RegattaCentral

2018 FSRA State Sweep Championship Regatta Rules & Information

Racing will be conducted under the USRowing “Rules of Racing” using FSRA items listed below.

Eligibility Requirements

• The FSRA State Championship regatta is an association regatta open to current Scholastic and Youth team members of the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association.
• FSRA teams must be in good standing with the association and all delinquent fees and dues must be paid prior to any entry being accepted from that team. FSRA membership fees must be paid before January 1st.
• An Eligible Athlete is a competitor who is listed on 2017-2018 FSRA Cleared Athletes: PDF link. Athletes not listed will not receive a regatta credential and will not be able to compete.
• New rowing programs will not be allowed special entry exceptions.

Qualifying for SRAA

• FSRA Florida State Championship Regattas are SRAA qualifying events for Scholastic FSRA teams as defined in the FSRA Bylaws. A team’s scholastic standing will be determined through the pre-registration process defined below.
• Note SRAA rules have differences from those followed by FSRA.  Those differences will not be followed nor accommodated by FSRA.  See www.SRAA.net for competitor eligibility restrictions.
• Teams qualify the boat not the crew.  Scholastic FSRA members will be invited based on their performance in a qualifying category – see www.SRAA.net for event categories and number of qualifying boats.

Qualifying for NSRA

• NSRA allows Scholastic FSRA teams competing at FSRA Florida State Championship Regattas to enter NSRA events.  See www.nsrowing.org for NSRA event qualification and petition processes.
• Note NSRA rules have differences from those followed by FSRA. Those differences will not be followed nor accommodated by FSRA.  See www.nsrowing.org for the NSRA regatta rule set.

FSRA Events

** The pair, 2nd varsity 4+, 3rd and 4th varsity 8+, 1st freshman 4+ and 2nd freshman 8+ are NOT SRAA events and will not qualify for SRAA. Boats seeking to qualify and/or petition to compete at SRAA must compete in SRAA event categories.

How to enter

• All teams must complete the entry process online at Regatta Central.
• Boatings must include the legal names of competitors (as it appears on photo ID and NOARA waiver for verification purposes). Only athletes completing the pre-registration eligibility verification will be allowed to compete: see 2017-2018 FSRA Cleared Athletes: PDF link.
• Boatings must include potential substitutes for those substitutes to be eligible to compete.
• Complete boatings must be submitted by the standard registration entry deadline to avoid late fees.
• Late entries will be accepted as long as open lanes are available; otherwise late entries will be wait-listed. Note that empty lanes are not always open lanes. Late entries will not be prioritized over entries already accepted. Additional outside lanes and additional races will not be added to accommodate late entries.  Late entries will be charged an additional late entry fee and will not be seeded for heats.
• Scratch Policy:
  • Scratches made after the standard entry deadline forfeit their entry fee.
  • Scratches made within 20 minutes before the start of their race and race no shows will incur an additional $50.00 Scratch Fee which is due before following crews are allowed to launch or future entries accepted. Last minute scratches should be made at Control Commission. Verified medical exceptions will be accepted.

Regatta Fees

Practice Sessions

The race course will be open for practice on Friday only from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm if water safety marshals are in place. Launch docks close at 6:00 pm. Race day traffic pattern will be enforced. There will not be any practice sessions on Saturday or Sunday.

Teams violating the practice session time box or launching without water safety marshals in place will be assessed one warning to all their entries.

No Drones Allowed

Based on county event permitting and park rules in place for the duration of this FSRA regatta, individuals are not allowed to launch, operate, and/or land drones while being within the boundaries of the entire Nathan Benderson Park, not just the regatta island, without prior approval by FSRA. Per FAA, if an organization or a venue has a written policy, that's enough to keep a drone out of the air. FAA also said that if anyone is being filmed via drone without giving their consent, that's illegal. NOARA waivers grant permission for filming only to FSRA or their designated representative. Teams found using or promoting themselves in drone videos which is not from a FSRA approved source are subject to exclusion or disqualification from current and/or future events.

Regatta Registration

Regatta registration will only be open in the tower (3rd floor) on Friday from 2:00PM to 6:00PM. For teams arriving Saturday, make sure to send a representative Friday.

