Mayor's Cup Regatta - August 17, 2024

We are re-tooling the Mayor’s Cup Regatta to be a mix of head race and sprint. This race format has been highly popular in Europe for more than 50 years with great success! The head race part of the Mayor’s Cup will start north of NBC in Pawtucket racing southbound 4820 meters ending at the Waterman Grill, just south of NBC and the Henderson Bridge. As each boat crosses the finish line of the 4820M race, they will continue southbound and turn around before the train bridge. Crews will queue up for an all out 250M sprint in the same racing direction as the 4820 finishing at NBC. See Mayor’s Cup Rules 2024 below for more detail.

All starting lines will have two green buoys and all finish lines will have two orange buoys. All other buoys will be for navigation and channel marking as noted in the race course map. Don’t miss the coaches and coxswains meeting! We will review all the tips and tricks of the Seekonk race venue!

Results will be an average of both race times scaled up to equivalent 5,000m times. The 250m race will carry a heavy weight in this calculation, so practice your rolling starts!

NBC REGATTA RESULTS

REGATTA INSTRUCTIONS

NBC Race Course Map – 4820m | 250m

Navigation Rules

Below are instructions for participants coming to sprint regattas at NBC.

The Overall Rules

The USRA’s Rules of Rowing will be in effect, with a few modifications to accommodate our course.

Masters: Every rower’s age and the average boat age must be at least 21. Masters’ events will be handicapped, if necessary. Ages for masters are based on the FISA system (age as of year-end), handicapped if necessary (USRowing handicaps).

Junior/High School: (we follow the USRA Rules of Rowing definition for eligibility): A Junior is a competitor who in the current calendar year does not attain the age of 19, or who is and has been continuously enrolled in secondary school as a full-time student seeking a diploma. A competitor thus ceases to be a Junior after December 31 of the year of his or her 18th birthday, or of the year in which he or she completes the 12th grade of secondary school, having been a full-time student, whichever is later.

Novice: Novice rowers are in their first year of competition.

Regatta Meeting: There will be a meeting for scullers, coaches and coxswains via Zoom the Thursday evening before the regatta. A link for the C&C meeting will be sent to all registrants Wednesday before the regatta. Check out the 4820m Course Map and the 250m Course Map.

Shell storage and parking: We have limited space and on the morning of the regatta trailers will be directed to parking spaces along River Rd or on the grass across from the Narragansett Boat Club. Please do NOT park your trailer prior to this time or you will block the traffic flow. All tow vehicles must display the trailer registration / parking dashboard pass that will be emailed out. Car-topped boats can be dropped off for storage in the park beginning the morning of the regatta. You will not be able to leave your car in the park. Communications will be sent to all participants with regard to trailer parking and boat drop off. PLEASE follow the parking assistants’ directions so we can accommodate everyone as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Bow Markers: NBC will supply bow markers which you will pick up when launching and return upon landing.

Equipment check: Before launching check your wing nuts, rigger bolts, collar bolts, foot stretchers, shoes etc., anything that may be problematic. Per USRowing Rules, all bow balls and shoe tie downs must pass a safety check; this will occur as boats enter the dock queue prior to launch.

Launch Times: Usually, you will launch at least 30 minutes before your scheduled race time. Do not delay launching beyond this point. We will stick to the racing schedule. Announcements will be made for launch times for each event.

Oar and scull storage: If possible, have someone bring your sculls and/or oars to the dock as you bring your shell. We do not have enough room on the docks to store oars prior to launching.

Launching: All visiting boats will launch from the North dock. Enter the ramp to the dock BOW first, walk to your right (to the south). Crews should launch southbound and proceed through the Henderson Bridge turning around northbound between Henderson Bridge and the railroad bridge. All crews will launch prior to the start of the first event in approximate start order. Once you are heading north, travel through the main arch of Henderson and pass the pilings with your starboard oars (just to the NBC side of pilings).

