Racing

The race weekend

Registration to the checkered flag, in the order a weekend runs, with every rule quoted or restated and its section as printed. 267 rules from IJSBA, UIM and IHRA, read between 7 and 26 September 2026. Where a body has no rule on a subject the page says so in words, and where a rulebook contradicts itself the row is marked disputed and says how. Each row's confidence word is defined in one place.

Where a body's earlier edition is held, it is read beside the current one on the topics it covers, IJSBA 2018 against 2025 on two topics, UIM 2016 against 2026 on six topics. The earlier book governs nothing now; each block prints the rules whose words or figure changed, the ones no current row carries, which the current book may still print under a number the archive has not extracted, and the ones that are new, and counts the unchanged. The 2016 IJSBA edition was to sit beside the current one in the same way. Its Wayback capture could not be read by our fetch tool on 2026-09-26, so that comparison waits; the capture is listed among the documents at the foot so the gap is visible.

1

Enter and pay, then check in and sign the waiver

IHRA D.2 and D.9 · IJSBA SCOR.13.1
2

The safety check of the machine, and the riders meeting every rider attends

Safety check: IJSBA GEN.8.10 · UIM 504.07 · IHRA J.3.1, which gives a decal. Riders meeting: IJSBA GEN.6.3 · UIM 203.03.01 · IHRA E.4.
3

Staging, then to the line and the start

IJSBA GEN.1.2 · UIM 305.04 · IHRA G.6.1
4

The motos: laps of the buoy course

IJSBA GEN.4 · UIM 303 · IHRA G.5
5

The checkered flag ends each moto

IJSBA GEN.9.9 · UIM 304.09 · IHRA G.3
6

Post-race inspection of the leading finishers, while provisional results go up and protests are taken

Inspection: IJSBA SCOR.18.1 · UIM 306.01 · IHRA J.3.3. Results and protests: IHRA F.8.2 and F.8.3 · UIM 406.02 · IJSBA SCOR.22.4, for a protest over equipment.
7

Prizes and the podium

At the close of the event day: IJSBA SCOR.3.1 · IHRA F.9.1. The podium: UIM 305.07.

The order a race day follows, with no clock attached, since none of the rulebooks held here prints a timetable. Where one box holds two jobs, no rulebook says which comes first, or they run at the same time. Each box opens the topic below, or the page that holds its rules.

How we know: Each step names the rulebook sections that state it: IJSBA's 2025 general rules and scoring document, the UIM 2026 rules and IHRA V.20260603.

Registration and entry

Who may enter, how many make a class, what a fee buys and when it comes back.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA entry and release

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
SCOR.13.1	The entry and release is signed at the competitor's own risk	The rider and his/her pit crew members, in signing the entry/release, elect to use the course of the event at their own risk, acknowledge that there may be both known and unknown risks By signing the entry and release, the rider and the pit crew take the course at their own risk, accept that the risks include unknown ones, and release the sanctioning organisation, the sponsoring organisation, the owners of the property and the officers, agents, employees and members of each from liability for injury to person, property or reputation arising from the event or from the condition of the course. The signature binds the pit crew as well as the rider. The release is recorded here as a rule about what is signed; its full wording is the document's, not this site's.		confirmed PDF page 6, under the heading SCOR.13 RIDER/PIT CREW LIABILITY. Unchanged in text from 7.13.1 of the 2018 document. GEN.15.10, in the general regulations rows, is the rule that the same waiver may not be signed under a false name.

Read from the published document on 2026-10-02. IJSBA 2025, IJSBA entry and release, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The document prints no year of its own; the PDF file was created 2025-02-11 and the rule book page links it under "Scoring", so 2025 is the rule book set it belongs to, and its sections are numbered SCOR (SCOR.1 to SCOR.23). One rule, the waiver, recorded as what is signed rather than reproduced; its text is unchanged from 7.13.1 of the 2018 document. No longer carried and new in 2025, nothing in this topic. The 2018 row points at this one.

IJSBA 2018 against 2025 on registration and entry: 1 rule unchanged in words and figure, 0 changed, 0 no current row carries, 0 new

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA registration and entry rules

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.14.4	Entering more than one class	A rider may enter as many classes as he/she wishes. However, only specified classes may count toward overall championships. A rider may enter any number of classes, but only specified classes count toward an overall championship.		confirmed
GEN.14.5	Veterans, Masters and Women riders in ranked classes	Veterans, Masters and Women competitors may additionally compete in the Novice, Expert or Pro classes of their own ranking. The document's example is a Novice Woman Ski rider, who may compete in Novice Ski but not Expert Ski.		confirmed
GEN.15.6	One ranking per division	Novice, Expert and Pro riders may not compete in another ranking within the same division. The document's example is that Novice Ski riders may compete only in Novice Ski classes.		confirmed
GEN.15.7	Questions about class determination	A rider with a question about which class they belong in is responsible for checking with the proper official.		confirmed
GEN.15.10	No assumed names or false details on the waiver	Nobody may enter or sign the waiver and release under an assumed or fictitious name, or give inaccurate information such as age or date of birth.		confirmed
6.14.1	Minimum entries per class; combining classes	Any class except freestyle can be eliminated when there are less than five entries at the close of registration (freestyle requires just one entry). A class with fewer than five entries when registration closes can be dropped, freestyle excepted (one entry is enough there). Short classes may be combined into one event, with riders still scored separately; whether trophies or prize money are paid is at the promoter's option under its agreement with the IJSBA or the affiliate.	5 entries at the close of registration, below which a class can be eliminated	confirmed Printed as 6.14.1, run into the GEN.13 REGISTRATION/ENTRY RULES heading; the GEN sequence would make it GEN.13.1 or GEN.14.1. Cited as printed.
GEN.14.2	No refunds after competition has begun	No refunds of entry or other fees will be made at sanctioned events after competition has begun unless the event is officially canceled or rescheduled by a ruling of the Race Director or at the discretion of the Race Director, after which time, fees will be returned. Once competition has begun, entry and other fees are not refunded unless the Race Director cancels or reschedules the event, or exercises discretion to refund; then the fees come back. Nothing is said about refunds before competition begins.		confirmed
GEN.14.3	Entry fees are set by the IJSBA or the affiliate	Entry fees will be regulated by the IJSBA and/or IJSBA affiliate. Entry fees are regulated by the IJSBA or the affiliate, not by the promoter; the document names no amounts.		confirmed
GEN.15.8	Gate admission fees are set by the promoter	Gate admission fees for rider and crew members will be regulated by the promoter. Gate admission for riders and crew is the promoter's to set, in contrast to entry fees (GEN.14.3), which the IJSBA or affiliate regulates.		confirmed
GEN.15.9	The schedule of events is set by the promoter	The schedule of events will be regulated by the promoter. The event schedule is the promoter's; the rule book fixes no running order.		confirmed

Read from the published document on 2026-09-26. IJSBA 2025, IJSBA registration and entry rules, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The document's own numbering runs GEN.13, then GEN.14.2 to GEN.14.5, then GEN.15.6 to GEN.15.10, with no GEN.15.1 to GEN.15.5. Sections are cited as printed. The step 5 extraction of 2026-09-26 added the 6.14.1 fragment under the GEN.13 heading, GEN.14.2, GEN.14.3, and also GEN.15.8 and GEN.15.9, which the brief did not list but which are numbered rules of the same section. The entry and release the competitor signs (SCOR.13.1 of the scoring document) has its own rows, IJSBA entry and release, since 2026-10-02.

UIM: The UIM sets entry per series in supplementary regulations the rulebook refers to but does not contain; its licence, Superlicence and insurance rules are on the riders page.

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA registration and entry rules

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
D.1	Event classes and eligibility	The classes available at events may vary annually and include points-earning classes for the national series, as well as additional local classes determined by the event organizer. The class list is set per event and can change each year. National series points classes sit alongside local classes chosen by the organizer, and the event website and official entry form are where a rider finds the classes offered and the points allocated to results.		confirmed
D.2	Entry process and late entries	Entries are only official after submission and payment of fees. Late entries may be subject to penalties or rejection at the discretion of the event organizers. Registration is online or on the organizer's official entry form. An entry counts only once it is submitted and paid. What happens to a late entry, a penalty or a refusal, is the event organizer's decision.		confirmed
D.3	Multiple classes and small-class threshold	Classes with fewer than five entries may be combined or eliminated, with scoring and awards adjusted accordingly. A rider may enter more than one class and should expect back-to-back races as a result. A class with fewer than five entries may be merged with another or dropped, with scoring and awards adjusted to match. Advanced classes may restrict entry by rider classification.	5 entries, below which a class may be combined or eliminated	confirmed
D.4	Expelled or suspended individuals barred from any role	Any individual who has been expelled from a sanctioned race or is under suspension from an event will not be allowed to participate, officiate, or assist in any capacity during the event. Someone expelled from a sanctioned race, or currently suspended, may not race, officiate, or help in any capacity at the event. The stated purpose is the integrity and fairness of the competition.		confirmed
D.5	Additional fees beyond entry	Admission fees for competitors and their crews are determined by the event organizer. Beyond the entry fee, a competitor may owe gate admission, grounds fees, parking, camping or other charges. The organizer sets what competitors and their crews pay to get in.		confirmed
D.6	Refunds and transfers	As a general policy, event fees such as entry fees, camping, and grounds fees are non-refundable. Entry, camping and grounds fees are non-refundable as a rule. If an event is canceled the organizer may choose to refund or to let a registration transfer. Any refund or transfer for any reason, weather included, is at the sole discretion of the event organizer.		confirmed
D.8	Field limits and oversubscribed classes	If a class is oversubscribed, elimination heats may be conducted, with awards based on cumulative points from the main race motos. The Race Director may cap the number of craft in a practice session, heat or race for safety or course capacity. An oversubscribed class may be cut down through elimination heats, with the awards decided on the cumulative points of the main motos.		confirmed
D.9	Check-in, waiver and wristbands	All competitors, mechanics, and pit crew members must check in, sign the required liability waiver, and wear an event-specific release wristband at all times while in the pit area. Every competitor, mechanic and pit crew member checks in, signs the liability waiver and wears the event's release wristband the whole time they are in the pits. Unauthorized access or misuse of wristbands or pit passes can bring penalties, fines or disqualification.		confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 11 and 12 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA registration and entry rules, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. D.7 (race numbers) is extracted in the race number rules and is not repeated here.

The start

Getting to the line, how many are on it, the cards and the signal, and what a jumped start costs.

IJSBA

1 The 2 card. Engines on. Until the next card, the start can still be held: one 2-minute hold a race, and craft and rider must both be on the line to get it. GEN.2.2, GEN.2.5
2 The 1 card. Shown once the starter has acknowledged the riders. Nothing can hold the start now. GEN.2.3, GEN.2.5
3 The 1 card, turned sideways. Seconds after the 1 card: the start can come at any moment. GEN.2.3
4 Green flag, or the gate. Racing starts as the green flag waves or the starting gate trips. The book sets no count of seconds for this. GEN.2.3

UIM, quay, beach or jetty start

1 The 2 board. Engines on. A rider who needs time raises a hand, which calls a two-minute countdown. 305.04.01
2 The 1 board. No more raised hands: the start can no longer be interrupted. Once a countdown has been used, the second start allows none. 305.04.01
3 The start. 0 to 5 seconds after the 1 board, on lights, a flag or an elastic band. Lights or flags may also stand in for the two boards. 305.04.01

IHRA, closed course

1 Flashing red. Engines on. A 2-minute hold may be asked for only now, by a rider on or behind the line. Whether that is one hold for each rider or one for the whole race, the book reads both ways; plan on one hold per race. G.6.6, G.6.7
2 The starter points at each rider. Each rider gives a sign of being ready. G.6.6
3 Solid red. Every rider has confirmed. The hold can no longer be asked for. G.6.6, G.6.7
4 Green. Anywhere from 0 to 3 seconds after solid red, and the race is on. G.6.6

In all three books only the first signal can be stopped: by a hold under IJSBA and IHRA, by a raised hand under the UIM. After that the UIM and IHRA give a count of seconds to the start; IJSBA gives none, and once its 1 card turns sideways the start may come at any moment.

How we know: IJSBA General Race Regulations 2025 GEN.2.2, GEN.2.3 and GEN.2.5; the UIM 2026 rules 305.04.01; IHRA V.20260603 G.6.6 and G.6.7.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA pre-start and starting procedures

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.1.1	Type of start announced at the riders meeting	Due to varying shoreline and water conditions, the type of start will be explained at the riders meeting. The rule book fixes no single start format. The type of start depends on the shoreline and water at each venue and is explained at the riders meeting.		confirmed
GEN.1.2	Getting to the starting line	Watercraft must be pushed or ridden at idle to the starting line. All watercraft must enter the race course, in both practice and racing, through the starting area only. Entry from the pit area is not allowed. Craft reach the line pushed or at idle. The only way onto the course, for practice as well as racing, is through the starting area; entering from the pits is not allowed.		confirmed
GEN.1.3	Maximum heat size, Junior	The maximum number of watercraft per closed-course heat should not exceed the following: Junior heats: 12 watercraft in the Ski division, 12 in Sport and 8 in Runabout. Where a dual first-turn course design is used the figures rise to 14, 14 and 12. The document says the maximum should not exceed these, which reads as a ceiling rather than a target.	12, 12, 8 watercraft per closed-course heat (Ski, Sport, Runabout)	confirmed The table under GEN.1.3 is read left to right as Ski, Sport, Runabout; the asterisked figures are for a dual first-turn design.
GEN.1.3	Maximum heat size, Beginner	Beginner heats: 12 watercraft in Ski, 12 in Sport and 10 in Runabout. With a dual first-turn course design the figures are 14, 14 and 14.	12, 12, 10 watercraft per closed-course heat (Ski, Sport, Runabout)	confirmed
GEN.1.3	Maximum heat size, Novice	Novice heats: 14 watercraft in Ski, 12 in Sport and 12 in Runabout. With a dual first-turn course design the figures are 16, 16 and 16.	14, 12, 12 watercraft per closed-course heat (Ski, Sport, Runabout)	confirmed
GEN.1.3	Maximum heat size, Expert	Expert heats: 16 watercraft in Ski, 14 in Sport and 14 in Runabout. With a dual first-turn course design the figures are 18, 18 and 18.	16, 14, 14 watercraft per closed-course heat (Ski, Sport, Runabout)	confirmed
GEN.1.3	Maximum heat size, Pro	Pro heats: 18 watercraft in Ski, 16 in Sport and 16 in Runabout. With a dual first-turn course design the figures are 20, 20 and 20.	18, 16, 16 watercraft per closed-course heat (Ski, Sport, Runabout)	confirmed
GEN.1.3	Recommended reduction for high performance Runabout classes	IN HIGH PERFORMANCE RUNABOUT CLASSES, THE IJSBA RECOMMENDS REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ALLOWED WATERCRAFT BY A TOTAL OF FOUR (Two on each side of a split start). For high performance Runabout classes the IJSBA recommends, but does not require, four fewer craft than the table allows, taken as two from each side of a split start.	4 fewer watercraft per heat, recommended (two on each side of a split start)	confirmed A recommendation, printed in capitals beneath the table; the document does not say which classes count as high performance.
GEN.1.4	How the starting lineup is set	The method for determining starting lineup in heat or qualifying races is by drawing for position. The number drawn will be the starting position, from the pole to the outside. Heat and qualifying positions are drawn; the number drawn is the position counted from the pole, which is always the spot closest to the first turn buoy. Main-event positions come from heat or qualifying finishes. At the Race Director's discretion riders may instead choose their main-event position in qualifying order.		confirmed
GEN.1.5	No warm-up or practice starts	No warm-up or practice starts will be allowed during staging or while getting positioned in the starting area. Once riders are staging or being positioned in the starting area there are no warm-up or practice starts.		confirmed
GEN.1.6	Start method that interferes with others	The Race Director may penalize any rider whose method of start interferes with other participants. A start that interferes with other riders may be penalized. Whether it is, and how, is left to the Race Director; the document fixes no penalty.		confirmed
GEN.1.7	Damaged watercraft may be kept out	A damaged watercraft may be prohibited from competition if, in the opinion of the Race Director, it presents a hazard to spectators, participants or the rider him/herself. The decision of the Race Director is final. The Race Director may bar a damaged craft that in their opinion is a hazard to spectators, other riders or the rider. The decision is final and the document gives no appeal from it.		confirmed The first of two rules the document numbers GEN.1.7. Cited as printed.
GEN.1.7	Same watercraft from qualifying to final	The watercraft used in a semi-final or final race must be the same watercraft used to qualify for that race. If the moto scoring system is used, the same watercraft must be used in all motos. The craft that qualified is the craft that races the semi-final or final, and under moto scoring the same craft runs every moto. A second or backup craft may be allowed when damage or another condition makes the first non-operational, provided it meets all class and safety regulations, and only with the Race Director's authorization.		confirmed The second rule the document also numbers GEN.1.7, where the sequence would make it GEN.1.8. Cited as printed.
GEN.2.1	Rubber-band gate, staging distance and being on the line	All riders must position the nose of their boats behind the rubber band. A maximum staging distance of 60cm (2 ft.) from the rubber band will be allowed. No running starts. With a rubber-band gate, riders keep clear of the neutral zone, put the nose of the craft behind the band and stage no more than 60 cm (2 ft) back from it. Running starts are not allowed. A rider who is not on the starting line at the start may not enter the course for that race.	60 cm (2 ft) maximum staging distance from the rubber band	confirmed The section refers to a diagram in an appendix; the appendix is not held here.
GEN.2.2	The 2 card	The starter will signal riders to start their engines and hold up the “2” card. The starter signals engines to start and shows the 2 card. This is the only stage at which a start can still be delayed (GEN.2.5).		confirmed
GEN.2.3	The 1 card, turned sideways, then green flag or gate	Within seconds, the “1” card will be turned sideways signifying the race will start at any moment. The race will start when the green flag is waved, or when the starting gate is tripped. After acknowledging the riders the starter shows the 1 card, then turns it sideways; the start follows within moments, on the green flag or on the gate tripping.		confirmed
GEN.2.4	Other start methods need IJSBA approval	Other methods of starting may be used with prior approval from the IJSBA. A start method other than the card-and-flag or gate procedure may be used only with prior approval from the IJSBA, not from the event officials alone.		confirmed
GEN.2.5	When a start can be delayed; the two-minute hold	The start of the race may be delayed only when the “2” card is displayed. Once the starter has displayed the “1” card, the start of the race cannot be delayed. Only one two-minute hold will be granted per race unless the race is officially restarted. A delay is possible only while the 2 card is up; once the 1 card shows there is no delay. One two-minute hold per race (a restart resets this), and both the craft and the rider must already be on the starting line to get it.	2 minutes, one hold per race	confirmed
GEN.2.6	Holders and mechanics in the starting area	Only one holder and one mechanic will be allowed in the starting area. Runabout and Sport classes will be allowed two holders. One holder and one mechanic per rider in the starting area, two holders in Runabout and Sport, and the Race Director may allow more holders for the water conditions. Holders may not use ropes or other implements. When the 2 card goes up the mechanic moves to the back of the area, and everyone else except officials and designated media must be out of it.		confirmed
GEN.2.7	Ski division riders at the start	Ski Division riders will not be allowed to place feet or knees in or on the riding platform until the race has been officially started. Both feet must remain on the ground. Ski riders start with both feet on the ground, nothing on the tray until the start, and must be standing on the craft immediately after the start and well before the first turn buoy; no sitting on the rails or kneeling in the tray. Starting aids such as milk crates are allowed only if every rider gets the same and the Race Director announces it. Breaches are penalized.		confirmed
GEN.2.8	Sport and Runabout riders at the start	Sport and Runabout Division riders may start in their riding positions and may sit while riding. Sport and Runabout riders may start seated in their riding position. The same rule on starting aids applies: none unless every rider gets the same and the Race Director announces it, and breaches are penalized.		confirmed

