RegattaCentral

EVENT DATE: May 22, 2016

ENTRY WINDOW:  Regular Registration: Jan 1 - May 8, 2016
                            Late Registration: May 9 - May 15, 2016

The Oak Ridge Dogwood Regatta event registration uses www.regattacentral.com

Oak Ridge Rowing Association will use USRowing 2016 Rules of Rowing

REGATTA LOCATION: 697 Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830

REGATTA DIRECTOR: Jim Rogers         865.482.6538 (o); [email protected]   

Please email the regatta/event host with any related questions

REGATTA STAFF:

Director:                    Sarah McAuliffe 865.482.6538 (o); [email protected]
Event Host and Services Coordinator:
                                Sarah McAuliffe 865.482.6538 (o); [email protected]
Chief Referee:            Jan Kaman

FEES: 8+: $80,        4+/4x: $60,         2x/2-: $40,          1x : $20
Late fee: an additional $10/event.

Registration

ORRA strives to have a smooth and fast registration process. To that end, ORRA partners with Regatta Central to manage our regattas.  One of the biggest frustrations with the registration process is WAIVERS. We have a liability responsibility to verify all participants have a current waiver and we do that through our Regatta Central portal.  All too frequently, this is a source of frustration for both our visiting organizations and our registration team.

The issue is most commonly identified as multiple USRowing waivers for the athlete/participant

The solution: Use USRowing’s roster management to clean up and verify all athletes BEFORE attending a USRowing regatta.  

Link: https://rosters.usrowing.org/

If you have questions or issues with roster management, please contact USRowing.

The Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic

BECOME A REGATTA VOLUNTEER!  Click HERE!!

WAIVERS:  Due May 15, 2016.  Waivers must be completed on-line https://rosters.usrowing.org/ as no ‘hard-copy’ waivers will be accepted. Each team shall be responsible for the conduct, physical fitness, including the ability to swim, of its competitors.

The Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic is a USRowing registered regatta and requires USRowing organizational membership prior to arriving on site to participate. USRowing Membership can be purchased on-line at http://www.usrowing.org.

CHECK-IN: As trailers arrive, please check in at ORRA Boathouse with attendant.  Teams must check-in at registration at the ORRA Boathouse:

Friday May 20, 2016 from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM; Saturday May 21, 2016 from 8:00AM - 7:00PM; Sunday May 22, 2016 from 7:00AM to 9:00AM

COACH AND COX MEETING: There will be one C&C meeting for the Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic. The meeting will be held on the south side of ORRA Boathouse. All crews will be responsible for the information delivered at the meeting, regardless of attendance.

·       Sunday May 22, 7:00 AM for all events 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: The tentative schedule and times for all final events are subject to change; actual order of events will be published on www.regattacentral.com under the events tab once registration closes.

BOW MARKERS: Registrants will be furnished with bow number markers.  Please return all bow numbers to the Launch and Recovery officials or to Registration. Crews/teams who do not return the bow number will be assessed a $10.00 fee. 

LANE SELECTION: Lane selection will be done using regatta software. This regatta management software collects the data from Regatta Central and seeds crews randomly. Please note that we will be downloading and drawing the lanes on Wednesday evening. It will be posted on the web at www.regattacentral.com under the “Heat Sheet/Draw” tab that evening. This will not be the final heat sheet and will be subject to changes. The final heat sheet will be distributed to coaches on site upon signing-in. All lane assignments and updates will be posted on the www.regattacentral.com.

PROGRESSION: The Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic Regatta will use a progression systems all events, based on the number of event entries. 

EVENT ENTRY LIMITS, DESCRIPTIONS, & PRIORITY

LATE ENTRIES: Late entries are due by Sunday, May 15, 2016. There is a $10 late fee per event. Withdrawals or scratches received on or before May 15, 2016 are entitled to a full refund. Withdrawals or scratches received after May 15, 2016 will forfeit their entry fee. 

