Race Rules and Start Instructions 2013

Race Rules:

• ALL GIGS MUST CARRY A WORKING HAND-HELD PORTABLE VHF RADIO SET ON CHANNEL 8.  
• FOR ANY CREW TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR 1st , 2nd , 3rd , OR 4th PLACES THEY MUST HAVE THE SAME SIX ROWERS AND COXSWAIN FOR ALL CHAMPIONSHIP RACES.
• ALL CREW MEMBERS MUST BE 16 AND OVER. ALL COXSWAINS TO BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE .
• ALL COXWAINS ARE EXPECTED TO BE EXPERIENCED AND OBSERVE GOOD SEAMANSHIP AT ALL TIMES.
• ANY GIG NOT ON THE START LINE AT ITS ALLOTTED START TIME COULD BE DISQUALIFIED, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE START MARSHAL.
• IN THE ST AGNES RACES ANY GIG OVER THE LINE AFTER “ ONE MINUTE TO THE START” IS CALLED WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. NO WARNINGS WILL BE GIVEN.
• IN THE GROUP STARTS ANY GIG FAILING TO OBEY THE START MARSHAL'S ORDERS WILL BE GIVEN A FINAL WARNING AND DISQUALIFICATION WILL TAKE PLACE IF THIS IS IGNORED.
• ANY GIG TOUCHING A SAFETY BOAT WILL BE LIABLE TO DISQUALIFICATION.
• ALL BOATS MUST STEER A PROPER COURSE. ANY ZIGZAGGING TO BLOCK ANOTHER BOAT WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
• ALL GIGS MUST STAY OUTSIDE THE YELLOW BUOYS ALONG THE ST. MARY'S SHORE ON THE ST. AGNES RACE.
• IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION ALL CREWS SHOULD MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO DISENGAGE. SPINNING A GIG OR TAKING OFF THE YOKE WILL BOTH RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
• ALL GIGS MUST FINISH BETWEEN THE TWO FINISH BUOYS. GIGS NEAREST THE BUOYS MUST BE GIVEN WATER. ANY GIG FINISHING OUTSIDE THE BUOYS MAY BE DISQUALIFIED.
• ANY GIG NOT COMPLETING A RACE WILL NOT BE PLACED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
• IN THE EVENT OF A SERIOUS SAFETY INCIDENT THE RACE MAY BE STOPPED BY THE RELEASE OF FLARES.

N.B. ALL DECISIONS MADE BY RACE STEWARDS OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.

Please note: Any further additions or amendments will be announced at the Coxswains Meeting on Friday 3 May 2013


Start Instructions:

TIMETABLES AND REVISED START INSTRUCTIONS 2012

Veterans and St. Agnes Starts

The start line will be formed by the use of 5 equally spaced tall buoys, each an equal distance from the finish line, creating 4 starting sections. The gigs will be split, alphabetically, into groups of between 20 to 35 gigs. Each group will be drawn one of the sections. The number of sections used will depend on the number of gigs starting the race.

In the veterans' races the top 10 clubs from last year's championships will have their best crew seeded to start together in one of the sections.

When gigs arrive at the start they should wait, well behind the start line, for the starters instructions. There will be a 10 minute warning for the start of the race announced over the radio, followed by a 5 minute warning, then counting down the 5 minutes once a minute, ending with10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3, GET SET then GO.

There will be a boat at each end of the line and one alongside the middle buoy. On board these boats there will be officials whose task it will be to note any gig transgressing the rules.

Any gig over the start line after the 1 minute warning and before GO is called will be disqualified.

The race start times are as follows:

Friday

• 18.30 Veteran Ladies' Race
• 20.00 Veteran Men's Race

Saturday

• 13.00 Ladies' St. Agnes Race
• 14.15 Men's St. Agnes Race

Please be at the start line at least 5 minutes before your race is due to start.

Please make sure that you have a radio battery or batteries that will last all day as you must have a working radio on board whilst at sea.

Group Starts

5 minutes before your start time or when the previous heat is about to start, move up to a position just behind your starting berth buoys. When the start line has cleared, your starting berths will be announced over the radio. You will then be asked, by radio, to move up, between your berth buoys, to the start line which is approximately 2 lengths past the berth buoys. The flag will now be in the horizontal position. Gigs moving ahead of the start line will be asked to move back. Failure to do so will lead to disqualification . When the line is straight the flag will be raised to the vertical position and “get set” will be called on the radio. There will be a short pause before the flag is dropped and simultaneously “go” is called on radio.

Any Gig rowing ahead of the start line while the flag is in the vertical position will be disqualified.

Gigs must be at the area when their heat is called. Any Gig not at the start on time will be left behind.

The group starts are as follows:

Saturday

• 15.30 Ladies' Group Races
• 17.15 Men's Group Races

Sunday

• 10.00 Ladies' Group Races
• 11.45 Men's Group Races
• 13.30 Ladies' Final Races
• 15.30 Men's Final Races

The groups will be started at 5 minute intervals with the slowest group starting first.