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA pre-start and starting procedures, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The document numbers two different rules GEN.1.7 (a damaged watercraft, then the same-watercraft rule) and has no GEN.1.8; both are cited as printed. The GEN.1.3 heat-size table is one row per ranking tier, with the three division figures and the bracketed dual-first-turn figures in the restatement. The starting-gate diagram GEN.2.1 refers to is in an appendix not held here. The document prints no year; the edition is the rule book set's, 2025.

UIM 2026: UIM start procedure and grid

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
305.02	Three practice laps before a moto	A rider that will not complete 3 laps in any of these sessions will not be allowed participate in the moto. To start a moto a rider must first complete at least three laps in free practice, qualification, pole position or another training session. No laps, no start.	3 laps minimum	confirmed Page 32. Rule 311.03 (page 42) restates this for the World Championship and adds a cut for any rider whose best time is more than 30 percent off the category best, from which riders under UIM-ABP contract are exempt.
305.03	Two ways to set the first grid	Pole position determines the starting order of the first moto. The first grid comes from either a sprint race (Option 1, 10 minutes plus a lap for Ski, 12 for Runabout, lucky-draw line-up) or a timed pole session of at least 10 minutes (Option 2). If pole cannot run, the grid is drawn by lot and line-up 1 is used.		confirmed Pages 32 and 33. When the entry exceeds the field limit the riders split into groups A and B by registration order, and up to four grid places at the back are reserved for a last-chance qualifier of at most 8 minutes.
305.04	Ready 30 minutes before, grid carries over	Every rider must be ready for the starting procedure 30 minutes before the scheduled time. A start is from a quay, jetty or beach, or rolling. Riders must be ready half an hour before the scheduled time. The first moto grids by pole position or lucky draw; each later moto grids by the result of the one before. Riders cannot swap positions.	30 minutes before the scheduled start	confirmed PDF page 33.
305.04	Hold the lane to the chute buoy	It is riders responsibility to maintain their lane until the designated marker buoy placed on the start chute. After the start each rider must keep their relative grid position until the marker buoy on the start chute. Breaking the lane is penalised under 310.01.04.		confirmed PDF page 33.
305.04.01	The 2 board, the 1 board and the two-minute call	When "1" board is turned on, there is no more possibility to raise a hand and to interrupt the start. On the 2 board riders start engines and may raise a hand to call a two-minute countdown. Once the 1 board shows there is no more interrupting, and the start comes between 0 and 5 seconds later. After a two-minute countdown has been used, no hand-raise is allowed on the second start. Lights or flags may replace the boards.	0 to 5 seconds from the 1 board to the start	confirmed PDF page 33.
305.04.01	Lights, flag or elastic band	The race can be started by start lights, flag or elastic band. The start signal is lights, a flag or the release of an elastic band. With a band, every craft lines up at roughly the same distance from it.		confirmed PDF page 33.
305.04.01	Line-up 1 (pole picks) and line-up 2 (three gates)	Two line-ups exist. Line-up 1: the pole sitter chooses their grid position. Line-up 2: fastest on the inside lane toward the holeshot, with three gates, positions 1 to 5, 6 to 15, and 16 onward. The briefing says which applies and shows the drawing.		confirmed Page 34. The drawing itself is on page 35 and could not be read as text.
305.04.01	Holders by class and feet on the ground	Ski Division: 1 holder and riders must keep both feet on the ground until the race starts. Runabout gets two holders, Ski one, with Ski riders keeping both feet on the ground until the start. Junior 3.3 follows the Ski rule; Junior 3.2 and 3.1 have one holder and may kneel in the tray. If Junior 3.3 shares a start with a younger class everyone follows the 3.3 rule, or the younger class is held at least 5 seconds and started separately. Holders wear gloves and closed shoes.	2 holders for Runabout, 1 for Ski and Juniors	confirmed Page 34. The document names a Junior 3.1 class here that the 302.01 categories table (page 24) does not list.
305.04.02	Rolling start grid and the transom line	All riders must line up behind the transom line of the starter marshalls. Any AB passing this line will be considered to have jumped the start. A rolling start uses three holeshots by pole result (1 to 5, 6 to 15, the rest). Riders who missed pole or changed craft or engine start at the back. Everyone lines up behind the starter marshals' transom line; crossing it is a jump start. The start is a flag from a boat or rescue marshal.		confirmed PDF page 36.
310.01.04	False start on a beach or dock start	The rider(s) that jumped the start must restart with a dead engine. The rider(s) must remove the lanyard from the kill switch and hold it overhead until the start is given. If a craft moves while the 1 board is up, the chute is stopped with a red flag and everyone returns to the gate. The jumper restarts engine off, lanyard held overhead. On the restart Ski has no holder and Runabout one, unless conditions are rough. This applies to beach and dock starts only.		confirmed Page 41. When this procedure is used, a lane or position breach on the start costs 30 seconds after the race, or at the Race Committee's decision four positions; the briefing must announce it.
311.05	GP1 World Championship pole in two sessions	Participating to the Pole Position is mandatory except in case of force majeure. A pilot which cannot participate will be classified as last in the starting grid. For the GP1 World Championship pole is compulsory. Q1 is the first 15 minutes for everyone; the fastest 10 stay for Q2, a 10-minute session after a 5-minute break with times reset. Officials may cancel the times of a rider who stops unnecessarily or impedes another. The 305.03 system may be used when needed.	10 riders advancing from Q1 to Q2	confirmed PDF page 42.
none	Number of start attempts	Absent from the document. Searched 305.04, 305.04.01, 305.04.02, 305.05 and 310.01.04 (pages 33 to 36 and 41) for a limit on how many times a start may be re-run; none is stated. The only cap is that a rider who repeatedly interrupts the start procedure is disqualified.		confirmed

UIM 2026, UIM start procedure and grid, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. Page 35 is the start line-up drawing and carries no text. The 311.05 GP1 World Championship pole position (page 42) is recorded here because it fixes the grid; the general 305.03 qualifying options are too.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on the start: 2 rules unchanged in words and figure, 5 changed, 2 with a figure the 2016 text lost in extraction, 0 no current row carries, 2 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
320.03	To start a World Championship race a rider must first have done one training of at least three laps in free practice, training or warm-up. The digit is lost in the held text of 320.03; 325.03 prints the same rule for the Continental Championship with 3 laps intact. Figure then: 3 laps minimum, as printed in 325.03.	305.02, Three practice laps before a moto; figure now 3 laps minimum
305.02	In case of a quay, jetty, beach start, the starting grid will be organized with the fastest classified in the pole position chosen the position of the starting grid.	305.04.01, Line-up 1 (pole picks) and line-up 2 (three gates)
305.02	If no rider calls the 2' Countdown the starter will start the race immediately show a 1' board (ready to go) and will start the race from 0 to 3 seconds. Figure then: 0 to 3 seconds from the 1 board to the start.	305.04.01, The 2 board, the 1 board and the two-minute call; figure now 0 to 5 seconds from the 1 board to the start
305.02	Once started, all riders must maintain their lane until the marker buoys placed at 50% of the distance of the 1st hole shot. Figure then: 50 percent of the distance to the first holeshot, where the lane buoys sit.	305.04, Hold the lane to the chute buoy
305.02	It is the Riders responsibility to make sure they respect line and position during the start procedure.	305.04.02, Rolling start grid and the transom line

Figures the 2016 text lost in extraction, so no change can be read on the start at 320.04, 305.01; the rows say which digit is missing.

New in 2026 on the start, with no 2016 counterpart, are 305.04.01 (Holders by class and feet on the ground); 310.01.04 (False start on a beach or dock start).

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA closed course staging and starts

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
G.6	Maximum craft per closed course race	Each event and event organizer has discretion to determine the maximum number of watercraft permitted in each closed-course race. How many craft line up in a closed course race is the event organizer's decision, found in the event's official documents and repeated by the Race Director at the riders' meeting.		confirmed
G.6	Back-to-back races need a place-holder at the line	Competitors participating in back-to-back races must have a representative present at the starting line to hold their place, unless prior arrangements have been made with the staging official. A rider in consecutive races sends someone to the start line to hold their spot, unless the staging official has agreed otherwise in advance.		confirmed
G.6.1	Staging, and forfeit at the halfway point of the prior race	Competitors who are not present at the starting line by the halfway point of the preceding race will forfeit their starting position. Riders assemble in the staging area race-ready by the time the previous race gets its green flag, ride or push to the line at idle, and make no warm-up or practice starts. Not being at the line by the halfway point of the preceding race forfeits the starting position, the Race Director may impose other penalties or corrective actions, and obstructing staging or delaying the start is penalised.		confirmed
G.6.2	Starting positions, random then by results	Starting positions for the first moto are determined randomly. Subsequent motos follow an order based on prior moto results, with racers selecting their starting lanes in sequence. The first moto's grid is random; later motos pick lanes in the order of the previous moto's results. The recommended method is drawing numbered balls from a container, and anyone absent for their draw picks after everyone else.		confirmed
G.6.3	Green signal starts the race, timing from the leader's first crossing	The race begins when the green light or green flag is displayed by the Start Official(s). Official timing begins when the leading rider crosses the start/finish line, which also marks the start of Lap 1, unless otherwise stated at the Riders’ Meeting. Riders line up as staged and follow any extra start instructions from the Race Director. The race starts on the green light or flag; the clock and lap 1 start when the leader first crosses the start/finish line, unless the riders' meeting says otherwise. A rider who fails to get away may rejoin only by completing the start run through the line and merging without interfering with anyone.		confirmed
G.6.3	Start run, hold your line, pole is never passed	Pole position may never be overtaken during the Start Run. The start run is the stretch from the green signal to the first crossing of the start/finish line. From the start to the first buoy riders hold their line and spacing; moving over too early, too far or too fast is prohibited, and position changes are limited to a set number after a set distance, both given at the riders' meeting or in event documents. Nobody passes pole on the start run. The Race Director may use video, timing data or other evidence to judge start compliance.		confirmed
G.6.3	Missed buoy on the start run, automatic one lap	Any missed buoy on the Start Run will result in an automatic one-lap penalty, which cannot be rectified with a penalty buoy. A buoy missed on the start run cannot be corrected; it is an automatic one-lap penalty with no penalty buoy option.	1 lap penalty, automatic, not correctable	confirmed
G.6.4	Stand-up racers start with both feet down	Racers must keep both feet on the ground until the race begins. Stand-up racers keep both feet on the tray floor until the race begins. Junior Ski racers aged 10 to 12 may kneel in the tray, and Junior Ski racers aged 13 to 15 may have one knee in the tray.		confirmed G.6.4 addresses ages 10 to 12 and 13 to 15 only. C.2 (with the rider eligibility rules for this body) admits Junior Ski riders from age 8, and the start position for an 8 or 9 year old is not stated.
G.6.5	Runabout holders must not be dragged	Runabout competitors must not drag their holders. Pulling a holder beyond the start line will result in penalties, even if the watercraft does not cross the marker poles. A runabout rider who drags the holder past the start line is penalised even if the craft itself never crosses the marker poles.		confirmed
G.6.6	Light start sequence, green 0 to 3 seconds after solid red	The race begins after the red light turns green, racers can expect the light to turn green 0-3 seconds after the light turns solid red. Flashing red means start engines. The starter points at each racer for a readiness acknowledgement, and when all have confirmed the light goes solid red. Green follows anywhere from zero to three seconds later and the race is on.	0 to 3 seconds from solid red to green	confirmed
G.6.7	One 2-Minute Hold per race	Each racer is permitted one (1) 2-Minute Hold per race start. This delay can only be requested while the starting light system is displaying flashing red lights. Only one 2-Minute Hold will be granted per race, regardless of the number of racers requesting it. A racer may ask for a two-minute hold, but only while the lights are flashing red and only if they are on or behind the start line with their craft. One hold is granted per race in total, whoever asks; once it has been used the procedure resumes and no further hold is allowed.	2 minutes, one hold granted per race	disputed The section says each racer is permitted one hold and, two sentences later, that only one hold is granted per race regardless of how many racers ask. Read together, the first request takes the race's only hold; the first sentence does not give every racer one.

Read from the published document, pages 23 and 24 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA closed course staging and starts, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11.

