RegattaCentral

JF-LS 2023        Rules and Eligibility

USRowing Racing Rules
USRowing racing rules will apply. The official USRowing Rules of Rowing book is available from USRowing. Please familiarize yourself with these rules before attending the coaches/coxswain meeting. The regatta committee will not discuss rules of racing at this meeting.

One person from each team is expected to attend the Coaches and Coxswains meeting as course safety, last minute changes, flights, and start times may be discussed.  Attendance will be checked. The Coaches and Coxswains meeting will take place on the LLOP covered pavillion on the tower side of the venue 90 minutes prior to the first race. i.e. 6:30 a.m. for an 8 a.m. Start.  Please note: any change of time will be included when the final schedule is released.

Registration Information

Teams will not be added to the heat sheet until waivers and fees are current. Heat Sheets will become available in the Heat Sheet/Draw tab by Monday, March 20, 2023. Heat sheets will be updated daily to reflect changes until the close of the Coaches & Coxswains Meeting(s). Teams not paid by the deadline will not be included on the heat sheets. 

Traffic Pattern
The traffic pattern from the launching docks: cross the lake along the buoy line, pass through the bridge arch on the south side (right), across the river and along the East shoreline, (opposite of the Olympic Tower), upstream to the start area keeping the starboard side close to the shore. There will be no passing of boats moving toward the start. The marshal at the launch dock area will direct boats to proceed upstream. Maintain single file, following the shoreline, to the start area. Competitors must be within hailing distance of the start marshal 15 minutes before race time.

Practice Session
The course is open for practice on Friday, March 24th  from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. For safety purposes, no boats will be allowed to launch before 2 p.m. or after 5:30 p.m. All crews must be off the water by 6:00 p.m. During the practice session, the race day traffic patterns will apply throughout the course.

Bow Numbers
Bow numbers for each boat will be required. It will be the team’s responsibility to supply their own bow numbers.  

If a team does not have their own bow number, the organizing committee will make them available at the control commission tent after receiving a refundable deposit of $5.00 per number. Crews will not be allowed on the water without a bow number. 

Foot Gear Release and Shell Safety
The feet of the competitor are held by footgear affixed to the stretcher of the boat.  The design of the footgear shall provide for the quick release of the competitor’s feet, without the use of hands, in case of a boat capsize. Such design may consist of Velcro or pull strings at the heels.

All boats will be checked for such appropriate footgear. If such footgear is not present at all seats that boat will not be allowed to launch. The checking of the boats will occur prior to launch. 

No racing shell will be allowed to race or practice without a bow ball.

Definitions:

• Lightweights
• Note: There will be no weigh-ins for coxswains or collegiate rowers.
  • A collegiate men's lightweight crew shall have no rower who weighs more than 160 lbs
  • A collegiate women's lightweight crew shall have no rower who weighs more than 130 lbs

Novice

• Any rower that began rowing after May 1, 2022

Calling Events
Crews will be called to launch by the dock master. First call will be forty-five minutes prior to the scheduled race time. No crews will be allowed on the water before being called or for additional practice time on the day of the race.

The Start
The start area marshals and USRowing referees will be positioned in launches and on the start and alignment platforms for the purpose of organizing participating crews above the start and getting the competitors into the proper starting order and time intervals. Listen to the directions of the officials. 

Crews shall be responsible for maintaining their proper order and interval between themselves and other crews as well as in the staging area at the start. 

The race will begin from the start platforms with stake boat holders at each lane position. The USRowing referee start official will call crews to the start approximately five minutes prior to the start. All crews not currently involved in the staging of the start of the next race shall yield to crews being summoned to the start by the marshal. Interference with the staging of the start may result in a penalty. Crews must be attached to their starting position at least 2 minutes prior to the scheduled start of their race.

The Finish
After crossing the finish line, crews shall return to the launch/recovery dock area keeping close to the North-East shoreline (finish tower side of the run out area), through the arches on the right side of Clark’s Bridge, and proceeding to the recovery dock.  Please follow the directions of the dock master. Returning crews should yield to and avoid interfering with the launching crews.

Objections/Protests
An objection 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 an objection on behalf of a Crew. An objection concerning exclusion of a Crew at the start may be lodged with the Starter at the time the penalty is imposed.

(1) An objection 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.

A Crew wishing to lodge an objection 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.

The Referee shall make his or her decision and inform the objecting Crew as well as any other affected Crews of his or her decision and then display a white or red flag as described in Rule 2-501 (“Finish of the Race”).

Filing a protest will follow procedure as described in Rule 2-606 (“Filing the Protest Statement”).

Hot Seating

Hot seating is discouraged, but permitted at your own risk.

Officials at the start will not wait for boats that are doubling up athletes that are rowing in an eight and also a four.  If you choose to race both championship events with the same athletes and both boats make the finals, then you will hot seat at your own risk.  

You may notify the Dock Master at the launch that your boat is going to hot seat.  The dock master will give you a brightly colored card for the coxswain to show / wave as the boat approaches the recovery dock.  Every effort will be made to safely get your boat and/or rowers to the recovery dock for hot seating changes.

Number of Entries

• Teams may have ONE entry in the varsity 4+ and 8+ events.
• Teams may have MULTIPLE entries in all other events.
• Events with less than TWO entries will not be run.

Apparel

All race participants must wear one type of representative rowing uniform.

Results

Results will be posted in real-time using Google Docs. 

Compliance

This regatta is registered with USRowing and requires the once-a-year USRowing waiver.

Waiver instructions for ALL participants (Including international athletes):

• To submit the annual USRowing waiver, athletes must be active members of USRowing
• To join (or renew) and submit your waiver, go to https://membership.usrowing.org (coaches: Forward this link to your club's participating athletes)

If you need assistance, contact USRowing at 800-314-4ROW or members@usrowing.org