SRL Regatta 1 Packet - Western Reserve Rowing Association

2013 SRL REGATTA 1 RACE PACKET
WESTERN RESERVE ROWING ASSOCIATION
RIVERGATE ROWING CENTER - 1003 BRITISH STREET
Saturday, July 29, 2013

Packet Contents, Schedule and Mandatory Meetings
BASIC RACE INFORMATION
IN THIS PACKET
+ Introduction to the SRL Regatta
+ Mandatory Captain and Coxswains’ Meeting
+ Regatta site map
+ Regatta Prep: notes, expectations and penalties
+ Race schedules
+ On the Water: Racing
+ Regatta course map
+ On Land: What to do when not rowing
+ Sponsors and Vendors
+ Half Time Show
+ 2013 SRL Sponsors
INTRO TO SRL REGATTA
Welcome rowers, to your first SRL Regatta of the 2013 summer. In
this packet, you’ll find all the information you’ll need to prepare for
a day full of fun, racing and team bonding.
Your race course runs approximately 400 meters upstream from
the Boathouse side of Center Street Bridge past your adoring
friends, family and fellow SRLers at the Boathouse to the far end of
the MetroParks Dock just before the RTA Bridge. As the course is
curved, start and finishs are on a diagonal.
All crews will race twice in our first regatta which will set divisions
for our Championship Regatta in August, where you’ll race for all
the marbles (or medals as it may be).
BASIC SCHEDULE
7:30am Captains and coxswains’ meeting
7:45am First Equipment Call
8:20 am Morning Racing Begins
10:20am 10 minute break
11:40am Morning Racing Ends
11:50am Lunch Break / Half Time Show
12:40pm Afternoon Racing Begins
2:00pm 10 minute break
3:00pm Afternoon Racing Ends
3:10pm Coaches vs Captains Race
3:20PM Way Enough
MANDATORY
CAPTAIN AND COXSWAINS’ MEETING
A mandatory safety meeting will be held at 7:30am at Race Central
(site map on page 3). All crews must have one team representative
present at the safety meeting. If you do not have a representative
present, your crew will not be allowed to row in any of your
races. The safety meeting will cover the course, substitutes, river
conditions, rules and associated penalties and general safety notes.
Team T-Shirts will be distributed and captains will be given midyear
surveys for their teams to fill out and return to Race Central.
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REGATTA SITE MAP
RACE CENTRAL: Race Announcer/DJ Erik Murdell, site of
VENDOR ROW: Haircuts for a cause, food, dessert, other bits of
7:30am Safety Meeting, race results, location of sub requests,
goodness. Browse and support our vendors and sponsors in your
sign up for Captain’s row, WRRA Merchandise and more.
downtime between races.
TENT-A-PALOOZA: Come and claim your spot early - prime real PARKING: Much like tent-a-palooza, parking is first come, first
estate is on a first come, first serve basis!
served. Please park responsibly and watch for pedestrians!
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Notes on Racing and Race Penalties
RACE PREPARATION
GENERAL RACE NOTES
A race schedule included on page 5 lists race times and equipment
duties (where applicable). If your crew is responsible for bringing
out equipment in the morning, please make every effort to do so at
or before the suggested time.
RACE TIMES: The first race of the day will begin promptly at
8:20am (crews will push off from the dock at 8:05am). All race
times are approximate. The race schedule could shift up or back
for any number of reasons – please listen to race calls and be ready
to row earlier (or later) than expected. We encourage all crews to
arrive at least one hour before their first scheduled race. Crews will
be called to the docks 20 and 10 minutes before scheduled launch.
It is the crew’s responsibility to be ready to launch when your race
is announced. If a crew is not present at launch time, the team will
automatically forfeit the race.
**Note: Please remember that all rowers have a right to row in
at least one of your two scheduled races. Captains and coaches
should work together to determine line-ups and accommodate
rowers’ schedules and ensure that everyone (who wants to) gets to
row at the regatta.
