A FEW RULES
With so many boats, some floating, some not, some going this way, some going that way, this can be a bit of a chaotic event. Have fun and keep it light. There are a few rules:
- Be nice to your fellow competitors.
- No whining.
- No intentional boat to boat contact.
- Only youth team members may paddle in youth races; no adults may paddle in youth races.
- Bare feet or flimsy flipflops are not allowed.
- For safety, family members or friends (with the exception of “designated coaches” that are not on the paddling team) will not be allowed on the boat ramp.
- All decisions are final whether they make sense or not.
- Be safe, and have fun!
FLEET AND BOAT NUMBER
At sign-in you will receive two colored and numbered placards. This will be your color and number for the entire event. The placards must be attached to your boat as far forward as possible, and should be visible from both sides of the boat.
WINNING THE RACES
The field of 18 teams have been broken up in to three divisions:
- Adults
- Youth/High School
- Youth/Elementary
The order of races will be:
- Youth/Elementary Division
- Youth/High School Division
- Adult Races
Due to the size of the boat launching area, the adult division will have two qualifying fleet races.
The first three teams to finish each race qualify for a final race.
ONLY YOUTH TEAM MEMBERS WILL PADDLE IN THE YOUTH RACES, NO ADULT PADDLERS.
THE START
Bare feet or flimsy flipflops are not allowed. All races start on the launching ramp. The launch ramp has been refurbished and has deep, rough, grooves. Therefore, all team members must wear adequate footwear. The ramp is less slippery than in previous years, but. It will be a Le Mans start with the boats on the ramp and no part of your boat touching the water. Any/all of your team may help with the start. There will be a warning sound one minute before each start. Our Announcers will count down the last five seconds to the start. A loud sound will be used as the starting gun.
The youth races are individual races. There is no qualifying race for these divisions.
The Adult Division qualifying fleets will be launched three minutes apart.
ALL teams must be ready for their race start! The race committee will not wait until your team is ready, but instead will start all races on schedule.
When your boat arrives back at the ramp after your fleet race, you MUST immediately pull your boat out of the water and out of the way of other arriving boats.
The first three boats from each fleet qualify for the final race.
THE COURSE
Fleet races will be on a short course. The final race may be on a longer course, depending on weather conditions.
A buoy with a flag to mark the course. The course is from the launching ramp around the designated buoy (location TBD on race day depending on conditions) and back to the launch ramp.
You may go around the buoy in either direction.
THE FINISH
The race finish line is the outer edge of the docks. You are finished when your boat crosses the end of the DOCK where our race officials are standing. Please keep going and move up the ramp as soon as you land to make way for incoming boats. If you are not in the final race, please move further up the ramp.
SCHEDULE
Be on it, this is a tight schedule!
2:00: Start of the Elementary Division Youth Race
As soon as Elementary Youth Division Race finishes, the High School Youth Division Race begins.
As soon as High School Youth Division Race finishes, the Adult Division Race begins as follows:
- Start of the race for the Red fleet
- After three minutes, Start of the race for the Blue fleet.
- Both fleets race the same course.
Ten minutes after the last boat finishes the fleet race, the Final Race begins.
All awards will be given out at the end of the final race starting with the youth divisions.
All decisions are final whether they make sense or not.
Be safe, and have fun!