RegattaCentral

COX & COACH MEETING

...will be at 9:30 AM at the Grand Rapids Rowing Association boathouse. We intend to launch all singles shortly thereafter, and will start them at 10:00 AM. Doubles, Fours, Quads, and Eights will be launched after all singles start.

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LAUNCHING

Crews will dock-launch from the Grand Rapids Boathouse. Single shells will all launch first, and will all be started before other shells are launched and started. (I.E. next, all doubles will be launched and started, before fours are launched.) The start order will be: 1x, 2x, 4+, 4x, 8+.

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STARTING

The race will be run head-race style, with a single-file rowing start. .

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TIME & THE COURSE

We suggest budgeting 4-5 hours to complete the row, depending on shell size. 

Hazards have generally been marked with flags or buoys, but the river is a changing environment and caution should be exercised along the entire route!

Each mile point is marked with a small orange marker flag on each bank of the river. There are no signs noting which mile the flags are marking. Maybe we can do that in the future.

While we have alerted local agencies to the race happening on the river on race day, there is no way for us to close the river, and recreational or fishing boats will very likely be present along the course. Racing crews should assume that other watercraft will not know or follow rules of the river and yield to rowing shells. Additionally, hunting of waterfowl has been known to happen at various points along the course. This has never been an issue, but... we suggest wearing bright colored clothing, and make yourself known to people on shore and in other boats!

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COURSE NOTES / MILESTONES

New notes coming soon

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PACKET WITH MAPS OF EACH MILE POINT. (~4.5 Mb)
Red arrows show directions, red circles mark particularly significant hazards.

• NOTE: Everything has changed... the course will be discussed in detail at the Coach & Cox meeting on Saturday morning.
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• Knapp St. Bridge (Ada): 14.4 miles, 11.8 to go. More than halfway there! Go through the center span of this bridge as the other spans have debris or rocks in the water. There is a boat launch just before the bridge on the east/starboard side, with a vault toilet. Address in case of emergency (approximate): 5200 Knapp St. NE, Ada MI 49301.
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• Fifth set of wires: 17.7 miles, 8.5 to go.
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• Northland Drive Bridge (Belmont): 19.5 miles, 6.7 to go. There is a building (with parking underneath) on the south/port shore just before the bridge with a bank that can be accessed in an emergency. There is a Burger King and other buildings with services a short walk away from that building, to the south, that can be accessed if there is a great need to do so. (FYI, the next boathouse is in less than 2 miles.)
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• Grand Rogue campground/Rogue River confluence: 20.4 miles, 5.8 to go. Watch out for kayakers and stand up paddleboarders. Campground services can be accessed in an emergency.
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• Island: 20.7 miles, 5.5 to go. Stay to the wide north/starboard side as the south/port channel is difficult to get through.
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• Jupiter Bridge (Belmont): 21.3 miles, 4.9 to go. All spans are generally safe, although debris tends to gather around the southernmost spans. The Jupiter boathouse is on the north/starboard shore just past the bridge.
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• Jupiter boathouse: 21.4 miles, 4.8 to go. Rowing dock, water, first aid, restrooms. Address in case of emergency: 5501 Jupiter Ave NE, Belmont, MI 49306.
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• Last (sixth) set of wires & baseball stadium: 24.5 miles, 1.7 to go. The end is just around the bend!
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• Grand Rapids Boathouse/Finish Dock: 25.2 miles, 1.0 to go. Pass the dock, staying closer to the east/port shore. Shells that are docking after the finish may be approaching the dock to your starboard side. Stay alert! The end is in sight!
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• North Park Street Bridge (Grand Rapids): 25.8 miles, .4 to go. Stay at least 1-2 spans out from the east/port shore. You're in the home stretch!
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• I-96 bridges (Grand Rapids): 25.9 miles, .3 to go. Try to stay calm, as if that's possible.
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• FINISH: 26.2 miles. There will be a public boat launch to your port side, and shells that have finished to your starboard. Continue until you hear the finish horn and between two large white cube buoys. Congratulations! You've done it! Take a breath, then turn to starboard to paddle it back up to the dock.

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ELIGIBILITY

All races are open as far as age, experience level, etc., and categories are limited to gender. Women's and men's crews must be made up fully of rowers of that respective gender, including the coxswain if they also plan to row. Mixed crews should be exactly half of each gender, except that the coxswain's gender will not be taken into account, even if the coxswain also rows.

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FINISHING

Stay tuned

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CREW MAKEUP

Rowers can switch places and positions within the shell as much as they feel is necessary, including with coxswains. Especially for sweep crews, we suggest that rowers switch sides at least once during the race. Crews that plan to switch rowers in and out of the crew during the race should email the regatta director with their intention. (That is, one or more rowers are planned to row for a portion of the race, and then be replaced by a rower who has not previously rowed in the race.) This is acceptable, but crews that switch rowers in and out along the way will be raced as exhibition.

Bow numbers will be distributed to all crews, and should be placed in bow clips. At both the start and the finish lines, times will only be recorded for crews with bow numbers in place on the shell.

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ROWER BEHAVIOR

Crews are expected to be dressed as a team, although no penalties will be assessed for crews that are not dressed perfectly the same.

Small shells are started first with larger shells following, so there will certainly be passing. Take care and be respectful as you pass. Do not force a shell being overtaken (nor overtaking) into the shore or hazard. Some areas of the river are more prone to hazards or faster currents. Use good judgment and treat your fellow rowers as you would have them treat you, regardless of what crew or team they represent. We're all in this together.

As with all GRRA regattas, we expect crews to be respectful and polite during races, and trash-talking, hurtful language, or aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. Safety launches will be stationed at few points along the course to monitor progress and participants' safety. Report conduct unbecoming of a rower to the official on the course and appropriate action will be taken. Remember, very few rowers have ever taken part in a race of this length, and there will be a wide range of experience levels, ages, and physical capabilities among the crews. Please keep an eye on your crewmates and other rowers on the course. If someone seems to be having trouble, ask if they need help. If there is a medical issue, call regatta officials (numbers will be given out at the regatta) and help can be sent.