fun hunt rules and water retrieve question?

[dottie]

I would like to have my Brittany water retrieve a bird. The rules in the fun hunt say that the following will occur.......
duck call and tossed bird from hidden position,gun shot....then dog can be released from the line to retrive the bird.. I assume that we are at heel on the water bank before the process begins. My questions are ....given he is a pointer do I
1. Have dog sit ...rather than whoa/stand
2. Encourage the dog to mark , saying "mark" and indicating direction with hand/arm
3. Release dog from sit...
Do I treat the process more like a duck hunting situtation or an upland bird hunt where the bird just happens to fall in the water?
As you can tell from my post I am a total novice at this dog training thing so I if I should have provided more information or whatever ...please explain.

Thanks

[Sharon]

Chapter 2: Regulations for AKC Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds: … “shall be open
to all pointing breeds six months of age or older on the first day of the event. The
Water Test shall be judged by two approved field trial or hunting test judges. The
dog shall retrieve a dead game bird or pigeon from the water after a swim of about
20 yards to the bird. A blank pistol shall be fired while the bird is in the air. The
handler shall stand (6) six feet from the water and the dog may be restrained by
holding its collar. The dog must demonstrate its willingness to enter the water, to
swim, and to retrieve, at the direction of its handler without being touched or
intimidated. The dog shall retrieve the bird to within two steps of the handler. The
handler may give multiple commands. However, at some point the judges must
conclude that the dog is unwilling to enter the water and the dog shall fail. Style
shall not be considered. The dogs shall not be placed, but shall either pass or fail.”