Restarts and stopped races

When a race is stopped, who restarts it, and whether the laps already run still count.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA restart procedures

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.3.1	Restarts are at the Race Director's discretion	The Race Director may have a restart at his/her discretion. Reasons for restart may include (but are not limited to) a jumped start, loose buoy, an accident on the first lap involving several riders, or a downed rider whose presence potentially creates a hazard. Whether to restart is the Race Director's call. The document lists a jumped start, a loose buoy, a multi-rider first-lap accident and a downed rider who is a hazard as examples, and says the list is not exhaustive.		confirmed
GEN.3.2	Stopping the race and moving to the restart	All machines will be stopped under the red flag. The starter will notify riders when to move their machines, and will have them proceed slowly to the point of restart. The red flag stops every craft; riders wait for the starter before moving and go slowly to the restart point. A rider who caused the stoppage, or who cannot restart at once, may be penalized; the document fixes no penalty.		confirmed
6.3.3	Riders who did not start may not join a restart	If the race is restarted, riders not having previously started in that race will not be allowed to enter with the restart. A restart is for the riders who started the original race. Any exception has to be stated clearly at the riders meeting or published in writing reasonably in advance of the event.		confirmed Printed as 6.3.3, run into the GEN.3.2 paragraph; the GEN sequence would make it GEN.3.3. Cited as printed.
GEN.4	Jumped start, dead-engine restart with lanyard held overhead	A rider who jumps the start and causes a restart must restart in the same position with a dead engine. The rider must remove the lanyard from the engine stop switch and hold it with his/her arm extended overhead. The rider who jumped the start keeps the same position but restarts with the engine off, lanyard pulled and held overhead, standing or sitting upright. Only after the green flag waves or the gate trips may the lanyard go back on and the engine start.		confirmed Printed as GEN.4, between GEN.3.2 and GEN.3.5; the sequence would make it GEN.3.4. It is not the GEN.4 General Regulations heading that follows. Cited as printed.
GEN.3.5	Total restart when fewer than three laps are complete	If a race is stopped with fewer than three laps completed and a restart is required, a total restart (i.e., previously run laps will not count) may be used. Stopped with fewer than three laps done, the race may be restarted from scratch: laps already run do not count, riders line up in the original start order, and a rider penalized on the original start restarts under the same penalty. The document says may, so this is an option, not the only one.	3 laps completed, the threshold below which a total restart may be used	confirmed
GEN.3.6	Flying restart when three or more laps are complete	If a race is stopped after three or more laps have been completed and a restart is required, a flying start may be used. Stopped with three or more laps done, a flying start may be used: riders form a single file in the order of the last complete scored lap, are led round at slow speed one boat length apart, and may race again only when the starter waves the green flag. No passing before that.		confirmed

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA restart procedures, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The section's numbering is defective and every row cites it as printed. After GEN.3.1 and GEN.3.2 the third rule is printed 6.3.3, run into the GEN.3.2 paragraph; the fourth is printed GEN.4 (a stray heading number, not the GEN.4 General Regulations that follow); then GEN.3.5 and GEN.3.6 resume the sequence.

UIM 2026: UIM restarts and stopped races

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
305.05	General rule, interruption before or after two thirds	In case of interruption before the 2/3 of the race has been run, a new departure will be given. In case of interruption after the 2/3 of the race has been run, the classification will be according to the positions of the lap preceding the stoppage of race. Stopped before two thirds of the race, the race is started again; stopped after two thirds, the result is the order on the lap before the stop.	2/3 of the race run, the threshold between a restart and a result	confirmed Page 36. The heading itself points to 311.07 for the World Championship.
305.05	A restart is a new race on the original grid	A new departure is considered like a new race. The starting order will be the same as the original race start. A restarted race is a fresh race, with no elapsed time carried, and the grid is the same as the first start.		confirmed Page 36. Contrast 311.07, where a restart after the first lap deducts the time already run.
305.05	The rider who caused it	The rider repeatedly causing an interruption of the start procedure will be disqualified. A rider who causes a restart in the start procedure or chute is penalised under 310 on the next start; repeat offenders are disqualified. A rider who stops the race itself is investigated by race direction, and may be penalised or refused the restart. Discretion, not a fixed penalty.		confirmed PDF page 36.
311.07	World Championship, red flags and return	All riders must immediately stop racing and return to the beach/ start pontoon. When the Race Committee stops a World Championship race, red flags show at race control and on the rescue marshals' craft, and every rider stops and returns to the beach or start pontoon.		confirmed PDF page 43.
311.07	World Championship, stopped before the first lap is complete	In case of interruption of the race during start chute or before the completion of the first lap by all racing riders, the race is restarted as a new race. Stopped in the chute or before every rider has finished lap one, the race is run again from scratch. The rider who caused it is penalised under 310 on the next start; repeat offenders are disqualified.		confirmed PDF page 43.
311.07	World Championship, stopped after the first lap	In case of interruption after the completion of the first lap from all racing riders, the race is restarted deducting the racing time already elapsed. Stopped after everyone has completed lap one, the race resumes for the remaining time only. Restart positions are the running order on the lap before the stop, and a rider who restarts out of position gets a one-lap penalty. The restart may be from the beach or pontoon, or rolling behind a marshal.	1 lap penalty for restarting out of position	confirmed Page 43. On a rolling restart, a rider not holding position to the designated point gets a stop-and-go or time penalty.
311.07	World Championship, stopped after two thirds	In case of interruption after the 2/3 of the race, the race is considered completed and the classification is given according to the positions of the lap preceding the stoppage of race. After two thirds of the race a stoppage ends it, with the result taken from the lap before the stop. Whoever interrupted the start or the moto is investigated and may be penalised or refused the restart.	2/3 of the race, after which a stoppage ends the race	confirmed PDF page 43.
303.01	Missing buoy in qualifying or pole	In the event that a buoy is missing or is misplaced during qualification or pole position the session will be interrupted. A missing or misplaced buoy stops a qualifying or pole session. Before two thirds of the session, it is restarted; after two thirds, the classification stands as at the interruption. Whoever caused the stop is investigated and may be penalised or refused the restart.		confirmed Page 30. During a race the same event does not stop the race; see the course topic.
301.01	Postponement and the red flag at the start line	Should it be necessary to postpone a race during an event, the red flag will be permanently displayed at the official starting line and at such points on the race course as they are authorised by these rules. The Race Committee may postpone an event, race or moto, and in force majeure may change the timetable at any time. It decides at its discretion whether a re-run is a new race open to all or restricted to the original entry. A postponement is shown by a red flag held at the start line.		confirmed PDF page 23.
301.01	Points when a race is cancelled	If a race is cancelled by the R.C. for any reason deemed necessary, points will be awarded on the basis of the heats completed. A cancelled race still scores, on the motos that were completed.		confirmed PDF page 23.
none	Time limit for resuming a stopped race	Absent from the document. Searched 305.05 and 311.07 (pages 36 and 43) and 301.01 (page 23) for how long after a red flag a race must be resumed or declared; no time limit is stated. The only clock is the two-thirds threshold.		confirmed

UIM 2026, UIM restarts and stopped races, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. Two restart rules coexist. 305.05 is the general rule and 311.07 applies to the World Championship only; 316.03 (page 46) says the Continental Championship runs under the World Championship sport rules, so 311.07 reaches there too.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on restarts and stopped races: 2 rules unchanged in words and figure, 3 changed, 0 no current row carries, 5 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
305.03	The pilot who is the cause of the race interruption will not be authorized to take again the departure.	305.05, The rider who caused it
301.01	Should it be necessary to postpone a race during an event programme, the red flag will be permanently displayed at the official starting line and at such points on the race course as are authorised by these rules.	301.01, Postponement and the red flag at the start line
301.01	If a race is cancelled by the O.O.D. for any reason he deems warranted, points will be awarded on the basis of heats completed.	301.01, Points when a race is cancelled

New in 2026 on restarts and stopped races, with no 2016 counterpart, are 311.07 (World Championship, red flags and return; World Championship, stopped before the first lap is complete; World Championship, stopped after the first lap; World Championship, stopped after two thirds); 303.01 (Missing buoy in qualifying or pole).

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA restart and red flag procedures

Section	Rule	What the document says	Confidence and notes
G.9.1	Race Director may stop and restart	The Race Director may stop and restart a race at their discretion when necessary to address safety concerns or maintain fair competition. Stopping and restarting is the Race Director's discretion, for safety or fairness. Reasons given include course obstructions, unsafe conditions, jump starts, multi-rider incidents and incidents in the opening laps, and the list is open.	confirmed
G.9.1	Responding to a red flag	All competitors must immediately respond to a red flag by slowing safely, stopping when directed, and following the instructions of race officials. On a red flag every rider slows safely, stops when told, follows the officials and returns to the designated restart area or start line in a controlled way.	confirmed
G.9.1	Restart format decided case by case	Restart format will be determined on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Race Director. The type of restart, how many laps remain, or whether the race is declared complete on the last lap scored, is decided for each case by the Race Director.	confirmed
G.9.2	Who may take the restart	Only racers who are able to return to the original starting area under their own power, on their own watercraft, and without outside assistance are eligible to participate in the restart. A racer who needed medical help, or whose craft or body was removed from the course by medical, rescue or support crews, is withdrawn from that race. Only those who get back to the start under their own power, on their own craft, unassisted, may restart.	confirmed
G.9.2	Red flag drawn on a claimed injury bars the restart	Any racer who comes off their watercraft during the race for any reason and causes a red flag to be drawn due to claiming a medical injury will not be permitted to participate in the restart. A racer who comes off and brings out the red flag by claiming a medical injury does not take the restart.	confirmed
G.9.3	No boat swaps for a restart	Under no circumstances are boat swaps permitted during a race restart. No craft change for a restart, even after a collision in a red-flagged start that wrecks a craft beyond repair, whoever was at fault.	confirmed
G.9.4	Penalties carry over to the restarted race	Any penalties assessed prior to the restart, including start or conduct penalties, will carry over and be applied to the final race results unless otherwise determined by the Race Director. Start and conduct penalties given before the stoppage stay on the final result unless the Race Director rules otherwise. A competitor whose incident caused the restart may be penalised further at the Race Director's discretion, and ignoring restart procedures or safety directives can mean penalties, disqualification or further discipline.	confirmed

Read from the published document, page 26 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA restart and red flag procedures, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. E.6, in the conduct rules, names the two forms a restart may take (complete restart, or one at a time in running order of the last scored lap) and the half-distance completion rule; G.9 does not repeat them.

The course

Buoys, missed buoys, merge lanes, blocking, passing, lapping, and the finish.

L: the course makes a left-hand turn round this buoy (IJSBA GEN.4.4, UIM 303.01, IHRA G.5).
R: a right-hand turn round it, under the same three rules. Passing a marker buoy on the wrong side counts as missing it (UIM 303.02).
P: the penalty buoy. A rider who misses a turn buoy takes this detour instead of going back for it, within limits each rulebook sets (IJSBA GEN.4.2, UIM 303.02, IHRA G.5).
F: the finish buoys, here at the two ends of the start and finish line.
Not drawn: merge-lane buoys, which belong to an option course (IJSBA GEN.4.2) or a split-type course (IHRA G.5), not to a single loop like this one. Crossing the line they make costs a lap under IJSBA GEN.4.3.
Dots: craft on their start spots. Spot 1, the pole, is the one nearest the first turn buoy (IJSBA GEN.1.4).

The colours, rulebook by rulebook

IJSBA (GEN.4.2, GEN.4.4, GEN.4.5): L red, R yellow, P usually black. Two F buoys, checkerboard or the word Finish round the middle. Blue and other colours have special jobs, given at the riders meeting.
UIM (303.01): L red, R white or yellow, F chequered. P, and the yellow, blue or green buoys of an alternate course, as the briefing sets out.
IHRA (G.5): L red, R yellow, P any colour the Race Director picks, as long as it stands out. F: the checkered buoy, on the start and finish line. White, blue and green buoys are explained at the riders meeting, and colours may vary by event.

An invented course seen from above. Every organiser lays out its own; what stays the same is the set of parts the rulebooks name, and an L or an R on a turn buoy says which way the course turns there.

How we know: IJSBA General Race Regulations 2025 GEN.1.4 and GEN.4.1 to GEN.4.5, the UIM 2026 rules 303 to 303.02, and IHRA V.20260603 C.1.1 and G.5, drawn fresh from their words.

Not to scale.

1
You missed a buoy, or rode over one, which counts the same. What kind of race is it?

Riding over a buoy is a miss: IJSBA GEN.4.1 · UIM 303.02.
- Slalom, against the clock: go to step 2.
- Closed course, laps of buoys: go to step 3.
2

Slalom: 10 seconds added for every buoy missed, unless you go back and round it the right way.

IJSBA GEN.5.4 · IHRA C.1.4. The UIM's parallel slalom rule (313) names no missed-buoy penalty of its own.
3
Closed course. Whose rulebook is the race run under?
- IJSBA: go to step 4.
- UIM: go to step 5.
- IHRA: go to step 6.
4

IJSBA: follow the procedure announced at the riders' meeting, usually the penalty buoy rounded in place of the one you missed, or lose 1 lap for each miss. GEN.4.1 says instead that a rider who rides over a buoy must go back and round it again, safely; the two rules disagree, so ask at the meeting. The penalty buoy does not fix a cut course, cannot be taken again if you miss it too, and the Race Director may rule some buoys out of it. A rider judged to be missing buoys on purpose to gain a place may be penalised even after rounding the penalty buoy. No going back at all for a merge-lane line (1 lap) or a finish buoy (2 places).

GEN.4.1, GEN.4.2, GEN.4.3, GEN.4.5
5

UIM: round the penalty buoy on that same lap, giving way as you rejoin, or lose 1 lap. Miss two on one lap and the penalty buoy covers only one of them. Heading straight on to the next buoy is cutting the course: 2 laps.

303.02, 310.01.02
6

IHRA: round the penalty buoy at the first chance, on the same lap, or on the next before you pass the spot you missed if the penalty buoy is not the last on the course. It fixes 1 miss a lap; otherwise 1 lap. A flat 1 lap, with no penalty buoy, for a miss on the start run, a finish or merge-lane buoy, or carrying straight on. Never circle back.

G.5, G.6.3, G.11

Two questions settle a missed buoy: the kind of race, then whose book it runs under. In a closed-course race the penalty buoy is how a miss is put right, and every book lists misses it will not fix.

How we know: IJSBA General Race Regulations 2025 GEN.4.1 to GEN.4.5 and GEN.5.4; the UIM 2026 rules 303.02, 310.01.02 and 313; IHRA V.20260603 C.1.4, G.5, G.6.3 and G.11.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA course, buoy and on-course riding rules