COXSWAINS: Coxswains will be provided for all novice crews,
and all crews who have organized their coxswain through SRL
Admin. Your team may not be assigned your normal SRL practice
coxswain due to race scheduling. If you have organized your own
coxswain for SRL practices, please communicate directly with them
regarding your race times. If they are unable to make the regatta
and you would like SRL Admin to assign a coxswain for your races,
please notify SRL Admin via SRL@westernreserverowing.com no
later than Thursday, June 27.
GENERAL RACE NOTES (continued)
SUBSTITUTE ROWERS: Please contact announcer Erik Murdell
at Race Central on Race Day for substitute needs no more than
3 races in advance of your race. If you arrange your own subs,
please note that they MUST be members of SRL.
NOVICE CREWS: All novice boats will row into their start by 6s.
Coaches and captains should discuss and decide whether to row
the remainder of the race by 6s (rotating pairs in and out) or 8s.
RACE PENALTIES:
1. Equipment Assignments: 20 seconds for failure to complete
equipment assignments as noted on the schedule
2. Encroachment: 10 seconds (or as decided by your race referee)
for a crew encroaching upon their competition
3. Missed buoy: Missed buoys on the inside of the turn will result in
a 5 second per buoy penalty (or as decided by the head referee)
4. Coaches: Coaches can not race as a rower or coxswain with any
crew, penalized by disqualification from the regatta.
5. Substitute Rowers: Only SRL members can act as subs for
racing crews (using a non-SRL rower will result in disqualification).
There is no penalty assigned for up to three sub rowers. Crews
using more than three substitute rowers will be assessed a 5
second penalty per additional substitute
6. Novice Crews: Crews must have at least four novice rowers
in each race. Crews using less than four novice rowers will be
assessed a 5 second penalty per non-novice
7. Men: Mixed crews can row no more than four men in a race (not
including the coxswain). Crews using more than four male rowers
will be assessed a 10 second penalty per additional sub
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Launching, Warm up, Racing and Recovery
ON THE WATER
POWER BOATS AND BARGE TRAFFIC
The pleasure boat and barge/freighter population of
Cleveland unfortunately do not take the day off for our
regatta. Coaches will be stationed at the far ends of the
course. They will encourage pleasure boaters to turn around
or wait for a break in races to pass through the course.
There is the possibility that barges or freighters may pass
through the course during the race day. Coaches will clear
crews and buoys from the course. Once the river is clear,
coaches will re-set buoys and we’ll get back to racing as
soon as possible. Please be patient during any such delays.
LAUNCHING
Officials and Dock Masters will call crews topside and to the
dock. PLEASE DO NOT COME DOWN ONTO THE DOCK UNTIL
DIRECTED TO DO SO BY THE DOCK MASTERS, EVEN IF YOUR
BOAT IS SITTING ON THE DOCK.
All crews will launch from the main CRF dock (in front of the
boathouse) unless specifically noted otherwise. Please make
every effort to be prepared to launch within 90 seconds of when
your team puts hands on the boat. Dock Masters will clear you to
launch from the dock based on race traffic. Do not launch until
directed to do so.
WARM UP
Once cleared to launch, your crew can warm up on your way to the
start line. You will row past the start and can continue warming up
once you have passed under the red Center Street Bridge. Crews
are not to proceed beyond Nautica Turn during warm ups, and
should follow instructions given by the ‘start turn’ coach.
PULLING INTO THE START AREA
Your race referee (in a wakeless launch) will direct you into the
start area in conjunction with the ‘start turn’ coach and starter. The
starter will align competing shells by asking coxswains to adjust
their crew’s position. Once entering the start area, please stay
quite and listen to the aligner’s commands and your coxswain.
RACING
Once alignment is announced by the start coach, the starting
commands will closely follow from the Race Referee.
The starting sequence is as follows:
“We have alignment. Attention.”
