U.S.
National Whitewater Center 2023 Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Competition Rule Book
Tuck Fest is a multi-day festival that celebrates the outdoor lifestyle through competitions,
exhibitions, demos, and live music at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The festival features
a variety of outdoor competitions that include trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up
paddleboarding, and adventure and obstacle racing. In just seven years, Tuck Fest has grown
from 14,000 attendees in 2013 to over 34,000 in 2022. New and unique outdoor experiences
continue to be added year after year, and the Deep Water Solo Competition is proving to be the
premiere event of this four day festival. A $15,000 cash purse will be awarded to the placement
winners in both male and female categories.
This rule book will cover all the details you will need leading up to the event, including
information on registration, selection, competition rules, and more.
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Table of Contents
1. Invitations & Selection
1.1 Invitations
1.2 Wildcard Invitations
1.3 Selection Process
2. Safety Rules
2.1 General Safety
2.2 Water Specific Safety
3. Regulations
3.1 Climbing Regulations for Qualifiers, Seeding, and Finals
3.2 Timekeeping
3.3 Routesetting
3.4 Competitor’s Meeting
3.5 Start Lists
3.6 Check-in and Isolation
4. Qualifier and Seeding Format
4.2 Seeding
4.3 Open Gym
4.4 Finals
5. Technical Incidents
5.1 Spinners
5.2 Broken Holds
5.3 Injury
5.4 Timekeeping
6. Scoring
7. Appeals
8. Event Schedule
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1. Invitations & Selection
1.1 Invitations
Invitations will be sent out via email to fourteen males and fourteen females. Invitees will
have 30 days to respond to the invitation. Registration will be confirmed by responding
directly to the email.
1.2 Wildcard Invitations
Climbers who feel that their skill level aligns with the professional competition can submit
an online application. Up to six wildcard entries will be accepted into the competition. To
accept and register for the Wildcard Invitation, simply reply directly to the invitation email.
1.3 Selection Process
Selection process will be carried out by a Climbing Committee organized by the
Whitewater Center. Climbers will be judged on Deep Water Solo experience, skill level,
and (if applicable) those who placed in the 2021 Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo Climbing
Competition. The selection criteria is the same for both Invitation and Wildcard.
2. Safety Rules
2.1 General Safety
Competitors are responsible for their own safety at all times. Lifeguards will be provided
by the Whitewater Center but it is the sole responsibility of the climber to be aware of their
surroundings and safety. It is also the responsibility of the competitors to adhere to all rules
and policies set forth for Tuck Fest.
Both the Chief Judge and Chief Routesetter have the authority to make decisions on any
safety matters. Anyone deemed by the Chief Judge to be behaving unsafely shall be subject
to removal from the competition area, disqualification from the competition, and/or
expulsion from the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
Only competitors, lifeguards, judges, and other individuals approved by the Chief Judge
are permitted in the competition area.
All competitors must attend a mandatory pre-competition safety briefing. Absence to the
safety brief could result in disqualification.
Headphones are allowed during warm up only, not while climbing over the water. Use of
any device while the competition is occurring is not permitted and could result in a
disqualification.
Under no circumstance should climbers use the scaffolding behind the wall, the sides, or
the top of the wall to assist them in a climb. There is absolutely no topping out at any of
points on the Deep Water Solo Complex at the Whitewater Center.
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2.2 Water Specific Safety
All competitors must be strong swimmers; there will be no swim test.
When coming off the wall, enter the water feet first, swim directly to the surface, swim
back to the ladder nearest to the start of your climb, and exit using the ladder next to your
route. Do not hang out in the water.
Under no circumstance should you ever swim across the pool or under another climber.
Competitors are required to follow all safety instruction from the lifeguards and will be
subject to disqualification if they do not.
3. Regulations
3.1 Climbing Regulations for Qualifiers, Seeding, and Finals
3.1.1 The competition will only begin at the Chief Judge’s instruction.
3.1.2 A competitor must first control the marked handhold(s) before moving off the
start.