Regatta photo ID credentials to be given to a team representative after the following have been verified. Only athletes completing the pre-registration eligibility verification and listed in regatta entry boatings (including substitutes) will be provided a regatta ID badge. The team representative will sign a receipt acknowledging all credentials have been received.

• Entry fees (as listed above) and any delinquent fees are paid.
• Trophies returned or missing trophy fees paid.
• Team survey completed correctly.
• Updated list of team medical issues including current athletes’ event and seat assignment
• Volunteers sign-up (1 volunteer per 'A' boat entry)

Regatta Meeting

Regatta meeting will begin at 7:00AM on Saturday at the finish line grand stand area.

• Meeting will cover scratches (see scratch fee policy above).
• Meeting will cover the officiating aspects relevant to this event.

Rules

• All races are 1500 meters or as close to this distance as the race venue safely allows.
• Breakage: allowed maximum of one hour after the breakage is reported from either the warm up area or the first 100m of the race. NOTE: it is the responsibility of the team coach to provide a valid race day text number and monitor for text messages. Boats failing to resolve breakage issues within the one hour limit will be scratched from the event without any advancement opportunities.
• Missed race: No special allowances will be made for crews late to the start line. Teams hot seating equipment do so at their own risk. Hot seating must be done at launch docks and coordinated with control commission.
• Doubling limits: Rower – 1 event only; Coxswains – maximum 2 events of which 1 can be as a rower.
• Males may not row in female events.  Females may not row in male events. Coxswains are exempted from this limitation.
• Composite crews (rowers from two or more FSRA Member teams in the same boat) are not permitted.
• Teams cannot enter and race a 2nd Varsity 8+ without entering and racing a 1st Varsity 8+.
• Teams cannot enter and race a 2nd Varsity 4+ without entering and racing a 1st Varsity 4+.
• Teams cannot enter and race a 3rd Varsity 8+ without entering and racing a 2nd Varsity 8+.
• Teams cannot enter and race a 4th Varsity 8+ without entering and racing a 3rd Varsity 8+.
• Teams cannot enter and race a 2nd Freshman 8+ without entering and racing a 1st Freshman 8+.
• Junior events may be entered independently of all other categories.
• Lightweight events may be entered independently of all other categories.
• Freshman events may be entered independently of all other categories.
• Junior events are restricted to competitors in the 11th grade (junior year) or lower AND who have not attained the age of 18 years prior to September 1st of the current academic year (born after August 31, 1999).
• Freshman events are restricted to competitors in the 9th grade (freshman year) or lower.
• “B” entries are allowed full progression including winning awards and earning points; they must be valid entries (rowers listed without violating doubling rules)
  • “B” entries will only be accepted in the 4th Varsity 8+ and 2nd Freshman 8+ events. If the number of 4th Varsity 8+ event entries fail the minimum entry rule and the event is eliminated, the 3rd Varsity 8+ event will allow “B” entries with full progression.  If the number of 2nd Freshman 8+ event entries fail the minimum entry rule and the event is eliminated, the 1st Freshman 8+ event will allow “B” entries with full progression.
• All boats will be equipped with a protective bow ball and quick release shoes.  Bow coxed boats will have openings sized in accordance with the Rules of Rowing of the United States Rowing Association.  Boats not so equipped will be barred from launching.
• All boats will carry a bow number on sturdy waterproof material of their assigned race lane for identification.  Bow numbers shall be large enough to be easily visible with the naked eye from shore with good contrast between the number and the background.  The team will be responsible to provide its bow number.
• Lightweight male rower maximum weight: 150 lbs. (no averaging)
• Lightweight female rower maximum weight: 130 lbs. (no averaging)
• No weigh-ins for coxswains.

Weigh-in Procedures

• Test scales for lightweight athletes will be open Friday at the base of the tower from 2:00PM to 6:00PM.
• All lightweight athletes in a boat including alternates must weigh in at the same time.
• There will be only one official weigh-in period for the entire regatta on Saturday morning at the base of the tower from 7:00AM to 9:00AM. All lightweight athletes must weigh in at this time.
• Team weigh-in forms will be auto-generated from Regatta Central registration.  No forms are needed from the teams.  Make sure all competitor names, including the names of substitutes, are properly registered.
• All rowers must be present by boat dressed in their team uniform and accompanied by adult team representative for weigh-ins.
• No weight allowance given for items the athlete is wearing during weigh-in.
• All substitutes will weigh in with their boat mates for those athletes to be eligible to substitute.
• Weigh-ins will be conducted as a yes/no system without actual weight being announced.
• Re-weighs will only be allowed if the rower is within one (1) pound of the event maximum and must be done within the weigh-in time window.
• Rowers making weight must attach the lightweight wristband around their wrist before leaving the weigh-in area.
• Wristbands are to remain in place until the conclusion of rowing in the regatta (2 days).
• Problems with wristbands must be brought to the attention of the official at regatta HQ.

