championships
  • World Games

The Judging Course:

  • The rules and theory
  • The use of the Event Management System (EMS)
  • The role and responsibilities of Judges
  • Interpretation and decision making
  • Recording judging decisions
  • Video analysis sessions

Wakeboard Scorer - there are 3 levels of examination:

  • 3 Star
  • 4 Star
  • 5 Star

The Scorer Course:

  • The rules and theory
  • The heat system and seeding
  • The role and responsibilities of the Scorer
  • Planning and scheduling the competition
  • Event Management System
  • Scoring software

Scoring session with the scoring program software

An essential part of the seminar for scorers will be the practical sessions on the introduction to the scoring software.

It is important for all existing scorers to attend to become familiar with the scoring software program the EMS and to practice using both systems together.

NB: Scorers MUST bring a laptop capable of running Windows system to access the software.


Wakeboard Drivers Examinations

  • 1 Star
  • 2 Star
  • 3 Star

Wakeboard and Wakesurf Drivers Course:

  • The rules and theory
  • The role and responsibilities of the Driver
  • The practical management of the wakeboard course
  • The practical management of the boat
  • Safety
  • Practical Driving assessment

NB: Scorer and Driver courses will be joint for wakeboard & wakesurf participants.


Seminar Venue

The seminar will be held at the Lea Marston Hotel, Haunch Lane, Lea Marston, Sutton Coldfield, B76 0BY, UK

What3words: upsetting.tanked.kitchen

The Drivers will be transferred to Cliff Lakes for the practical boat driving


Accommodation

The hotel is the Lea Marston Hotel, Haunch Lane, Lea Marston, Sutton Coldfield, B76 0BY, UK

What3words: upsetting.tanked.kitchen

The easiest way to book the hotel is on Booking.com or directly on the hotels website.

Note: Mobile app prices may be less than via a laptop browser.

For alterntaive hotels near to the seminar venue we can suggest searching Booking.com or Premier Inn (Tamworth South).


How to Get There

The closest airport is Birmingham International Airport (BHX)

The Lea Marston Hotel is located 15-20 minutes from the airport and the easiest way to get there is by using Uber, English black cabs are usually more expensive.

View Google Maps Directions

What3words: upsetting.tanked.kitchen


Registration Form

To register for the seminar please complete the online registration form via the following:

Register Online for the Seminar

For additional seminar information please contact:

IWWF Wakeboard

Linda Johnston: linda.johnston@wakeboardcouncil.com

OR

IWWF Wakesurf

Maria Bulgakova: wakesurf.iwwf@gmail.com

To contact the hosts email either:

Jeremy Nevill: jeremy@wakeboard.co.uk
Colin Hart: wakejudge@mac.com


Seminar Fees

The cost of the seminar is GBP £80.00

Seminar Fees Form

To pay seminar attendence fees (£80/person attending) use the following Paypal payment form.


Seminar Schedule (approximate, subject to change)

Friday 4th April 2025 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Seminar Part 1
Coffee Break
Seminar Part 2
Saturday 5th April 2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Seminar Part 3
Coffee Break
Seminar Part 4
Lunch Break
Seminar Part 5
Coffee Break
Seminar Part 6
Sunday 6st April 2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Approx. 2:00 PM
Examination (theory)
Coffee Break
Examination (practice)
End of Seminar


Wakeboard UK Sponsors and Partners

Midlands Nautique

Midlands Nautique are the Official UK Wake National Championships Sponsor and Official Practice Towboat Sponsor of Wakeboard UK.

Extreme Sports Performance

Extreme Sports Performance are the Sports Science and Medical partner of the British Wakeboard Squad.

Surface to Air

Surface 2 Air Sports provide wakeboard equipment sponsorship to the British Wakeboard Squad.

Bro Clothing

Bro Clothing provide signature Bro hoodies and sportswear to the British Wakeboard Squad.