For Competitors

Waiver Form (pdf)   
Boat Line-up Form (pdf)
Olympic Training Center Tour 
Coxing Clinics - Racing Skills  Offered on site by the Foundation for Rowing Education
Crew Area Index  For placing boats on the shore
Beach Map  To use with Crew Area Index
Course Map & Traffic Pattern  For Coxswains
Coxswains Check List

Participants - Crews (pdf)   

The Board of Directors of the San Diego Crew Classic Inc.® takes pleasure in inviting rowers from around the world to come to picturesque Mission Bay to compete in the 37th San Diego Crew Classic Saturday and Sunday, March 27 & 28, 2010. 

Take note of IMPORTANT INFORMATION which appears below the following bulleted points:

Register online at Regatta Central. $365 for registration after February 1.

Click here for a PDF document of the following important information, and here for Park Rules

INDEX of Participant Information
1.      Information Center Hours
2.      Coaches’ Packets
3.      Competitor T-Shirts
4.      Shell Trailer Parking
5.      Shell Storage & Staging
6.      Shelter Tents
7.      Slings, Bow Numbers, Bow Balls
8.      Shell Inspection
9.      Practice and Safety Rules
10.    Coaches Launches
11.    Weigh-ins
12.    Coaches and Coxswains Meeting
13.    Pasta Party
14.    Parking
15.    Rules
16.    Starts
17.    Progression to Finals

1.   INFORMATION CENTER OPEN ON-SITE 
           Thursday, March 25, 12:00 pm-6:00 pm
           Friday, March 26, 9:00 am-6:00 pm
           Saturday, March 27, 6:30 am-5:30 pm
           Sunday, March 28, 7:00 am to the close of competition

2.   COACHES PACKETS
ONLY THE COACH OR TEAM REPRESENTATIVE OF RECORD may pick up the packet for his/her crew at the Information Center. It contains wristbands that serve as entry passes, parking passes, maps of Mission Bay, a final schedule, WHERE YOU CAN PUT YOUR SHELLS ON THE BEACH, etc.
Packets will be available to those who have met the following conditions:

3.  T-SHIRTS
Pre-ordered at Regatta Central will be available for pick-up at the Crew Classic Merchandise Tent on Friday, 12:00 pm-4:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am-4:00 pm.  There may be a few full price Competitor T-shirts for sale at the regatta.

4.  SHELL TRAILER PARKING
Please make trailer drivers and crews aware of parking plans and locked gates.
We are short of space. Help Regatta efficiency and access to your trailer by parking within lined spaces or as indicated by Regatta personnel.

         Driving Directions & Trailer Parking   Click here for a pdf

• Do not plan to deliver your trailer to the Park before Wednesday, except during daylight hours. There are gates that are locked overnight. Limited security begins at 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 24.
• No cars or vans in the Trailer Lot throughout the week.  After parking trailers, vehicles are required to disconnect and, during the week, use only paved parking lots.
• On Saturday and Sunday the trailer area gates will not be staffed for repeat entry/exit by towing vehicles. If these vehicles are to be used for transportation around town, they will need a vehicle pass and must be parked in the Crew Parking Lot.

5.  SHELL STORAGE AND STAGING:
ALL SHELLS MUST BE LOCATED AS DESIGNATED on the Beach Map and Crew Area Index  Our beaches are filled to capacity. Everyone’s cooperation is needed for smooth operations.

All shells are stored in, and launched from the Regatta site during the Regatta and are not stored on trailers. Shells should be in place no later than noon on Friday, March 26, to aid inspections (see 8 below), which will occur all day.

• The map shows the general area where your shells are to be placed.
• When you arrive you will find each area is on grass, clearly marked with the letter you see on the map, and outlined in chalk.
• You may put your shells ONLY within your assigned chalked area, PARALLEL to the lines separating one area from another.
• North Areas, near the Dirt Lot Trailer Parking, are on an extreme diagonal with an access aisle down the middle separating them.
• Bay Side Areas, on the bay side of the walkway and south of the Gazebo, are tandem with shells one behind the other.
• Please respect others by not obstructing the access aisles or rigging/unrigging in an interfering area or manner.

6.   SHELTER TENTS  NO shelter tents allowed anywhere within the fenced venue. To save embarrassment, please be sure all alumni and parent groups are aware of this policy. See the “Alumni & Clubs” page on this web site for information about reserving a tent.

7.    SLINGS, BOW NUMBERS, BOW BALLS

• Slings and racks and bow numbers are not provided.
• No shells will be allowed to race without bow ball and bow number.
• Bow numbers must be stiff opaque plastic, not cardboard or other makeshift material, approximately 5 inch by 8 inch with a 6 inch number. A makeshift marker will not be acceptable.
• A limited supply of bow numbers will be available with a $20.00 exact change refundable deposit.

8.    SHELL INSPECTION Beachmaster/Race Officials will inspect for condition and USRowing release/coxswain requirements before the Regatta. This includes placing a colored dot on the stern deck. Do not remove this mark before the shell’s last race.

• It is incumbent on all participating organizations to ensure that all equipment used in the regatta is in full compliance with USRowing Rules and prevailing safety standards.
• Ensure that older equipment used during the Regatta is in good repair before its arrival in San Diego.
• Any shell in such disrepair as likely to sustain breakage under stress WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RACE.