Minimum Entries

For events with less than three (3) boats entered at the registration deadline, the following will be implemented:

• For non-SRAA qualifying events (Freshman 4+, 2nd Freshman 8+, 2nd Varsity 4+, 3rd Varsity 8+, 4th Varsity 8+, Pair), the race will be eliminated and the teams will be notified in advance of race day.
  • If the 2nd Freshman 8+ event is eliminated, “B” entries will be allowed to enter the 1st Freshman 8+ event.
  • If the 4th Varsity 8+ event is eliminated, “B” entries will be allowed to enter the 3rd Varsity 8+ event.
• For SRAA qualifying events with at least one scholastic entry, the race will be scheduled.
• For SRAA qualifying events without at least one scholastic entry, the race will be eliminated and the teams will be notified in advance of race day.

Progressions

“B” Finals will be added for all events with 9 or more entrants.

“C” Finals will be added for all events with 16 or more entrants.

Events with less than 8 entries (finals only) will race for lanes during heats.

The formula for progression to the final will be as follows: Link to 2018 FSRA Progression and Points Table.

Heats direct to finals option may be implemented if time or weather constraints make it necessary. See Order of Events section below.

The FSRA Regatta Committee will seed entries with the objective to allow for the fastest crews to have a fair opportunity to progress to the finals. To be seeded, a crew needs to compete in their event in their FSRA District/Regional race; unseeded teams will be placed in random outside lanes.

Lane assignments for rep, semi, and final races will use a predetermined formula with the heat, rep, and semi winners receiving the center lanes under normal weather conditions.  In the situation of prevailing strong cross winds, the FSRA Regatta Committee may implement an alternate lane assignment system so the fastest progression times will receive the windward lanes.

Order of Events

The order of events on Saturday will be 1st varsity events first and then following event number order and on Sunday following the event number order. If the order must be alternated due to weather concerns, priority will be given to SRAA events based on SRAA number of bids (primary priority) and FSRA point schedule (secondary priority).

Awards

• First, second, and third place medals will be awarded for grand “A” finals only.  A crew must not necessarily beat another crew to be awarded medals.
• The trophies will remain in the possession of the winning team for one (1) year and returned at the next State Championship Regatta.
• Teams failing to return trophies must pay a $500.00 replacement fee before they will be allowed to compete.
• Event and overall point trophies for first place teams will be awarded.
  • Separate boy and girl point trophies will be awarded to the team with the highest total of the four (4) highest point earning boats per gender.
  • The Overall Point Trophy will be awarded to the team with the highest total calculated from the top four (4) point earning boys boats plus the top four (4) point earning girls boats (8 total events).
  • In the event of a points tie, the 1st Varsity 8+ (1V8) event will be used as a tie break.
• Event and overall point trophies for first place scholastic teams will be awarded.
  • Separate boy and girl point trophies will be awarded to the scholastic team with the highest total of the three (3) highest point earning boats per gender.
  • The Overall Point Trophy will be awarded to the scholastic team with the highest total calculated from the top three (3) point earning boys boats plus the top three (3) point earning girls boats (6 total events).
  • In the event of a points tie, the 1st Varsity 8+ (1V8) event will be used as a tie break.

Points Table

Link to 2018 FSRA Progression and Points Table.

Inclement Weather Procedure

The FSRA Regatta Committee, the Regatta Director, the Chief Referee, and the LOC will work together to monitor the weather continuously during the event.  Should it be determined that schedule changes are necessary due to weather concerns, the FSRA Regatta Committee will prioritize events following the order of events guidelines and determine which races will occur during the time window racing can be safely conducted.

Weather-related schedule changes will be announced utilizing the following mediums.

• Posted on the results board at the regatta site.
• Announced over the on-site sound system.