Inverness Rowing Club Hawco Inverness Fours, Quads and Small Boats Head Saturday 31st October & Sunday 1st November 2015
Essential Information for Competitors Please make sure that ALL competitors from your Club have read the contents and are aware of the marshalling instructions. Failure to understand and follow the instructions may lead to delays for all competitors and time penalties for those causing them! . 1. Trailer and Car Parking We do not have access to the usual parking at the Rugby Club – so alternative measures are in place as follows: -
Buses must use the Sports Centre car park, which is clearly signposted.
All cars not carrying small boats must be parked carefully where directed on the grass areas at the Torvean Caravan Park, (if coming up Glenurquhart Road) turn right after crossing the canal. Cars carrying small boats must park beyond the IRC Boathouse.
WARNING - all drivers, be aware that the towpath is not a tarmac surface. All drivers and particularly drivers towing trailers, must drive slowly along the towpath.
No cars or trailers are to be parked in the turning area in front of the IRC boathouse.
Please note there is NO vehicle access beyond the turning area west of the boathouse
Trailers should be located as follows -
On the towpath to the North of Tomnahurich Swing Bridge (turn right after going over the bridge) – George Heriots School BC, Glasgow University BC, Strathclyde University BC, St Andrews University BC and Heriot Watt University BC
Close to the Jacobite Cruises Office Aberdeen BC, Aberdeen University BC, Robert Gordon’s University BC, ASRA
NOTE - Three parking spaces must also be left clear on the immediate south side of the Jacobite Cruises office for the use of their staff vehicles
Towpath before IRC Boathouse Clyde ARC, St Andrew BC and Glasgow RC
Beyond IRC Boathouse (beside tow path at turning space before locked gate) Clydesdale ARC, George Watson’s College BC, Strathclyde Park RC, Glasgow Schools RC, Edinburgh University BC, Castle Semple RC, Loch Lomond RC and all car topped small boats
1 2. Registration 1 Representative from each competing club should report to Registration early to collect their club ‘Registration Pack’. These will be available as soon as the registration caravan opens (approx. 9am).
There is 1 pack per club which will include Bow Numbers, Paper Back Numbers, Running order / draw, Map of the course Form to make crew changes / substitutions / amendments to Vet status.
We will require a deposit for this pack, based on the number of crews competing for each club (£5 per bow number), which will be returned in full when the “packs” are returned complete at the end of racing.
Please provide a list of licence numbers / date of birth (for Junior and Vet Crews) for all competitors (a printout should be available from the SR membership system).
Clubs wish to make changes/scratch crews, must advise Regatta Control as early as possible
3. Boating Please allow sufficient time to get to the start in time - it can take some crews more than 45 minutes to row to the start.
Ensure you have everything that you need to boat ready to go – Oars Seats Clothing Cox Any crews not ready to boat will be asked to remove their boat from the water to allow those that are ready to proceed.
Boating times have been included on the draw – it is your responsibility to boat at or before the time allocated.
At the boathouse, the steps and the first pontoon will be allocated to launching of fours/quads, the second pontoon will be available for small boats only.
Any boat that has not passed the finish line 40 minutes before the scheduled start of each division will be turned back and will not be allowed to race. Please note it takes approximately 10 minutes from the pontoons north of the Tomnahurich swing bridge to get to the finish line on the way to the start.
2 4. The Start Crews must arrive and be in their allocated marshalling point 15 minutes PRIOR to division start time:
Saturday First Division – Arrive by 11:15 for start at 11:30 Novice Crews must begin boating at 09:40am Junior Crews at 09:50am, and Open/Senior Crews at 10:00am – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew should boat.
Second Division – Arrive by 13:45 for start at 14:00 Novice Crews must begin boating at 12:30pm, Junior Crews at 12:40pm, and Senior Crews at 12:50pm – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew should boat.
Sunday, First Division - 10:45 for start at 11:00Novice Crews must begin boating at 9.20am Junior Crews at 9:30am, and Senior Crews at 9:40am – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew should boat.
Second Division - 13:15 for division 2 start at 13:30Novice Crews must begin boating at 12:00 noon, Junior Crews at 12:10pm, and Senior Crews at 12:20pm – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew should boat. A 5 second time penalty per minute will be applied to all crews arriving in the marshalling after the times above.
The start area will be VERY congested – the total length of boats that need to be marshalled amount to approx. 1500m (i.e. almost a mile!) and we have only 600m space before the start. Please ensure that you approach the area at an appropriate speed. Any crews demonstrating inconsiderate or dangerous behaviour may be disqualified – or made to wait until after the last boat has started.
ALL WARM UPS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE BEECHES CORNER AND CREWS MUST PADDLE LIGHT AFTER THE BEECHES CORNER
Late crews may be sent to the back of the division and start after all other crews
NOTE: THESE TIMES MAY SEEM VERY EARLY BUT IT IS TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE MARSHALLS TO ARRANGE THE LARGE NUMBER OF CREWS IN EACH DIVISION
REMEMBER TO TAKE SUFFICIENT WARM AND WEATHERPROOF CLOTHING WITH YOU.
MARSHALLING AT START AREA – SEE DIAGRAMS AT END OF THIS DOCUMENT
To deal with the large number of crews while not shortening the length of the course a new marshalling procedure will be in operation.
All crews are allocated a colour group on the running order that identifies the area that each crew shall wait at before the start:-
Green group (lower numbers for fours/quads) – marshalling point is on 3 the city bank, downstream of the start on the last straight before the start when heading towards the lock gates Red group (higher numbers for fours/quads and some small boats) – marshalling point is on the boathouse bank, downstream of the start on the just before the last bend Blue group (lower numbers for small boats) – marshalling point is just upstream of the start Orange group (higher numbers for small boats) – marshalling point is close to the lock gates
5. The Race and The Finish Coaches should note that the towpath is primarily a public footpath – please respect walkers by giving way and ensuring that appropriate language is used at all times.
Crews crossing the finish line after the end of their race, must continue rowing on well clear of the finish line to avoid collisions with following crews.
NO QUICK TURNING ALLOWED IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
REMEMBER THE RULES OF RACING APPLY FOR THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE ON THE WATER AND YOU MUST OBEY THE INSTRUCTIONS OF MARSHALLS BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR RACE
6. Results and Prize Giving Results for each division will be published on line at http://www.ircevents.org.uk/results.html as soon as the results have been verified and the Senior Umpire has resolved any disputes, objections or protests regarding the conduct of the races. Prize giving will take place once the results for the second division for each day are available.
7. And lastly….. Showering facilities are available at the nearby Inverness Sports Centre and Aquadome. There is a charge payable at the reception for this.
Wishing you all a successful weekend (and no time penalties) Regatta Organising Committee, Inverness Rowing Club – October 2015
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