EVENT ENTRY LIMITS: There is an entry cap of 12-18 for all events. There will be a waitlist used if entries reach the cap.

·       Hot seating must be arranged with the Control Commission official before the scheduled race.

·       No consideration shall be given to scheduling conflicts of competing in multiple events; the regatta will proceed on time and will not be held for hot seating crews.

·       Each event must have a minimum of three entries to constitute a race.  Races without three entries will be cancelled.

Masters Events: 1000-meter races from fixed starting positions, starting at the midpoint of the full 2000-mm race course, and finishing at the 2000-meter mark. Starting platform with fingers provided at the 1000-m mark. No floating starts.

Masters Events are open to all athletes who have attained or will attain the age of 23 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the nearest whole number.

The Dogwood Regatta will use the USRowings handicap formulas for calculating times.

A Masters crew shall be comprised of Masters rowers, excluding the coxswain. Competition is allowed in a younger age category but not in an older age category. Events will include novice and open weight boat classes in both genders. Athletes in each event are required to be of the same gender as well as in the similar uniform.

Every athlete in this category must be in a position to prove his age by presentation of an official document if requested. The Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic Regatta will use a progression system for all events, based on the number of event entries. Each event must have a minimum of three entries to constitute a race. Master events will be grouped for registration purposes. Time handicaps will be used. Coxswains for Masters events are not required to weigh-in

RULES

PRACTICE: The course will be open for teams prior to the start of racing for practice as follows

       - Friday starting at 12:00 PM until dusk. No crews are permited to row in the dark.  All crews must be off the water 30min prior to posted sunset time.  
       - Saturday starting at 8:00 AM until dusk. No crews are permited to row in the dark.  All crews must be off the water 30min prior to posted sunset time.

All practices are at “own risk”. The traffic pattern during practice times is right hand rule and use of lanes 0,1 toward the start. Lanes 2,3 are closed to traffic . Lanes 4, 5, 6 toward the finish. Any questions about practice times and rules will be directed to the LOC.

PROTEST: “US Rowing Rule 2-605 Lodging a Protest (*)

(a) A protest involving the conduct of a Race shall be lodged by the Crew at the finish while it is still

on the water and before the Referee declares the Race to be official, unless circumstances beyond

its control prevent it from doing so. A coach or other Team member may not lodge such a protest

on behalf of a Crew. A protest concerning exclusion of a Crew at the start may be lodged with the

Starter at the time the penalty is imposed.

(1) A protest concerning any action on land shall be lodged by an affected Team member

with the Chief Judge, or with another Race Official designated by the Chief Referee,

within one hour after being informed of such action. The protest statement required under

Rule 2-606 (“Filing the Protest Statement”) shall be filed within the same time.

(b) A Crew wishing to lodge a protest shall signal to the Referee immediately after finishing the Race

by having a member of the Crew raise his or her hand until the attention of the Referee has been

gained. The Crew shall then explain its objection and state its requested resolution or outcome.

(c) The Referee shall make his or her decision, inform the Crew of his or her decision, and then

display a white or red flag as described in Rule 2-501 (“Finish of the Race”).

US Rowing Rule 2-606 Filing the Protest Statement (*)

Once a protest is lodged, a Crew wishing to be heard before the Jury shall submit a concise written statement, describing the facts that underlie the protest and the relief that the Crew seeks, to the Chief Judge, or another Race Official designated by the Chief Referee whose identity is conspicuously posted, within one hour after it reaches land. The statement shall be accompanied by cash or check payable to the LOC in the amount of $50. A protest in which such a statement is not filed shall not be heard.”

The written protest must be filed with the Regatta Director, The Chief Referee or his/her designee and the fee paid within 60 minutes from reaching land.

