COMPETITOR INFORMATION

Weight Requirements

Progressions

PROGRESSIONS TO FINALS

Please click on  2023 Progressions for detailed information for all progressions.

Rules and Regulations

Events and Description: The San Diego Crew Classic reserves the right to modify events as necessary.

Coaches and Coxswains Meeting – Sunday, March 31 @4PM PT

Mandatory Coaches and Coxswains meeting will be virtual in 2024.

• Time: Sunday, March 31 @4PM PT. THERE IS ONLY ONE MEETING. Attendance of coaches and coxswains is MANDATORY. Teams without Coach and Coxswain present will be at risk of disqualification. 
• A video conference link will be emailed prior to the meeting.
• Meeting will be recorded and posted with a link posted after meeting completion. All coaches and coxswains must certify that they have viewed the meeting.
• A brief Coxswain’s Orientation covering alignment procedures will be conducted immediately following.

If you were unable to attend, the presentation and slides will be available online for you to review.

• 2023 Coaches and Coxswains Meeting slides
• 2023 Coaches and Coxswains Meeting video

Eligibility Certification Forms

CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY

Instructions for completing your waivers:

USRowing Membership Requirements
The San Diego Crew Classic is a USRowing registered regatta.

U.S. based Organizations:
All U.S. based organizations must hold active organizational membership with USRowing.

Organizational membership can be renewed at https://membership.usrowing.org/organization/index. Contact USRowing Member Services at (609) 751-0706 or organizations@usrowing.org for assistance.

For more information about organizational membership with USRowing, visit the Become an Organizational Member page under the Members heading on our website at https://usrowing.org.

Individual Competitors:
Individual competitors representing U.S. based organizational members of USRowing and Unaffiliated U.S. based competitors must hold at least a Basic Membership and have a current waiver on file to compete in this regatta.

Individual competitors can join USRowing at https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/join or by calling the USRowing Member Services Department at (609) 751-0700.

Competitors who need to renew an expired membership can log in to their member profile at https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/login.

For more information about individual membership with USRowing, visit the Become an Individual Member page under the Members heading on our website at https://usrowing.org.

Memberships should be handled prior to arriving at the regatta. A current listing of your athletes, their member numbers, and expiration dates can be found on your online team roster through the membership portal at https://membership.usrowing.org.

International Competitors:
International competitors can join USRowing as Basic – International members at no cost but it is not required. International competitors that have not joined as Basic – International members will be asked to sign a hard copy of the USRowing Waiver in order to participate. International competitors representing a U.S. based organization must comply with the Individual Competitor requirements above.

Lineups must be submitted online through RegattaCentral for the regatta. Entries may be saved initially without a lineup, but please be prepared to submit a final lineup by the lineup deadline on Thursday, March 30.

Collegiate:  

• Collegiate institutions must formally certify the NCAA eligibility of their student athletes to compete in collegiate events. The signature of the university’s Athletic Director or other appropriate official on each page of a hard copy of the Lineup Form is required for certification. This form is submitted at regatta check in.

Club:  

• “Club” shall mean any entity recognized by USRowing as an organizational member that operates or sponsors a rowing program.
• Only Competitors who are bona fide members of a Club shall be entered by that Club, excepting cases where a composite Crew may be entered by any of the Clubs to which one of the Competitors in the Crew belongs.
• A Competitor shall represent only one Club at a Regatta. 
• Composite Crews: Composite Crews are those that include Competitors from more than one Club and/or Unaffiliated Competitors. Such Crews shall be ineligible to receive points or other scores used to determine Team trophies or awards. Once a Crew has been entered as a composite Crew, it shall remain so, regardless of subsequent substitutions.

FORMS

Boat Lineup Form to submit lineup and certification of eligibility.  The form must be submitted on RegattaCentral.

Waiver information will become available closer to the regatta.

All Masters and Juniors must complete birth date and age information.

Coxswains Information

Download Coxswains Run Sheet PDF

1. Please check the following items to make sure your boat is ready to race:

• • Rigging
  • Steering
  • Sound/Cox Box
  • Heel ties
  • Bow Ball

Heel ties and bow balls must conform to USRowing parameters and will be checked by referees prior to launching. Boats not meeting established parameters will not be allowed to race. Please plan to be underway at least 45 minutes prior to your scheduled race time. 

2. Before leaving shore: . 

• • Affix correct bow lane number on the shell 
  • Obtain the event/lane stickers for your race from the Beachmaster 
  • Apply stickers on the sides of the shell at the coxswain’s seat. Be sure the shell is clean and dry before applying the stickers

3. Make sure water is deep enough to launch. Attempting to launch too close to the beach may result in damage to your fin.

4. Look before launching. Do not pull away from the beach in front of a race. Row clear of the course run-out area before tying in. 

5. In the event of equipment breakage after launching, and rowing will not cause further damage, continue to the check-in boat and report the problem there.The check-in boat can relay the problem to your coach/rigger and tools/parts can be brought there quickly. If you have serious equipment failure that prevents you from rowing, signal an official or safety launch and assistance will be provided as quickly as possible. 

6. To warm up for racing:

• • Proceed east around the far side of Ski Island at the finish line. Turn southeast and head for the east side of the island with the “bowling pin”. Turn south and head for the check-in boat with the large yellow flag. 
  •  As you pass the stern of the check-in boat, clearly identify your crew, event number and lane number, and receive acknowledgement before proceeding.
  • Proceed into South Pacific Passage (Sea World Channel) and warm up clockwise around the buoys 

7. Entering the course: 

• • Please plan to be in the staging area 10 minutes prior to the start of your race.
  • You may move into the staging area when the race immediately preceding yours has loaded into the stakeboats.The staging area is marked by four round red buoys.The starter’s platform will display the number of the race that is being loaded/started. 
  • When the race immediately preceding yours has started and cleared 100 meters, you may row onto the course and back into your stakeboat.
  • Please try to proceed in lane number order out of the staging area (Lane 1 first, etc.) but do not delay access to the racecourse if a crew is late to the start. 
  • You are required to be locked on to your stakeboat no less than 2 minutes before your race start time. 

