Rules

UFO & USDDN

2003 UFO Rules & Guidlines

www.ufoworldcup.org

Welcome to the 2003 UFO World Cup Series! This will be season 3.0 for the World Cup, and it looks to be as cool as ever.

The World Cup Series expanded again, and 2003 will see events not only in the US and Europe, but also Japan and Australia! The first ever UFO Major will take place in Europe, and new events have appeared in the US as well. The UFO wish you and your dogs an incredible, fun summer of playing Frisbee, and we know we will see you soon!

General Guidelines

Competitors are responsible for the welfare and safety of their dogs at all times and are required to read and sign the UFO registration form which contains a liability waiver at signup. All canine competitors must have a current rabies inoculation and license at the time of registration. Parvo, bordatella, and corona virus vaccinations are also recommended, as is a preventative flea and tick medication. All dogs must be leashed, in a kennel, or otherwise under the owner's control at all times. At the discretion of UFO representatives or contest officials, any dog that is perceived to be a medical or physical threat to other canine competitors will not be allowed to compete and may be asked to leave the premises. Female dogs in heat are not allowed to compete and may not be brought to the competition site.

Canine Welfare

Abusive treatment of canine competitors, or any actions that may be perceived by UFO officials or spectators as such, will not be permitted. Electronic training aids of any kind, active or inactive, are not permitted during competition. While the health and welfare of canine competitors is the responsibility of their owners/trainers, the chief UFO official at the competition or the on-site veterinarian may be called on to ultimately determine whether a canine is fit to compete. Many disc dogs will continue to play even if they are badly injured, so competitors are encouraged to be aware of the physical condition of their dog at all times.

UFO officials reserve the right to deduct points from the competitor's score, or in extreme cases disqualify a competitor altogether if they believe that the canine
half of the team is being endangered unnecessarily.

Examples of tricks or moves meriting point deductions could include, but are not limited to, the following:

	Collision with the thrower's body, including leaps over the thrower's body, resulting in trips and/or tumbles.
	Direct impact of the disc to the canine's face or any other part of the body in a fashion that may be harmful to the canine
	Frequent repetition or excessive height during any trick or move that leads to reckless lack of control, collapses, crashes, tumbles, etc. by the canine half of the team.

The human half of the disc dog team should incorporate into a Freestyle routine only tricks and moves that have been properly trained and prepared for, resulting in the display of control and safe transitions throughout the routine.

Multiple Dogs and Throwers

Multiple Dogs and Throwers are allowed to compete with up to two dogs in Major and Local Competitions. Competitors may enter both dogs in a single Division or they may slide up or down one Division with their second dog. For instance, competitors may enter the Open Division with one dog and the Intermediate Division with their other dog, or they may enter the Intermediate Division with one dog and the Novice Division with their other dog. However, a competitor may not enter one do in the Open Division and the other dog in the Novice Division in a single competition. Dogs are allowed to compete with up to two throwers in any given competition. This allowance is meant to accommodate families in which more than one member actively plays with and trains the family disc dog.

Each dog/thrower team is ranked separately in the World Cup Series, and each team has the opportunity to make the final round and win prizes in Major Competitions.

Nature Breaks and Other Obstructions Multiple Dogs

If a nature break occurs on the playing field during competition, time will continue and any clean-up necessary must be done by the human half of the team upon completion of the round. As a courtesy to others, competitors should avoid allowing their dog to take a nature break on the playing field at any time as this
can cause an unnecessary distraction for other canines participating in the competition. To this end, canine competitors should be kept away from the playing field before the competition begins and should be taken for a nature walk before they are scheduled to take the field during the competition.

If an unleashed dog runs onto the field during competition, time will be suspended and the competitor will be given the choice to:

	continue with the rest of the round
	start the round over
	move to the end of the order and start the round over after their dog has rested

Time will be suspended for other unforeseen distractions or obstructions at the discretion of UFO officials, and the same three choices will be given.

Treats

As a courtesy to other competitors, treats or food of any kind is not allowed on the playing field during competition. Food that is inadvertently dropped on the playing field may cause an unnecessary distraction for other canines in the competition.

Sportsmanship Multiple Dogs and Throwers

Abusive language, boisterous challenges of UFO officials, confrontations with other competitors, or any other unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and will result in disqualification from competition. In extreme cases, the UFO board of representatives reserves the right to suspend an offending competitor from UFO competitions altogether for whatever time is deemed necessary.