THE COURSE Rowing will be northwest to southeast downstream from the start below the Riverside Restaurant (at the full-course 1000-meter mark) to the UT-Battelle Finish Tower.  The distance markers are placed on the eastern shore and will count toward the finish (1000 | 1500 | 2000). The course will include six (6) buoyed lanes with lane markers hung from the starting bridge. The lanes will be numbered from left to right (0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6). Lane six will be closest to the finish tower on the west side of course. Lane “0” is the travel lane toward the start that is on the east side of the course.  A Starter’s Tower will be used to aid in the teams viewing of the starter’s flag. Each lane is equipped with an individual loud speaker.

LAUNCHING: There will be three calls to launch prior to each event as scheduled. Launch officials at the launch docks will make every effort to launch boats on time. It is your responsibility to report to the starting line on time, regardless if you hear the race calls or not. A representative must check-in with the dock master before launching for every race. Coaches and coxswains should be ready to launch no less than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time of their event. Traffic rules will be posted at the launch docks (launch docks 1 and 2 will be used for launching of crews, recovery docks 3 and 4 will be used for recovery of crews, the two docks located closest to the boathouse are for emergency use and referees only). Approaches to and from the launching docks must be kept clear. Crews should spend no more than 2 minutes on the docks. Traveling to the start - Exit the embayment yielding to regatta traffic approaching on course. Cross the racecourse at directly as possible to far shore. Turn to port after clearing all course lanes.  

DO NOT YIELD OR STOP INSIDE OF COURSE LANES. There should be large pink buoys to mark outer limits of racecourse. Crews can warm up with caution as they travel up the eastern shore toward the start.  Maintain single file past the racecourse. Avoid doing practice starts until you pass the starting line. Boats must stop rowing when events on the course approach (150m).

Warm-up area - Crews may proceed up stream, but are asked to stay below the railroad bridge (warm up limit). Travel in a counter clockwise direction.  As your race time approaches, please return to the Staging area that begins at the full-course 500m mark.  Stay with in site and audible distance of the start marshals. Please check in with the start Marshal at the 500m mark upon your arrival to the warm-up area.

Staging Area  - Marshals will stage crews below the 500m mark.  Marshals will call the race to line up in reverse lane order to enter the course. Check in with marshal upon arrival to the staging area to ensure that you are slotted correctly at the start platform.

Finish Area  - Crews should exit the finish area as soon as possible after the Regatta Official has raised the white flag signaling that the race is “official”. A warm down area is provided beyond the course for 250m. Crews should not travel around the next river bend while warming down. Crews will exit the finish area between the course and the finish line tower, stay off the course while exiting the course (roadside/West). Do not stop on the finish line while leaving the course.

AWARDS

Medals will be awarded as results are finalized. Medals awarded to first, second, and third place for all races. A crew must beat another crew to be awarded medals (ie. only Gold and Silver will be award in a three boat race). Medals may be picked up at the boathouse and results will be posted on the bulletin board outside the boathouse.  Note that medals will not be mailed to winners without prior arrangement.  

RULES OF THE VENUE

The Oak Ridge Dogwood Masters Classic will be conducted in accordance with the 2016 USRowing “Rules of Rowing”.

SPECTATORS: There is no charge to enter Melton Lake Park. The park is tentatively scheduled to open at 6:00 AM each morning until dark each night.

GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY: ORRA shares the venue with the Oak Ridge Community. ORRA has established the following NO PARKING ZONES, to continue to have a good relationship in the future.

·       No parking is permitted in the neighborhoods that border the course.

·       The Palisades, located near the starting line, has a no parking zone at the entrance of the neighborhood. Signs have been posted and citations will be given for parking here.

·       The Copper Cellar Restaurant, at the start area, has asked that spectators stay off grass and from under structures, unless you are eating a meal there. Please respect the patrons and do not interfere with customers.

GREENWAYS: local citizens and event participants alike share the greenway that runs along the entire venue. Please keep equipment a minimum of 3 feet from the trail. Groups walking along or stretching on the green way need to allow easy passage by walkers and bikers.

