RegattaCentral

General Information:

ENTRIES

All competitors may participate in multiple events. Competitors are responsible for allowing sufficient time to race in one event, land, re-queue, and launch in time for an additional event.

Competitors will not be allowed to land or launch out of order and hot-seating of athletes and/or boats is strongly discouraged. The Regatta Committee accepts no responsibility for missed start times and will issue no refunds on that basis.

Entries must be received with entry fee no later than Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 11:59 pm.

Entries are to be submitted... no exceptions! Late entries can be requested and, if accepted, are subject to a $20 fee per entry.

Masters competitors must submit date(s) of birth for all competitors during the entry process. Crews with missing or incomplete date of birth information will race as a 27-year-old rower. The Regatta Committee reserves the right to limit the number of entries in any one event. Confirmed entries will be posted on the Regatta Central website.

Head race: 1x = $20          2x/- = $30        4x/+ = $40       8+ = $50
Stake Race: $10. $500 total cap/club

REGISTRATION

Scullers and crew representatives must report to Regatta Registration at one of two times:

Friday, October 23 from 4 - 8 PM or Saturday, October 24 from 7 - 9 AM.

The registration desk will be at the regatta headquarters tent, just north of the footbridge in Riverside Park.

All scratches must be reported at least one (1) hour prior to an event and no later than 10:00 a.m. on race day.

SAFETY

All shells must be equipped with a bow ball. Each set of shoes within the shell must be equipped with properly-secured heel tie-downs.

REFUNDS

The regatta committee will not refund scratches communicated to the regatta beyond the October 17 entry close date.

RESULTS

Results will be posted as they occur at the Registration tent. Results will be unofficial until such time as the reports of the referees have been received and penalties assessed.

After the race, official results will be available on the Grand Rapids Rowing Association's web site at www.grrowing.org as well as other rowing websites.

SCHEDULE

Races begin at 9:00 am. The final event should be completed before 3:00 pm. Breaks and lunch are built into the schedule and will be used to get back on schedule as needed. A schedule of events is available on Regatta Central. Please do not schedule the same equipment/people in races less than 60 minutes apart. This ensures that boats/crews have enough time to make the 3 km row to the start comfortably. Boats will not be allowed to row outside their scheduled times, unless directed to do so by officials.

Should you wish to add a boat to a race, you must do so no less than 90 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. If you wish to drop a boat from a race, notify registration and the dock master at least 45 minutes before the start of the race.

COACHES AND COXSWAINS MEETING

The coaches and coxswains meeting is scheduled for 8:00 am at the headquarters tent.

BOW MARKERS

Bow markers will be distributed from a desk at the launch area. Bow markers must be returned at the conclusion of racing. A $10.00 charge will be assessed if the bow markers are not returned. All shells must have bow clips to race.

CLASSIFICATIONS

The following definitions are used at this regatta:

Novice:           Persons who have not competed in a rowing event prior to 10/24/2008.
Junior:            Maximum age is 18 as of 12/31/2009 and currently in high school.
Collegiate:     Currently enrolled as a full-time student in a college or university.
Open:             Unrestricted.
Master:           Minimum age for all rowers is 27 as of 12/31/2009. 
Mixed:            An equal number of women and men in the crew. 

HANDICAPS FOR MASTERS EVENTS (Head Race Only)

Handicaps are figured on average age of the crew, not counting the coxswain. Handicaps will be assigned by age class. Rowers competing as masters who fail to provide ages for each rower in the boat will not be given any handicap.

COLORS

We ask that all members of a crew wear shirts of a uniform design and color to help officials in identifying crews.

FIRST AID

There will be a first aid tent near the regatta headquarters tent. There will also be a mobile EMS unit on site.

PROTESTS

Any protests must be filed on the water to a referee or to the on-shore launch area official. Your team will be assessed a $25 fee for protests, although the fee will be returned if your protest is upheld. Protests will be forwarded to the head referee for consideration.