Sponsorship and Prizes

Entry fees collected at UFO Tournaments are designed to fund a basic, bare bones competition series. Organizers of UFO Tournaments are allowed to accept sponsorship from outside sources to help cover the costs associated with running a large competition and to supplement the prize package offered to the competing teams. Regardless of the amount of sponsorship, UFO entry fees must be collected at all Major and Local Tournaments.

Eintrittspreise

Major Tournament Guidelines

The Open Division at UFO Major Tournaments consists of three individual championship categories:

	UFO Throw & Catch Championship
	UFO Freestyle Championship
	UFO Overall Championship

The UFO Throw & Catch Championship will be awarded to the Open team earning the highest score from the Throw and Catch round, after applying tiebreakers (if necessary). The UFO Freestyle Championship will be awarded to the Open team earning the highest individual Freestyle score (single round) of the tournament, after applying tiebreakers (if necessary). The UFO Overall Championship will be awarded to the Open team earning the highest cumulative score of all Freestyle and Throw &
Catch rounds, after applying tiebreakers (if necessary).
Each Open Division team at UFO Major Tournaments will, at minimum, compete in at least one Freestyle round and one Throw & Catch round. Open Division teams earning a first round Freestyle score in the top 10 of all Freestyle scores, will remain eligible for all championship categories and move on to the UFO Overall Championship Finals. Open Division teams not qualifying for the UFO Overall Championship Finals, remain eligible for and move on to the UFO Throw and Catch Championship round.

The Intermediate and Novice Divisions at UFO Major Tournaments consist of a Throw and Catch Qualifying Round in which the top five dog/thrower teams are selected to move on to the finals. The Intermediate and Novice Division Finals consist of a second Throw and Catch Round, and the final score of the competitors is determined by adding the scores of the two rounds of competition.

Freestyle Rules and Guidelines

The freestyle round is a timed freeform competition that is judged on a 40 point scale using the D.I.S.C. system - Drive and Athleticism, Ingenuity, Showmanship, and Catch Ratio. UFO officials subjectively judge the first three categories on a scale from 1 to 10 in half point increments, but the Catch Ratio is a mathematically determined quantity. Only moves that begin with the disc in flight and end with a catch are scored. Takes, moves in which the disc is handed off to the dog, will not be scored. Rollers, which are intentionally rolled along the ground to the dog, will be scored provided the dog makes a clean catch. Moves such as taps and double throws in which one or more discs are intentionally missed by the dog and caught by the thrower will be scored provided they are cleanly executed.

Time Limit

Freestyle routines have a time limit of 120 seconds. Official time begins with the first throw, and countdown of time remaining will be given at 60 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and time. In the interest of time, the UFO strongly encourages competitors to limit their preroutines to 15 seconds or less.

Discs

Competitors may use up to 7 Fastback Frisbee® discs during their freestyle routine. At all Major Tournaments, discs will be provided to contestants for use during competition.

Vaulting

It is not necessary to include vaulting, using the thrower's body as a launching pad, in a freestyle routine in order to obtain a high score. If attempted, vaulting should be executed in a very controlled and safe manner, and special care should be taken to ensure that the dog lands safely and cleanly upon completion of the maneuver. Frequent repetition of vaults, or excessive height during vaults will not be rewarded.

Point Deductions

Each UFO official reserves the right to deduct up to 5 points from a competitors freestyle routine score, or in extreme cases, disqualify them entirely from the
competition for violating the canine welfare clause in the UFO General Guidelines.

The point deductions recommended by each individual judge will then be averaged to arrive at a final deduction value.

Costumes and Props

There are no clothing restrictions in the freestyle round; however, the use of a costume will not increase the likelihood of a higher score if it does not add to the
overall entertainment value and crowd appeal of the freestyle routine. Competitors should be aware that the use of a costume could actually contribute to a lower
overall score if it hinders the successful execution of moves or disrupts the overall flow of the routine. The use of any type of prop, an item not worn on the body as clothing, is not permitted while the competing team is on the field. This rule applies regardless of whether the prop is used as part of a pre-routine (before time starts) or otherwise. If there should be any question regarding this matter, it is highly recommended that competitors consult with the judges in advance.

