Race Category Definitions:

Age is age as of race Day.

• Novice: First year of rowing
• Junior: 18 years old or less
• Master: 27 - 39 years old
• Senior: 40 - 49 years old
• Veteran: 50-59
• Veterans 60-69
• Veterans 70-79

Mixed events: equal number of male and female rowers in boat, coxswain either gender

Rules & Regulations for Coxswains & Strokes

Before The Race:

Launch & Warm-up:

1. Check in with beach or dock master or control commission; if there is a problem, report it at once and write down the official's name to which you reported the delay.
2. Recheck bow number one last time; make sure bow ball is O.K.
3. Carefully follow normal warm-up pattern.
4. Watch your watch constantly.
5. Be very conscious of races on the course; stop to let them pass if you are near them to avoid a warning
6. Follow traffic pattern religiously

The Race:

At the Start:

1. Be at the starting area 5-8 minutes before race if possible; do not play mind games at the start--get there with time to spare and focus
2. If possible, listen to starter's voice and cadence for previous race to get a sense of how he will call yours.
3. Know the various starting commands.
4. Check in with referee or marshal; identity yourself and race; this is very important in large regattas;
5. Be locked on to stake boats with three minutes to go; get sense of wind at start
6. Get your point and target; compensate for wind or current in keeping point; if there is a long delay, know where to keep your point to compensate for winds
7. Check position of your rudder especially after you have backed in
8. Know exactly how to scull bow around; check on where you want blades depending on current/wind
9. Acknowledge any warnings from starter
10. Remember, the movement of the flag starts the race not the voice of the starter

Lateness & False Starts & Breakage:

1. If you are late and permission has been given, don't panic your team on getting to the line
2. False starts: kinds of alignments; misleading other crews; backing down and your rudder
3. Not ready at the start
4. Breakage time or buoys
5. Stopping a race in the zone

The Body of the Race:

1. Lanes: know your own and others on buoyed and non-buoyed courses and when are you out of your water
2. Interference and fouls; leaving your lane; others leaving theirs
3. Referee commands and flags: white and red flags.
4. Steering and over - steering

The Finish of the Race:

1. Make dead sure you have crossed the line; finish buoys or flags are usually beyond the line
2. What five things the referees need to do at the finish: safety, weights, time, look for protests, certify race with white flag.
3. Checking your athletes health; lying down in the boat
4. Knowing when to leave the finish
5. Filing a protest on the water
6. Withdrawing a protest
7. Meaning of the flags

After The Race:

Filing a Protest:

1. If and only if you have given verbal notification on water to the referee of your race, a signed written form of the protest must follow within hour of your reaching land stating the problem and remedy sought. There is a $25 protest fee.
2. Jury will accept, reject, order a new race, or order a change in the finish order.