NORTH ESK ROWING CLUB   

ANNUAL LONG DISTANCE RACES

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October, 2016

To be held on the River Tamar starting from and finishing at the North Esk Rowing Club pontoon

 Sponsored by

Jackson Motor Company

Perth Engineering and Maintenance Services

Kilpatrick’s Joinery

Saturday 15th October, 2016       (High tide approx. 11.45 am)

NERC to Launceston Church Grammar School & return, 7 km

• 9.15 am –      Tom McLeod Coxed Quad Sculls
• 10.00 am --   Kerry Dawkins Double Sculls
• 10.45  am –   Courtenay Shield Coxed Fours
• 11.30  am –  Victoria Bridge Single Sculls

NERC to 1K past Grammar School & return, 9 km (4.5K each crew)

• 12.45  pm – NEW RACE - North Esk Relay Race  --  Coxed boats only (see notes below)

Sunday 16th October, 2015 – The Silo Classic Eleven   (High tide approx. 12.55 pm)

NERC to Newnham Creek & return, 11 km

• 11.00  am – Silo Classic Coxed Eights

Entries all races - $7.00 per rowing seat

ENTRIES   need to be submitted before Wednesday 12th October 2016 and MUST be done through the Rowing Tas web site as per other rowing events.  Link to entry http://tas.rowingmanager.com/?regatta=3651

Event enquiries can be made to North Esk Rowing Club’s organisers

James Burbury   0418 328 619     laroona120@gmail.com

Bob Pennington   0427 432 630      rjp327@bigpond.com

Preferable seat fee payment is made to North Esk Rowing Club by direct credit online payments (to include information to identify on whose behalf the payment is made) which may be made to the Club’s NAB account – BSB 087-728, Account No. 86 295 3518, or alternatively seat fee payment may be deferred until our Treasurer sends an invoice to each Club or School post races.

.Competitors and supporters are invited to the North Esk Rowing Club Boathouse (Lindsay Street) for light refreshments and a barbeque at 12.30 on Sunday.

Trophies will be presented at the Boathouse at 1.00pm

PLEASE NOTE - This year we are introducing an extra race that will be a relay race. Entering crews will need to be paired up with another crew, one crew to row down the river and when they get to the change over point the other crew will be started by a starter there and race back to the finish line at the North Esk Rowing Club.

Weather permitting the change over point will be the green pile approx 1K north of the Grammar Rowing shed.

The handicap for both crews will be added up and given to the first crew to start. Each crew pair will need to have the same bow number on their boat (numbers will be allocated by NERC and the bow person in the first crew will be given this same number to fix to their back.

You may either advise North Esk Rowing Club who you wish to be paired up with or we will pair the crews up where possible.

The second crew in each pair must leave from the start/finish area to row down the river to their start point (change over point) between 12.15 and 12.30pm.  Not before because of potential clashing with the previous race and not later or they may miss their start. Coxes should keep their crew well clear of possible late finishers in the previous Scull race

This race is only open for coxed boats (coxed Quad skull & sweep four and eights)

RACING RULES – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

ALL ROWERS MUST BE REGISTERED WITH ROWING TAS.

 It is the responsibility of each club entering crews to ensure rowers are registered

1              Safety of all crews and boats is paramount in actions undertaken by crews.  Competitors must be proficient swimmers as well as experienced rowers, and competent to participate safely in the event.  Safety boats will be present during all races, but entrants should be aware they enter the races at their own risk and should be insured. 

2              To address safety concerns and promote fair play, a penalty system is in place. In the event of failure by a crew to comply with the rules set out below, a time penalty may be imposed at the absolute discretion of the race umpires, and be added to an infringing crew’s race time.

3              If not adhering to the advised course, an infringement time may also be imposed at the discretion of the race umpires. Failure to comply with an umpire’s instructions may also result in disqualification.

4              This year the start / finish line will be located close to the North Esk Rowing Club’s pontoon in the North Esk River. Officials will be on hand to assist crew’s line up for the start.

5              School crews and non-masters Club crews must advise their age classification as for this season, 2016 – 2017. All school crew members must be within their age, e.g.                                                    crews must all be U16 in age.

Masters crews must satisfy a crew age classification as for Masters Games for this season, 2016-2017

6              Clubs entering more than one crew in an event are to identify each crew by bow numbers and ensure bow numbers are in place on race days.

7              All events will be handicapped in accordance with the accepted schedule used in past years.  The handicap times will be advised to crews present behind the start line five minutes prior to the advertised race start time.

8              The preference is for crews to be of the one gender for fairer handicapping, however mixed crews will be accepted if details are advised on entry forms and will be handicapped accordingly.

9              For The Silo Classic  Eleven race on Sunday there will be a yellow marker buoy and umpire’s boat on the course, approximately 200m before the turning point, which is the green pile north of the Maritime College near Newnham Creek. This yellow marker buoy must be passed on the East Tamar Highway side.   The buoy will be on the crew’s stroke side as they pass it. 

From this buoy until the turning point at the green pile, crews must maintain their relative racing positions until they have successfully negotiated the green turning pile and have commenced the return run. Overtaking is prohibited between the yellow buoy and the green pile and during the turn in the interest of boat and crew safety.

A crew which attempts to overtake or cut in unfairly during turning manoeuvres will receive a safety breach time penalty.

10           For the Courtenay Shield Fours, Tom McLeod Quad Sculls, Double Sculls and Victoria Bridge Sculls races on Saturday, the turning point is the green pile near the Grammar School Boathouse.  This pile must be on the crew’s stroke side as they pass it.

11           The relay race will change crews (the second crews starting point) near the green pile approx 1 K north of the Grammar Rowing shed.

Crews rowing the first leg must stay on the East Tamar Highway side of the river from Grammar   Rowing Shed to the finish of the first leg. They must not return to the North Esk end until the last competing boat has started the return leg.

The relay race is only open for coxed boats (coxed quad & sweep four and eights).

12           On the outward leg of all races, crews must stay within the shipping lane from the starting line until Stephenson's bend (Grammar Rowing Shed) or Newnham creek. Thus when passing a red pile, the pile MUST be on the crew’s BOW side, when passing a green pile, the pile MUST be on the crew’s STROKE side. A time penalty will be imposed for infringements.

13           On the return leg of all races the shortest, safest and most practical course may be taken, subject to compliance with normal boating rules and respect for other river users.  A race marshal will be stationed near the northern end of Kings Wharf to advise late finishing crews if they need to proceed via the western side of the three green piles on Home Reach to the finish, in order to avoid interference with leading crews in the next race.

14           When overtaking, the overtaking crew must not force the overtaken crew to move out of their way or risk a clashing of equipment. Overtaking must only to be done if it is clearly safe to do so and the move does not unfairly impact on the overtaken crews. Crews that cause a clash or oars or interference can be penalised and crews that are imposed upon in this manner can raise an objection within 15 minutes of completion of the race.

15           Clubs and Schools using the Tamar River for training are requested to ensure their crews are aware that race events are being conducted and that those using the river for training while races are underway should keep clear of competing crews and the race course.