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.4.1	Going around a course marker buoy	All riders must negotiate completely around any course marker buoy in either slalom or closed-course events. The nose of the watercraft must be clearly steered around any marker buoy. The whole craft goes round the buoy, nose clearly steered around it. Riding over a buoy counts as missing it whichever side it reappears, and the rider must then retake the turn in the right direction, safely and without creating a hazard for others.		confirmed
GEN.4.2	One lap per missed buoy	A rider failing to negotiate a buoy or missing a marker buoy in a closed-course event will be penalized one lap for each missed buoy unless he/she completes the announced procedure for picking up a buoy. Each missed or mis-negotiated buoy in a closed-course race costs a lap, unless the rider completes whatever pick-up procedure was announced for the event.	1 lap per missed buoy	confirmed
GEN.4.2	The penalty buoy (Black Buoy)	If a rider fails to properly negotiate, or misses, a buoy then that rider must properly negotiate the penalty buoy instead of reattempting the missed buoy. The preferred correction is a penalty buoy, commonly the Black Buoy, taken instead of the missed buoy. It should sit between the merge section of an option course and the finish buoys, or where no further redeemable penalties can occur before the finish, and be placed so the rider markedly departs from the course and loses time, with safe travel to and from it. A missed penalty buoy cannot itself be retaken, and the Race Director may rule some buoys or pathways (log jump, merge buoy, first turn buoy) ineligible for penalty-buoy correction.		confirmed The placement language is "should", a recommendation to the organiser, not a rule on the rider.
GEN.4.2	Cutting the course and strategic misses	Riders who cut the course may not make up any missed buoy by negotiating the penalty buoy. If the race director determines that a rider is strategically missing a buoy to gain a position then that rider may be penalized even if the penalty buoy is properly negotiated. The penalty buoy does not redeem a cut course, and a rider the Race Director judges to be missing buoys on purpose to gain a place may be penalized even after taking the penalty buoy correctly. The judgement and the penalty are the Race Director's.		confirmed
GEN.4.2	Missed log jumps	Where a log jump is a required portion of the course, the rider shall be penalized one lap for each time the rider fails to properly negotiate the log jump. A required log jump missed costs a lap each time. The Race Director has discretion to substitute a position penalty or another score adjustment where the rider went round the jump to avoid a downed rider or craft, and to allow the penalty buoy to cancel a log-jump penalty for safety. Any such policy must be stated at the riders meeting.	1 lap per missed log jump	confirmed
GEN.4.2	Circling back against traffic is recommended against	A rider circling back against traffic to renegotiate a buoy is not the preferred method for correcting a missed buoy. The IJSBA recommends that this procedure not be used to correct a missed buoy. Turning back against traffic to retake a buoy is not banned by this section but the IJSBA recommends against it; the penalty buoy is the intended correction. GEN.10.5 separately forbids riding against the direction of the event.		confirmed
GEN.4.3	Crossing a merge-lane line	A rider crossing over the line created by merge-lane buoys will be penalized one lap. Going back to renegotiate the merge lane is not allowed. Crossing the line of merge-lane buoys costs one lap, and the merge lane cannot be retaken to undo it.	1 lap	confirmed
GEN.4.4	What the buoy colours mean	Red buoys signify a left-hand turn. Yellow buoys signify a right-hand turn. Black Buoys are generally used to signify the path taken by a rider who has missed a buoy. Red is a left turn, yellow a right turn, black the penalty path for a missed buoy. Blue and other specially coloured buoys have special uses such as merge lanes and perimeter boundaries, explained by the Race Director at the riders meeting.		confirmed
GEN.4.5	Finish line buoys and the two-position penalty	A rider incorrectly negotiating a finish line buoy will be penalized two positions. Going back to renegotiate a finish line buoy is not allowed. Two finish buoys, marked with contrasting checkerboard and/or the word Finish around the middle. Taking one incorrectly costs two positions and cannot be corrected by going back.	2 positions	confirmed
GEN.4.6	Rider and craft finish as a unit	A rider and his/her watercraft shall be considered a unit to constitute a finish. The rider must be in reasonable control to be scored as finishing an event. To be scored as finishing, rider and craft cross together and the rider is in reasonable control. A craft that crosses without its rider, or a rider without the craft, has not finished.		confirmed
6.10.1	The riding tune-up area	If location/space allows, an area will be designated as a “Riding Tune-Up Area.” All riders must wear approved PFD and helmet while tuning/testing watercraft in this area, and must ride in a safe manner. Where the venue allows, a tune-up riding area is designated. Riders testing there wear an approved PFD and helmet and ride safely. The area is conditional on space; the document does not require one.		confirmed Printed as 6.10.1 under the heading "6.10 GENERAL REGULATIONS", run into the GEN.9.9 paragraph; GEN.10.1 in the GEN sequence. Cited as printed.
GEN.10.2	No riding on the course without permission	Riding will not be allowed on the race course at any time without permission from the Race Director. The course is closed to riding at all times unless the Race Director permits it.		confirmed
GEN.10.3	Reckless or dangerous riding	Any reckless or dangerous riding, unnecessary bumping, crowding, chopping, blocking, deliberate striking or breaking of a course marker buoy, or unsportsmanlike conduct on the course or off, may result in the rider being penalized. Reckless riding, needless bumping, crowding, chopping, blocking, deliberately hitting or breaking a buoy, and unsportsmanlike conduct on or off the course may all be penalized. In a team effort the whole team may be penalized, at the Race Director's discretion. No penalty is fixed.		confirmed
GEN.10.4	Blocking a faster machine	The deliberate blocking of a faster machine is cause for penalty at the discretion of the Race Director. Deliberately blocking a faster craft is a penalty matter, with both the finding and the penalty at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
GEN.10.5	Spin outs and riding the wrong way	It is expressly forbidden to ride in a direction opposite of that in which the event is being run. Riding against the direction of the event is forbidden. A rider who has spun out may turn round to continue only when the course is clear, must give way to everyone else, and may be penalized for going the wrong way.		confirmed
GEN.10.6	A stopped rider clears the course	If for any reason a rider is forced to stop on or near the course during an event, it is the rider’s first duty to remove his or her boat from the course in a safe manner so as not to endanger or obstruct other riders. A rider forced to stop on or near the course has one first duty: get the craft off the course safely so it neither endangers nor obstructs others.		confirmed
GEN.10.7	Passing and being passed	The overtaking rider must consider the safest route to pass and must do so without forcing the overtaken rider to suddenly alter course. Every rider must expect to be passed and watch for riders behind. The overtaking rider picks the safest route and may not force the rider being passed to change course suddenly.		confirmed
GEN.10.8	Being lapped	A rider being lapped must move over, but can continue racing. A lapped rider moves over for the leader and stays in the race. The blue flag with a diagonal yellow stripe (GEN.9.6) is the signal.		confirmed
GEN.10.9	Hand signal after a spin out, fall or stall	A rider who has spun out, fallen or stalled must raise one or both hands overhead to indicate that he or she is not injured. After a spin out, fall or stall the rider raises one or both hands overhead to show they are not hurt, and re-enters the course carefully with right of way to oncoming riders.		confirmed
GEN.10.10	No on-course assistance except from officials	Racers may not receive any on-course assistance from anyone other than course officials. If mechanical or other assistance is needed, the rider must safely pull completely off of the course. A rider receiving on-course assistance may be penalized one lap. Help on the course may come only from course officials; for anything else the rider pulls fully off. Taking on-course help may cost a lap, unsafe re-entry may be penalized, and the Race Director's decision is final.	1 lap, the penalty the document names for on-course assistance	confirmed The document says "may be penalized one lap", so the lap is the named penalty, not an automatic one.

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA course, buoy and on-course riding rules, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. GEN.4.2 is one long section covering the missed-buoy penalty, the penalty buoy, strategic misses, log jumps and circling back; it is split into five rows that all cite GEN.4.2. GEN.10's heading is printed "6.10 GENERAL REGULATIONS" and its first rule "6.10.1", run into the GEN.9.9 paragraph; that row is cited as printed. Two headings in the document are titled GENERAL REGULATIONS (GEN.4 and 6.10).

UIM 2026: UIM course, buoys and finish

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
303	Course area and minimum buoys	The minimum number of turn buoys for a world or continental championship circuit race is 20. The course sits in roughly 50,000 to 250,000 square metres and is made of turn buoys, at least 20 for a World or Continental championship. One or more alternative courses of 4 to 8 buoys are part of the circuit, and long laps or joker buoys are allowed if the briefing explains them.	20 turn buoys minimum for a World or Continental championship	confirmed PDF page 29.
303	Start line to first holeshot	The distance between the starting line and the first hole shot should be approximately between 150m and 500m The first turn is 150 to 500 metres from the start line, stated as a should. Ski races on lakes or rivers may add up to three technical obstacles such as a log jump. A penalty buoy sits at the end of the course.	150 to 500 m from the start line to the first holeshot	confirmed PDF page 29.
303.01	Buoy size and colours	All buoys of the Championship will be round or cylindric, inflatable and with minimum dimension of 65 cm x 65 cm. Championship buoys are inflatable, round or cylindrical, at least 65 by 65 cm. Red is a left turn, white or yellow a right turn, chequered the finish. Penalty, alternate-course (yellow, blue, green) and safety demarcation buoys are as the briefing specifies.	65 x 65 cm minimum buoy dimension	confirmed PDF page 30.
303.01	Missing or misplaced buoy during a race	If the buoy cannot be replaced, the rider will take the next buoy by the shortest path while ignoring the missing or out of place buoy. The Race Committee replaces a lost buoy when it can. If it cannot, riders ignore it and go straight to the next buoy. A race is not stopped for it; a qualifying or pole session is (see restarts).		confirmed PDF page 30.
303.02	Wrong side or over the buoy is a miss	Any rider passing the course Marker buoy on the wrong side or riding an A.B. over the course Marker buoy will be judged as missing it no matter what side of the A.B. the buoy re-appears. Passing on the wrong side, or riding over the buoy, is a missed buoy whichever side it pops up on. A rider re-entering the circuit after a miss must yield to craft on the racing line, on pain of a dangerous-riding sanction.		confirmed PDF page 30.
303.02	Cutting the course	A rider who misses a buoy directing the AB straight to the next one and reaching it is considered to have CUT the course. Missing a buoy and heading straight for the next one is a cut course, which 310.01.02 prices at two laps rather than the one-lap cost of a missed penalty buoy.		confirmed PDF page 30.
303.02	Take the penalty buoy on the same lap	A rider who misses a buoy on the circuit must take the penalty buoy placed at the end of the race course during that same Lap. A missed buoy is paid for by rounding the penalty buoy on the same lap, yielding when re-entering the circuit. Not doing so is penalised under 310. Two misses on one lap allow only one pass of the penalty buoy; the second miss is penalised under 310. Any official may report a miss.		confirmed Page 30. 310.02.01 (page 41) adds that in an exceptionally dangerous situation the Race Committee judges riders who missed a buoy for safety.
305.06	The finish and the two-thirds classification floor	A rider and his/her A.B. shall be considered a unit in order to finish. The rider must pass the chequered flag riding his/her A.B. Once the winner takes the chequered flag everyone still racing completes their current lap. Rider and craft are a unit; the rider must cross riding the craft. Anyone not crossing the line, or with fewer than two thirds of the winner's laps, is not classified.	2/3 of the winner's laps to be classified	confirmed Page 37. The PDF prints the two-thirds fraction as a single glyph, which is why that sentence is restated rather than quoted.
307.01	Deliberate blocking, and reckless or dangerous riding	The deliberate blocking of a faster machine is cause for Disqualification or a one lap penalty at the discretion of the Race Committee. Blocking a faster machine on purpose is disqualification or a one-lap penalty, the Race Committee choosing which. Reckless or dangerous riding, unnecessary bumping, crowding, chopping, blocking, deliberate striking, breaking a marker buoy or unsportsmanlike conduct on or off the course may bring a penalty.		confirmed PDF page 37, the rule before 307.02. Added 2026-09-30 when the etiquette page's blocking sentence was read against the book and found to attribute the UIM penalty to the Race Director.
307.02	Riding against the direction of the race	Riders running in the wrong direction will be disqualified. Riding against the course direction is disqualification. A rider who has spun may turn round and continue only when the course is clear, giving way to everyone else.		confirmed PDF page 37.
307.03	A stopped rider signals, clears the course, and may not return if towed	it is the rider's first duty to signal to the other participants and/or water marshals by raising his/her hand and removing his/her A.B. from the course as soon as possible so not to endanger or obstruct other riders. A rider forced to stop on or near the course must first raise a hand to warn the other riders and the water marshals, then get the craft off the course as soon as possible. Not doing so can be penalised as deliberate blocking. A rider hooked or towed by a water marshal may not return to the race.		confirmed PDF page 37. The blocking cross-reference prints as rule 308.01, which in this edition is the final classification; deliberate blocking is 307.01 (it was 308.01 in 2016). Added 2026-10-02 so the 2016 row has its counterpart.
307.04	Overtaking without forcing a change of course	The overtaking rider must consider the safest route to pass and must do so without forcing the other rider to suddenly alter the course. Every rider must expect to be overtaken and keep watching behind; the overtaking rider picks the safest route and must not force the other to alter course suddenly.		confirmed PDF page 38. (the same note as at UIM 307.03, A stopped rider signals, clears the course, and may not return if towed above)
307.05	No liability between riders for a racing accident	No rider or representative thereof shall hold any other rider or representative liable for any personal injuries or damage resulting from an accident or racing occurring in a sanctioned race. Neither a rider nor a rider's representative can hold another rider or representative liable for personal injury or damage from an accident, or from racing, in a sanctioned race. That is the whole of the rule; the 2016 sentence about the OK signal is gone.		confirmed PDF page 38. (the same note as at UIM 307.03, A stopped rider signals, clears the course, and may not return if towed above)
307.06	Injured riders and damaged craft, the Race Committee decides	It is up to the decision of the Race Committee under the advice of the Technical Commissioner to deem a damaged A.B. as safe to continue Competition. The Race Committee's decision is final. An injured or incapacitated rider may not race unless the Officer of the Day, after an examination by qualified medical staff, judges them no danger to themselves or others. Whether a damaged craft may continue is now the Race Committee's call, taken on the Technical Commissioner's advice, and final.		confirmed PDF page 38. (the same note as at UIM 307.03, A stopped rider signals, clears the course, and may not return if towed above)
none	Minimum lap length in metres	Absent from the document. Searched 303, 303.01 and 303.02 (pages 29 and 30) for a minimum or maximum lap distance for a circuit race; none is stated. The course is bounded only by area (50,000 to 250,000 square metres), buoy count and the start-to-first-turn distance.		confirmed

UIM 2026, UIM course, buoys and finish, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. Page 31 is mostly drawings of the correct line, a missed buoy and a cut course; only their captions extract as text. Rule 303.02 calls the penalty buoy "the Black buoy" once while 303.01 leaves its colour to the briefing.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on the course: 2 rules unchanged in words and figure, 9 changed, 2 with a figure the 2016 text lost in extraction, 0 no current row carries, 1 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
303	The minimum number of turn buoys for a world championship circuit race is 25. Figure then: 25 turn buoys minimum for a World championship, 20 for a Continental one.	303, Course area and minimum buoys; figure now 20 turn buoys minimum for a World or Continental championship
303.02	Any rider riding an A.B. over the course marker buoy will be judged as missing the buoy no matter what side of the A.B. the buoy re-appears.	303.02, Wrong side or over the buoy is a miss
303.02	A rider that misses a buoy directing the AB straight to the next one and reaching it is considered to have CUT the course.	303.02, Cutting the course
303.02	A rider who misses a buoy on the circuit must take the penalty buoy in the same Lap.	303.02, Take the penalty buoy on the same lap
308.01	The deliberate blocking of a faster machine is cause for disqualification or a one lap penalty at the discretion of the O.O.D.	307.01, Deliberate blocking, and reckless or dangerous riding
308.02	Pilots running in the wrong direction must be blackflagged and disqualified.	307.02, Riding against the direction of the race
308.03	If for any reason, a pilot is forced to stop on or near the course during a heat, it is the pilot's first duty to remove the A.B. from the course so not to endanger or obstruct other pilots.	307.03, A stopped rider signals, clears the course, and may not return if towed
308.05	Flipped pilots, if uninjured should clasp hands above head as an "OK" signal.	307.05, No liability between riders for a racing accident
308.06	It is up to the decision of the O.O.D. to deem a damaged A.B. as safe to continue competition. The O.O.D's decision is final.	307.06, Injured riders and damaged craft, the Race Committee decides

Figures the 2016 text lost in extraction, so no change can be read on the course at 303.01, 305.04; the rows say which digit is missing.

New in 2026 on the course, with no 2016 counterpart, is 303 (Start line to first holeshot).

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA course, buoys and racecourse conduct

