Overview

Please provide the following information:

Race Grid and Schedule

  • How many Categories and teams? How many Divisions?
    You may have Mixed, Women, and Community Categories. For # of Divisions, you may have 1 Mixed, 2 Women, and 3 Community. Each Division typically has a set of medals.
  • How many guaranteed races for each Category?
    Mixed and Women may have 4 guaranteed races, while Community has 3. Or 3 guaranteed with 1 final for the top 4 in a Division.
  • Any Specialty races?
    You may have a single Open, Masters, or Survivor race.
  • How many physical boats at the festival? How many boats in a heat?
    You may have 8 dragon boats, and 4 boats in each heat. Lane 1 is typically on the left as paddlers approach the start line. From shore, if the course is right to left, lane 1 is closest to the shore. If the course is left to right, lane 1 is farthest from shore.
  • What time does the race start? Any special requests for breaks/lunch? 

Setup

  • Timing tent – pls have it ready with power two hours before race start; three sides set up; firmly secured to the ground in case of wind. It should have 2 tables, 3 chairs.
  • Parking – please provide nearby parking for two cars, or at least a good load/unload point.
  • Bathroom – where is the nearest porta-potty/bathroom?
  • Visual marker for finish line – what should we use to sight the finish line? If you need help, let us know at least a week before the festival.

    Communications

    • Radios – Please provide fully charged radios (or with new batteries). Start/Finish should be on a separate channel from rest of race staff. We will provide a backup radio.
    • Phone #s – these are only used in emergencies. Please distribute a phone list for:
      • Race Director – responsible for race schedules, operations
      • Water Referee – provides data/judgments on water issues
      • Start Line
      • Finish Line (I'll provide my cell)
      • Land Marshal
      • Water Marshal

    Starter

    • Script – Make sure the Starter is familiar with the script.
    • Backup Stopwatch. At the start line, someone must start a stopwatch when the start gun fires (we can provide a stopwatch). This may require a second person as the Starter may not have a free hand. This is necessary if the radios fail and the Finish line does not capture the start gun.

    Results

    • Runner – please provide a runner. We’ll have paper results for your runner to give to the announce then post to the board. If the results board and announcer are far away, you may want to provide two runners (or one that likes to run). See Runner Info.
    • Results – if desired, we can post to your Facebook page feed.
      • I'll need your Facebook page address, and also be added as an Editor to your page.
      • If you want us to delay posting until after results are announced over your PA system, let us know. Do you want us to delay posting of the Finals until after award ceremonies?
    • Media station – if you want to show finish videos, you'll need to provide a large flat panel in a sheltered location with power. Your runner will help transfer videos by simply plugging in a USB stick.

    Lunch

    Please provide lunch for two people in the timing tent.

    Keeping on schedule

    If we are running behind schedule, we suggest working through breaks. If Land Marshal (or anyone) is missing advancements, contact us immediately as paper can be lost in transit. We can also email or text results if AT&T data service is available.

    Protests

    Let me know your process. Hopefully this won't be needed, but if it does, we want to get it resolved quickly to avoid delays. For example, some festivals do the following:

    • Protesting team may have to pay $50 (refunded if protest upheld).
    • Filed within 10 minutes of race end at the Registrar or Dock Manager (or if a time protest, 10 minutes after results posted).
    • Protesting team must stay in the marshaling area during review.

    The Water Referee or Race Director may do the following:

    • Notifies Water Referee, Start Line, Finish Line, announcer (public notification of appeal).
    • Talks with relevant Team captains.
    • Privately discusses with race staff and determines outcome (Water Referee usually has key input).
    • Communicates results to Team captains, Finish Line, announcer. Usually a time penalty or credit.

    Ideally this happens while other Teams are racing to avoid delays. It's often easier to give a time penalty/credit than re-run the race.