Hawco Inverness Fours, Quads and Small Boats Head – 19 and 20 November
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 or disqualification for those causing them!
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1. Trailer and Car Parking
Buses and minibuses must use the Sports Centre car park, which is clearly signposted BUT NOTE THE DIVERSIONS CAUSED BY THE ROADWORKS FOR THE NEW ROUNDABOUT JUST BEFORE THE CANAL (WHEN DRIVING FROM THE CITY CENTRE).
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 rightafter crossing the canal. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN DRIVING ON THE GRASS TO AVOID MAKING ANY RUTS IF THE GROUND IS SOFT.
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.
THE TOWPATH MUST REMAIN CLEAR TO ALLOW VEHICULAR ACCESS AT ALL TIMES – REMEMBER EMERGENCY VEHICLES MAY NEED TO DRIVE DOWN THIS PATH
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
BECAUSE OF THE ROADWORKS CLOSE TO THE CLUB IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT TRAILERS DO NOT APPROACH THE CLUB FROM THE KENNETH ST / GLENURQUART ROAD DIRECTION – INSTEAD TURN RIGHT AT THE ROUNDABOUT AT THE END OF THE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY (ALDI ON YOUR RIGHT) AND USE GENERAL BOOTH ROAD.
Trailers should be located as follows -
On the towpath to the North of Tomnahurich Swing Bridge (turn left just before the bridge when approaching from the Fort William / General Booth Road)– George Heriots School BC, Glasgow University BC, Dundee University BC, Strathclyde University BC and Heriot Watt University BC
NOTE: The access gates to both the entrance to Torvean Caravan Park and particularly to the car dealership entrance MUST BE KEPT CLEAR AT ALL TIMES.
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)
ClydesdaleARC, George Watson’s College BC, Strathclyde Park RC, Glasgow Academy, Stirling RC, Castle Semple RC, Loch Lomond RC and all car topped small boats
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. 9:15am).
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
- CORRECT BOW NUMBER
Any crews not ready to boat will be asked to remove their boat from the water to allow those that are ready to proceed.
Please ensure that your bow number is clearly displayed at all times – this is the only way we can identify you for marshalling and timing.
If you use the wrong bow number then another crew will get your time over the course – this is particularly important when clubs have several crews in the same event. You may also not get a time at all (e.g. if you use your Division 2 number for Division 1 then your crew will not appear on the timing system for that division).
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 35 minutes before the scheduled start of each divisionwill be turned back and will not be allowed to race. Please note it takes approximately 10 minutesfrom the pontoons north of theTomnahurich swing bridge to get to the finish line on the way to the start.
4. The Start
Crews must arrive and be in their allocated marshalling point 15 minutes PRIOR to division start time:
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TIMES FOR THE SECOND DIVISION HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY 30 MINS BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF CREWS COMPETING.
THIS IS TO AVOID CREWS HAVING TO BOAT FOR DIVISION 2 BEFORE THE DIVISION 1 CREWS ARE OFF THE WATER.
SATURDAY DIVISION 2 WILL NOW START AT 14:30
SUNDAY DIVISION 2 WILL NOW START AT 14:00
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 must be on the water.
Second Division– Arrive by 14:15 for start at 14:30
Novice Crews must begin boating at 13:00pm, Junior Crews at 13:10pm, and Senior Crews at 13:20pm – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew must be on the water.
Sunday
First Division - 10:45 for start at 11:00
Novice 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 must be on the water.
Second Division - 13:15 for division 2 start at 14:00
Novice Crews must begin boating at 12:30, Junior Crews at 12:40pm, and Senior Crews at 12:50pm – the draw provides allocated time slots for the latest time each crew must be on the water.
Both Days
- 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 (pairs and doubles) – marshalling point is on the city bank, downstream of the start on the last straight before the start when heading towards the lock gates
- Red group (singles) – marshalling point is on the boathouse bank, downstream of the start on the just before the last bend
- Blue group (lower numbers for quads / fours) – marshalling point is just upstream of the start
- Orange group (higher numbers for quads / fours) – 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
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 – November 2016
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