3.1.3 Each attempt will start at the signal of the Chief Judge.
a) Competitors are not allowed to start before the judge allows.
b) If a competitor starts before the judge signals, they will be disqualified for that
route and the highest hold will be marked as the start hold(s).
3.1.4 Judges will only give out time updates if asked by the competitor they are currently
judging.
3.1.5 A competitor’s attempt will be considered terminated by a judge and the highest
hold controlled if:
a) They touch any part of the wall that is expressly stated as out of bounds, such as
the sides and top of the wall, the space between the wall and the concrete deck
bolt hangers or bolt holes on the wall on a modular volume.
b) The competitor touches the water with any part of their body before the fall.
c) They compromise either their own or any other’s safety.
3.1.6 The refusal by a competitor to obey the instructions of the Chief Judge to terminate
their attempt on a route could result in the disqualification of the competitor.
3.1.7 The refusal by a competitor to obey the instructions of the Chief Judge to terminate
their attempt on a route could result in the disqualification of the competitor.
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3.1.8 A competitor is permitted to down climb approximately 10 feet at any point during
their attempt, but they must enter the water and cannot attempt to climb back onto the
concrete.
3.1.9 Bolt hangers may not be used as handholds or footholds. Using one will result in
the termination of the competitor’s attempt.
3.1.10 The entire surface of the climbing wall is permitted for climbing except:
a) The t-nut holes created in the climbing wall or modular volumes.
b) The sides and top of the wall or the space between the bottom of the wall and the
concrete deck.
c) Any areas that the Chief Routesetter has marked off or out of bounds.
3.1.11 Earphones, headsets, and electronic devices are not allowed during climbing.
3.1.12 A traverse will be set to the start holds of the finals route. The start holds will be
clearly defined. If a competitor falls on this traverse or touches the water with any part
of their body, they automatically lose their attempt and their opponent may run the
route as a single or with a rabbit.
3.1.13 Competitors may touch the start hold prior to the announcement to climb but may
only begin once the judge has allowed them to start.
3.1.14 Any competitor who starts early will be disqualified from that route and their
highest hold will be marked as the start hold(s).
3.1.15 It is the competitor’s responsibility to be prepared and ready to begin when the
judge alerts them. Any delay in starting will only count against the competitor’s final
time and they will not be given additional time or another attempt.
3.2 Timekeeping
3.2.1 In the event that there is a serious breach of the rules or conduct by a competitor,
judge, staff member or spectator, the Chief Judge has the right to halt climbing, which
can lead to an expulsion from the competition or even the center.
3.2.2 The Chief Judge has the right to halt climbing at any time if they believe a
competitor has received unfair advantage or disadvantage. At time of occurrence, the
Chief Judge and Chief Routesetter will determine the appropriate response.
3.3 Routesetting
3.3.1 The Whitewater Center may or may not set new routes for this competition.
3.3.2 Routesetters may only discuss details of the routes and route setting process
with members of the setting team, judges or members of the event
organization team. Routesetters may not discuss to any competitor any
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aspect of the routes or their process that could be seen as an advantage or
create an appearance of impropriety.
3.3.3 Each route will be clearly marked with a starting hold(s) and a finishing hold(s).
If it is a two hand start or finish, it is the responsibility of the Chief Routesetter to
make this clear.
3.4 Competitor Meeting
3.4.1 A competitor meeting will be held prior to the start of each round of competition
and is mandatory for all competitors. Any competitor who does not attend the
competitor’s meeting could be disqualified. The content of this meeting will:
a) Confirm the competition schedule and any changes to the information presented
here.
b) Clarify any information that is applicable to the rules, schedule, competition and
presentation.
c) Communicate any logistical information that competitors may need.
d) Convey all safety instructions and address any safety concerns.
e) Allow competitors the opportunity to ask any questions previously unanswered.
3.5 Start Lists
3.5.1 The start list will be posted in the climber check in area on Friday.
3.5.2 The starting list for the seeding round will be randomly created by the order in
which the competitors register.
