Rules
-
Athlete Classification and Eligibility
- Varsity: Open to athletes up to Seniors in high school.
- 2nd Varsity: Open to athletes up to Seniors in high school.
- A team MUST have at least one entry in the Varsity 8+ category to enter a 2nd Varsity 8+. - It is understood that the 2nd Varsity boat is slower than the 1st Varsity boat.
- U17: Open to athletes 16 years of age and younger. - Athletes already 16 years of age CANNOT turn 17 within the 2024 calendar year.
- Junior: Open to athletes except Seniors (those in 12th grade).
- There is no requirement for a Varsity 8+/4+ to enter a Junior 8+/4+.
- U16: Open to athletes 15 years of age and younger. - Athletes already 15 years of age CANNOT turn 16 within the 2024 calendar year.
- U15: Open to athletes 14 years of age and younger. - Athletes already 14 years of age CANNOT turn 15 within the 2024 calendar year.
- Freshman: Open to athletes who are in 9th grade or younger (Scholastic and Club).
- Novice: Open to high school age athletes who began rowing after the last day of the 2023 school year.
- NOTE: The phrase ‘began rowing’ is defined by the time that athlete began rowing and NOT by the first year that athlete competed in a race.
-
Rules of Racing
Coach’s & Coxswains Meetings
- Please note that coaches and coxswains are responsible for all information given out at the C&C Meeting. Last minute information is given at the C&C meeting and all competitors are responsible for the information disseminated at these meetings.
Launching
- Events are called to the dock 40 minutes before your race. For the larger events, please note that we will call in 20-25 boat increments. This helps ensure that the boats arrive at the start more in bow # order.
- Come to the dock as you are called. If there is a boat with a bow number before yours, allow them dock out first.
- Have oars down to the docks beforeyou get hands-on the boat.
- Have oarlocks undone, have a secure bow ball, make sure your heel-ties are in place.
- Keep ALL unnecessary people out of the docking area. NO parents, friends, etc. Just 1 coach and the lineup.
- Have your shoe bag ready/filled so your coach can take it with him/her back to the trailer. Nothing stays on the docks.
- Know which dock you are coming BACK to once the race is over (either Lee’s Park or the State Boat Launch).
- Crews should approach the docks, following the traffic pattern for their assigned launch area, bow first.
- Athletes must check-in with the dock master. Here, heel ties and bow balls will be checked.
- Once the shell is in the water, crews have 60 seconds to push away from the docks.
- Coxswain or Stroke Seat should have an accurate watch & know their bow number, race time, and race event. It’s the athlete’s responsibility to be lined-up by bow number in the race lane approaching the start as you get closer to your event time.
Warming Up
- Crews will plan to be called to the dock 40' before their race. You may NOT go out earlier. Boats may NEVER be within the buoyed lanes while heading to the Start. As you approach the Start, the Lane next to you is Lane 0. There is a yellow line of buoys as you pass the Stake Boats at the 1500m Starting Line. These yellow buoys continue for the next 500m. Warm-up with the shoreline on your starboard side. The space of water to the right of the 2k "top 500" will have 3 BEMA buoys in the middle of it. You may practice COUNTER-CLOCKWISE around these buoys to warm up. Boats may not go around the bend (which is roughly 700m from the 1500m Starting Line). There will be several Marshals up there to assist you. One will be in the Warm-Up area. Another will begin gathering boats for their race at 16' before race time, at the starting line of the 2k course. Another will have the boats ready 8' before their race time about 250m before the Stake Boats. Please have a watch, know which flight/heat/final you are in, know your lane, your race time, and be alert. Remember, IF YOU ARE HEADED TO THE STARTING LINE AND ARE BETWEEN BUOYED LANES - YOU ARE ON THE RACE COURSE.