Warm-ups: We will stick to the schedule. Following the launching instructions above will allow plenty of warm up time; there is approx. 5KM of warm up. Crews will not be allowed to turn around once they are headed northbound from Henderson Bridge.

As crews head north, follow the channel and stay within 5 racing lanes close to the east shore (opposite of NBC). At the first green buoy, #13, make a slight turn to port and row north to the next red buoy, #18. Continue north to the start, passing the 2^nd red buoy. Pass both red buoys close with the starboard oars. See racing map for warm up and racing lanes. Yellow buoys will separate warm up and racing lanes.

The start of the race will be at the flagpole on the Pawtucket pier; marshals will help guide you coming into the starting area. As each race goes off, we will need crews to row above the start and be ready to turn quickly.

Crews should start to get in bow # order before the 2^nd red buoy northbound. In the warmup, ALWAYS pass yellow buoys with port oars as these will divide the racecourse and the warm up lane. Do not cross your oars over the yellow buoys at any time.

Crews can row all the way to the start without crossing the racecourse, racing crews on the course will have right of way. Blind boats please proceed with caution during the warmup and in the race. Look around often.

Pointing the Boat: All crews are required to row between the green channel buoys and the yellow race buoys. Yellow buoys divide the racecourse and the warmup lanes. At no times, should any crews pass their oars over the yellow buoys. (yellow buoys will be the longer course anyway)

The Starting Command: The starting marshal will queue boats north of the starting line and have them turn around. Do not proceed north of the starting line until called by the marshal. The starting referee will call crews to the line in bow number order and will provide instructions to bring up the pressure as you approach the start. The starting line will be marked with green round buoys (NOT channel buoys). Pictures of both will be provided in the coaches and coxswains meeting.

Finish Line: The finish line for the 4820m race is approx. 300m south of the Henderson Bridge. It will be marked with 2 orange buoys just past the Waterman Grill (building the west shore). The finish line for the 250m race will be the south end of the NBC boathouse, marked with orange buoys which will be placed in the water AFTER the 4820m race. Row until you hear the horn.

Rowing to the 250M start: After the 4820 race, boats can row a reasonable distance toward, but not through the railroad bridge, and safely turn upstream and stay closer to the East Providence side of the river, following the same warm up lane from the 4820m race. Do not go more than 500 meters above the 250m start. Green start buoys will be placed after the 4820m race just north of the NBC boathouse.

Returning to the dock: After the finish of the 250m race, row through the Henderson Bridge and you can turn northbound following the warm up lanes. No crews will be allowed to land until after all 250m races are complete. Crews should row north of the 250m race start line and queue up southbound for landing. Follow landing instructions of the dock master. Land your shell, have someone assist you, if possible, so that you can take your shell and your sculls/oars off the dock as quickly as possible. Do not leave your equipment on the dock.

Protests: In the event of a Protest, it must be made on the water at the end of either race then presented in writing to the Regatta Director within 30 minutes of landing. There is also a $50.00 cash bond that you must present. If the protest is upheld, the bond is returned. If not, the bond is retained by the Regatta.

Bare Feet and Shirts: Bare feet will not be allowed on the dock. All rowers or support personnel must have some type of non-skid footwear if they want to go on the dock. Crews will be turned away if they approach the dock with bare feet. Shirts are also to be worn on the dock, and in and around the boathouse.

Passing: Overtaking crews have a right to the shortest course. The overtaking crew must indicate where they plan to go prior to overlapping bow to stern.

Penalties: Race penalties are outlined below.

Green channel marker buoy 4820M race: Three green channel marker buoys in the first ⅓ of the 4820 race must be passed with the starboard There will be a 20 second penalty for each missed green channel buoy.
Warm up crews crossing into the racing lanes: Will be grounds for exclusion. This puts crews at risk for collision.
Racing crews crossing into warm up lanes: Will be grounds for exclusion. This puts crews at risk for a collision.

Medals:

Medals will be awarded based on the number of entries in each boat category.