Gator Head Regatta
- Hosted By: Gainesville Area Rowing, Inc.
Welcome to Gator Head 2022. This one-day race has been running since 1996 and is held on Newnan’s Lake, 7400 East University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida.
Racing/Competitor Information:
COURSE:
The race is run over a 5k stretch that starts at the south side of the lake, loops around the west side before finishing on the straight in line with the GAR boathouse.
Coaches and Coxswain meeting 7:15.
The middle school events will take place on a shortened stretch ranging approximately 2k but also finishing in line with the GAR boathouse. Middle School Events will be during the Refs lunch break. Coaches and LOC Marshalls will manage these events. Middle School coaches please consider this a short regatta in between morning and afternoon events The break is to allow for any hot seating for your Middle School race events.
A course map is available on ‘Regatta Central’ and will be covered in the coxes and coaches meeting that will take place at the beginning of the day. Please ensure all coaches, coxswains and steersmen/women are familiar with the course.
WARM UP:
Crews are welcome to do whatever warm up they like within a few parameters. Crews should never be stationary for more than a minute unless they have either a medical or equipment emergency or are waiting to be called by the start official(s). In either of these instances, the nearest official should be alerted immediately.
Once near the start, crews are welcome to circulate in both directions, provided they follow the instructions of the officials and are not putting either themselves or other crews in danger.
Crews are expected to report to the start line no later than 5 minutes before their event with an accurate bow/bib number. Any crew that is late or not displaying a number may be subject to a penalty.
EVENTS:
In an attempt to streamline the day and make the racing schedule more efficient, certain events that were previously offered have been removed from the preliminary schedule. However, if any prospective team would like to see an event offered that isn’t currently on the schedule, please do not hesitate to contact the regatta to request it. Contact details can be found at the bottom of this document.
CLASSIFICATION & ELIGIBILITY:
(a) Junior/Youth: A Junior/Youth is a competitor who in the current calendar year does not attain the age of 19, or who is and has been continuously enrolled in secondary school as a full-time student seeking a diploma. A competitor thus ceases to be a Junior after December 31 of the year of his or her 18th birthday, or of the year in which he or she completes the 12th grade of secondary school, having been a full-time student, whichever is later.
(b) Novice: A Novice is a competitor who in the current calendar year does not attain the age of 19, or who is and has been continuously enrolled in secondary school as a full-time student seeking a diploma. Additionally, a competitor must be in their first year of competition at the High School level, regardless of age. Thus, anyone of the age of 14 or higher is eligible to row as a novice, provided they have never competed at the high school level, prior to October 22nd, 2021.
(c) Master: A Master is a competitor who has attained or will attain the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the highest contained integer. A competitor thus becomes a Master on January 1 of the year of his or her 21st birthday. A Masters crew shall be comprised exclusively of Masters rowers, but the coxswain need not be a Master.
(d) Masters crews shall be classified by age according to the following categories: (AA) 21 to 26 years, (A) 27 to 35 years, (B) 36 to 42 years, (C) 43 to 49 years, (D) 50 to 54 years, (E) 55 to 59 years, (F) 60 to 64 years, (G) 65 to 69 years, (H) 70 to 74 years, (I) 75 to 79 years, (J) 80 and over. The age category of a Masters crew shall be determined by the average age of the rowers in the crew, rounded to the nearest integer. The age of a coxswain shall not be counted. The ages of individual rowers need not fall within the age category, so long as each rower is a Master and so long as the average age of the crew falls within the applicable category.
Mixed crews are expected to have at least 25% of each gender in 4s and 8s (i.e. 2 minimum in an 8+ and 1 minimum in a 4x/+/-) not including the cox. For those competing in mixed 2-/xs, crew members must be of the opposite gender.
This regatta will only be accepting US Rowing waivers. Waivers can be submitted online prior to the regatta and hard copies can be submitted during registration on Saturday.
REGISTRATION:
Registration should be completed online through ‘RegattaCentral’.
WEIGH-INS:
Coxwains: There is no required minimum weight for coxes. However, coaches are expected to only boat coxswains of an appropriate age, weight and experience level so that they are capable of handling their boat efficiently.
Lightweights: Male lightweights are not to exceed 160lbs and female athletes should not exceed 130lbs.
OFFICIALS, PENALTIES AND APPEALS:
There will be officials stretched across the entire course as well as marshalling the dock. However, please recognize that most officials are volunteers and as such may not be faultless. Penalties may be awarded to crews for a range of infractions which can include the use of profanity, causing danger or harm to other athletes or officials, exceeding the limits of the race course etc. Penalties will be applied to a crew’s time upon completing the course. In the instance of any issues or appeals, please report to our head referee. They will consider all complaints and appeals but the referee reserves the right to respond how they see fit. Please respect whatever decision is reached. Teams are to pay a $50 cash fee in order to file an appeal.
Spectator Information:
TENTS:
Every team will be assigned a space for a team tent. Gator head requests that teams use this as a congregation/changing space and that no team brings a grill.
PARKING:
All Boat trailers should be parked at the University of Florida Boathouse under the direction of parking officials. The trailer parking is available Friday 4:00-7:00pm and Saturday morning from 6:00am. All other spectators, parents and volunteers follow signage to adjacent parking. Please follow signs and directions of the volunteers. There will be a $5 donation for all vehicles parked with the exception of trailers/towing vehicles and officials’ cars.
Contact details:
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact any of the following:
Jessica Brougham, GAR Head Coach
(509) 592-5850
Jennifer Spillane, Gator Head Director
Alison Glover, GAR President