TENTS: Staking is absolutely forbidden anywhere on the venue. High power lines are buried all along the venue.  Tents must be placed in accordance with venue regulations.

PAVILION: the pavilion located in the park near the playground is intended as an open access structure for non-scheduled activities. Programs that require use of the pavilion for large groups are required to contact the City of Oak Ridge to reserve the structure for a fee.

CONCESSIONS & MERCHANDISE: Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the regatta site from the Atomic Rowing Booster Club, in addition to other independent food vendors.

Grilling is permitted on the peninsula area. Teams are required to have a fire extinguisher in their cooking area.

Merchandise - Official Dogwood Masters Classic apparel will be available on the day of the regatta. Unauthorized sale of merchandise, food or drink is not permitted.

Handicapped Needs - Please advise the regatta staff, of any special needs regarding services for handicap assistance at least 7 days prior to the regatta.

SECURITY: Regatta trailer parking security will be provided from 7:00 P.M. Friday to 7:00 A.M. Saturday, as well as 7:00 P.M. Saturday to 7:00 A.M Sunday.

ACCOMMODATIONS:  Hotels in Oak Ridge are 4 miles from the venue and within walking distance to most restaurants and stores. Please feel free to contact ORRA to help locate the hotel that's right for your team.

TRAILERS: Coaches, athletes, and drivers should be made aware of the ORRA trailer policies prior to arriving at the venue.  The primary trailer parking area is the grass area directly adjacent to the launch and recovery docks. Overflow parking is located on the north side of the venue adjacent to the playground. Trailers will have marked spots measuring 20 feet in width (room for one shell on each side of trailer), Equipment should stay on trailer or on tees when not be used. Crews may need to bring shell storage equipment if needed. The venue must be open for boat trailers to park. The venue will be open from noon until 7 pm the Friday before the event and 7:00 am to 9 pm the day before the event. Trailers arriving outside these hours will be required to find an alternate parking area somewhere in town.  Trailers parked illegally may be towed. Prior to parking and unloading of trailers, crews are required to check-in with ORRA. Trailers may not park in “No Parking” area.  This is to allow boat trailers area to swing and team buses room to maneuver safely through the venue parking area. The parking lot may not be used for rigging or boat storage unless directed by LOC. Trailer that are lightly loaded or car toppers may be assigned alternate locations. Towing Vehicles will have priority parking along the road behind the trailers. This area will require permit to park.

TEAM BUSES: Team Buses may not pass through residential areas as a “short cut”. Failure to follow the above bus policies can result in ticketing and or fines from the City of Oak Ridge. Team Bus Traffic is restricted within the City of Oak Ridge limits to the following streets:

Illinois Ave. | Edgemoor Rd. | Tennessee Ave. | Emory Valley Rd. |Georgia Ave. | Lafayette Dr. | Oak Ridge Turnpike | Rutgers Ave.

Buses may load and unload at the designated areas.  Busses are limited to 2 minutes in the loading area while loading. Team Buses may not idle longer than required to load and unload. Buses may park near the venue and be on call as long as all 4 wheels are off the roadway and the bus is shut off, return to the hotels or use the Oak Ridge Mall parking area, Meco Lane (toward the starting line), Melton Lake Dr. north of Amanda Lane to south to the Finish Tower.

BUS INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY: Buses leaving the venue need to give contact number to parking volunteer. In the event of inclement weather the regatta's evacuation procedures will be enacted to evacuate participants in an orderly manner. Buses should enter the Melton Lake Venue from the Oak Ridge Turnpike. Buses will be staged on the southbound shoulder starting on at the 1000m line. ORRA Traffic Volunteers will call the buses forward in an orderly manner from staging area entering the parking area using the NORTH entrance to the park. Circling the outer lane of the parking lot and loading in front of the Boathouse. Participants will be staged inside of boathouse for shelter. Teams willing to allow the regatta to use team bus for emergency evacuation plan need to alert the LOC to receive parking permit and instructions.