RegattaCentral

Thank you for entering the 2010 Cooper Cup Regatta.This is by far the largest regatta we have hosted since the regatta began in 2005.We are happy to do it and we have great referees that, while they need to put in a long day, are happy to work with us.

We also will need a lot of help from the teams attending the event.Please read all of the information here and follow all directions as we will need to work together to pull this off and allow everyone to have their best race possible.

First, please get all scratches into Eileen Normoyle prior to Sunday.We will condense any event we can due to scratches.In the case of being able to eliminate a heat in the varsity events we will redraw the event or move boats into open lanes.Eileen email is [email protected]

Second, we will need cooperation in parking trailers.You must follow the directions given to you by our volunteer parents helping to park trailers.We are planning to mark aisles for the trailers.Trailers coming in for Saturday?s regatta and staying will have a designated area on Friday or Saturday morning to park.Space is going to be tight with the number of teams that will be coming in so we have to be strict with the parking.

If you are arriving Saturday you must wait for the Saturday event to end and clear out before parking in the staging area.

Third, while we have a set schedule with times we will start races as soon as possible.If we are running ahead of schedule you must launch your boats when they are called.With the number of races and the already tight centers it is not likely we will get way ahead but any time we can save we will.You and your crews must stay alert and come to the dock when called.

Fourth, races will be called and launched in order, instruct your crews to stay in order as they row up to the start line.Queue up as soon as you are called and make sure your boat is race ready, secure bow ball and heels tied down.We will not hold up racing if your boat is not ready to go on the water.

When launching please have a couple of extra rowers to help get oars to the crew launching so we do not have kids going back and forth.As soon as oars are in the boat get your crew in, shove off and tie in on the water.We need to clear the docks quickly for the next boat.

Fifth, marshals will direct your crews around the finish line and at the start line.When you get to the start the marshal there will line up crews from lane 6 to 1 and hold them at the side of the course.As soon as a race clears the breakage zone the next race will be sent into their lanes.Crews must lock onto stake boats as quickly as possible.Once locked on and aligned the race will start.

Coaches, make sure your crew knows how to get on a stake boat and how to spike the boat to get it straight (2 taking bow?s oar or 3 taking 2?s oar).If a crew can not get itself aligned in atimely manner it may be eliminated.We can not wait for a crew that does not know how to handle their boat.

Very Important:If the wind makes it difficult to get boats into the stake boats the starter has the option to go to a floating start.

Last, if weather dictates that we must eliminate races we will start with the novice events.We will make every attempt to run all varsity heats and finals.That means worst case scenario we will run varsity finals right after the heats then reverse the order of the 2^ndVarsity/JV and Novice races starting with 2^nd Varsity/JV 4x?s, then8?s and so forth with Novice 1x?s rowing last.

If racing is suspended at any point we will just pick up with the event scheduled for the time we plan to resume racing or depending on the time and circumstances go directly to the varsity finals.Please stay alert during the day and be prepared to race whatever boats are called when they are called.

Obviously we hope to just follow the schedule but as said if weather dictates changes you must also be prepared.Any changes will be announced with enough time to adapt.

See you all Sunday and let?s hopeand pray for good weather.

Thank you,