RegattaCentral

LAKE MERRITT SPRINTS

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Lakeside Park, 568 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610

* SAME WATER - NEW LOCATION *

Please join us for a great day of racing at the 2007 Lake Merritt Sprints Rowing Regatta on Sunday, July 29^th at Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland!   This year's regatta will be staged from our new, temporary location at the City of Oakland Lakeside Park, Lake Merritt Sailboat House located at 568 Bellevue Avenue.  Enter the venue from Grand Avenue at the Children's Fairyland Park entrance. 

WEB SITE:

Go to the Lake Merritt Rowing Club (LMRC) web site at http://www.rowlakemerritt.org for event details!

RACE SCHEDULE:

Races begin at 7:30am and conclude at approximately 4:00pm.  Every effort will be made to maintain the event sequence, however adjustments will be made based on the number of entries received, heats, scratched events, etc.  Races start on 7 minute centers – please leave ample time between events to be on time.  See preliminary race schedule on the web site.  The final regatta web site posting will be updated the week before the event and will include the updated race schedule.   Paper copies of the final schedule will be available at the Registration desk on race day.

REGISTRATION:

Registration is on-line at www.regattacentral.com.    Regatta updates will be available by adding LMRC Sprints to your RegattaCentral calendar.  Please contact the Registrar for non-electronic registration.

*****   REGISTER EARLY!  ENTRIES ARE DUE BY July 13^th    *****

WAIVERS:

A liability waiver form must be completed by every rower participating in this event.  The waiver can be downloaded from: http://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/waivers/usrowing.html.  Or, submit one waiver per year to cover multiple regattas by completing the electronic USRA waiver form at www.usra.org.    Otherwise, include signed, hard copy waivers with the Lake Merritt Sprints Registration Forms and entry fee for a complete entry packet.  Please write your club affiliation on the hard copy waiver form. 

Coaches use RegattaCentral to forward waivers to your crews!  

 RACE COURSE/EQUIPMENT:

All races will be 1,000 meters with a seven-lane buoyed course and starting platform.

BOW NUMBERS ARE REQUIRED (Please bring your own – a limited quantity will be available to loan).  Medals will be awarded to the winner of each event and made available as results become official.   

WEIGH-INS:

Lightweight rowers must weigh-in 1 hour prior to your first lightweight event.  Teams do not need to weigh-in together.  See venue map for weigh-in location.  There is no weigh-in for coxswains. 

DIRECTIONS/PARKING:

For directions to the racing venue, course map, parking and trailer parking information, please go to the LMRC web site.  There will be on-site security overnight for trailers arriving on Saturday, and parking is available inside the park and on Grand Avenue.  Boat staging is at the Sailboat House parking lot.  Note:  There is a City park entrance fee of $3.00 on weekends.  Please be prepared to pay this fee.   Thanks!

U. S. ROWING ASSOCIATION (USRA) RULES and TEAM REGISTRATION: 

USRA recommendations for safety will be followed:  bow balls and heel tie-downs or quick-release shoes are required.  USRA membership for individual participants is not required.  Please note that all rowing organizations that enter a USRA registered regatta must be a USRA member.  If you have questions about this policy please contact Jody Pope at USRA (1--800-314-4769 - or email [email protected]).  Scullers rowing as Unaffiliated are exempt.

LAKE MERRITT SPRINTS

Sunday, July 29, 2007

FEES and DEADLINES

Race Entry Deadline: Friday, July 13, 2007

Late Entry (late fee applies) Deadline:  Friday, July 20, 2007

Registration is on-line at www.regattacentral.com.  Please contact the Registrar for non-electronic entries.

On-line entries can be paid through credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or by check.  Make checks payable to: LAKE MERRITT ROWING CLUB.  All entries must include payment in full.  Entries are considered complete when the entry form, waiver and payment are received.  Send checks, and correspondence to the Registrar.Entries received after July 13^th will be assessed a $20.00 late fee PER BOAT, and event admission will be on a space-available basis.  No entries will be accepted after Friday, July 20, 2007.  No exceptions.  No changes to boat personnel will be accepted after the first race of the day has begun.

If entering Masters events, indicate each rower's age as of December 31, 2007 and the boat average age. 

AVOID THE $20.00 PER BOAT LATE FEE – SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY BY July 13^th !

