Centurions1911

The Rules

Race walkers have a very distinctive gait and race walking has two core rules: 

1 The Contact Rule:
Each walker must have at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times.

2. The Knees Rule:
The leading leg must be straight at the knee when the foot touches the ground and remain straight until the leg is vertical.

The Centurion qualifying races always operate under the rules of the race walking governing body.
In the UK this is the Race Walking Association (RWA) but where ever a qualifying race is held, the IAAF rules of race walking should also apply.

The method of judging:

Race walking is classified as a "technical sport" which means that it is a judged sport and in order to enforce the rules, judges are positioned around a course to ensure that competitors comply with the rules.
The duty of a Chief Walking Judge is to organise the team of judges allocated to walks, whether on the track or on the road.
Second, the duty of each individual walking judge is to apply the rules of walking and method of judging to the walkers taking part.

In race walking, no electronic aids are used in judging competitions as the rules stipulate that any breach of the regulations must be visible to the naked eye. 
Therefore, when a judge sees a walker in danger of breaking one of the rules, he or she may caution the walker once.
This is usually is done by displaying a yellow baton with the offence identified by a symbol on each side:
> for knees, or, ~ for contact.

The next steps:

The judge then notifies the Chief Judge:

If the walker is breaking a rule, the judge fills in a disqualification card with the walker’s number, the  fault and the time, and then signs the Card.
There should be at least one Judges’ Runner to convey the card to the Chief Judge or the Chief Judge’s Recorder (the official who checks the paper work of the individual judges);
When the card has been checked for completeness, the Chief Judge or Recorder puts the walker’s number on the penalty board, normally near the finish of a lap, with a red cross or red magnetic "blob" next to it.
This means that the walker can see that he or she has lost a ‘life’.

If a walker gets three disqualification cards - each from a different judge, the Chief Judge shows the walker a red baton, which is the disqualification sign. The walker then leaves the track or road and removes his or her number. This can also happen after the race has finished, if the third card comes in late in the event.

If there are sufficient judges, the Chief Judge does not do any judging:
His/her duties are then to see the race judges are equipped with blank disqualification cards and slips on which cautions and disqualifications can be recorded; distribute the judges round the track or road so that they are fairly equally spaced, and place the penalty board so that the walkers can see it (but the judges cannot).

All judges work independently and it must be ensured that they cannot be influenced by the actions of other judges.
At the end of a race, any disqualified walker can ask the Chief Judge the reasons for the disqualification cards.

The Chief Judge collects the slips from the judges and fills in the master sheet showing all cautions and disqualifications.

At major walks (eg Championships), the master sheet is circulated to all judges so that they can compare their judgements.

Judging consistency is a good thing; on the other hand, a walker may be perfectly safe going uphill but technically bad going downhill or vice versa.
 
The Straight Knee Rule

In races of 100miles or 24 hours, the rules differ slightly in that these races are "B" races meaning that no walker will get disqualified for bent knees.
However some judges find that bent knees plus a high turn-over rate makes continuous contact difficult to judge. Unlike formal race walking, it will be up to the walker to demonstrate continuous contact!
Some UK judges will insist that knees must always be uncovered - despite the prevailing weather conditions.

Know the Rules

Race walking is a technical sport and as such has judges positioned around the course to ensure everyone complies with the rules ie walking and not breaking into a trot or run (the contact rule) and that the old legs are kept straight...ie the leading leg must be straight at the knee when the foot touches the ground and remain straight until the leg is vertical (bent knee rule).

Generaly, the 100 mile event is the RWA National Championship, therefore the IAAF rules will apply and as such, races of this distance are designated a "B" race.
In race walking speak, this means the judges would only judge on "contact" ie one foot must be in contact with the ground at any one time (or words to that effect). The "bent leg" rule is not in contention here.

Good news for the ole codgers! (see more on race walking rules above)

There are of course checks and balances.
Cautions (warnings to the walker that they are not complying with the rules) need to be given by different judges,   If the walker is breaking a rule, the judge fills in a disqualification card with the walker’s number, the fault and the time, and then signs the Card.  The  "Judges’ Runner"  conveys the card to the Chief Judge or the Chief Judge’s Recorder (the official who checks the paper-work of the individual judges)

Lessons learned:
(i) Athletes:
Know what you can and cannot wear in a race (Rules can be found on the UK Athletics website).
But, what of the "long shorts" some walkers are wearing. Some may be slightly longer than “short shorts” obscuring part of a knee. Leggings, tracksters, long tights, etc  are the norm in 100 mile and 24 hour events - especially during the night and during the winter and in times of inclement weather.
(ii) Judges:
know what you can caution a walker with: eg an athlete cannot be given a second "caution" by the same Judge for the same offence. (and perhaps just as important - how you caution the athlete. Verbal abuse is not tolerated in the workplace - nor should it be in the sports arena)

So - know the rules!

You can download the latest  IAAF Competition Rules (2011)