Coaches & Coxswains meeting will be held at 7:30 AM on 9/28 in, or just outside of, the Easter Lake Event Center

ROWING CLASSIFICATIONS

• We are following US Rowing Classifications.

• Specifically, "A Master is a Competitor who has attained, or will attain, the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A Competitor's age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the nearest whole number. A Competitor thus becomes a Master on January 1 of the year of his or her 21st birthday. A Masters Crew shall be comprised exclusively of Masters Rowers, but the Coxswain need not be
  a Master".

• "Novice" events are for either Juniors or Masters and will not be handicapped.

• "Club" events are similar to "Open" events and not handicapped. (There is little difference between Club and Open. In bigger, national events, like Masters Nationals and the Head of the Charles, the "Club" events are reserved for people who live near an actual physical rowing club. This would rule out "virtual" clubs, which are collections of "mercenaries" who come together from all over the world. This distinction is really not relevant for the Head of the Des Moines but the categories have been retained "because we've always done it that way.")

BOAT RESPONSIBILITIES

• All rowers must be in good standing as a member of USRowing and have completed their safesport certification.

• Each team's racing packet will include a heat sheet with the race schedule and a list of competitors in each event. Please plan the day of each of your crews and have them ready to report to launch prior to being called to the dock.

• Each boat is assigned a starting number, which is reflected on the Bow Number Card and on Shirt Number Card (bib) included in your registration packet.

  • The Bow Number Card must be affixed to the bow tip of the boat. Boats must have unobscured Bow Number Cards when crossing the start. Cards must be returned to the registration desk or the dockmaster at the conclusion of the event.

  • The Shirt Number Card (bib) must be worn visibly on the back of each bow seat rower. Boats with obscured or missing numbers may miss being timed.

Des Moines Regatta - Easter Lake Rules

The Course: The start is near the west pedestrian bridge on Easter Lake. The finish lies on the southern end of Easter Lake, north of the Easter Lake Drive bridge. The buoyed course is about 2100 meters long.

• Larger orange buoys mark the start and finish lines.
• Green buoys mark ¼, ½, and ¾ way along the course.
• Yellow buoys divide the warm­-up and racing lanes. All boats must keep the yellow buoys to port. Oars may cross the line, but anytime a hull violates the yellow buoy line, a 10-second penalty will be assessed.
• Blue buoys and tape mark shallow areas and hazards. They are self-enforcing. 

Weather Policy: The Chief Referee, working with the Regatta Director will discuss the conditions and potential risks to begin racing and/or continuing to row on the course. All decisions will come from the Chief Referee, and will be communicated and implemented through the referees and Dock Masters. If shelter is required, we will guide those on the water to the nearest dock and direct everyone on site to designated shelters.

Rules: USRowing Rules of Rowing for Head Races apply to this regatta, except as noted below or as altered by the LOC in response to conditions.

• Boats racing have the right of way over all other boats. Any non-­racing boat that interferes with a race will be subject to possible exclusion from its race.
• A boat is considered to be overtaking when it moves to within a boat length of the boat ahead. When passing, the overtaking boat has the right of way, but is obliged to politely make it apparent to the boat ahead on which side it wishes to pass. The boat being overtaken must yield to the overtaking boat, usually toward the bank on straightaways and toward the outside of curves. If, in the opinion of the officials, insufficient room is given, a 30-­second penalty may be assessed. However, no overtaking boat should press its right of way to the point of collision or forcing a boat out of its lane. Racing boats interfering with other racing boats will be subject to a 30-­second penalty or possible exclusion from the race.
• If one or more rowers is ejected from a boat during a race, the affected crew must stop and remain with those individuals until all are safely out of the water.
• After crossing the finish line, rowers should continue rowing to the turnaround buoy.
• Respect for the safety of other competitors and equipment must be shown at all times. If, in the opinion of the officials, a crew is behaving in a dangerous manner, that crew may be excluded from its race.
• Participants, coaches, and spectators are expected to exhibit good sportsmanship. Disrespectful language or behavior may be subject to disqualification from the regatta.
• Mixed crews must have an equal or greater number of female to male rowers to be eligible for a medal.

Launching and Starting: First call will be about 30 minutes before race Start time and second call at about 20 minutes, but it’s each crew’s responsibility to launch on time. Plan on at least 20 minutes to row downstream.

• Allow time for a control check for well-­fastened bow balls and heel ties. Inspection issues must be fixed before launch.
• There is one dock at Easter Lake, which will be used for landing. Boats will wet launch from the swimming beach.
• Rowers spending undue time on the dock may be assessed a 10-second penalty for each warning.
• Bow markers must be firmly attached to the bow of the boat and the back of the bow rower. They are pre-­assigned and are in club race packets. Please return boat bow markers after your race.
• Be at the start at least 5 minutes before the official start time. Line up in order of bow numbers, from lowest to highest. A 10­-second penalty may be assessed for boats arriving too late to place in order, and a 30-second penalty for interfering with crews approaching the start. 10-second penalty assessed for incorrect/missing bow marker.
• This is a flying start, in single file. As directed by the starter or Marshall, cross the starting line at race pace about 10 to 20 seconds behind the preceding boat.
• After the finish, please row beyond the designated buoy before turning back to the landing dock.

Hot-Seating: If your boat requires hot seating for a crew right after your race, check with the dockmaster prior to launching. In a hot-seating instance, the boat will be allowed to launch from the landing dock. If approved, you will get a bright green card to hold up after you have finished your race. Every effort will be made to give you priority docking, but safety and fairness prevail. Be sure your hot­-seating crew is on the dock and ready to go.

Protests: Any protests must be made in writing at the registration tent within 60 minutes of the race’s published preliminary results. A $50 protest fee must accompany a completed protest letter and will be returned if your protest is upheld. Protests will be forwarded to the chief referee for consideration.

LOC Penalties:

Launching/Retrieving 

Undue time on the docks: 10 sec per warning

Traffic Pattern 

Oars cross yellow buoy line: No penalty

Hull crosses yellow buoy line (racing or non-racing): 10 sec penalty per occurrence

Non-racing boat interferes with racing boat: Non-racing boat excluded from their race

Start

Arriving too late to assume their place in the starting order: 10 sec penalty

Interfering with crews approaching the start: 30 sec penalty

Incorrect bow # or missing bow #: 10 sec penalty

Arrival after all other racers in their race have passed start: Exclusion

Racing

Failure to yield (including giving insufficient space): 30 sec penalty

Interference (including forcing a boat off the course or into an obstruction): 30 sec penalty

Egregious Interference (including unsafe behavior): Exclusion