Regatta Sanctioning

REGATTA SANCTIONING

Last Update: Feb. 2008 - Full Regatta Sanctioning Procedure can be downloaded (pdf format)

RCA REGATTA SANCTIONING PROCEDURE

Regatta Host Club/Association
We have prepared this guideline to assist you in your planning to hold a safe and fair event. These documents are required for all regattas conducted within Canada. When considering holding an event, the Local Organizing Committee must be familiar with the RCA Rules of Racing .

Step One
You need to create a local organizing committee, which includes the appointing of a Regatta Chair to head up your local organizing committee. If you are hosting an RCA national championship, the Chair of the regatta will be approved by RCA, in consultation with the
organizing committee.

Step Two
Prior to hosting a regatta, the host organization must submit an "Application for Regatta Sanction" form (see Appendix A) to its Provincial Rowing Association. (In the case of the National Championship Regattas, application must be made to the Provincial Rowing Association, noting that before sanction is granted by the Provincial Rowing Association, these applications must first be reviewed and approved by RCA.)
Very Important - applications should be received by the Provincial Rowing Association by an annual date, which is determined by that association. Please be aware that, if an application is received after that date, for that application to be considered the application must be received a minimum of 60 calendar days prior to the event.

Step Three
The Provincial Rowing Association will appoint, in consultation with the Organizing Committee, the Chief Umpire for the regatta. (In the case of a National Regatta, the RCA Umpires Committee, in consultation with the Organizing Committee, will select the Chief Umpire.)

Step Four
The Provincial Rowing Association will provide a letter of Sanction to the requesting applicant. As well, the Provincial Rowing Association will provide a copy of last years Chief Umpires Report for the regatta, the Regatta Checklist (see Appendix C) and the name of the Chief Umpire who has been assigned for the event.

Step Five
The Chief Umpire will communicate with the Local Organizing Committee to determine the necessary quantities of umpires, support staff, and volunteers. The Chief Umpire will also confirm the amount of safety and umpire launches that are required. The Chief Umpire will also ensure that any deficiencies or concerns from the previous year have been addressed.
Please note that it is the joint responsibility of the Regatta Chair and the Chief Umpire to determine the number of regatta staff, including the number of licensed umpires that will be required for the regatta (RCA Rules of Racing mandates a minimum of 4 licensed referees be at each regatta). It is the duty of the Chief Umpire to secure the required members of the Jury.

Step Six
On Regatta Day, it is the responsibility of the Chief Umpire and the Regatta Chair to provide the safest and fairest environment possible for all competitors. If any deficiencies arise, the Chief Umpire will bring these to the attention of the Local Organizing Committee immediately. Any shortfalls on regatta day that the Chief Umpire cannot condone can be justification for delaying the regatta until the conditions are met. If necessary, the Chief Umpire may remove the sanction for the regatta and refuse to allow the RCA Umpires to officiate.

Step Seven
After the regatta, the Chief Umpire will complete and send the enclosed "Regatta Report Form" (see Appendix D of pdf file above), as well as the completed "Regatta Sanction Checklist" (Appendix C) to the Provincial and National Associations and to the Local Organizing Committee, within 30 days of the regatta. The Chief Umpire should, without delay, report to the RCA office any incidents which may result in a claim against the RCA Insurance Policy .

Step Eight
The Provincial Rowing Association will review all Regatta Report Forms to help further the development of umpires and regatta administrators in the provinces. It will also report to RCA immediately any situations which may result in a claim against the RCA Insurance Policy.

Site Requirements:
A secure, controlled rowing site having a meeting place, adequate washrooms, shelter, change rooms, on-site drinking water, space for storage of boats, accessible and safe approaches and launching facilities for shells.

Schedule:
Enough copies of the regatta schedule for the number of anticipated umpires and coaches should be made available as soon as possible.

Drivers:
All Safety and Umpire Boat drivers must meet Transport Canada requirements and be competent to operate their assigned boat.