Music

Competitors who bring their own music should present it to UFO officials when they are called to the on-deck area. Contestants are encouraged to avoid music
that is not suited for a family audience. Music should be marked clearly on the case with the name of the competitor and the track number, and must be
presented as a compact disc or a cassette tape. Cassette tapes must be cued to the correct location. Bad country music will be chosen for competitors who do not
supply their own tape or compact disc.

Judging

Three judges, in addition to a fourth official to determine the catch ratio, will award competitors points for the Freestyle Round of the competition. Each of the three judges will be responsible for judging one of the three subjective categories in the D.I.S.C. Freestyle Scoring System. Judges will have the option of writing a few short notes or suggestions on their worksheet for the benefit of the competitor. At their discretion, the judges scoring the three subjective categories will have the option of checking the bonus point box on the Judge Worksheet. If two of these three judges check their bonus box, a bonus point will be awarded to the competitor.

D.I.S.C. Freestyle Scoring System

Drive and Athleticism - Judges look at the overall athletic ability of the canine competitor with special consideration for the dog's level of prey drive, speed,
stamina, leaping ability, control while in the air and during landings, and consistency while catching discs with varying spins and orientations.

Ingenuity - Judges look at the overall creativity and throwing ability of the human half of the team with special consideration for the consistent placement of discs, ability to deliver a variety of throws with varying spins, and the overall level of difficulty of the routine. Emphasis is placed on variety, not repetition.

Showmanship - Judges look at the overall teamwork and crowd appeal of the routine with special consideration for disc management, smooth transitions between moves, interaction between the dog and thrower, and overall flow of the routine.

Catch Ratio - A mathematically determined number that is obtained by dividing the number of completions by the number of attempts, multiplying by 10, and then
rounding to the next highest half point.

For example, (22 catches) / (30 attempts) *

10 = 7.3333, or 7.5 by rounding up to the nearest half point. A competing team must catch 100% of their throws in order to receive a Catch Ratio score of 10, so
raw scores between 9.5 and 9.99 will be rounded to 9.5.

Bonus Point - Judges have the option of checking the bonus point box on the Judge's Worksheet to reward a team for attempting a particularly difficult or innovative move or series of moves. A bonus point will be awarded if two out of three judges check the bonus box on the Judge's Worksheet.

Throw and Catch Rules and Guidelines

In the Throw and Catch Round, competitors are given 60 seconds in which to complete as many throws as possible with one Fastback Frisbee® disc. A competitor may take up to two practice throws with or without their dog. The canine and the thrower must be behind the line before time starts. When the thrower indicates that he or she is ready, the line judge signals to the announcer that the competitor is ready. At this time, the announcer says "go" and simultaneously starts the clock. Throwers must be behind the line for all throws, but they may move around the field freely between throws. If the thrower steps on or across the throwing line at the time of the release of the disc, the throw will not be scored. If, during a round, the competitor believes the disc has become unsafe for the dog to catch because of a broken rim or a large tear, it may be handed to the judge for replacement. The damaged disc must be handed to the line judge before a replacement is given, and time will not be suspended during a disc change. Countdown of time remaining will be given at 30 seconds, 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and time. Completions are scored as long as the disc leaves the thrower's hand on or before time is called.

Scoring

The field is measured in 10 meter increments from 0 to 50 meters, and points are awarded for successful completions as follows (1 meter = 1.0936 yards):

Distance English Conversion Points

0 - 10 meters 10 yards, 32 inches 0

10 - 20 meters 21 yards, 32 inches 1

20 - 30 meters 32 yards, 29 inches 2

30 - 40 meters 43 yards, 25 inches 3

40 - 50 meters 54 yards, 25 inches 4

A one-half point Anti-Gravity Bonus is awarded for each completion in which the dog clearly has all four paws off the ground in a distinct jumping motion. Completions will be spotted where the trailing paw of the dog is located at the time of the catch. If the dog is in the air at the time of the catch, the completion will be spotted where the trailing paw of the dog is located when the dog lands.

Field Layout

The field is marked in 10 meter increments starting with the throwing line and ending with the 50 meter line.
The field is set up so that competitors have a choice to throw from either end of the field; however, the
throwing direction cannot be changed once time has started. Low profile cones will be laid out 20 meters apart on the edge of the field every 10 meters; however, there is no out-ofbounds along the sides of the field.

