RegattaCentral

We’re back to racing and we’re psyched!

The race schedules are now posted, but please review these notes first. Links to the schedules are below. There will be minor changes to the schedules over the next few days. We’ll be posting updates daily, so please check back.

It’s a very big regatta – 1,043 boats from 97 clubs. In 2019, we had 1,083 boats, but we had no idea how many boats to expect this year as we came out of the pandemic; hence our announcement of a 2-day regatta rather than the usual 3-days. We were astonished to see the large numbers we have this year and we are appreciative of your support.

We’ve had to make some tough decisions in order to fit all events into 2 days. Many events are time trials with the top 6 advancing to finals. I wish we could be sending the top 18 to semis but there simply isn't enough time.

Saturday

• • First race at 8:00, last race at 6:25. 45-minute lunch break at 11:30.
  • Time trials for all Saturday events (except masters) with more than 12 boats and for Sunday's event 55, MI1x (28 boats) and event 57, MIL1x (20 boats). Ten minute centers. Top 6 to finals for all these events.
  • Heats for Saturday events with 7 to 12 boats (no time savings compared to time trials and we’d much rather see crews racing side-by-side if possible)
  • Finals
  • Mother/son 2x and mother/daughter 2x, 1 boat each, run concurrently
  • We moved masters mixed 2x and 4x to Sunday

Sunday

• • First race at 8:00, last race at 3:55. 45 minute lunch break at 11:40.
  • 8 dash races, 4 minutes each, 32 minutes
  • Adaptive 2x and 1x, 1 boat each, run concurrently
  • Heats
  • Finals

If the revised schedule means you are no longer able to race because of conflicting times, we will refund your entry fee. Scratch your entry on Regatta Central and send a note to [email protected]. Be sure to include your affiliation, your event name and number, and boat ID # on Regatta Central (if possible). It will take a few days to process the refund.

Time trials

• All time trials will be 2000 meters and will use lanes 4 and 5. Makes for better approach to start with limited room above 2000 m start line
• Coaches and coxswains meeting via Zoom on Thursday evening, 7:00 pm. All coaches, coxswains and bowpersons should attend; and all athletes are invited.  You may do so via THIS LINK.
• Bow numbers for time trials can be picked up Friday between 6 and 8 pm OR Saturday between 6:30 and 8 am at the regatta HQ tent near the docks downstream of Gillin Boat House (St. Joe's). 
• More rules on time trials at Time Trials | Independence Day Regatta

We need volunteers. We’ve made it easier than ever to sign up. Just go to SignUp Genius and select a job and a time slot. We need finish tower support, dockmasters, trailer parking, Strawberry Mansion vehicle entrance and motorboat drivers – especially motorboat drivers! Don’t see anything listed but still want to help? Text Bonnie Mueller at 215-815-0599 or [email protected].

There is no on-site registration, but you are welcome to check in with us at the regatta HQ tent at the St. Joe’s boathouse.

Weigh-ins will be held on Saturday from 9:00 to noon and Sunday 7:55 to noon at the regatta HQ tent downstream of St. Joe’s boathouse. No weigh-ins required for Light 1x dash races on Sunday morning. Competitors must weigh in each day they compete. Only one weigh-in per day is required. Coxswains do not weigh in. All members of a crew must weigh-in together. Photo ID’s are required.

All crews must wear matching shirts. "Matching" means identical in style, color, and detail, including any insignia. 

Kelly Drive will close at 6 am Saturday and will remain closed through Sunday. No overnight parking will be allowed except for trailers and tow vehicles. Parking on the grass is strictly forbidden. You will be ticketed.

We will send more information about parking and trailer parking in the next few days.

Winners should come into the awards dock at the finish line to get their medals – no wristwatches this year. Not knowing how many entries to expect, we didn’t know how many watches to order. Still recovering from the uncertainty of the pandemic! Wristwatches will be back next year.

All late entries (on a lane-available basis), scratches, and line-up changes must be done on Regatta Central.

Races will not be delayed for crews that are late to the line for any reason. Crews should be in their lanes and, for 2000 meter races, locked onto the stake boat two minutes before the start of their race. The safest and fairest way to run 250 races in July heat is to keep the regatta on schedule. We will be ruthless in starting races on time and will not hold races for any reason.

A reminder of the Independence Day Regatta definition of a novice. If you’re mistakenly entered and are not eligible, we’ll work with you to move you to a suitable event.

Novices
A novice is a rower who has never rowed in a rowing race prior to January 1 of the calendar year. Specifically excluded from the “novice” category are rowers who have raced before as sweep rowers but are racing for the first time as scullers.

As the water fountains on Kelly Drive have not been turned on post-pandemic, we recommend you bringing the water you'll need via thermos, coolers, etc.  Additionally, we'll have water for sale at the Regatta HQ tent.  

Now the race schedules:

The heat sheets are posted on rowtown.org. Click on Start Order in the upper left for the time trials schedule.

We’ll be posting updates daily, so please check back.

Thanks,

Clete