9.  PRACTICE AND SAFETY RULES   Barring unforeseen circumstances, the racecourse will be in place by Thursday.

• During the week before the Crew Classic, stay clear of motorboats installing the course, and refer to the published traffic pattern available in Coaches Packet and posted at the Beachmasters stand.
• On the weekend, the course will be available for practice on Saturday evening from one half hour after racing to one half-hour after sunset.
• Traffic Pattern  Each crew is responsible for obeying all publicly posted or provided traffic patterns for this event.  Coxswains should carry a copy of the Mission Bay Traffic Pattern Map for the Crew Classic, available in Coach’s Packets, at the Information Booth, and posted at the Beachmaster’s stand.
• Saturday and Sunday Mornings  No course practice Saturday or Sunday morning or Sunday evening. At these times and during racing, crews may practice in North Pacific Passage. Shells returning to San Diego boathouses or practicing elsewhere are subject to traffic control during racing, and must have an escort to cross the course. The Beachmaster will have updated information, and all crews practicing during racing should check with the Beachmaster.
• When is the bay “closed”? It must be clearly understood that only the Fiesta Bay portion of Mission Bay is under the control of the San Diego Crew Classic and only from 6 am to 5 pm Saturday March 27 and Sunday March 28. Crews are responsible for their own actions or omissions and must be alert to general boat traffic at all times.
• Safety  Each crew must adhere to all water safety laws and safety practices. Flagrant safety violations will jeopardize a crew’s chance to participate in the Regatta. Rowing against the traffic pattern, disobeying directions of course monitors and practicing on the racecourse one half-hour after sunset are considered flagrant safety violations.

10.    COACHES LAUNCHES are permitted on the course during practice, subject to the rules and traffic patterns. The Crew Classic does not offer launches for hire but has made arrangements for special rates at Dana Landing, 2580 Ingraham Street, located across Ingraham Street from the Start Line. Contact Steve at 619-226-2929.

• Launches may not be launched from the shell launching areas but may be launched in the north cove, along the fence.
• As a courtesy to all competitors, it is requested that coaching launches refrain from motoring within the race course during practice sessions on Friday.
• To keep the beach clear for shell traffic, return launches to trailers by Friday evening and keep them there for the weekend.
• Loose or unattended launches will be impounded at 4:30 am Saturday.

11.  LIGHTWEIGHT AND COXSWAIN WEIGH-IN
All weigh-ins will take place in the weigh-in tent next to the Information Center.

• Competitors must be dressed in rowing attire without shoes.
• Weights are stated in Weight Requirements.
• Only one weigh-in will be necessary for each individual.
• Coxswains must supply their own bags; sand is available.
• Weigh-in times for each lightweight event and coxswains will be posted and must be observed.

      Coxswain Weigh-in
            Friday, 2-4 pm and 5-5:30 pm
            Saturday  6:15-10 am
            Sunday 6:30-9 am

      Lightweight Weigh-in – all athletes must be present for the boat to weigh-in
            Collegiate LWs Friday at 3 pm
            Junior LWs Saturday 9-10 am

12.    MANDATORY COACHES AND COXSWAINS MEETING

• Friday March 26, 4:00 pm THERE IS ONLY ONE MEETING. Attendance of coaches is MANDATORY.
• Coxswains should also attend.
• A brief Coxswain’s Orientation covering alignment procedures will be conducted immediately following. All coxswains are strongly urged to attend.  This will not cover the kind of material available at the "Coxswain Clinic: Racing Skills" offered by the Foundation for Rowing Education.  
• Jessop-Whittier and Copley Cup stipends will be distributed at this time.

13.  FRIDAY NIGHT PASTA PARTY For Crews, Coaches and Friends. 5:00-7:00 pm in the Big Tent  $10.00 donation per person, $4 under 12. Courtesy of Lotsa Pasta Restaurant, 1726 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach. All proceeds benefit the Crew Classic!

DURING THE REGATTA

14.  PARKING & FREE SHUTTLE: Each crew will receive a limited number of parking pases (one per boat).  We distribute many more passes than there are parking spaces, so PLEASE USE PARKING PASSES AND CAR POOLS AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.  To help relieve the limited parking at Crown Point, there will be free parking with free shuttle service at Ski Beach on Vacation Island. Click here for a map. It is reached by going south on Ingraham Street and turning east at the next light.

15.  USROWING RULES OF RACING, 2009, as modified by Crew Classic documents, will be in force.

16.  STARTS There will be stake boats for all starts. Crosswind with tidal current is possible. Be skilled in sculling the bow into position as stake boat personnel cannot hold the sterns of boats maneuvered into position by taking a stroke.

17.  PROGRESSION TO FINALS

• 2 heat events, the top three finishers to the Grand Final and the next three to the Petite Final (if scheduled)
• 3 heat events, the top two finishers to the Grand Final and the next two to the Petite Final (if scheduled), and the next two to the Third Final (if scheduled).
• Lane assignments will be by coin toss/random draw based on the order of finish in the respective heat

18.  SUNDAY BRUNCH: The “Classic Brunch by the Bay“ is on the knoll at the finish line. Click here for more information. Elegant brunch, hosted bars, favors, raffle, and auction. $175.00 per person, advance reservations necessary. Call the office 619-225-0300 for an invitation.