3.6 Check-in and Isolation
3.6.1 Climbers will check-in on Friday and Saturday 1 hour before the seeding and
finals round at the Deep Water Solo Climbing area.
3.6.2 A mandatory competitor meeting will start, in isolation, at this time.
3.6.3 Competitors and staff members should report any misconduct or violations of the
isolation rules to the Chief Judge. They should not address it themselves unless it
is an immediate safety issue.
3.6.4 Only competitors, Judges, staff members, and authorized volunteers will be
allowed in the staging area.
4. Seeding Format
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4.2 Seeding – All climbers must participate in the seeding round. This will determine the
running order of the finals the next day.
3.3.2 Competitors will be assigned seeding order based on time of registration.
3.3.3 Seeding will be a single route, which competitors will climb twice. The
fastest time of their two attempts will be used for seeding.
3.3.4 Seeding routes will be open for viewing from check-in.
3.3.5 Competitors are permitted to spectate from a designated competitor viewing
area.
3.3.6 In the event a competitor drops out, does not show up, or is deemed unfit to
compete, they will automatically be considered the last seed. The 1st seed
will still climb in the first round of finals but can elect to climb on their own.
4.3 Open Gym – This is an opportunity for competitors to forerun the finals routes for
the next day. It will also be used by the Chief Routesetter to determine any necessary
changes that need to be made to the routes. Any changes to the routes can be viewed from
the ground the day of the finals but changes will not be pointed out nor will competitors
be able to forerun any changes. No one is in danger of elimination during the open gym.
Climbers will be given one hour for open gym.
4.4 Finals – The finals will be a head-to-head single elimination style competition with
the bracket decided by the seeding round the evening before.
4.4.1 In the event a competitor drops out, does not show up, or is deemed unfit
to compete, the round will still continue but their opponent will be given
the options to climb by themselves.
4.4.2 An example bracket follows
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 1 Round 5
Round 4
4.4.3 Winners for each round will be decided by the first one to control the
highest hold. In the event that both competitors fall at the same hold, the
first one to that hold will move on.
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4.4.4 Control will be determined by the ability to hold on for at least 2
seconds or more. The finish of every route must be controlled.
4.4.5 Positive movement and useable surface will be used to determine where
a climber fell. Positive movement refers to when a climber has
controlled a hold and has been able to pull off of it but did not hit any
usable surface on the next hold. Usable surface refers to when a climber
can hit the part of the hold where they should, on a higher scored hold,
but are not able to hold on for the length of time to be considered
controlled.
4.4.6 If a round is too close to call, the decision will be determined by the
Chief Judge and Chief Routesetter in conjunction with a video review to
determine a winner. If no winner can be determined, the pair will climb
again at the end of that round. In the event they were the last pair to
climb, they will be given a 2-minute rest before they compete.
4.4.7 Between rounds 1 – 3, competitors will be given at least a 3-minute rest
period. Between rounds 3 – 5, competitors will be given a at least a 5-
minute rest period.
4.4.8 Awards for both male and female categories will follow the end of the
men’s finals. Awards will be distributed as follows:
A) 1st Place: $5,000
B) 2nd Place: $2,000
C) 3rd Place: $500
5. Technical Incidents
Technical Incidents are defined as spinners, broken holds, blood on a hold/open wound, a
failure in the timing system, or a serious breach of the rules or conduct by a competitor,
judge, staff member, or spectator as determined by the Whitewater Center.
5.1 Spinners
5.1.1 In the event of a spinner during qualifiers, competitors have two options:
a) The climber can come off the route immediately. This attempt will not be recorded
and the climber will be given another attempt.
b) The climber can continue the route if they do not fall. However, if they choose to
continue and fall later in the route, they will not be allowed to attempt the route
again. The Chief Judge will decide when the next attempt of the affected competitor
will be slotted in based on the competitor’s requested recuperation time within the
maximum limit of 20 min or when the route is fixed, whichever comes last. The
Chief Routesetter will alert the Chief Judge that climbing needs to be paused while
adjustments are made.