Bonus Landing Zone

The Bonus Landing Zone is a half circle with a radius of 5 meters and is centered laterally between the boundary cones. The front edge of the Bonus Landing Zone is located on the 40 meter line.

A bonus point is awarded if the following two criteria are met:

	The completion is spotted beyond the 40 meter line (i.e. in Zone 5)
	Any paw is located in the Bonus Landing Zone at the time of the catch or during landing if the dog is in the air at the time of the completion.

Ties at UFO Major Tournaments

Open Division

At Major Tournaments, ties for first, second, and third place in the Open Division Overall Championship category are broken using the following criteria:

	highest cumulative Catch Ratio score for both rounds
	highest cumulative Ingenuity+Showmanship score for both rounds
	highest cumulative Drive/Athleticism score for both rounds
	highest score in the Throw and Catch round

If these criteria are not sufficient to break the tie, then the competitors will break the tie in a Throw and Catch Shootout.

Ties for the UFO Freestyle Championship will be broken using steps 1 through 3 of the UFO Overall Championship but will be based on scores from the
competitor's highest scoring Freestyle Round. If these criteria are not sufficient to break the tie, then a Throw and Catch Shootout will be held.

Ties for the UFO Throw & Catch Championship will be broken using the following criteria:

	fewest completed catches in the Throw & Catch Round
	greatest number of catches in the bonus landing zone
	greatest number of anti-gravity catches

If all of these methods are exhausted with the tie remaining unbroken, then a Throw and Catch Shootout will be held.

Intermediate and Novice Divisions

Ties for first, second, and third place in the Novice and Intermediate Divisions are broken using the following criteria:

	fewest number of completions made in both rounds combined
	greatest number of bonus landing zone catches made in both rounds combined
	greatest number of leaping “anti-gravity” catches made in both rounds combined
	highest score in a single Throw & Catch Round

If these criteria are not sufficient to break the tie, then the competitors will break the tie in a Throw and Catch Shootout.

Throw & Catch Shootout

A coin will be tossed to determine which team goes first, and each team will be allowed one throw in each round of the shootout. A team will be awarded a point any time they outscore their competitor in a given round, and the shootout will continue until one team wins by two. Competitors will be allowed to rest their dogs as necessary.

World Cup Guidelines

The UFO World Cup Series is open to all disc dog teams, and competitors earn points toward their UFO standing based on their placing at Major and Local Tournaments. These points accumulate throughout the year, and at the end of the season the team with the highest number of points is declared the World Cup Champion. World Cup points are not earned at Fun Matches.

World Cup competitions include Novice, Intermediate, and Open Divisions. In Major Tournaments, the Open Division consists of both Freestyle and Throw and Catch Rounds, whereas the Novice and Intermediate Divisions consist of two Throw and Catch Rounds.

Only competitors who participate in the Open Division are able to earn points toward their standing in the World Cup Series.

Major Tournaments

Major Tournaments are high profile competitions that are more highly attended and more tightly organized than Local Tournaments. The format of these competitions follow the UFO General Rules and Guidelines as well as the Major Tournament Rules and Guidelines.

Points at Major Tournaments are awarded to competitors in the Open Division as follows:

Place Points

Local Tournaments

A Local Tournament is lower profile than a Major and adheres to the General Rules and Guidelines for UFO competitions as well as the Local Tournament Rules and Guidelines. If Local Tournaments include more than one division, only the results of the Open Division (or highest division) will contribute to World Cup standings. Points at Local Tournaments are awarded to competitors in the Open Division as follows:

Place Points

Fun Match Tournaments

Fun Match Tournaments adhere to the General Rules and Guidelines for UFO competitions and are run in a similar fashion to UFO Local Tournaments, but they
are not formally part of the World Cup Series. As such, no World Cup Points are awarded at UFO Fun Matches.

Other Issues Related to World Cup Standings

The positions of all dog/thrower teams in the World Cup Standings are determined separately. Therefore, people who compete with more than one dog are scored separately with each dog, and the same rule applies to dogs which compete with more than one thrower. Teams are encouraged to attend as many Majors as they wish if they would like to increase their chances of earning the maximum number of points; however, only their top two placings at Major Tournaments will count toward their overall standing. Likewise, only the top two placings at Local Tournaments will count toward their overall standing. This provision is meant to encourage competitors to participate in their local scene because the relaxed atmosphere of the Locals lends itself to the free exchange of ideas and training tips. The points available at a Local Tournament are enough to give teams the edge over close competitors in the World Cup series, but the Local Tournaments are not worth enough to allow someone to win the World Cup title without placing well in Major Tournaments.

