RegattaCentral

Collegiate Covered Bridge Regatta

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Sponsored by

Oregon Association of Rowers

Eugene Rowing Club

University of Oregon Crew

Saturday, April 6th we will host the Collegiate Covered Bridge Regatta including races for collegiate doubles, fours and eights. All races will use our fully buoyed, 8-lane, 2000m Dexter Lake race course.

All events will be offered twice -  once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

To increase your flexibility, you will enter the AM and PM races separately this year - allowing you to change lineups between AM/PM if you wish.

We will try to accomodate timely requests ([email protected]), if an event has multiple flights and you have particular crews you wish to compete against. Event timing listed at registration is subject to change.

 

ENTRIES OPEN at noon on Friday, March 15th

ENTRIES CLOSE at 6:00 PM on Monday March 25th

 

Entry fees are due with registration: doubles $30; fours $50; eights $90.  In addition we must collect a $3.00 per athlete Oregon State Parks Usage Fee.

Late entries & fees will be accepted only on a space-available basis and at 1.5x the original fee.

Refunds will be available through RegattaCentral for entries scratched through RegattaCentral before the registration closing deadline. To obtain a refund, registrants must email (before the registration closing deadline) the following information to [email protected]:
Team Name
Account holder's name
Event #, Event Name, Boat entry #
Refund amount requested.

[After the close of registration, send changes in stroke-oar personnel to [email protected]. No other lineup updates are necessary.]

 

Questions or special requests relating to entries should be directed to [email protected].

Entries should be identified by skill/speed as 'A' club's best entry,'B' club's second best entry and so on.

Virtual Coaches' and Coxswains' Meeting Video is here

passcode: Rq48*&@a

 

Place:  Dexter Lake, 20 minutes east of Eugene on Hwy 58

Regatta Format

The Collegiate Covered Bridge Regatta is a USRowing Registered Event. USRowing licensed referees will officiate. Team USRowing membership is required. The online USRowing waiver is required of each rower.

The race course is accurately surveyed to 2000 meters and each lane will be completely buoyed along both sides. Additional, larger buoys outside the course lanes will mark every 250 meters. 

Events will be run on ten-minute centers, so efficiency is paramount to keeping the regatta on schedule. Boats must be launched at least 30 minutes prior to their start time and be in the staging area five minutes prior to start time. We will not delay an event so an athlete or boat can ‘hot seat.’ Visiting teams are expected to rig boats and beach launch from the large grassy area next to the parking lot and concessions in the marina area. Only boats stored in the OAR or UO boathouses will be allowed to use the OAR dock. (see “Parking”)

All boats must be equipped with and will be inspected for bow balls and heel tie downs.  Crews must provide their own bow numbers.

All participants are asked to immediately report any distressed shell and/or rowers in the water witnessed during their row to and from the race course.

2023 Rules of Rowing will apply, however, the following rules will not be enforced:

               Racing Cadence;    Minimum Weight of Boats; Oar Colors;

                Weighing of Coxswains and Weighing of Competitors

Rules pertaining to coxswain weight limits and weigh-ins will not be enforced. We ask that you honor these limits.

 

Coaches' and Coxswains' Meeting to be virtual at a time TBD

    A link to the zoom meeting will be sent to everyone with the regatta listed on their calendar at RegattaCentral. Following the meeting, a link to the recording of the live meeting will be available in this space. 

   At the meeting we will outline procedures, including for launching, warm-up, starting, racing, return, landing, etc.  Our Head Referee will discuss safety and fairness procedures and concerns. See also the 'venue' tab at RegataCentral. Attendees to the online meeting are asked to remain ‘muted’ and to post their questions to the chat, which will be moderated to assure that we try to answer each question at least once.

   Weather and safety updates will be available Saturday before racing at the picnic shelter and all day at the regatta headquarters & announcer’s trailer near the launching area.

   Scratches, add requests and other entry-related changes should be emailed to [email protected] and will not be covered at the meeting. Day-of changes should be filed at the finish line. The regatta schedule can be viewed at crewtimer.com.

  

Insurance and Waiver Forms

This is a USRowing registered regatta and we are using USRowing regatta liability insurance. All participants are required to sign a waiver online at RegattaCentral. Championship membership in USRowing is not required, however, all participating teams must be fully paid members of USRowing and all competitors must sign at USRowing.org. The waiver link is also available through the RegattaCentral website.

Directions

From I-5, take Hwy. 58 (exit 188A) east, 13 miles to Dexter Lake.
Turn left at the white covered bridge, to Lowell.
Turn left at Boundary Rd. (becomes Pengra Rd.), then travel 0.8 miles to Lowell State Park.  

Waterway Access Permit (WAP)

The State of Oregon has instituted a program to fight aquatic invasive species. As part of this program all boats of 10 feet or more overall length are required to carry an WAP when operated in Oregon waterways.  If you or your club is located in the State of Oregon, you are responsible for obtaining and carrying this permit in each of your boats.  Failure to carry a permit may result in a substantial fine for each offense. The permit cost is minimal. The regatta committee has obtained permits for our guests from out of the state of Oregon. These permits will be held by the regatta committee and, if you are from out of state, you will not be required to actually carry a permit in your boat. WAP for motorized craft from the State of Oregon are included in your annual registration fee.  Motorized craft from out of state will be required to obtain and carry a permit. The regatta committee will not provide these. Further details and permits are available online at https://odfw.huntfishoregon.com/login

 

Parking

All vehicles (except trailers) must park in the town of Lowell, which is a 10-15 minute walk from the park. Note the new NO PARKING signs on Pengra Road.  Trailers and boats may be left overnight in the parking lot adjacent to the launch area. The park gate will be locked at 9:00 PM each night and will be supervised, but equipment is left at your own risk.

Please reserve a trailer parking spot by emailing or calling  Debbie Cadigan:

email: Debbie

cell: 541 729 2444

 

Trash and Recycling

The Lane County Master Recycler Program is helping our regatta to go green this year. Please reuse or recycle at the barrels located around the park. We ask that teams do their share to use these receptacles and the trash bins, especially before departure. Please take your large items home with you. Thank you!

 

Camping at Dexter Lake

There is very limited camping space at Lowell State Park.  Camping in tents is allowed Friday, April 5th, only.  Oregon State Parks requires the regatta to collect a $10.00 per person per night camping fee, payable at registration. Camping permits will be included in your team’s registration packet. Tent camping is limited to the oak grove area.  No camping on the beach.  No open fires. No RV parking.

Dexter Shores RV Park/Camping, 39140 Dexter Rd., (541) 937-3711 (across the lake).

Deerwood RV Park, just East of I-5 at rte 58 exit. (877) 988-1139  www.deerwoodrvpark.com

                                                                                                                       

Food

Food service will start early Saturday morning. There is great coffee available near the shuttle start in Lowell - so fill up there anytime during the day. Also, bring your own drinking water.

 

Accommodations in and around Eugene/Springfield ('see the 'Lodging' tab)

Refer to the list of 'Host Hotels' on the 'Lodging' tab.  Refer to the 'Covered Bridge Regatta' for the best rates. You can find information on additional hotels in the area at www.visitlanecounty.org