PARTICIPANT LIABILITY

Coaches and participants are reminded that participation in the regatta involves a moderate risk of injury and/or property damage. While the regatta organizers will take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of participants, officials and volunteers, participation in the regatta is at one's own risk and responsibility for claims deriving from personal injury, damage or loss. While the regatta committee provides security for shells in Riverside Park on Friday night, visiting crews are advised to take all reasonable precautions as the regatta committee cannot guarantee the safety of equipment.

VIEWING

The best places to view the head race are Canal Street Park or Leonard Street bridge (start), Ann Street bridge, along the riverbend in Riverside Park, or on North Park Street bridge (finish). The best place to view the stake race will be the North Park bridge, accessed by a paved riverside trail approximately 3/4 mile north of the main regatta tents.

SPORTSMANSHIP

All participants, coaches, and spectators are expected to exhibit good sportsmanship. Disrespectful language or behavior may be subject to disqualification from the regatta.  

REGULATION

The Grand River Challenge is administered by the Grand Rapids Rowing Association. The regatta is not currently registered as a USRowing-sanctioned event, although the USRowing Rules of Rowing are generally utilized. Moreover, all junior athletes, including scholastic teams, are welcome at the regatta and are encouraged to participate. The event is neither governed nor sanctioned by the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan.

Head Race Information:

LAUNCHING

We will be calling races to launch, but it is the crew's responsibility to launch on time. Have boats ready to launch (with correct bow markers) at least 35 minutes prior to the official race start time. This is a wet launch regatta; please be prepared to wet launch. No docks will be available for rowing use. All crews should plan on a 3 km downstream row to the start. As a general rule, departing boats will have priority over arriving boats. Watch for arriving crews with a bright green card; they are hot seating. There will be an official on shore in the launch area to help coordinate traffic, but please respect other teams and move quickly and efficiently. After launching, proceed downstream to the start on the far bank/west side of the course. You will be crossing the race course, watch for shells that are racing!

HOT SEATING

If your boat requires hot seating for a crew right after your race, check with the launch area official prior to leaving the dock for your race. If she/he approves, she/he will give you a bright green card. When you have finished your race, hold up the card up for the finish-line official. The finish official and launch area official will make every effort to give you priority docking, but safety and fairness are their primary responsibilities. Move quickly and make sure the hot-seating crew is ready in the launch area to take your boat.

TRAFFIC PATTERN

• White buoys mark the division between the warm-up and racing lanes. All boats must keep the white buoys to port side at all times, whether warming up or racing. Oars may cross the white buoy line, but the hull may not cross. Anytime a hull violates the white buoy line, a 10-second penalty will be assessed.
• Orange buoys mark shallow areas and submerged hazards. They are self enforcing. We make every effort to mark all hazards, but the river changes constantly. Crowd the orange buoys at your own risk.
•  Use the bridge spans as marked with striped flags. In general, shells warming up will stay to the furthest west usable span (with the correct span marked by a flag on the bridge), while shells racing will be one span to the east, marked by a flag on the bridge. For the I-96 bridges, the correct span will be marked with flags on the bridge support piers.
• At the start, do not go downstream past the Sixth Street bridge. There is a dam just past the bridge. If you pass the bridge, you will be severely penalized!
• After crossing the finish line, continue rowing ~100 meters before turning to port to return to the launch area. Stay to the west shore of the river as you return. As you cross the course to land the shell, watch for shells on the race course!

