2014 VICTORIAN RACQUETBALL GRAND PRIXCIRCUIT
TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES
To host a Grand Prix event the host venue/club must be affiliated and their (regular) players registered with Squash Vic.
Squash Vic has appointed a Tournament Circuit Committee to oversee and manage the Circuit, as well as to work closely with each venue/club hosting a Grand Prix Circuit event, to support them in the planning, marketing, promotion and presentation of their tournament, plus ensure all tournament guidelines, rules and regulations are adhered too.
The Tournament Circuit Committee comprises:
Paul Vear – Tournament Circuit Manager (TCM) (email) (m) 0409 726 887
Shane Skidmore – Technical Director (TD) (email) (m) 0417 303 147
Richard Cagliarini – Squash Vic Convener (SVC) (email) (m) 0409 956 679
Pre-Tournament
At least 4 months prior to each event, the TCM in conjunction with the host event Tournament Director, or their nominated representative, will prepare an Event Action Plan, which will include tasks, time frames and personnel involved.
The TCM will be the formal link between the event and Squash Vic and will coordinate the following with the SVC:
· The Event listing on the annual GP tournament poster – to be distributed to all affiliated clubs/venues at beginning of the year
· Event listing on Squash Vic website What’s On Calendar
· Event poster – to be distributed in the quarterly mail-out prior to the event date
· Tournament alerts – emails to tournament database, 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 week prior to event closing date
· Squash Vic can provide an online entry form – entry fees (minus online fee) will be deposited directly into the host club bank account during the week prior to the event. Entrant details will be emailed to the host club the day following the entry closing date.
· The TCM will also provide Tournament Alerts via the Victorian Racquetball Advisory Committee (VRAC) email database, on dates specified in the Event Action Plan.
Host Venue/ Club:
· May produce a paper entry form. These must be produced (in conjunction with the TCM), distributed, accepted and processed solely by the host club. An electronic copy will be supplied to Squash Vic by the TCM, to post on the Squash Vic website.
Entries are due to close eight days prior to the starting date of the tournament or as agreed between the TCM and the host venue/club.
The Squash Vic logo and website address, plus the Stellar logo, are to appear on all event entry forms and promotional material.
1. Event Format
The format for each event grade will be determined by the TCM in conjunction with the host Venue/Club, but limited to a normal Knockout Competition, Swiss Draw or Round Robin.
Each Tournament is to offer the following Singles events:
· Men’s Open
· Women’s Open (Australian & Victorian Open and other events where possible)
· Mixed - A, B, C, D, E & F Grades
Each Tournament is to offer the following Doubles events:
· Mixed – Open, A, B, C, D, E Grades
The T&R tournament management system is available at no cost to host venue/clubs – please contact Richard Cagliarini at Squash Vic for a copy of the software and any training requirements.
2. Seedings/Draws
The host venue/club is to provide a listing of all entrants to the TCM at least 5 days prior to the starting date of the tournament to allow a review of player grade selection and to prepare event seedings.
The TCM will within 24 hours of receipt of all tournament entries, produce all event draws and provide them to the Event Host for match timings and court allocations.
The Event Host will then provide the TCM with a copy of the First Match Times Listing.
PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE EVENT, ANY CHANGES REQUIRED TO A DRAW DUE TO AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY, OR WITHDRAWAL, CAN ONLY BE ACTIONED BY THE TCM, WHO WILL PREPARE THE REPLACEMENT DRAW.
ONCE THE EVENT HAS COMMENCED, ANY CHANGES REQUIRED TO A DRAW CAN ONLY BE ACTIONED BY THE ONSITE TD, OR THE TCM.
All players (not just seeded players), are to be positioned in the draw according to their current state ranking, by the TCM. Players without a ranking shall be placed in the draw lower than those players currently ranked, by the TCM.
The only exception to the above is if there is an application received from a concerned player, the host venue/club, or the TCM, to have a player re-seeded due to their playing standard anditis agreed to by the TCM.