Safety Boats:
There must be a minimum of two (2) safety boats, in addition to the Umpire's boats. Safety boats should be stationed along the course, including warm-up and cool-down areas, to minimize the potential for collision of rowing boats with other boats and with hazards such as bridge abutments, etc. The safety boats should also be stationed such that any part of the course can be seen and reached speedily. It is desirable that these boats remain stationary, pending any emergency, rather than moving up and down the regatta course, so as to reduce wash.
In addition, these boats are to conform to the current Transport Canada requirements, particularly with respect to the racing of rowing shells. See Transport Canada Regulations as appended to the RCA Safety Guidelines .
It is preferable that the safety boats be of an inflatable type.
Umpires Boats:
Umpire boats should be equipped in accordance with the Transport Canada requirements. Each Umpire's boat should have a red and a white flag, one stopwatch, two-way radio communication.
Spare, "fully-charged" batteries should also be available as well as loud hailers, clipboards (for race schedule).
Rowing Canada National Regattas should have at least six Umpire boats running at all times for optimal operation of the regatta. A spare motorboat should be ready in the event of a breakdown. Spare motors plus extra fuel should also be available.

Starter:

Determine what Starters facilities should be in place.

Aligner/Judge at the Start:
Determine what facilities should be in place for aligning.

Finish:
Define an area accessible only by the umpires and support staff. Have it provided with tables, chairs and covered shelter. This should be a cordoned off area, free from interference.
Dock Marshal:
An umpire or individual(s) must direct the boats in and off the docks quickly and safely, so that there are no accidents or delays in the launch/landing areas.

Weigh In Facilities: (if applicable)
In a separate room (tent) large enough to accommodate the crew of an eight, there should be two calibrated scales, a table for each scale and two chairs for the officials who are doing the weigh in.
There should be a small scale for measuring the weight to be carried by coxswains. A supply of clean sand is required with a sufficient supply of containers, black markers, and duct tape. Sufficient sand is to be placed in the vessels according to the weight required. The tops will be wrapped with duct tape for sealing the weight.

Control Commission:
Situated at the dock where the shells enter and leave the water, the Commission members are responsible for ensuring that all boats have the safety features present and functional. (Bow ball, quick shoe release tie-downs at the proper length, etc.)

Course Maps/Markings:
The Local Organizing Committee is to provide a detailed layout of all facilities on-land and on-water.
The Local Organizing Committee ensures that the warm-up and cool-down areas and the traffic patterns within those areas are clearly marked on the course diagrams. The maps must also show the traffic patterns (training and racing) and that the maps/diagrams are readily posted and available to the rowers.
The posting of when the course is officially opened/closed for training or racing must be noted to all. The LOC must provide traffic control (marshals) and on-water recovery boats/personnel and first-aid on land when the course is officially "open".

For safety reasons, the Local Organizing Committee may introduce special traffic rules for adaptive rowing.

Safety Advisor:
The Organizing Committee shall appoint a person as the regatta Safety Advisor. See RCA Rules of Racing for a list of responsibilities.
First Aid/Medical Officer:
At minimum a designated individual with a standard first aid certificate should be readily available thirty minutes before the start of the first scheduled race, and be in place until 30 minutes after the last race occurs each day. The organizing committee is encouraged to have an ambulance service and qualified medical staff on hand. Emergency contact information must be available.

First Aid/Medical Officer: (National Regattas)
Each national regatta will appoint a Chief Medical Officer who will be responsible for the medical organization at the Regatta. This will occur early enough in the planning of the regatta that ambulance and emergency response personnel can be organized. Normal minimal level of staffing would include a physician and physiotherapist, with ambulanceaccess arranged.
Normal facilities requirement would be a private room, centrally located, heated/cooled, with two plinths and access to washrooms. Medical equipment would be supplied by the medical personnel, and replaced by the Regatta Committee as used.

Weather Service:
The Regatta Organizing Committee should have all necessary weather bureau telephone numbers available to the Chief Umpire. A portable radio and internet access should be accessible on location. At all National Regattas, the following equipment is required and is optional for other regattas:

• Lightning Detector (at Start and Finish)
• A Regatta Weather Station - including computer with access to the Environment Canada web site.
• Thermometer.
• Barometer (to be read hourly, to detect trend of pressure) (optional)
• Anemometer (Wind speed direction) (optional).

Communications:
A two-way system with a range capable of receiving a clear signal for a minimum of three kilometers, with a minimum of three operating channels must be available for regatta communications.
The Regatta Chairman and the Chief Umpire will determine the number of radios required for the regatta. They will also assign channels.