RegattaCentral

The course is 1000 meters long, raced downstream, for all events. It will be buoyed on the perimeter at the start, finish, and 500m marks, and accommodates 6 lanes of racing.

Categories are: Open, Junior (U-19), Masters (27-54), Seniors (55+), Recreational, and Youth (U-16). The separate Masters/Seniors categories will applied only to 1x and 2x events; otherwise 4+ and 8+ Masters events will be open to ages 27+. For events with no youth category, all athletes under 19 should race in the junior category.

ENTRIES

All competitors may participate in a maximum of 3 events. Competitors are responsible for allowing sufficient time to race in one event, land, re-queue, and launch in time for an additional event.

Hot-seating of athletes and/or boats is discouraged. The Regatta Committee accepts no responsibility for missed start times and will issue no refunds on that basis.

Entries must be received no later than Friday, June 19, 2014 at midnight. Late entries will be accepted until noon on Tuesday, June 23, but will be assessed a $5 late fee per entry, which will be in excess of the $500 cap if applicable.

Entries are to be submitted online via RegattaCentral. Online registration is open from Monday, May 11 to Friday, June 19, 2015 (June 23 for late entries, with fee assessed).

Masters competitors must submit date(s) of birth for all competitors during the entry process. Masters crews entering races not in their age category will forfeit their handicap.

Crews with missing or incomplete date of birth information will be assigned an average crew age of 27 and a 0.0 handicap. Up to 2 rowers with an age of 21-26 may be accepted into an 8+ Masters Crew at the discretion of the Regatta Committee, but such an addition will result in the handicap being forfeited. Crews seeking to have more than two U-27 rowers in a master's shell may be permitted to do so with the permission of the regatta committee, but as exhibition.

Clubs entering more than one boat for an event, please identify single scullers by name and crews by the stroke's initials. They will be listed that way on the regatta schedule. Depending upon the number of entries, the events may be split into separate club and open events according to the competitive level of the crews. Please honestly designate as such on the entry form. We want the competition to be fair.

The Regatta Committee reserves the right to limit the number of entries in any one event. Events with less than three entries may be scratched. Events with large numbers of entries may be split into separate events and/or assigned full-distance heats if appropriate. Confirmed entries will be posted on the RegattaCentral website.

Entry fees are:

1x = $24
2x/- = $36
4+ = $48
8+ = $56
($500 cap/club)

CHECK-IN

Scullers and crew representatives must check in at one of two times:

Friday, June 26 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM (Fifth Third Ballpark) 
or
Saturday, June 27 from 7:00 - 10:00 AM (Regatta HQ at Riverside Park)

Athletes checking in on Friday at Fifth Third Ballpark will also receive a State Games t-shirt and can take part in the Games' Opening Ceremonies. Overnight security will be available at the regatta site in Riverside Park on Friday night. On Saturday, the registration desk will be at the regatta headquarters tent, near the main dock.

All scratches must be reported at least one (1) hour prior to an event and no later than 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Scheduling issues must be brought to the attention of the Regatta Director prior to the Coaches & Coxswains meeting.

This regatta also serves as the rowing event for the State Games of Michigan. The State Games has an Opening Ceremonies event on Friday evening. You do not need to be a resident of Michigan to take part in this regatta or in any State Games activities or ceremonies. For athletes checking in with the State Games, check-in and complementary t-shirt are available in Comstock Park (a near north suburb of Grand Rapids) at Fifth Third Ballpark, on Friday evening. A State Games schedule is available here.

COACHES AND COXSWAINS MEETING

The Coaches & Coxswain meeting will take place in front of the Headquarters tent in Riverside Park on Saturday, June 27 before racing begins. (Scheduled time is 7:00 am) All coaches, coxswains, and scullers should plan to attend.

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:

Junior: Maximum age is 18 and in high school as of spring 2015.
Youth: Maximum age is 15 and in high school as of spring 2015.
Collegiate: Currently enrolled as a full-time student in a college or university.
Open: Unrestricted.
Master: Minimum age for all rowers is 27.
Senior: Minimum age for all rowers is 55. Senior events are limited to 1x and 2x. For 4+ and 8+ events please enter Masters races.
Mixed: An equal number of women and men in the crew. Unequal crews may be permitted to race as exhibition and only with the prior approval of the regatta director.
Rec: Recreational rowers, with no more than one coached practice/week.

Ages are as of 6/27/15.

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.

All crews must follow the instructions of the official Aligner upon reaching the starting line area. The Marshall tracks crew arrivals and pre-aligns boats for each race. A floating start is used and there are no lane markers. Be alert!!!

Do not plan on hot seating rowers or equipment unless there is a minimum of 3 races between events. Races are at 10 minute centers, except for heats which may be run on a significantly more aggressive schedule.

Notify the dockmaster if you plan to hot seat at least an hour before your event. If the dockmaster approves, they will give you a brightly colored "hot seat" 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.

Recreational single shells must be less than 22 feet in length and at least 18 inches in width. Single shells longer than 22 feet and/or narrower than 18 inches wide may not be rowed in recreation events.

REFUNDS

Except for special circumstances, the regatta committee cannot refund scratches communicated to the regatta beyond the June 16 entry close date.

RESULTS

Results will be posted as they occur at the headquarters 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 RegattaCentral, the Grand Rapids Rowing Association's web site at www.grrowing.org, as well as other rowing websites.