The following sliding scale rule will be adhered to if any reseedings are agreed to:
If the event contains between 1 - 8 players, then only 1 player can be re-seeded
If the event contains between 9 - 16players then up to 2 players can be re-seeded
If the event contains between 17 - 32 players then up to 3 players can be re-seeded
If the event contains between 33 - 64 players then up to 4 players can be re-seeded
Eachevent Drawwill be conducted as follows:
1 & 2 seeds to be slotted into their correct positions
3 & 4 seeds to be randomly drawn
5 - 8seeds to be randomly drawn
9 - 16 seeds to be randomly drawn
17 - 32 seeds to be randomly drawn
33 - 64 seeds to be randomly drawn
For example – 16 Player Swiss Draw:
19/16
2
9/16
3/4
9/16
3/4
9/16
5/8
9/16
5/8
9/16
5/8
9/16
5/8
9/16
3. Scoring
Unless agreed to by both the TCM and the Host Venue/Club, the scoring system to be utilised will be:
For all Main Draw Singles matches utilising a Swiss or Knockout Draw, best of 3 games to 21 points.
For all Plate Draw Singles matches utilising a Swiss or Knockout Draw, best of 3 games to 15 points.
For all Round Robin Singles matches, 2 games to 15 or 21 points
For all Main and Plate Draw Doubles matches utilising a Swiss or Knockout Draw, best of 3 games to 15 points.
For all Round Robin Doubles matches, 2 games to 15 or 21 points.
4. Match Conditions
Balls - new balls are to be issued to all courts for the first match of the first days play. Only the endorsedSV VRTCtournamentballcan be used inSquash Vic sanctioned tournaments. As of 1January 2010 the onlySV VRTCendorsed ball is the Stellar ball. Squash Vic will provide 1 dozen Stellar balls to each event with an additional dozen to the Victorian Open and Australian Open (if hosted in Victoria).
Rules - all tournaments must be conducted under the theRULES OF AUSTRALIAN RACQUETBALLwhich can be found in the RACQUETBALL section of the SQUASHVIC website.
Eyewear - protective eyewear must be worn by all players 19 years and younger (who are competing in any racquetball tournament, other competition,coaching clinic or any other racquetball related activity which has been organized and/or sanctioned by SQUASH Vic and/or any of their member associations or affiliates).
Late players - players not ready to commence a match within 15 minutes of their scheduled match time without a valid excuse may be disqualified from the total event (at the discretion of the Tournament Director).
5. Technical Director
TheTournament Circuit’s Technical Director, or their appointed replacement, will represent the Tournament Circuit Committee at every Circuit event. Their major role is to assist the Tournament Director wherever necessary, plus ensure all Tournament Circuit guidelines, rules and regulations are adhered to.
6. Discounted Entry for Squash Vic Members
As one of the requirements to host a GP event is that the Club must be affiliated and have all regular players registered with Squash Vic, this should not adversely affect host Clubs. It is suggested a non-member fee $10 more than the event entry fee be applied. This is to provide a benefit to members and to encourage non-members to join. The additional $10 goes directly to the host club as per normal entry fees.
To be a Grand Prix Champion for 2014 onwards, the player must be a registered Squash Vic member.
7. Post Tournament
The host venue/club is to:
· Provide the TCM with a copy of all completed event draws (including individual match scores) within 3 days of the completion of the tournament.
· Wherever possible provide photos of the grade winners (via email) to the SVC within 7 days of the completion of the tournament.
The TCM will:
· Update the Grand Prix Circuit rankings and provide them to the SVC within 5 days of the completion of the event to be displayed on the Squash Vic website
· Circulate rankings alerts via the VRAC email database, when the updates are displayed on the Squash Vic website
8. Player Review Panel
Following the final event of each year, the TCM and TD will review the performances of all players by assessing all their individual circuit match results for that year.
For those players who are upgraded, they will be allowed 28 days from the date of their upgrading notification to appeal to the Review Panel.
For those being invited to move to a lower grade, they can either advise of their acceptance of the lower grading, or continue to play at the higher grade, but at any time during the following year may enter in the lower grade, subject to the approval of the Review Panel.
Please note: a player cannot carry any ranking’s points secured in one grade up or down to another grade.