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
G.1	Nose of the craft around every buoy	Riders must navigate the race course by ensuring the nose of their watercraft passes around each buoy or course marker in the correct direction with intention to not damage, strike, or dislodge any marker. A buoy is taken when the nose of the craft passes round it in the correct direction, and the rider is expected to try not to hit or dislodge it. Riders keep control of the craft at all times and must know the course layout, flags and procedures from the riders' meeting.		confirmed
G.1	Penalties for contacting or dislodging a buoy	If buoy damage occurs as a direct result of another competitor’s actions, only the responsible competitor will be subject to penalty, at the discretion of the Race Director. Hitting, damaging or dislodging a buoy may be penalised by position, by laps, by disqualification or otherwise, as the Race Director determines. When another competitor caused the contact, only that competitor is penalised, again at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
G.1	Redirected or closed sections of course	Competitors must follow all on-water officials’ signals, flags, and instructions when navigating any modified or redirected course. If a marker is lost or the course becomes unsafe or unclear, officials may send riders down an alternate path, bypass a split section or close part of the course, and riders follow their signals. The race may be red-flagged, stopped or restarted if the hazard cannot be managed or the course restored. Ignoring the prescribed course or re-routing can mean penalties, disqualification or further discipline.		confirmed
G.1	Turn right to avoid a head-on collision	In the event of a potential head-on collision, competitors must always turn to the right to avoid contact. Facing a head-on, both riders turn right. Failing to take evasive action may be penalised as the Race Director determines.		confirmed
G.2	No riding on the course outside sessions	Riding on the racecourse outside of scheduled practice or races is prohibited without the Race Director's permission. The course is closed outside scheduled practice and races, before, during and after the event, unless the Race Director gives permission.		confirmed
G.4	Deliberate blocking	Deliberately blocking faster competitors is not allowed. The Race Director may impose penalties for such behavior. Blocking a faster rider on purpose is prohibited and penalised at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed G.14 restates the same prohibition as part of the performance obligation, with the conduct rules.
G.4	Spinouts and riding the wrong way	Riders are prohibited from driving in the wrong direction on the course. A rider who spins out may carry on, but only once the course is clear and without getting in anyone's way while rejoining. Riding against the direction of the course is prohibited.		confirmed
G.4	Disabled craft must be cleared from the course	If a rider's watercraft becomes disabled on or near the racecourse, they must move it off the course as soon as possible in a safe manner. A craft that dies on or near the course is moved off it as soon as it can be done safely.		confirmed
G.4	Passing and being lapped	When overtaking another rider, it is the responsibility of the overtaking rider to ensure the pass is made safely without forcing the rider being overtaken to alter their course. The overtaking rider owns the safety of the pass and may not force the other rider off line. A rider being lapped moves over and leaves a clear path.		confirmed
G.4	Only officials may assist on course, one-lap penalty	Only course officials are permitted to provide on-course assistance to riders. Disabled watercraft must be fully removed from the course before assistance is provided. Competitors receiving assistance may face a one-lap penalty. Nobody but a course official may help a rider on the course, a disabled craft must be fully off the course before any help arrives, and a competitor who is helped may be docked one lap.	1 lap penalty for receiving assistance	confirmed
G.4	Reckless or dangerous riding	Any unsafe actions such as unnecessary bumping, blocking, or deliberate striking of another rider, or damage to course markers, may result in penalties or expulsion from the event. Unnecessary bumping, blocking, deliberately hitting another rider or damaging markers can mean penalties or expulsion, and the Race Director may penalise the team as well as the individual.		confirmed
G.5	Red buoy left, yellow buoy right	A red buoy signifies a left turn. Two or more red buoys may be aligned to create a large sweeping left-hand turn. At most races red buoys mark left turns and yellow buoys right turns, and two or more of one colour in a line make a sweeping turn. Colours may vary by event, so the riders' meeting governs.		confirmed
G.5	Penalty buoy as the substitute for a missed buoy	If a rider misses a buoy, they must negotiate the penalty buoy as a substitute for the missed buoy on the same lap. If the penalty buoy is not positioned as the final buoy on the course, it may be negotiated on the next lap. Only one missed buoy per lap may be corrected using the penalty buoy. The penalty buoy can be any colour the Race Director picks, distinctly marked. A rider who misses a buoy takes the penalty buoy instead on the same lap, or on the next lap if the penalty buoy is not the last buoy on the course, and can correct only one missed buoy per lap this way.	1 missed buoy per lap correctable at the penalty buoy	confirmed G.11 narrows the next-lap option, the penalty buoy must be taken before passing the location of the missed buoy, and bars it on the start run and for finish or merge buoys.
G.5	Checkered buoy marks the start/finish line	The checkered buoy marks the Start/Finish line. Riders must pass through this buoy for a lap to be counted as completed. A lap counts only when the rider passes through the checkered buoy at the start/finish line.		confirmed
G.5	White, blue, green and other special-purpose buoys	The Race Director will review the specific purpose of these buoys during the rider’s meeting. Buoys of other colours mark things like the outside lane on a split-start course, slalom turns, merge lanes on split courses, or control traffic entering the course. Their meaning at a given event is given at the riders' meeting.		confirmed
G.11	Missed buoy definition and one-lap penalty	Any buoy not cleared by the nose of the watercraft will be considered a missed buoy. Riders who miss a buoy will incur a one-lap penalty. A buoy the nose of the craft does not clear is missed, and a missed buoy costs one lap unless it is corrected at the penalty buoy under the rules below.	1 lap penalty per uncorrected missed buoy	confirmed
G.11	Straight-line advantage cannot be corrected	This action is considered a straight-line advantage and is not eligible for penalty buoy remediation. A rider who misses a buoy without a genuine attempt to reach it, carrying straight on or gaining ground from the miss, has taken a straight-line advantage and may not use the penalty buoy; the lap penalty stands.		confirmed
G.11	Penalty buoy at the first opportunity, never on the start run	When a missed buoy is eligible for correction, the rider must negotiate the designated penalty buoy at the first available opportunity. The penalty buoy may not be taken during the start run. A correctable miss is corrected at the first chance. If the penalty buoy is not the last buoy on the course, the rider may take it on the following lap but only before passing where the missed buoy was; missing the first opportunity is itself a one-lap penalty, and the penalty buoy is never taken on the start run.		confirmed
G.11	Finish line and merge lane buoys cannot be corrected	Riders who miss the checkered/finish line buoy or any merge lane buoy may not rectify the infraction using a penalty buoy and will incur a one-lap penalty. Missing the checkered finish buoy or any merge lane buoy is a straight one-lap penalty with no penalty buoy option.	1 lap penalty, not correctable	confirmed
G.11	No circling back to retake a buoy	Under no circumstances may a rider circle back or reverse course to renegotiate a missed buoy. Turning round or reversing to retake a missed buoy is never allowed; trying it brings penalties and may bring disqualification at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
G.15	Rider and craft both cross the finish line	When completing a race, both the rider and their watercraft must cross the finish line. A finish requires rider and craft together over the line. The rider then keeps going through the line, aware that others may still be racing, exits the course safely and may be sent to post-race inspection.		confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 21, 22, 23, 27 and 28 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA course, buoys and racecourse conduct, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. G.3 (flags) is in the flag rules and the start run buoy rule (G.6.3, G.7.3) in starts and endurance.

Flags

What each flag means. Two of the three rulebooks describe the red flag in the same words.

Green

IJSBA GEN.92

The start, or the course is clear and the race is on.

UIM 304.02

The circuit is open; the session may begin.

IHRA G.3

Clear course, race on.
Yellow

IJSBA GEN.9.3

Hazard. Keep racing, carefully. No ban on passing is stated, and racing improperly can be penalised.

UIM 304.03

Hazard. Slow right down and hold your place. Overtaking means disqualification.

IHRA G.3

Hazard. Slow down; no passing anywhere near the flag.
Red

IJSBA GEN.9.4

Stop racing now. Back to the start line, with great care.

UIM 304.04

Stop racing now. Back to the start line, unless the briefing said otherwise.

IHRA G.3

Stop racing now. Back to the start line, unless told otherwise.
Black

IJSBA GEN.9.5

For one rider: off the course, report to the Race Director. Not necessarily a further penalty.

UIM 304.05

Shown with your number board: you are out of this moto, qualifying or practice. Stop racing now and return to the pits.

IHRA G.3

For one rider: leave the course now and see the Race Director. Not a penalty in itself.
Lapping

IJSBA GEN.9.6

Blue, with a yellow diagonal stripe. You are being lapped: make way.

UIM 304.07

Plain blue. You are being lapped: make way. A marshal pointing at you means the same.

IHRA G.3

Plain blue. A faster rider is catching or lapping you: let them by.
Black and yellow

IJSBA GEN.9.1 to GEN.9.9

Not one of its flags.

UIM 304.08

A drive-through penalty, to be served within 2 laps of the first showing.

IHRA G.3

Not one of its flags.
Halfway

IJSBA GEN.9.7

Checkered and white, crossed. Halfway. An odd number of laps rounds up.

UIM 304.01 to 304.09

No halfway signal is defined.

IHRA G.3

Green and white, crossed. Halfway. With an odd number of laps, after the even lap past the middle.
White

IJSBA 6.9.8

The last lap has begun.

UIM 304.06

Into the last lap.

IHRA G.3

One lap left.
Checkered

IJSBA GEN.9.9

Your race ends as you pass it; you may be sent to inspection.

UIM 304.09

The race is over.

IHRA G.3

The race is over, and the first across after it wins. Shown with red: stopped before full distance.

The same colour can ask different things of a rider: under yellow one book lets racing go on with care and states no ban on passing, one disqualifies an overtake, and one bans passing near the flag. Each flag is an outline with its colour written in it, so the table reads the same in black and white.

How we know: IJSBA General Race Regulations 2025 GEN.9.1 to GEN.9.9, the UIM 2026 rules 304.01 to 304.09, and IHRA V.20260603 G.3.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA flag rules

Section	Rule	What the document says	Confidence and notes
GEN.9.1	The flag rules apply to every form of competition	The following flag rules apply generally to all forms of IJSBA competition, including closed course, drag and endurance racing, slalom and freestyle competition and other special events. The flags mean the same thing in closed course, drag, endurance, slalom, freestyle and special events.	confirmed
GEN.92	Green flag	Green Flag: Signifies the start of the race or the course is clear and the race is in progress. Green starts the race, or shows the course is clear and racing is on.	confirmed Printed as "GEN.92", a typo for GEN.9.2. Cited as printed.
GEN.9.3	Yellow flag	Yellow Flag: Warns of hazard on the course. After the yellow flag is displayed, riders should continue with caution and be aware of hazards; however, they are allowed to continue racing in a responsible manner. Yellow warns of a hazard. Racing continues, with caution; a rider who keeps racing improperly under yellow may be penalized. Unlike some bodies, the IJSBA yellow does not stop passing.	confirmed
GEN.9.4	Red flag	Red Flag: Signifies the event will stop immediately regardless of position of machines on the course. Red stops the event at once wherever the craft are. It is used when the Race Director judges the course to have become hazardous, and riders return to the starting line with extreme caution.	confirmed
GEN.9.5	Black flag	Black Flag: Signifies the rider must leave the course immediately and report to the Race Director. Black sends the rider off the course to the Race Director at once. It does not itself mean a further penalty, but ignoring it may bring one.	confirmed
GEN.9.6	Blue flag with a diagonal yellow stripe	Blue Flag w/Diagonal Yellow Stripe: Signals that one rider is being overtaken and lapped by another. Competitor(s) must make way for the overtaking rider(s) to pass safely. Riders not yielding may be penalized. Blue with a yellow diagonal is the lapping flag: the rider being lapped makes way and may be penalized for not yielding.	confirmed
GEN.9.7	Crossed checkered and white flags, the halfway point	Crossed Checkered and White Flags: Signifies the halfway point of the race has been reached. Crossed checkered and white marks halfway. With an odd number of laps the halfway point rounds up; the document's example is a 15-lap race, where halfway is when the leader passes the finish line after 8 completed laps.	confirmed
6.9.8	White flag	White Flag: Signifies that riders have started the last lap. White means the last lap has begun.	confirmed Printed as "6.9.8", run into the GEN.9.7 paragraph; GEN.9.8 in the GEN sequence. Cited as printed.
GEN.9.9	Checkered flag	Checkered Flag: Signifies the completion of the race or event. As a rider passes the checkered flag, he/she has completed the last lap of the race. Checkered ends the race for each rider as they pass it. Riders then return to the pits cautiously and may first have to report to post-race technical inspection.	confirmed

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA flag rules, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. Two sections are cited as printed with defective numbers: the green flag is printed "GEN.92", a typo for GEN.9.2, and the white flag is printed "6.9.8", run into the GEN.9.7 paragraph, GEN.9.8 in sequence.

UIM 2026: UIM flag signals

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
304.01	Flags are the primary communication	The Use of flags is the primary communication between Riders and Officials. Flags are shown at the start and stop line and from the marshals' craft around the course. Ignoring a flag may bring disqualification or another penalty.		confirmed PDF page 31.
304.02	Green flag	Signifies the circuit is open and the session can start. Green means the course is open and the session may begin.		confirmed PDF page 31.
304.03	Yellow flag	A rider will be disqualified if he/she continues to race in an unsafe manner (not slowing down or trying to overtake another rider) Yellow warns of a hazard. Riders keep racing but slow down considerably and hold position. Failing to slow, or overtaking, under yellow is disqualification.		confirmed PDF page 31.
304.04	Red flag	(the same words as IJSBA GEN.9.4, Red flag above) Red stops the session at once wherever the craft are. Riders return to the start line unless the briefing said otherwise. If a single rider's injury caused the red flag, that rider may be disqualified from the day's events.		confirmed PDF page 31.
304.05	Black flag with number board	A rider will be black flagged and removed from the competition only in case of blatant dangerous driving or unsportsmanlike behaviour. Black, shown with the rider's number board, disqualifies that rider from the moto, qualifying or practice in progress; they stop at once and return to the pits. It is reserved for blatant dangerous riding or unsportsmanlike behaviour.		confirmed PDF page 31.
304.06	White flag	When the white flag is displayed, riders are entering their last lap. White means last lap.		confirmed PDF page 32.
304.07	Blue flag and the pointed arm	Riders engaged in battle that receive a blue flag signal must maintain their relative position while overtaken by the faster rider. Blue tells a rider they are being lapped and must let the faster craft by safely. A course marshal pointing arm and finger at a rider means the same. Two riders in a duel who are shown blue hold their relative order while the lapping rider passes.		confirmed PDF page 32.
304.08	Black and yellow flag, drive through	The black and yellow flag signals the rider that a drive through penalty has been imposed. The rider has two laps to complete his/her drive through once the flag is shown for the first time. Black and yellow means a drive-through penalty. The rider has two laps from the first showing to serve it.	2 laps to complete the drive through	confirmed Page 32. 310.01.04 (page 40) calls the same penalty a stop-and-go, says the number board is shown with the flags, and adds that not serving it costs one lap.
304.09	Chequered flag	The chequered flag means the race is completed. The whole rule is those two words.		confirmed Page 32. The text "Race completed." is under ten characters and so cannot be carried in the quoted column.
none	Halfway or time-remaining signal	Absent from the document. Searched 304.01 to 304.09 (pages 31 and 32) for a halfway, crossed-flags or time-remaining signal; none is defined. The white flag for the last lap is the only progress signal, and a freestyle horn under 312.02 is not a flag.		confirmed

UIM 2026, UIM flag signals, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. Nine flags are defined. The document calls the drive-through flag "black and yellow" in 304.08 and "yellow and black flags" in 310.01.04; the two rules describe the same penalty and the same two-lap window.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on flags: 3 rules unchanged in words and figure, 5 changed, 1 with a figure the 2016 text lost in extraction, 0 no current row carries, 0 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
304.02	Signifies the circuit is free and start of the race.	304.02, Green flag
304.03	A pilot will be disqualified if he continues to race in an unsafe manner (not slowing down or trying to overtake another pilot).	304.03, Yellow flag
304.05	A Black flag is shown to disqualify a rider from that heat. It must be used with a number board indicating the racing number of the competitor who has to stop racing immediately and return to the pits.	304.05, Black flag with number board
304.06	When the white flag is displayed, pilots have entered their last lap.	304.06, White flag
312.01.04	The rider receiving a drive through penalty will be informed by the race direction, his racing number will be shown together with yellow and black flags. The rider has 2 laps to complete his drive through once the penalty has been issued. Figure then: 2 laps to complete the drive through.	304.08, Black and yellow flag, drive through; figure now 2 laps to complete the drive through

Figures the 2016 text lost in extraction, so no change can be read on flags at 304.07; the rows say which digit is missing.

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA race flags

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
G.3	Watching the flags, and minimum flag size	Flags should be at least two feet by two feet in size for clear visibility. Flags are how officials talk to riders on the water, every rider is responsible for watching them, and ignoring one can mean penalties or disqualification. Flags should measure at least two feet by two feet.	2 by 2 feet minimum flag size	confirmed
G.3	Green flag	The green flag indicates that the course is clear, and the race is in progress. Green means the course is clear and racing is on; riders race while staying aware of conditions.		confirmed
G.3	Yellow flag, no passing near the hazard	No overtaking or passing is permitted in the vicinity of a yellow flag. Yellow marks a hazard. Riders slow, take care and keep a safe speed and distance from the hazard, which may be a downed rider, a stalled craft or a safety marshal, and nobody passes near the flag. Ignoring it can mean penalties, disqualification or further discipline at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
G.3	Red flag, stop and return to the start	The red flag calls for an immediate stop to the race. All riders must cease racing and return to the starting line unless otherwise directed by the Race Director or during a riders’ meeting. Red stops the race at once; riders stop racing and go back to the start line unless the Race Director, or the riders' meeting, said otherwise. The Race Director may stop a race at any time for safety.		confirmed
G.3	Black flag, exit and report	The black flag is directed at a specific rider, signaling them to immediately exit the course and report to the Race Director. This flag does not imply a penalty or disqualification. Black is shown to one rider, who leaves the course immediately and reports to the Race Director. The flag itself is not a penalty, but ignoring it can lead to one.		confirmed
G.3	Blue flag, let the faster rider through	This flag is shown when a rider is being overtaken or lapped by a faster competitor. The rider receiving this flag must allow the overtaking rider to pass safely. Blue tells a rider being caught or lapped to let the faster rider by safely; ignoring it may be penalised.		confirmed
G.3	Crossed green and white flags, mid-point	In races with an odd number of laps, this signal will occur after the even-numbered lap that falls past the mid-point. For example, in a 7-lap race, this would appear on lap 4. Crossed green and white flags mark the halfway point. With an odd lap count the signal comes after the even lap just past halfway, so a seven-lap race shows it on lap four.		confirmed
G.3	White flag, one lap to go	The white flag indicates that only one lap remains in the race or event. White means the final lap is starting.		confirmed
G.3	Checkered flag, and checkered with red	The first rider to cross the finish line after the checkered flag will be considered the winner. Checkered ends the race and the first rider across the line after it wins. A red flag shown together with the checkered means the race was stopped short of full distance because of a significant hazard.		confirmed

Read from the published document, page 22 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA race flags, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11.