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5.1.2 If a spinner occurs in the seeding round and the climber falls, the climber will be
placed at the back of the line, the route setters will fix the hold, and climbing will
resume. If the climber does not fall, they may continue the route. If they fall later
on the route, they cannot claim a technical and the attempt will count. If the
climber continues to climb, time will stop after their attempt until the Chief
Routesetter can fix the hold.
5.1.3 If a spinner occurs during finals, both climbers will be called down from the
route, the Chief Routesetter will fix the hold, and the pair will climb at the end of
the round. In the event they are the last pair in the round, competitors will be
given an additional 5 minute rest period on top of the time it took the route setter
to attend to the spun hold.
5.2 Broken Hold
In the event a hold breaks, it will fall on the Chief Routesetter to find an appropriate
replacement. Climbing will halt until the route setters are able to replace the hold.
5.3 Injury
In the event a climber becomes injured with an open wound and leaves blood on a hold,
it is the responsibility of the Chief Routesetter to have the hold cleaned. If the hold
cannot be cleaned sufficiently, the Chief Routesetter must replace the hold with an
appropriate replacement.
5.3.1 The competitor will be required to seek medical attention and be allowed to
continue the competition after they have been given the all clear by either a
lifeguard or on-site advanced medical personnel. If it is the recommendation of
the lifeguard or EMS that the competitor not continue, they will be removed from
the competition by the Chief Judge.
5.3.2 If a competitor is able to return to the competition, it will be at the discretion of
the Chief Judge to determine where the competitor can be slotted in.
5.3.3 There will be no other technical given for medical grounds.
6. Scoring
6.1.1 Seeding will be scored by your fastest time completing the route. Competitors
will be given two attempts on the seeding route and their fastest time will
determine their seed.
6.1.2 Finals will be scored by the first one to finish, followed by highest hold, then the
fastest competitor to the highest hold (in the event that both competitors fall at the
same spot, the win will go to the competitor who got there first). In the event that
a winner cannot be determined, the Chief Judge will review photo/video evidence.
If a winner cannot be determined from photo/video footage, climbers will repeat
the climb.
6.1.3 Route maps will be supplied to all the judges to record highest hold for every
round.
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6.1.4 The results of every competitor’s scores and times will be posted on the Tuck Fest
website as soon as they are made available to the event organizer.
6.1.5 Score cards will stay in the hands of the judges at all times. However, competitors
can approach any judge to take a look at their score card and their score card only.
6.1.6 Judges will never divulge the scores cards of other competitors.
7. Appeals
7.1 Protocol
c) Official appeals are different from regular discourse between a competitor and a
judge.
d) All official appeals must be made in person, to the Chief Judge.
e) All appeals must be made by the competitor. No appeal may be made by a third
party in lieu of the competitor with the exception of competitors who may have a
hearing or speech impairment.
f) Appeals for the qualifiers and the seeding round must be made within 20 minutes of
the end of the competitor’s climbing time. In the case of a disputed score,
competitors have 20 minutes from the official posting of the results.
g) For the finials round, an official appeal must be made immediately after the pair is
finished.
h) The Chief Judge may utilize any information necessary to come to a decision and
may consult with the Chief Routesetter if needed.
i) The Chief Judge will be responsible for relaying the appeal decision and subsequent
steps to the competitor in person.
j) If a competitor still disagrees with the Chief Judge’s appeal decision, they may
request an appeals committee. This committee will be comprised of the Chief
Judge, Chief Routesetter, Event Organizer, Announcer and timing judges. The will
review all available information to provide a consensus. Their decision is final and
cannot be appealed.
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8. Event Schedule
Friday, April 21st, 2023
2:00pm- Women’s Deep Water Solo Seeding
4:00pm- Men’s Deep Water Solo Seeding
5:15pm- Open Gym
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
12:30pm- Athlete Meet & Greet at Climbing Center
4:30pm- Deep Water Solo Competition- Men & Women’s Finals
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