Rules of the Regatta

Athlete Classification and Eligibility

Masters: Age‑handicapped for all events. Line‑ups with ages are required.
Collegiate: Athletes must be currently enrolled in college.
Youth: Athletes must be currently enrolled in middle school or high school.
- 1V: The top level of a Youth event category
- 2V: The 2nd level of a Youth event category
U17: A competitor may compete in this category until December 31 of the year of their 16th birthday
U16: A competitor may compete in this category until December 31 of the year of their 15th birthday
Novice: Athletes who began rowing after January 1, 2026.
Middle School Events: Any rower that is in 8th grade or below

Rules of Racing

Follow instructions from the Starting Line Marshall and Officials. If the day is windy, getting everyone lined up is very difficult. It also makes it more difficult to hear words from the launch. If it is cold, try to keep your crews moving as much as possible. (It will be very cold in the mornings – make sure they all DRESS WARMLY). They simply need you to comply and help get things organized.

Coaches, Coxswains & Athletes' Meeting | October 21 at 7:30pm

C&C Meeting will be virtual this year on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30pm. The meeting invitation will be emailed, posted HERE, and then recorded and posted HERE following.

Friday Practice Window | October 23 from 2:00-6:00pm

There will be a minimal amount of safety launches on the course to facilitate safe traffic patterns.

Crews will not be allowed past the starting area at the top of the course, and crews will not be permitted to cut midway through the course.

ALL CREWS must be off the water by 6:00pm to avoid operating without sunlight.

Boat Launching & Returning

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 to dock out first.

Have oars down to the docks before you 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.

Launching

Boats may NEVER be within the buoyed lanes while heading to the Start.

Be careful going around the S-Turn, hold tight to shore careful not to cross over buoys into racing lane.
- UPDATED AS OF 2026 | LANE ENFORCEMENT NOTICE: Boats that fully cross over the buoy line with their shell travelling towards the opposite/oncoming traffic pattern will be assigned a +30 second adjustment to their finish time. This is a preventative safety measure and should only be applied in instances where the hull of the boat completely crosses into the opposing race/warmup lane. Time will not be added for buoy contact as long as the crew remains in their appropriate lane.

Beyond the start and marshal area the center lane is not buoyed. Please be careful and follow the right hand rule if you are warming up beyond the start shoot.