RegattaCentral

LOCATION

The regatta will be held at the Grand Rapids Rowing Association Boathouse. The boathouse is located at 291 North Park Street NW, Grand Rapids, and shares a driveway with Greenleaf Landscaping.

Trailer parking and shell storage will be in the parking lot and area closest to the boathouse with athlete and spectator parking in the field on the south end of the property. For crews arriving on Friday, trailers may be dropped off between 4:00 and 8:00 PM. Gates will open beginning at 6:30 AM on Saturday morning. The boathouse is located behind a secure gate, but the regatta cannot guarantee the safety of equipment.

SITE STAGING AND PARKING

Trailer parking and equipment staging will be in the parking lot adjacent to the boathouse and in the north end of the field. Trailers should back up towards the highway to the edge of the lot. Equipment can be staged around and in front of trailers. See map at the end of the packet for detail.

Spectator and athlete parking will be in the south end of the field on both sides of the road. Drivers are asked to follow the directions of volunteers for entering the field and parking. Busses may remain on the road to the west (highway) side. See map at the end of the packet for detail.

Team tents may be set up behind the trailers (between the trail and parking lot), in the lower field across from the boathouse, or at the edge of the parking area. See map at the end of the packet for detail.

SPECTATING

The course offers ample spectating locations, including Riverside Park (for the first 1.5k), the North Park Bridge (at about the 2k mark), areas near the boathouse and along the White Pine Trail (last 1k) near the finish line. The White Pine Trail is easily accessed behind the boathouse and runs north to the finish line area and south over the North Park Bridge to Riverside Park. See map at the end of the packet for detail.

RACE COURSE AND TRAFFIC PATTERN

After launching, crews will proceed downstream for about 3000 meters to the start area. Yellow buoys will separate warm up traffic from racing traffic and crews should take care to stay to the right hand side. Obstacles will be marked with red buoys. Crews should proceed past the start line before turning and getting in bow number order for their race. A start area marshall will assist in arranging crews and directing them to the start.

At the start of the race, crews will be directed to approach the start by the marshal. This will be a running start. The start line is marked by two large orange buoys. When a crew’s bow ball crossed the start line, the starter will say “GO” to alter the crew that the clock has started. Racing crews should stay to the right of the large orange buoys. The course has ample width to avoid collisions and tight passing scenarios.

The course is 3,500 meters upstream against a minimal current. A large orange buoy will mark each 1k of the course. The finish line will be marked with two large orange buoys and a horn will sound when crews cross the finish line. After crossing the finish line, crews must continuing rowing upstream until passing the large white buoy, at which point they may spin and return to the dock. See map at the end of the packet for race course detail.