STARTING

• Be sure you have firmly attached your correct bow marker. (They are pre-assigned and are included in your club race packet from the registration tent).
• Be at the start at least 5 minutes before the official start time of your race. (The distance to the start from the launch area is approximately 3 km, and may take 20-25 minutes at a warm-up pace.)
• This is a flying start, in single file. Line up in order of your bow marker numbers, from lowest to highest. (A 10-second penalty may be assessed for boats missing their place in the starting order or interfering with crews approaching the start. Boats may be assessed a 60-second penalty for having an incorrect bow marker or no bow marker.)
• As directed by the starter or marshall, cross the starting line at race pace about 10 to 20 seconds behind the preceding boat.
• If any boats go past the Sixth Street bridge (~1000' downstream of the start line) their entire team may be disqualified from the regatta, and they may be personally subject to arrest by the Sheriff! We know, it's harsh.

RACING RULES

• See the "Traffic Pattern" guidelines for course boundaries and penalties.
• Boats racing have the right of way over all other boats. Any non-racing boat that interferes with a race will be subject to a 30-second penalty or possible exclusion from its race.
• An overtaking boat is considered to be overtaking when it moves to within a boat length of the boat it's approaching. When passing another boat, the overtaking boat has the right of way, but is obliged to make it apparent to the boat ahead on which side it wishes to pass. Generally, overtaking boats should pass on the starboard side, since boats warming up will be coming downstream on port side. The boat being overtaken must yield room to the overtaking boat, usually on the outside of a corner. If, in the opinion of the officials, insufficient room is given, a 30-second penalty may be assessed. However, no overtaking boat should press its right of way to the point of collision.
• Racing boats interfering with other racing boats will be subject to a 30-second penalty or possible exclusion from the race.
•  If one or more rowers is ejected from a boat during a race, the affected crew must stop and remain with those individuals until all are safely out of the water or official safety help arrives.
• Respect for the safety of other competitors and equipment must be shown at all times. If, in the opinion of the officials, a crew is behaving in a dangerous or reckless manner, that crew may be excluded from its race.

NOTE

• Cell phones and other electronic external communication devices are not allowed in racing shells.
• The Regatta Committee reserves the right to rule on any situations not specifically covered in these rules and assess penalties as appropriate.

Stake Race Information:

LAUNCHING

The stake race will follow the last head race. All participating shells must launch before the first boats are started.

STARTING

Singles will be started first, en masse, followed by pairs, doubles, fours, quads, and eights. The starter shall include a delay of approximately thirty seconds between each the departure of each class of shell.

TRAFFIC PATTERN

All shells should stay to the east side of the river while heading upstream. Either of the two easternmost spans of the I-96 bridges and the North Park bridge may be used while heading upstream.

Shells will pass a gray shack on the west shore of the river, approximately 500 meters past the North Park bridge. A referee launch will be anchored in the center of the river, parallel to the gray shack. This launch will serve as the stake. All shells should pass the stake boat on the east (the stake boat should be on the port side), and complete a full 180 degree turn across the river, keeping the stake boat to port at all times.

Return to the start/finish line on the west side of the river, using the two westernmost spans of both the North Park and the I-96 bridges.

INCENTIVES

Participants in the stake race will attempt to retrieve rubber duckies from the river during the return to the finish line. The duckies will be thrown from the North Park bridge into the return (west) racing lanes. Each ducky will be numbered, with numbers corresponding to prizes, available for pickup on shore after the end of the race. Each crew can pick up as many duckies as there are crew members in the shell. For example, a single can pick up 1 ducky, a pair or double can pick up 2, a coxed four can pick up 5, and an eight can get 9 duckies. Picking up more than the maximum allowance of duckies will result in forfeiture by that crew of all duckies picked up! Duckies may be picked up by any member of the crew, however, crew members must be seated in their shell to retrieve a ducky. If a roweris ejected or a shell swamps or capsizes, the rower(s) in the water may not pick up duckies until they are back in the shell. Crews must cross the finish line to redeem duckies for prizes.

CAUTION!

This race is designed to be slow, chaotic, and fun. No times will be recorded, so take your time, be careful, and exercise caution around other shells and crews! It is likely that people will be falling into the river, so be very careful navigating around them and other shells. Safety launches with lifejackets will be on and near the course at all times.