Variable pause from 1 to 5 second in length: “Row”
An airhorn will sound the end of your race.
A Race Referee will be following shells down the course. A coach
responsible for timing races will also be on the referee launch.
After completion of races, times will be radioed to shore and
posted on a results schedule at Race Central. NO RACE TIMES
ARE FINAL UNTIL TIMERS HAVE COME OFF THE WATER AND
VERIFIED TIMES HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED CORRECTLY.
RECOVERY AND LANDING PATTERN
After completing your race, please follow instructions of the coach
in the turn-around launch. Crews will be asked to spin quickly
and proceed back to the CRF main dock. Shells should pause
their recovery trip near the wakeless launch docks and wait to be
summoned to the CRF dock by the Dock Master.
Once back on the docks, please be up and out of your shell quickly.
Team talk-down can occur top side of the docks or back at your
team tent.
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SRL REGATTA COURSE MAP
400 meters running up river
START LINE: The starting point will be the up river side of
the Center Street bridge. The starters will use the bridge
to align competing shells.
FINISH LINE: The end point will be at the far end of the
Metroparks Dock (past the small brown building). The end
point will be noted on the river by buoy.
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CRF Boathouse

What to do when not rowing
OFF THE WATER
TENTS, FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Teams are encouraged to bring their own tents, chairs, food
and beverage to the regatta. Crews can ‘claim’ space on the
river-front to watch races by setting up a tent and chairs.
We would suggest your team also bring a tarp to put down
under your tent as work is currently being done on our ‘tenta-palooza’
area.
Teams generally discuss what kind of food and drink they’d
like on site and assign to team members before the regatta.
Alcohol is not permitted on the Race Site. We have a
strict no-tolerence policy around alcohol. Teams WILL
be disqualified if coaches or race officials see or suspect
alcohol consumption.
Families and friends are always welcome. The more the
merrier!
TRASH AND RECYCLABLES
Please bring garbage bags with you to collect and dispose
of trash. Trash can be left in the dumpster on the east side
of the property. If the dumpster is full, please dispose of
garbage bags at home. Plastic bottles should be recycled.
TEAM T-SHIRTS
Team T-Shirts will be available at the Boathouse on Race Day
at the Captains’ Meeting at Race Central. Shirts may not be
available until Wednesday - SRL Admin will communicate
with Captains when shirts can be picked up.
All SRL T-Shirt orders include 2 shirts for your team sponsor.
Please deliver these shirts within 2 weeks of the regatta.
SPONSORS AND VENDORS
SPONSORS: We encourage you to invite your sponsors to
the race site to enjoy the regatta. Present them with your
team T-Shirts and let them join the fun!
VENDORS: As noted on our regatta site map on page 3,
we will have a ‘vendor row’ – full of local establishments
offering food, services and opportunities to peruse some of
Cleveland’s finest handiwork. Stop over between races to
grab a bite to eat, get your hair cut (proceeds go to charity)
or shop a bit.
NON SRL RACING
Half Time Show: This year we will introduce a stake boat race
during the lunch break. Single scullers (boats rowed with
one person and two oars) will show off their skill racing AND
TURNING in a down and back race starting and ending near
Columbus Road Bridge and turning 180 degrees in front of
the boathouse. Boats will race two or three at a time to
the turning point, then have to maneuver around the ‘stake’
and each other before racing back to the finish line – expect
some excitement!
The WRRA sculling committee will have a tent set up near
Race Central for anyone who has a sudden urge to learn
more about sculling after seeing the demo.
COACHES vs CAPTAINS’ ROW: Ever wonder what your
coach looks like rowing? Or what they look like in spandex?
At the end of the day, SRL Captains can participate in the
second annual Coaches vs Captains race. Interested captains
can sign up for the race at Race Central throughout the
course of the day.
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SUMMER ROWING LEAGUE SPONSORS
making rowing dreams come true
multi-team
SPONSORS
single-team SPONSORS
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half-team SPONSORS