Junior Standings

Junior competitors under 15 years of age who wish to be ranked are required to compete in the Open Division in World Cup Competitions. In addition to being ranked along with adults in the Open Division Rankings, junior competitors will be ranked separately in the Junior Division Rankings. The highest ranking junior competitor at the end of the season will be the UFO Junior Champion.

Club Standings

Many competitors have affiliations with clubs or teams consisting of several dog/thrower pairs. Club Standings are based on the World Cup Points earned by club members in the Open Division of Major Tournaments. Each competitor that enters the Open Division at a Major Tournament will automatically earn 5 participation points for their club* at their first UFO Major of the season, and will automatically earn 10 participation points for their club at each subsequent UFO Major of the season. Additionally, each club member will also have the opportunity to earn additional merit points for their club based on their overall placing at the tournament. Dog/Thrower pairs may only contribute points toward the standing of one club or team in the World Cup Series during any given season. Although only a competitor's top two placings at Majors count toward their final individual standing (i.e. WCS Overall), there is no limit on the number of participation points a team can earn for his or her club. This provision is meant to encourage competitors to travel to other Majors in order to earn points toward the World Cup Standing of their club or team.

Club points will be awarded as follows:

Merit Points Participation Points

Place Points Event # Points

* Each canine/thrower team may indicate affiliation with one club each season. Club affiliation is declared through the UFO registration form obtained at any UFO Major event. Once declared and Participation points awarded, club affiliation may not be changed throughout the balance of the season. Club affiliation can not be made and applied retroactively. It is the responsibility of each team to clearly designate its club affiliation on the UFO Major registration form.

Ties in World Cup Standings

In an unbroken tie for a given placing at a UFO Tournament, the points available in the tie will be averaged and each competitor in the tie will receive the same number of points toward their World Cup Standing. Example: There is a tie for 5th place at a UFO Major Tournament among three people. To determine the points each team will receive toward their standing in the World Cup Series, the points for 5th, 6th, and 7th place are added and then divided by three. In this case, (34+30+26)/3 = 30 and each team will receive 30 points toward their standing. The team that placed just below the tie would receive 22 points for placing 8th in
the competition. In the case that the average does not result in a whole number, the average will be rounded to the nearest tenth of a point. This methodology
applies to results of both Major and Local Events.

Ties for any placings in the final World Cup Standings that are being considered for awards, recognition or prizes of differing value, will be broken using the
following criteria:

	Greatest number of Major Tournaments attended.
	Highest points earned at a single Major. If the tie is not broken, then the second highest score will be compared, then the third highest score, and so on.
	Cumulative score at all Major and Local Tournaments (no dropped values).
	Greatest number of Local Tournaments attended.

Local Tournament Guidelines

Local Tournaments adhere to the UFO General Rules and Guidelines. The organization responsible for running a Local Tournament may choose to utilize the UFO Freestyle and Throw and Catch Guidelines as well; however, Local contest organizers are given the opportunity to use any competition format they wish provided the rules are thoroughly described and explained to contestants prior to the competition. Local Tournament organizers are given this freedom with
the guidelines in order to encourage dog/thrower teams to be more versatile and to encourage experimentation with new rules and formats that may be used in Major competitions in the future. The UFO board of representatives will approve rules of individual Local Tournaments prior to the competition date on a case by
case basis. It is advised that the rules for the local be published in some form prior to the contest. There are no limits to the number of locals a competitor may attend, however, only their two highest finishes will count towards their World Cup Series total.

UFO Contact Information

Most questions about the UFO can be answered on our website:

www.ufoworldcup.org

Please feel free to contact any representative with questions or concerns about the UFO, or send general e-mail questions to info@ufoworldcup.org. People outside the United States please contact UFO Representative Chris Sexton.

Bitte wendet Euch mit Fragen, Anliegen und Anregungen an unseren Mitarbeiter Chris Sexton.

UFO Representatives