The pit

Support vehicles, fuel containers, fire extinguishers and fuel disposal.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA pit regulations

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.11.1	Motorised support vehicles in the pits	No motorized rider-support vehicles (e.g., minicycle, motorcycle or ATV) will be allowed in the pit area unless authorized as an official vehicle by the Race Director. Support vehicles must not be ridden in excess of 5 mph in the pit area. Helmets may be required. Minicycles, motorcycles, ATVs and the like stay out of the pits unless the Race Director authorises them as official vehicles; any that are allowed keep to 5 mph, and helmets may be required.	5 mph, pit-area limit for support vehicles	confirmed
GEN.11.2	Misuse of pit passes	Improper usage of pit passes will be grounds for discipline. Misusing a pit pass is a disciplinary matter. The document does not say what counts as misuse or what the discipline is.		confirmed
GEN.11.3	Fuel containers, red, marked and away from flame	All fuel containers must be 1) red in color; 2) marked “Flammable” or “Gasoline” with 7.5cm (3 in.) tall letters; and 3) be placed in a safe area at least 4.6m (15 ft.) from any open flame. Fuel containers are red, marked Flammable or Gasoline in letters 7.5 cm (3 in) tall, and kept at least 4.6 m (15 ft) from any open flame.	4.6 m (15 ft) minimum distance from any open flame	confirmed The section fixes two figures; the lettering height, 7.5 cm (3 in), is in the restatement.
GEN.11.4	Fuel containers open to inspection	Fuel containers will be subject to inspection by and approval of the Race Director and local fire marshal. Local regulations in some countries and/or areas of countries allow only metal containers. The Race Director and the local fire marshal may inspect and approve fuel containers, and local law may require metal containers.		confirmed
GEN.12.5	A dry chemical extinguisher in every pit	At least one dry chemical fire extinguisher must be carried by each participant/crew and readily accessible in his/her respective pit areas. Each participant or crew keeps at least one dry chemical fire extinguisher within easy reach in their pit.	1 dry chemical fire extinguisher per participant or crew, minimum	confirmed
GEN.12.6	No pouring or spilling fuel	Any entrant disposing of fuels or lubricants in the pit area or on the race course by pouring or spilling such fuels or lubricants is subject to penalty. Pouring or spilling fuel or lubricant in the pits or on the course is a penalty matter; none is fixed.		confirmed

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA pit regulations, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The numbering runs GEN.11.1 to GEN.11.4 and then GEN.12.5 and GEN.12.6, with no GEN.12.1 to GEN.12.4 and no GEN.12 heading; cited as printed. GEN.11.3 and GEN.12.5 are also summarised with the fuel handling rules for this body, with the same figures.

UIM: The UIM has no pit chapter of its own; its refuelling and closed-pit rules sit in the endurance rows below and in the scrutineering block on the equipment page.

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA pit area regulations

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
E.3	Pit access limited to designated times	Competitors and their crews are required to adhere to designated pit access times, as early access may not be permitted. Pit access depends on the event and its schedule. Competitors and crews use the pits only in the designated hours; early access may be refused, and access outside those hours can bring penalties or fines.		confirmed
E.3	Pit housekeeping, open flames and walkways	For safety reasons, the use of open flames, hazardous materials, or equipment that could pose a risk is strictly prohibited in the pit area. No open flames, hazardous materials or risky equipment in the pits. Everyone cleans up after themselves and leaves their area orderly, stores vehicles, craft and equipment when not in use, keeps walkways and emergency routes clear and avoids clutter. Unsportsmanlike conduct or disruption in the pits is penalised at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
E.3.1	Pit vehicles, approval and speed limit	These vehicles are limited to transporting watercraft and equipment and must not exceed a maximum speed of 5 mph. Minibikes, pit bikes and other motorized support vehicles are allowed in the pits only with Race Director approval, only for moving craft and equipment, and never above 5 mph. Riders may be required to wear helmets on them, misuse can mean fines or impoundment, and some events require the competitor's race number on the vehicle.	5 mph maximum speed for pit vehicles	confirmed
E.9	Fire extinguisher in every pit with fuel	At least one dry chemical fire extinguisher must be accessible in each pit area where fuel is present. Any pit area holding fuel keeps at least one dry chemical fire extinguisher within reach.	1 dry chemical fire extinguisher minimum per pit area with fuel	confirmed
E.10	Fuel container marking, distance from flame and inspection	Fuel containers must be clearly marked as "Flammable" or "Gasoline" and stored at least 15 feet from open flames. Fuel containers are marked Flammable or Gasoline and kept at least 15 feet from any open flame. Every container is subject to inspection and approval by the Race Director and, where applicable, the local fire marshal.	15 feet minimum from open flames	disputed E.10 accepts a container marked "Flammable" or "Gasoline". J.4.3 (with the fuel tank and handling rules for this body) requires containers marked "Highly Flammable". A container marked only "Gasoline" satisfies E.10 and not J.4.3; the document does not reconcile the two.
E.11	No disposal of fuel or lubricants at the venue	The disposal of fuel, lubricants, or their containers within the pit area or on the racecourse is strictly forbidden. Fuel, lubricants and their containers are never dumped in the pits or on the course. A violator may be fined, penalised or both.		confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 13 and 14 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA pit area regulations, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. E.7 (animals) and E.8 (smoking) also govern the pit area but are printed with the conduct rules. D.9 (wristbands in the pit) is with registration.

Changing craft

Switching to a backup craft between races or during one, and what it costs on the grid; for IJSBA, whose general regulations carry no change-of-craft procedure beyond GEN.1.7 in the start rows, what a craft must carry and burn.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA craft inspection, identification and fuel

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
SCOR.17.5	Every craft is checked for rules compliance; the list is open	All watercraft intended to be raced in an IJSBA- or IJSBA affiliate-sanctioned competition event must be checked for rules compliance. Some, but not necessarily all, items to be inspected are: Every craft entered at an IJSBA or affiliate event is checked for compliance. The checklist that follows is expressly open: some items, not necessarily all, so an inspector may look at more than it names.		confirmed PDF page 8.
SCOR.17.5	The inspection checklist, by area	Rider equipment: an approved PFD and an approved full-coverage helmet. Hull and deck: no cracks, damage or hazardous protrusions; no illegal skegs, fins or rudders on the hull bottom, intake grate or pump plate; bumpers in good condition; numbers and background compliant and legible; the HIN displayed; approved sponsor decals affixed if requested; a flexible bow loop fitted; tow hooks that extend beyond the plane of the hull removed. Handlepole and handlebar: the handlepole and its hinge, steering adjustment, a free throttle lever, secure grips, and a working lanyard stop switch with the lanyard in good condition. Engine compartment: secure hose clamps; the battery in its box with secure straps; the gas tank, fuel pickup and fuel level sender secure; a US Coast Guard, SAE-J1928 or UL-1111 flame arrester securely installed; a carburettor or fuel system that does not leak, with every fuel hose secure.		confirmed PDF page 8. The list is printed as bullet points under four headings and is restated rather than quoted; it is word for word the 2018 list. The equipment it names in more detail (helmet, PFD, bow loop, flame arrester, tow hooks) is on /racing/equipment/ from the general regulations.
SCOR.17.6	Local boating laws may be required	All watercraft may be required to meet respective local boating laws (i.e., current registration displayed on craft, fire extinguisher on board, etc.). A craft may be required to meet the boating law of the place it races, the examples being a current registration displayed on the craft and a fire extinguisher aboard. The rule says may, and does not say who decides whether it is required. Since 2025, failing to obey local laws during the event period is also a ground for discipline under SCOR.12.1, in the penalties rows.		confirmed PDF page 8.
SCOR.17.7	Sanctioning-body and event sponsor decals as the Race Director decides	Sponsor Decals: IJSBA and/or IJSBA affiliate decals and event sponsor decals must be displayed on vehicles and/or rider apparel at each event as determined by the Race Director. IJSBA or affiliate decals and event sponsor decals must be displayed on the craft or on the rider's apparel at each event, where and how the Race Director determines. The checklist in SCOR.17.5 adds that they are checked if requested.		confirmed PDF page 8.
SCOR.17.8	The hull identification number must be displayed	Hull Number: All watercraft must display the hull identification number (HIN) assigned at the time of manufacture. IJSBA may also assign an IJSBA identification number. Every craft displays the hull identification number given to it at manufacture. The IJSBA may also assign its own identification number; the rule does not say where either is placed or what happens to a craft without one.		confirmed PDF page 9.
SCOR.20.2	Aerosol ether is allowed for starting	Aerosol cans of ether will be allowed for starting purposes. Starting fluid in aerosol cans is permitted for starting the engine. The rule names no other use, and SCOR.20.3 says what should be burned once it runs.		confirmed PDF page 10.
SCOR.20.3	Unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible, as the rule book defines gasoline	Engine fuel should consist of unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible. “Gasoline,” for the purpose of this Rule Book, is defined as a mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygen bearing compounds with the following clarifications: Engine fuel should be unleaded gasoline and nothing else whenever that is feasible, gasoline meaning a mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygen-bearing compounds that meets five clarifications: oxygen content must not raise the fuel's specific energy, must not exceed 3.7% by weight, and must have been blended in by the refiner or fuel manufacturer; specific gravity must sit between .715 and .770 at 60°F (15°C); and the only permitted oxygenates are ethers and alcohols. The document adds that most commercial unleaded fuels and oils meet these criteria, but some carry additives that do not. E85 is allowed separately under SCOR.20.4, in the penalties rows. The 2018 rule said must, with no feasibility exception; what makes unleaded gasoline infeasible, and who decides, is not stated.		confirmed PDF page 10. Changed from 2018 (7.20.3): "must consist of unleaded gasoline only" became "should consist of unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible". The three limits are fixed in the three rows that follow and are unchanged.
SCOR.20.3	Oxygen content at most 3.7% by weight, blended by the refiner	Oxygen content must not exceed 3.7% by weight. The oxygen in the fuel may not exceed 3.7% by weight, may not increase the gasoline's specific energy, and must have been blended in by the refiner or the fuel manufacturer rather than added afterwards.	3.7 % oxygen by weight, maximum	confirmed PDF page 10, clarifications 1 to 3 of the gasoline definition.
SCOR.20.3	Specific gravity between .715 and .770 at 60°F	Specific gravity must be between: .715 - .770 at 60°F (15°C). The fuel's specific gravity must fall between .715 and .770 measured at 60°F, which the document also gives as 15°C.	.715 to .770 specific gravity at 60°F (15°C)	confirmed PDF page 10, clarification 4 of the gasoline definition.
SCOR.20.3	Only ethers and alcohols as oxygenates; no epoxides or nitrogen compounds	The only allowable oxygenates are ethers and alcohols. Epoxides (e.g., propylene oxide) will not be considered ethers. Nitrogen-bearing compounds are not allowed. The only oxygenates permitted are ethers and alcohols. Epoxides such as propylene oxide do not count as ethers, and nitrogen-bearing compounds are banned outright.		confirmed PDF page 10, clarification 5 of the gasoline definition.

Read from the published document, SCOR.17.5 to SCOR.17.7 on page 8, SCOR.17.8 on page 9, SCOR.20.2 and SCOR.20.3 on page 10, on 2026-10-02. IJSBA 2025, IJSBA craft inspection, identification and fuel, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. The document prints no year; the PDF file was created 2025-02-11 and the rule book page links it under "Scoring", so 2025 is the rule book set it belongs to. Its sections are numbered SCOR (SCOR.1 to SCOR.23). These rows are what a craft must carry, display and burn to pass inspection; they are not a change-of-craft procedure, which the IJSBA does not write (the general regulations say only that the same watercraft runs from qualifying to the final, GEN.1.7, in the start rows). The SCOR.17.5 checklist is split into two rows, the rule and the list, because the list cannot be quoted. SCOR.20.3 is split into four rows so that each fixed figure stands alone. Changed from 2018: SCOR.20.3 opens "Engine fuel should consist of unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible" where 7.20.3 said "must consist of unleaded gasoline only"; the definition of gasoline and its three limits (3.7% oxygen, .715 to .770 specific gravity, ethers and alcohols only) are unchanged, so the softening is in the obligation, not the specification. The checklist, local boating laws, sponsor decals, hull number and ether rules are unchanged in text. No longer carried: nothing. New in 2025: nothing in this topic. What the Technical Director may do with an inspection (SCOR.17.1 to SCOR.17.4, SCOR.18, SCOR.19, SCOR.20.1) is in the officials rows for this body; the E85 burden of proof (SCOR.20.4) is in the penalties rows. The 2018 rows point at these.

IJSBA 2018 against 2025 on changing craft: 9 rules unchanged in words and figure, 1 changed, 0 no current row carries, 0 new

Then (2018)	What the 2018 document said	Now (2025)
7.20.3	Engine fuel must consist of unleaded gasoline only. (the same sentence as at IJSBA SCOR.20.3, Unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible, as the rule book defines gasoline)	SCOR.20.3, Unleaded gasoline only whenever feasible, as the rule book defines gasoline

UIM 2026: UIM change of aquabike or engine

Section	Rule	What the document says	Confidence and notes
504	Window for a change	For all the categories, the change of Aquabike or engine is authorized during free practice and before the departure of pole position and Moto in the following conditions In every category a craft or engine may be changed during free practice and before the start of pole position or a moto, subject to the seven conditions below.	confirmed PDF page 86.
504.01	Only a UIM commissioner may authorise	Only the UIM technical Commissioner or a UIM Commissioner can authorize a change of Aquabike or engine. Change major parts such as crankshaft, crankcase and cylinder block also count as "engine". Authorisation comes from the UIM Technical Commissioner or a UIM Commissioner and nobody else. Swapping a crankshaft, crankcase or cylinder block is an engine change.	confirmed PDF page 86.
504.02	Replacement must be conforming and inspected	The Aquabike must be in conformity with the category in question and must have passed the technical inspection during the official technical control. The replacement craft must conform to the category and must already have passed inspection at the official technical control.	confirmed Page 86. Unlike 318.12 there is no same-make requirement here.
504.03	Change between sessions means last on the grid	A rider who changes craft, engine or a major engine part (crankshaft, crankcase, cylinder block) between qualifying, pole and Moto 1, or between motos, starts the next session or moto from the last grid position.	confirmed Page 86. 305.04.02 (page 36) applies the same back-of-grid rule to rolling starts.
504.04	Racing number stays with the rider	The rider changing aquabike must maintain his/her racing number on the Aquabike. The replacement craft carries the rider's existing racing number.	confirmed PDF page 86.
504.05	No change after the first start in Rally Jet or Offshore	In Rally Jet or Offshore as soon as the first departure is given, the pilot is not authorized any more to change the Aquabike, or hull and/or engine. In Rally Jet or Offshore, once the first start is given there is no changing craft, hull or engine.	confirmed Page 86. "Rally Jet" appears only here; everywhere else the discipline is "Jet Raid" (302, 317). 318.12 (page 49) states the same cut-off for all long-distance categories.
504.06	No change once on the starting grid	No change of aquabike will be allowed once the Aquabike is presented on the starting grid for the start of the moto (in case of restarts, it is the first start given that counts) Once the craft is on the grid for a moto it cannot be swapped, and a restart does not reopen the window; the first start counts.	confirmed PDF page 86.
504.07	Every craft used must be presented for inspection	For pre-race inspections and post-race inspections, all Aquabikes that were used in the Motos must be presented. Every craft raced in the motos must be presented at pre-race and post-race inspection, not just the one that finished.	confirmed Page 86. On the "506.1" references in the pre-race and post-race scrutineering rules for this body: rule 506 (page 87) is fourteen numbered items, and item 10 reads that every aquabike must pass a safety inspection before competing, that the technical inspector removes any craft failing safety requirements, and that damaged or broken safety equipment not detected before or during a race is no ground for disqualification afterwards unless the rider was black-flagged. Both references should read 506.10. There is no 506.1; item 01 is the helmet rule, and item 11 (the discretion on how many craft to inspect) is already cited separately.
none	Engine sealing or marking procedure	Absent from the document. Searched 504 (page 86), 318.12 (page 49) and the 500 preamble (page 61) for any sealing, stamping, paint-marking or engine-number recording that would let a scrutineer tell a changed engine from the original; none is described. Enforcement rests on the authorisation in 504.01.	confirmed The change-of-craft record for this body carries the same finding without a page.

UIM 2026, UIM change of aquabike or engine, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. The items are printed 01) to 07) under a single heading 504; they are cited here as 504.01 to 504.07, which is how they are cited elsewhere on this site.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on changing craft: 3 rules unchanged in words and figure, 2 changed, 1 with a figure the 2016 text lost in extraction, 0 no current row carries, 2 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
506	For all the categories, the change of Aquabike is authorized before the departure in the following conditions	504, Window for a change
506.01	Only the UIM technical Commissioner or a UIM Commissioner can authorize a change of Aquabike.	504.01, Only a UIM commissioner may authorise

Figures the 2016 text lost in extraction, so no change can be read on changing craft at 506.03; the rows say which digit is missing.

