RegattaCentral

Here are some event descriptions to help when registering:

• Master's Events: These events are for rowers who are 'experienced' in life and sport. Many of the events are broken into age ranges to better facilitate safe, fun and competitive events. In a Master's event with an open-ended range, a standard USRowing handicapping formula is used. In team boats, the ages are averaged. The rower's age is as of 12/31.
• Open/All-Comer Events:  These events will comprise a wide-range of ages and configurations of boats.  The same handicapping formula will be used for most of these events - where it makes sense.  The only exception to the handicapping of "all-comers" is for Parent-Child.  There will be no gender, age or other handicapping involved.  You're here to enjoy a racing experience with a child, please don't have your hyper-competitive self ruin the experience for your family-oriented self.
• Newbies:  Our Springfield event has long prided itself on being friendly to people new to racing.  While we don't have specific 'newbie' events this year, you are welcome to join the fun.  Between the ease of viewing/steering the course, the volunteer:participant ratio and the laid-back nature of this early Fall event, newbies have been excited to have made the decision to join us for the experience. It gives great confidence that 'they can do it.'  If it makes you feel even more comfortable, email us ([email protected]) to let us know that you'd prefer to be started at the 'back of the pack' in your respective category.  We'll try to honor this wish and take the pressure off of "being passed early and often" (similar to how some of our participants vote).
• Lightweight:  If you insist upon starving yourself leading up to this event, go ahead.  You might have some sort of weight-to-power ratio advantage.  Your boat might float a little higher out of the water.  You may have a decent chance of winning the race.  And, the Premium Beef Steak 1st Prize might motivate you more than some of the spandex-stretching filled-out competitors you're rowing against. But, mathematically and timing-wise, we won't be making any adjustments for your sveltness.  In fact, we'd rather that you didn't starve yourself before arriving.  You might eat more than your fair share of food which was meant for everyone.

Missed Buoys:  A penalty of 10-20 seconds will be applied to racers who miss a buoy with the exception of the two prominent "stake buoys."  If missed, each of these stake buoys will yield a 60 second penalty.  It's a stake race after all.  If you aren't willing to row the full distance around the stakes, why did you come?

Please, contact the regatta organizer at [email protected] for questions or to let us know of specific needs and interests.