FEES FOR LMRC MEMBERS:            Boats composed entirely of Lake Merritt Rowing Club members (must be in good standing) are eligible for a 50% discount if each complete entry is received by July 13^th.  Otherwise, the fees associated with "Rec'd > July 13^th" apply.

COMPETITOR CATEGORIES

MASTERS:            The event will use USRA age groups (AA:21-26, A:27-35, B:36-42, C:43-49, D:50-54, E:55-59, F:60-64, G:65-69, H:70-74, I:75-79, J: 80+).  Ages are as of 12/31/07.  Age groups may be combined based on the entries received.  All Masters races in combined age groups will be handicapped.  In team boats, the average age of the rowers (excluding cox) will determine the age group and handicap.  Average ages will be rounded down.  NOTE-new this year "AA" rowers are allowed to row all categories. 

OPEN:  No age restriction and no handicaps applied.

COXSWAINS:  May be any gender, age, weight, or level of experience.  There is no coxswain weigh-in.

LIGHTWEIGHTS:  Men 160 lb. maximum; Women 130 lb. maximum.  Weigh-ins are required.

MIXED:            One half (or more) women rowers

NOVICE:       A sculler whose first race was < 1 year ago (from 7/29/07).  Same applies to sweep rowing. 

OPEN WATER:  Maas Aeros, and other open-water boats less than 22' long.  (Maas 24s prohibited!)

"SPRINTS INTERMEDIATE": No rower in the boat shall have placed in the top 3 in any national or regional championship event.

LAKE MERRITT SPRINTS

The Lake Merritt Rowing Club strives to make this regatta enjoyable for all competitors, officials, volunteers, and spectators.  Our goal is to maximize racing opportunities for all competitors, start races on time, minimize any confusion over entries and lane assignments, and to post timely and accurate race results. To help facilitate our goal of running a smooth regatta, the following rules apply:  

RULES TO LIVE BY:

• All entries must be made electronically via RegattaCentral or in writing via mail.  Entries are considered received and complete when the entry form, waiver and appropriate fee is received by the Registrar and are due by Friday, July 20^th.   Acceptance into an event is on a space-available basis at the time the entry is received.  Please note, for those paying by check, your entry is considered complete when the fee is received. 
• No entries will be accepted after Friday, July 20^th.  No exceptions!
• Scratches requested after July 13^th will be charged $15 for each race scratched with no registration fee refund.  If you must scratch, please let the Registrar know as soon as possible.  There is no fee for scratches received by July 13^th and your entry fee will be refunded.  
• All competitor changes must be submitted in writing or via email to the Registrar prior to the first race of the day on Sunday, July 29^th.   NO COMPETITOR CHANGES will be accepted after racing has begun - no exceptions!
• Any changes to your entry categories will be made on a space-available basis only.  There will be no refunds for changes made after July 20^th that we are not able to accommodate.  For example: if a women's 4+ is entered in the 4+ WOLt race, and wants to switch to the 4+ WO race, we will make every effort to accommodate the change.  If we are not able to, and the competitor chooses not to race in the original event, the entry will be considered a 'scratch' and charged as outlined above. 
• No more than 50% of the competitors entered in a boat may be changed.  For example, if an 8+ is       entered, no more than four competitors may be replaced in the boat.  No substituting allowed in 1X races.
• After July 20^th, if competitor changes effect the average age of the boat, the registrar reserves the right     to scratch the entry with no entry refund and no scratch fee assessed.
• If we must cancel an event due to insufficient entries, the contact person on the entry form will be notified and the entry fees refunded.

REMEMBER:

•  All entries must be submitted using the forms at Regatta Central (www.regattacentral.com) and are considered complete when the form, waiver and fee is received.  
•  Entries must be received by Friday, July 13^th to register at the lower fee rate.
•  Late entries will be accepted through Friday, July 20^th on a space-available basis.
•  No entries will be accepted after Friday, July 20^th. 
•  Please bring bow numbers.
• Races will not be delayed for late arrivals to the start – Please be on time!
• Read the RULES TO LIVE BY!

QUESTIONS?

Visit the LMRC web page at http://www.rowlakemerritt.org

Registrar/Regatta Director:  Candace Swimmer

Email the Regatta Director at [email protected]

Entry Mailing Address:  1064 Carolina Street, San Francisco 94107

Telephone:  415-550-7983