New in 2026 on changing craft, with no 2016 counterpart, are 504.06 (No change once on the starting grid); 504.07 (Every craft used must be presented for inspection).

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA craft changes between and during races

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
G.12	One backup craft, and A to B to A	Competitors are only permitted to have one (1) backup watercraft. A competitor may hold one backup craft, may move from primary to backup and back again if every requirement of G.12 is met each time, and takes the applicable penalty for each approved change.	1 backup watercraft per competitor	confirmed
G.12	Every craft inspected and stickered, engine changes approved	All watercraft used in competition must successfully pass technical inspection and be affixed with a valid technical inspection sticker, legal-sized race numbers, and IHRA logo stickers. Any craft raced has passed tech and carries the inspection sticker, legal-sized numbers and IHRA logo stickers. An engine (short block) or major engine component change must also pass tech before use; it carries no penalty if the approval steps, the same as for a craft change, are completed, and the same penalties if they are not.		confirmed
G.12	Craft change only for damage, never for performance	Competitors may change watercraft only if the original (primary) watercraft is deemed unusable or unsafe due to significant hull or engine damage, which will be evaluated and decided at the discretion of both the Race Director and Technical Director. A change is allowed only when the Race Director and Technical Director both judge the primary craft unusable or unsafe from significant hull or engine damage. Changing for performance is not permitted, and a craft judged unusable or unsafe stays out of every race and on-water session until repaired and cleared by the Technical Director.		confirmed
G.12	Four approval steps before launching the alternate craft	All steps must be completed before launching an alternate watercraft. Failure to follow this approval and notification process may result in automatic disqualification. In order: the competitor or team representative fills out the IHRA PWC Craft Change Form, available from the Technical Director or Chief Scorer; the Technical Director inspects the craft and signs; the Race Director may inspect, verifies the form and signs; the completed form goes to the Chief Scorer, who time-stamps it and makes it official. All of this happens before the alternate craft is launched, and skipping the process may be automatic disqualification.		confirmed
G.12.1	Closed course craft change, last on the line	If a competitor is granted approval and changes watercraft after the completion of a heat, moto, or race, the competitor will forfeit their original starting position and will be placed last on the line for the next race or moto in that class. An approved change after a heat, moto or race costs the competitor their starting position; they line up last for the next race or moto in that class. The same applies when they later return to the original craft.		confirmed
G.12.2	Endurance craft change, last on the line plus two positions	Additionally, a two-position penalty will be assessed to the competitor’s finishing position in the next completed race. An approved endurance change after a heat, moto or race puts the competitor last on the line for the next race in the class and also drops their finishing position in the next completed race by two places. The same applies on returning to the original craft.	2 finishing positions in the next completed race, plus last on the line	confirmed
G.12.2	No changes once the fleet is on the water	Once the fleet has departed the launch area and race officials have confirmed that all competitors are on the water and ready to commence practice or racing, no further watercraft changes will be permitted until the race has concluded. From the moment officials confirm the whole fleet is on the water and ready, no craft change is allowed until the race is over.		confirmed Printed under the G.12.2 endurance heading, though the wording is not limited to endurance.
G.13	No switching craft once a heat or moto has started	Once a heat or moto has officially started, competitors are prohibited from switching to a secondary boat, regardless of the race type (Closed Course, Slalom, Endurance etc.). After the official start of any heat or moto, in any race type, a competitor may not change to a secondary craft.		confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 27 and 28 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA craft changes between and during races, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. The printed headings of G.12.1 and G.12.2 carry a dash between "Switching Boats" and the race type; they are cited here by number only. G.9.3 (no craft change at a restart) is in the restart rules.

Endurance, offshore and jet raid

The long-distance formats: distances, checkpoints, refuelling, and the craft change mid-race.

IJSBA: IJSBA defines endurance as an event type and sends endurance competition to the P1 Aqua X rules rather than writing its own; the general regulations carry nothing on it.

UIM 2026: UIM Jet Raid, Offshore and Endurance

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
317.01	Jet Raid definition	The total distance of each moto must be at least 110 km. The total distance of the race must be within 250 and 1500 km. Departure, refueling and Finish for each heat must take place in different places. A Jet Raid is several motos on different routes, each at least 110 km, the whole race 250 to 1,500 km, with start, refuelling and finish in different places.	250 to 1500 km total race distance, motos of at least 110 km	confirmed PDF page 47.
317.02	Offshore definition	Race at sea in several motos conducted on different paths. Offshore is a sea race in several motos on different routes, each at least 110 km; start, refuelling and finish may be in the same place or different ones. No total distance is fixed.	110 km minimum per moto	confirmed PDF page 47.
317.03	Endurance definition	The circuit must be at least 3 km (minimum) and maximum 20 km. The number of motos is between 2 and 5 conducted in minimum 2 days. The total time of each moto is a minimum of 30 minutes and maximum of 180 minutes. Endurance is a circuit of 3 to 20 km, run as 2 to 5 motos over at least two days, each moto 30 to 180 minutes, with start, finish and refuelling in one place. Ski races half the time and track.	30 to 180 minutes per moto, on a 3 to 20 km circuit	confirmed PDF page 47.
318.03	Passage controls are compulsory	A pilot who does not pass to the control of passage will be penalized or disqualified; the sanction will be specified with the Pilots meeting. Passage controls are given at the briefing and must be passed. The sanction for missing one is set at the riders' meeting, not in the rulebook.		confirmed PDF page 47.
318.04	Time addition or points addition	The final classification will be done by adding the Time or the Points of all Run. The event is classified either by adding each run's time or by adding each run's UIM points. The advance program fixes the circuit, heat duration, refuelling zones and neutralised zones for each round.		confirmed PDF page 47.
318.05	Time limit is the winner's time plus a third	Run duration for the 1st Arrival + 1/3 (1st Time) = Limit Time Each heat closes at the winner's time plus one third of it (a 90-minute winner gives a 120-minute limit). A rider outside the limit is scored at twice the limit time under time addition, or disqualified from the heat under points addition.	1/3 of the winner's time added to make the limit	confirmed PDF page 48.
318.06	Checkpoint and missed buoy penalties	Checkpoint passed on the wrong side: 2 minutes or minus 5 points. Checkpoint missed by 10 to 50 metres: 4 minutes or minus 10 points. Missed buoy: twice the limit time, or disqualification from the heat.	2 minutes, or minus 5 points, for a checkpoint on the wrong side	confirmed Page 48. The rule says nothing about a miss of under 10 metres or over 50 metres.
318.07	Withdrawal in a heat	A rider who withdraws from a heat is scored at twice the limit time under time addition, or disqualified from that heat under points addition.		confirmed PDF page 48.
318.08	Pit lane speed	The rider must reduce his/her speed to 5 knots in the area between the two entry buoys and the two exit buoys. Between the pit entry and exit buoys the limit is 5 knots, and a rider rejoining gives way to running craft. Speeding costs 2 minutes or minus 10 points.	5 knots between the pit entry and exit buoys	confirmed PDF page 48.
318.09	Four badged assistants	For reasons of safety, assistance is limited to 4 assistants identified by badges which will give access to them to the starting grid, the zone of refueling and the park of assistance. Each rider may have four badged assistants with access to the grid, refuelling zone and assistance park. Breaching this costs 2 minutes or minus 10 points.	4 assistants per rider	confirmed PDF page 48.
318.10	Repairs on the course, in the refuelling zone and on the grid	If the rider has broken down on the circuit, he/she is authorized to carry out a repair and to take again the race under condition of having been given no external aid. On the course a rider may repair alone and continue. In the refuelling zone or in the start zone during the start procedure a mechanic may help. Once the start is given a rider has 15 minutes to repair and start, after which they count as withdrawn.	15 minutes to repair and start after the departure is given	confirmed PDF page 49.
318.11	Closed pit within five hours of arrival	The pilot must put his/her aquabike in the closed pit at the latest 5 hours after his/her arrival. If a repair must be carried out, he/she must do it during this time. The craft goes into the closed pit within 5 hours of finishing, with any repair done inside that window. The closed pit opens no later than 60 minutes before the grid is released, and access is free from then.	5 hours after arrival to enter the closed pit	confirmed PDF page 49.
318.12	Change of craft before the first start only	As soon as the first departure is given, the pilot is not authorized any more to change the Aquabike, or hull and/or engine. Before the first start a craft may be changed if the UIM Technical Commissioner or a UIM Commissioner authorises it, the replacement is the same category and the same make, and it has passed technical inspection. The rider normally keeps number and transponder; any exemption goes to the timekeeper. After the first start no change of craft, hull or engine.		confirmed Page 49. Stricter than 504 (page 86) for circuit racing, which allows changes between sessions at the cost of last on the grid; 504.05 repeats the no-change-after-first-start rule for "Rally Jet or Offshore".
318.13	Refuelling method and can limits	Max 70 liters homologated arm cans will be allowed. It is prohibited to Use straps to support the can. The simultaneous filling will be limited to two cans. The pressurization is prohibited, only gravity must be used. Refuelling happens in the briefed area over an absorbent cloth, with open cavities covered against fuel and vapour. Cans are homologated arm cans of at most 70 litres, unstrapped, at most two at once, by gravity only. The UIM Commissioner may ban any method judged dangerous, and that decision is irrevocable.	70 litres maximum per homologated arm can, two cans at once	confirmed PDF page 49.
318.14	Filler may be modified, must be on the hull surface	This system must be fixed at the surface of the hull. The filling in an internal cavity of the hull is prohibited. For Jet Raid, Offshore and Endurance the filler (cap and its connection to the tank) may be modified or aftermarket, but it must sit on the hull surface; filling into an internal cavity is prohibited.		confirmed PDF page 49.
318.15	Helmet without a visor, equipment per race instructions	For safety reasons, the pilot must wear a helmet without a visor. Long-distance equipment requirements live in the race instructions (the rule cites 506.13). The one fixed rule is no visor on the helmet. Assistants wear closed shoes on the pre-grid, in the assistance area and on the start line (cited as 506.14).		confirmed Page 49. The cross-references are off by one. In 506 (page 87) it is item 12 that sends endurance equipment to the race instructions and item 13 that puts assistants in closed shoes; 506.14 is a general allowance for certified protective equipment.
none	Number of motos for Jet Raid and Offshore	Absent from the document. Searched 317.01 and 317.02 (page 47) for how many motos a Jet Raid or Offshore event comprises; neither states a number, only that there are several. Only Endurance (317.03) fixes a range, 2 to 5.		confirmed
306.01	First five classified report to the closed pit; no work before inspection	At the end of each race the first five classified riders will present their AB at the closed pit and will remain at disposal of UIM Technical Commissioner. Riders failing to present their AB to the closed pit at the end of the race will be disqualified. After every race the first five classified craft go to the closed pit and stay at the Technical Commissioner's disposal; not presenting the craft is disqualification, so is any change or work on it before inspection, and so is entering the closed pit without authorisation. Refuelling, mechanical intervention and hull work are forbidden inside.	5 first classified riders who report to the closed pit after each race	confirmed PDF page 37, under 306 CLOSED PIT, the post-race impound of every circuit race, a different rule from the long-distance closed pit of 318.11. Added 2026-10-02 so the 2016 rows 307.01 and 307.02 have the counterpart they point at; the 2026 wording adds disqualification for failing to present the craft at all. The same rule is read on the equipment page from the body record.

UIM 2026, UIM Jet Raid, Offshore and Endurance, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-08. 317.03 says a venue-specific rule set may be created and posted in the Advance Program or Seabook, and that circuit rules apply where it is silent, so every row here can be varied by the event document. Penalties in 318 are stated twice, once for time-addition and once for points-addition classification.

UIM 2016 against 2026 on endurance, offshore and jet raid: 8 rules unchanged in words and figure, 4 changed, 6 with a figure the 2016 text lost in extraction, 0 no current row carries, 0 new

Then (2016)	What the 2016 document said	Now (2026)
329.05	The rider not passing the checkered flag before the end of the time limit will be penalized accordingly Figure then: 1/3 of the winner's time added to make the limit.	318.05, Time limit is the winner's time plus a third; figure now 1/3 of the winner's time added to make the limit
329.06	2 minutes, or a points deduction whose digit is lost. Checkpoint missed by between 10 metres and a distance printed as 0 metres: a minutes figure that is lost, or minus 10 points. Figure then: 2 minutes under time addition for a checkpoint passed on the wrong side. (the same sentence as at UIM 318.06, Checkpoint and missed buoy penalties)	318.06, Checkpoint and missed buoy penalties; figure now 2 minutes, or minus 5 points, for a checkpoint on the wrong side
307.01	It is not allowed to do any change or work on the Aquabike before technical inspection. Any pilots that will not follow this rule will be disqualified. Figure then: 5 first classified riders who report to the closed pit after each race.	306.01, First five classified report to the closed pit; no work before inspection; figure now 5 first classified riders who report to the closed pit after each race
307.02	Refuelling, mechanical intervention, work on the hull are strictly forbidden in the closed pit.

Figures the 2016 text lost in extraction, so no change can be read on endurance, offshore and jet raid at 328.01, 328.03, 329.08, 329.09, 329.10, 329.11; the rows say which digit is missing.

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA endurance staging and starts

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
G.7.1	Pro and Amateur may run together, start formats vary	Endurance races may include both Pro and Amateur competitors and may be run together unless otherwise specified in the Race Instructions or during the Riders’ Meeting. Pro and Amateur endurance riders share the water unless the race instructions or riders' meeting split them. Field size or venue may call for staggered or alternate start formats, all explained at the riders' meeting.		confirmed
G.7.1	Escort to the start and pit closure	Once the pit closure signal is given, no additional riders may enter the course. Late starts are permitted only at the discretion of the Race Director. Riders stage in the wet pits or launch area and are escorted single file to the start alignment area under marshal control at the Start Marshal's pace, never ahead of the marshals, watching for signals, flags and whistles. After the pit closure signal nobody else enters the course; a late start is the Race Director's call. Practice laps with a start run and penalty mark review may be run first at the Race Director's discretion.		confirmed
G.7.2	Endurance starting positions	Race 1 starting positions may be determined by random draw or registration order. The organizer sets and announces the starting order before competition. Unless stated otherwise, race 1 is by random draw or registration order and later races by the previous race's finishing order; with several endurance races at one event the method is announced at the riders' meeting.		confirmed
G.7.2	Clear visibility over the whole course to start	Clear visibility must exist over the entire course for a race to begin. An endurance race does not start without clear visibility over the entire course, and if visibility is deteriorating or forecast to become unsafe the Race Director may delay, modify or cancel the start.		confirmed
G.7.3	Aligned 30 meters behind the start boat	Riders will be escorted to the start area by Start Marshals and aligned approximately 30 meters (30 yards) behind and perpendicular to the Start Boat or designated start marker. Start Marshals line the field up roughly 30 meters behind, and square to, the start boat or designated start marker.	30 meters behind the start boat, printed as 30 yards in the same sentence	confirmed The document prints 30 meters (30 yards); 30 meters is about 33 yards. Recorded as printed, not corrected.
G.7.3	Minimum 2 meters between craft	Riders must maintain a minimum spacing of approximately 2 meters (6 feet) between watercraft. Craft keep about 2 meters apart in the line-up.	2 meters minimum between craft, printed as 6 feet in the same sentence	confirmed The document prints 2 meters (6 feet); 2 meters is about 6.6 feet. (the same note as at IHRA G.7.3, Aligned 30 meters behind the start boat above)
G.7.3	Stay behind the Start Marshals until the green flag	Any rider advancing ahead of the Start Marshals before the green flag may receive a start penalty. The Start Marshals set the alignment speed, anywhere from idle to low planing, and once the line-up is sealed and satisfactory they speed up to establish the start run. Riders stay behind the marshals until the green flag; getting ahead of them may draw a start penalty.		confirmed
G.7.3	Green flag starts the race, timing from the leader's first crossing	The race begins when the green flag is displayed by the Start Official. The Start Official's green flag starts the race; the clock and lap 1 start when the leading rider first crosses the start/finish line, unless the riders' meeting says otherwise.		confirmed
G.7.3	Start run, hold your line until clear of the start boat	Riders must hold their line until clear of the Start Boat. The start run is from the green flag to the first crossing of the start/finish line. Riders hold their line until clear of the start boat, move sideways only once safely clear with enough separation from neighbours, and may be penalised for reckless weaving, crossing early or unsafe lateral moves.		confirmed
G.7.3	Missed buoy on the start run, automatic one lap	If any buoy is missed during the Start Run, the rider will incur an automatic one-lap penalty, which cannot be rectified with a penalty buoy. A buoy missed on the endurance start run is an automatic one-lap penalty and cannot be corrected at the penalty buoy.	as IHRA G.6.3, Missed buoy on the start run, automatic one lap above	confirmed
G.7.3	Aborted start and failure to start	If a start is aborted, signaled by a red flag, all riders must safely return to the start area and follow marshal instructions. A red flag aborts the start and everyone returns safely to the start area under marshal instruction. A rider who fails to get away after lining up may rejoin only by following the start run through the start/finish line and merging without interfering. The Race Committee may use video or other evidence to judge start compliance.		confirmed
G.7.4	Le Mans start	Competitors begin at a set distance from their watercraft. At the starter’s signal, they run to their craft, connect the lanyard, start the engine, and enter the course. In a Le Mans start riders begin on foot a set distance from their craft, run to it on the signal, clip the lanyard, start up and enter the course. It may be used for individual classes or the whole field.		confirmed
G.7.5	Rolling start, and readiness for any start procedure	Competitors must be prepared to participate in any authorized start procedure. In a rolling start the field enters the course already moving at a controlled pace, following the closed course starting procedures. Riders must be ready for whichever authorized start procedure the event uses.		confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 24, 25 and 26 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA endurance staging and starts, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. The endurance craft change penalty (G.12.2) is in the craft rules and the restart rules shared with closed course (G.9) in restarts.

Conduct

The rules of behaviour the sporting sections carry: riders, crews, animals, smoking, damaged markers, postponement.

IJSBA 2025: IJSBA competition, addenda and conduct rules

Section	Rule	What the document says	Figure	Confidence and notes
GEN.6.1	The competition rules apply to every sanctioned event	The following General Competition Rules will apply to all IJSBA- and IJSBA affiliate-sanctioned events and classes. The general competition rules bind every event and class sanctioned by the IJSBA or by an IJSBA affiliate.		confirmed
GEN.6.2	Everyone is deemed to know the rules; entries open to inspection	Any entry is subject to inspection upon request of the Technical Director or Race Director. All IJSBA and affiliate members and racing personnel, the document listing owners, mechanics, pit crew, sponsors and promoters among them, are treated as fully aware of every rule and expected to follow them. Any entry can be inspected on the request of the Technical Director or the Race Director.		confirmed
GEN.6.3	The riders meeting is mandatory	A meeting for all event competitors will be held at an announced time and place. Attendance is mandatory. The riders meeting, run by the Race Director or an official the Race Director appoints, describes the course and the flags. Roll call may be taken, and riders who miss it or arrive late are subject to penalty; none is fixed.		confirmed
GEN.7.1	Rule book addenda are published on the IJSBA web site	Rule book addenda shall be announced via publishing on the IJSBA’s Web site. It is the responsibility of the competitor to regularly check the Web site for updates. Addenda appear on the IJSBA web site and it is the competitor's job to keep checking for them.		confirmed The first GEN.7.1; a second GEN.7.1 (helmet and apparel selection) is printed under the TECHNICAL RULES heading and is not extracted here.
GEN.7.2	Addenda take effect on announcement	Rule book addenda become legal and enforceable upon announcement. An addendum is in force from the moment it is announced; there is no grace period.		confirmed The first GEN.7.2; a second GEN.7.2 (personal flotation devices) is printed after it and is held with the equipment rules for this body.
GEN.7.3	TECHNICAL RULES heading, after which the numbering restarts	GEN.7.3 is a heading only, TECHNICAL RULES, with no rule text of its own. The sections beneath it are numbered GEN.7.1 to GEN.7.7 a second time (helmet and apparel, PFDs, helmets, back protection, unsafe equipment, alcohol and drugs, denial of participation) and then GEN.8.8. The equipment sections are held with the equipment rules for this body; see the note at the top of this group for the two that are not.		confirmed A second GEN.7.3 (helmets) is printed in the same run and is held with the equipment rules for this body.
GEN.8.8	Dangerous or unsportsmanlike conduct	Any competitor exhibiting dangerous or un-sportsmanlike conduct at any time during a sanctioned event may be penalized. Dangerous or unsportsmanlike conduct at any point in a sanctioned event, not only on the water, may be penalized. No penalty is fixed.		confirmed
GEN.8.11	Equipment damaged or lost during a race	Equipment that is damaged, broken or lost during a race is not necessarily grounds for penalty unless an infraction is determined during that race. Losing or breaking equipment in a race is not in itself a penalty; it becomes one only if an infraction is found during that race.		confirmed
GEN.8.13	The Race Director may stop or conclude any event	The Race Director shall have authority to stop or conclude any event(s) he/she deems necessary to ensure the safety of participants, spectators and/or officials, or because of technical problems. The Race Director can stop or end any event for the safety of riders, spectators or officials, or for technical problems. The document does not say how a stopped event is scored.		confirmed
GEN.8.14	One rider per watercraft	The maximum number of riders per vehicle is one. No two-up or tandem racing allowed. One rider per craft; no two-up or tandem racing.	1 rider per watercraft, maximum	confirmed Also recorded with the general competition rules for this body, with the same reading.

IJSBA 2025, IJSBA competition, addenda and conduct rules, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-07. Not extracted here: the second numbering run GEN.7.1 to GEN.7.7 and GEN.8.9, GEN.8.10 and GEN.8.12, because the personal equipment and craft requirements for this body are already recorded and rendered at /racing/equipment/. Two of the skipped sections are conduct rules rather than equipment, and are not among them. GEN.7.6 (no competing under the influence of alcohol or drugs, no alcohol in the pits or on premises under official control) and GEN.7.7 (the Race Director may deny participation to a rider who may be a hazard, with a doctor's written approval possibly required to return). They are the first rows still to add. Numbering: after the GEN.7.3 TECHNICAL RULES heading the sections restart at GEN.7.1 and run to GEN.7.7, then jump to GEN.8.8; there is no GEN.8.1 to GEN.8.7. GEN.6.2's list of racing personnel is printed with em dashes and is restated rather than quoted.

UIM: The UIM puts conduct under penalties (rules 310 and 406) and officials, both on the scoring page.

IHRA V.20260603 (2026): IHRA conduct and safety standards

Section	Rule	What the document says	Confidence and notes
E.1	Professional and sportsmanlike conduct	All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a professional, respectful, and sportsmanlike manner at all times. Everyone taking part is held to a professional, respectful and sportsmanlike standard at all times, not only on the water.	confirmed
E.1	Responsibility for safety rests with the participant	While safety rules and procedures are enforced, participation in racing involves inherent risks, and ultimate responsibility for safety rests with each individual participant. Competitors and their teams are responsible for the safe condition, preparation and operation of their craft and equipment. Events may run on public waterways, so riders must watch for other water users and conditions. Each rider judges their own ability, the course and the environment, and anyone who thinks conditions are unsafe or beyond them is encouraged to withdraw before competing.	confirmed
E.1	Conduct that may be penalised and the range of penalties	Penalties may include warnings, position or points penalties, fines, disqualification, suspension, or exclusion from an event or series. The Race Director, Race Committee or Series Organizer may penalise, at their discretion, failure to follow rules or official instruction, deliberate acts to gain an unfair advantage, false information or statements, bribery or result manipulation, abusive or threatening behaviour toward anyone at the event, conduct that brings the event or sport into disrepute including on social media, and missing a required podium or ceremony without prior approval. The document gives the range of penalties but no schedule matching offence to penalty.	confirmed The absence of a penalty schedule is recorded as its own row in the penalties rules.
E.2	Choice of safety equipment is the rider's	It is the responsibility of each participant to select appropriate safety equipment, including a helmet, that will provide adequate protection during competition. The rider chooses gear suited to the demands of racing and adequate in protection and durability. Organizers endorse or guarantee no product or manufacturer, and the rider must make sure the gear meets the event's safety standards.	confirmed The standards themselves are in section I, with the personal equipment rules for this body.
E.2	Helmet and life jacket whenever on the water	This includes wearing a helmet and a life jacket when on the water, whether during practice or while transporting boats within the race course area. Riders, mechanics and pit crew wear complete safety equipment at all times while operating equipment during the event, and a helmet and life jacket any time they are on the water, including practice and moving boats around the course area. Failing to wear an approved life jacket or helmet may bring fines or penalties at the Race Director's discretion.	confirmed
E.4	Riders' meeting attendance is mandatory	Attendance at the scheduled Riders’ Meeting is mandatory for all participants. Every participant attends the riders' meeting. The Race Director may take attendance, and missing it without prior approval for extenuating circumstances may cost a fine or a points penalty; the Race Director may hold a private meeting for someone with a valid reason. Course changes are announced there, and the Race Director and Technical Director announce how many craft per class must report for post-race technical inspection and where.	confirmed
E.4	Ceremonies, podium and media obligations	Failure to participate without valid reasons may result in fines or points penalties. Participants may be required to take part in pre-race ceremonies, podium activities or media briefings. Skipping them without a valid reason risks fines or points penalties; absence needs approval from the event organizer or Race Director.	confirmed
E.5	On-water tuning only in the designated area	Competitors must perform on-the-water tuning exclusively in the designated tune-up area, which will be identified by the Race Director and/or Lead Safety Marshal. Tuning on the water happens only in the tune-up area the Race Director or Lead Safety Marshal designates, an area clear of obstructions with run-off to slow and exit. Entry fees must be paid and waivers signed before using it; riders and crew in it wear the event wristband, and safety gear and tether systems are mandatory there.	confirmed E.5 is the only place the document names a Lead Safety Marshal. E.15.4 defines a Lead Course Marshal, and the document does not say whether they are the same role.
E.6	Postponement, and completion after half distance	Should a race or heat be stopped after more than half the laps or time is completed, the event may be considered complete at the Race Director’s discretion. The Race Director may postpone races or heats for weather or other reasons, signalled by a red flag at the start line and designated points on the course. A race stopped after more than half its laps or time may be declared complete at the Race Director's discretion, and under multi-moto scoring results may rest on the motos that were completed.	confirmed
E.6	Form of restart after a red flag	the Race Director may, at their discretion, elect to conduct a complete restart or restart competitors one at a time in the running order from the last officially scored lap. After a red flag the Race Director chooses between a full restart and releasing riders one at a time in the running order of the last officially scored lap.	confirmed The general restart procedure is G.9, in the restart rules. E.6 is the only section that names the two forms a restart can take.
E.7	Animals in the pit area	Aggressive animals are not allowed in the pit area. All animals must be on a leash, and some event locations may prohibit animals altogether. No aggressive animals in the pits, every animal on a leash, and some venues ban animals entirely.	confirmed
E.8	No smoking or vaping in the pits	Smoking including vaping is prohibited in the pit areas and near fuel containers. Smoking and vaping are banned in the pit areas and anywhere near fuel containers.	confirmed
E.12	Damaging course markers and safety equipment	Any competitor who makes contact with and significantly displaces, sinks, or destroys a course marker may be subject to penalties, which could include scoring penalties, fines, and/or disqualification at the discretion of the Race Director. Riders must get round the course without damaging markers or safety equipment, including safety boats, buoys and tower structures. Significantly displacing, sinking or destroying a marker may bring scoring penalties, fines or disqualification at the Race Director's discretion; a rider who damages one keeps racing safely without obstructing others. Intentional or reckless destruction brings heavier penalties or ejection, and officials assess the damage and decide the corrective action.	confirmed G.1 repeats the buoy contact rule for the course itself, in the course rules.
G.10	Unauthorized starting aids	The use of unauthorized starting aids, including but not limited to crates, ropes, or similar devices, is prohibited unless such aids are provided to all competitors and explicitly authorized by the Race Director. Crates, ropes and similar starting aids are banned unless every competitor is given them and the Race Director expressly authorizes them.	confirmed
G.10	No music from onboard speakers	The playing of music or audio from onboard or stock watercraft speakers during staging, starting procedures, or racing is not permitted. Onboard or factory speakers stay silent during staging, the start procedure and racing.	confirmed
G.14	Genuine effort and no manipulation of results	All competitors are required to compete in good faith and to make a genuine effort to achieve the best possible finishing position in each race. Every competitor races to finish as high as they can. Manipulating or influencing a result, or getting another competitor to, is prohibited, as is deliberately blocking or obstructing another craft to stop it advancing. Anything the Race Director finds compromises fair competition may draw penalties, disqualification or further discipline at the Race Director's discretion.	confirmed

Read from the published document, pages 12, 13, 14, 27 and 28 of the PDF, on 2026-09-26. IHRA 2026, IHRA conduct and safety standards, read from the rulebook on 2026-09-11. E.3 and E.9 to E.11 (pit area) are in the pit rules, E.13 in protests and E.14 to E.15 in officials; the section is split across those files by topic.

Documents cited on this page

Source: IJSBA Scoring, Discipline, Protests and Appeals (SCOR), 2025 document, published by International Jet Sports Boating Association

Published by: IJSBA Scoring, Discipline, Protests and Appeals (SCOR), 2025 document, published by International Jet Sports Boating Association ijsba.com
Read on: 2026-10-02
Worth knowing: The current scoring document, 13 pages, titled Scoring, Discipline, Protests, Appeals and numbered SCOR.1 to SCOR.23, linked from the rule book page under "Scoring" (file created 2025-02-11; prints no year of its own). Fetched and held on 2026-10-02 by the edition watch, which found it beside the 2018 text the archive had extracted two days earlier; the 2018 rows point at these. Same twenty section headings in the same order as 2018, with the old numbering defects carried over (SCOR.2.2 inside SCOR.1, SCOR.3.1 twice).

Source: IJSBA General Race Regulations (section 6 of the rule book set), published by International Jet Sports Boating Association

Published by: IJSBA General Race Regulations (section 6 of the rule book set), published by International Jet Sports Boating Association ijsba.com
Read on: 2026-10-02
Worth knowing: The GEN.1 to GEN.15 document: pre-start, starts, restarts, buoys and the finish, slalom, competition rules, addenda, flags, pits, registration. Held here as text. The document prints no year of its own; the edition is the rule book set it was downloaded with.

Source: IHRA Pro Watercraft Racing Competition Rulebook, version V.20260603, published by International Hot Rod Association (Cuttell Motorsports, LLC)

Published by: IHRA Pro Watercraft Racing Competition Rulebook, version V.20260603, published by International Hot Rod Association (Cuttell Motorsports, LLC) ihra.com
Read on: 2026-09-07
Worth knowing: Sections A to EE, 95 pages. The URL is the rules page rather than the PDF, because the PDF is served from a signed link that expires. The version string is the figure to cite; the rulebook changed four times between February and June 2026.

Source: 2026 UIM Aquabike Rulebook, published by Union Internationale Motonautique

Published by: 2026 UIM Aquabike Rulebook, published by Union Internationale Motonautique uim.sport
Read on: 2026-10-01
Worth knowing: One 189-page document covering every class, so cross-class comparisons are same-season. Read straight from the PDF; the text is not held here and page numbers were not recorded, so a reference from this document cannot yet be followed to a page. Held here as extracted text from 2026-10-01, the same text the rule rows were read from on 2026-09-26.

Source: IJSBA Scoring, Authority, Discipline, Protests and Appeals (2018 edition), published by International Jet Sports Boating Association

Published by: IJSBA Scoring, Authority, Discipline, Protests and Appeals (2018 edition), published by International Jet Sports Boating Association ijsba.com
Read on: 2026-10-02
Worth knowing: The August 2018 text of the Scoring, Authority, Discipline, Protests and Appeals document, held as extracted text since 2026-09-30 from the 2021-path PDF the rule book page still links under "Authority, Discipline, Protest Appeals" (file created 2018-08-21, no year printed). The rulebook check of 2 October 2026 found the page also links a 2025 scoring document with SCOR numbering, so this one is the earlier edition: its rows (ijsba-2018-*) point at the 2025 rows, it governs nothing now and is evidence for no current rule.

Source: UIM Aquabike Rulebook, edition April 2016 (printing version), published by Union Internationale Motonautique

Published by: UIM Aquabike Rulebook, edition April 2016 (printing version), published by Union Internationale Motonautique uim.sport
Read on: 2026-10-01
Worth knowing: The April 2016 edition of the UIM Aquabike book, 97 pages, held as extracted text from 2026-10-01 after sitting in our research cache since 2026-09-21. Read only so the race-weekend and scoring pages can say what changed between 2016 and 2026, the comparison the archive plan asked for and could not build on the IJSBA side; it governs nothing now and is evidence for no current rule. Its numbering differs from 2026 (blocking is 308.01 here and 307.01 there), which the earlier-edition rows record row by row.

267 rules · 3 rulebooks · 6 recorded absences · 2 disputes