8. Coxswains must be able to accommodate crosswind and tidal water conditions which may impact a crew’s ability to maintain a straight point on the race course. Sculling should be used when possible at the start to avoid detaching from the stakeboat. 

Practice, Race Map and Safety Rules

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the racecourse will be in place and available for practice by Thursday, March 30.

Practice Hours:

Wednesday 4/3: No Practice
Thursday 4/4: 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Friday 4/5: 8:00am – 2:00pm
Saturday 4/6: 30 mins after last race – 6:00pm
Sunday 4/7: No Practice

During the week: before the Crew Classic stay clear of motorboats installing the course and refer to the published traffic pattern available on our website.

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 on our website.

Saturday and Sunday Mornings: there is no course practice Saturday morning, 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 out with the Beachmaster.

Bay Closure: 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 this control only runs from 6 am to 7 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. 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 officials and/or safety launches and practicing on the racecourse outside of 30 minutes after sunset are considered flagrant safety violations.

RACE DAY TRAFFIC PATTERN

1. Launch at least 45 minutes before race time.
2. Keep to the left of Crescent and Bowling Pin Islands. Stay to the right of buoys marking the Wildlife Refuge and Shallow Areas.
3. As you pass the stern of the check-in boat, clearly identify your crew, event number and lane number, and receive acknowledgement.
4. Continue and turn left into the warm-up area. Stay left of the buoys. Do not row past the line of buoys with red flags.

You may move into the staging area when the race preceding yours has loaded into the stake boats.  The staging area is marked by four round red buoys.

RACE WEEK TRAFFIC PATTERN

1. Traffic through the Long Bridge (A) moves West to East Only
2. Traffic through the Short Bridge (B) moves East to West Only
3. Traffic pattern begins Monday of race week at 4 a.m. and ends after the last Crew Classic event on Sunday.
4. Mind the Do Not Enter areas and use caution in high traffic areas (Start/Finish Lines, Launch/Land Area, and when crossing the course toward the Short Bridge)

Event Day Details

INFORMATION CENTER OPEN ON-SITE

Street Address of Event:

3699 Crown Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92109

PARKING & FREE SHUTTLE

Each crew will receive a limited number of parking passes (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. It is reached by going south on Ingraham Street and turning east at the next light. Shuttle service runs between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Taking Photos

While in the fenced area, all video, audio and photos may be recorded for personal use only. All other uses are reserved. No personal drone use will be permitted on the grounds during the event.

Food

Food Trucks will be on site Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

Boat Storage, Trailer Parking, and Launching

BOAT STORAGE

All shells must be located and stored as indicated on the official Regatta Beach Map and Crew Locator documents. Our beaches are filled to capacity. Everyone’s cooperation is needed for smooth operations and coordination of boat storage areas. The map is meant to be a guide only. Place your boats within the designated area marked on the grass.

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 to aid inspections (see 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. Please note that some are on the diagonal compared to adjacent paved areas.

North Areas, near the dirt lot trailer parking, are on an extreme diagonal separated with an access aisle down the middle.

Bay side areas, on the bay side of the walkway and south of the sheltered picnic area, are tandem with shells one behind the other.

Please respect others by not obstructing the access aisles or rigging/de-rigging in an interfering area.

SHELL INSPECTION

• Beachmasters/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 the responsibility of 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 and likely to sustain breakage under stress will not be allowed to race.

SLINGS, BOW NUMBERS, BOW BALLS

• Slings, racks and bow balls are not provided.
• No shells will be allowed to race without bow ball and bow number.

SHELL TRAILER PARKING

Please make trailer drivers and crews aware of parking plans and locked gates. Space is limited. Help Regatta efficiency and access to your trailer by parking within lined spaces or as indicated by Regatta personnel.

• 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.
• 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.

DIRECTIONS

TRAILERS – DO NOT APPROACH THE SITE BY GOING NORTH ON CROWN POINT DRIVE – DIFFICULT TURNS ARE REQUIRED WHICH MAY RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE SHELLS.

From I-5 Southbound 
Take the Balboa and Garnet Exit. Go right (west) on Garnet Street to a Y junction and stay left onto Balboa. Where Balboa merges with Grand Avenue, turn left onto Lamont Street. Go straight (south) on Lamont Street to the “Yield” sign at Crown Point Drive. Go straight ahead; trailer parking is down the hill in a dirt lot on your left or, if directed, on the closed portion of Corona Oriente. Please park carefully.

From I-5 Northbound
Exit I-5 at Grand and Garnet. Turn left (west) at the first left (Grand), then left on Lamont Street and straight ahead to the “Yield” sign at Crown Point Drive. Crew cars, vans and shell trailers go straight ahead; trailer parking is down the hill as described above. Crew buses must use southernmost entrance to the park, at Crown Point Drive and Corona Oriente.

From Interstate 8 Westbound
This apparent detour makes your drive much easier, if you chose to ignore it do not enter Crown Point Shores Park from Crown Point Shores Drive until you reach Lamont Street as this is one of the turns that is difficult for trailers.
Take I-5 North, and follow the directions immediately above, “From Interstate 5 Northbound”. This route avoids at least one difficult turn for long trailers.

LAUNCHING

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.

• 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.

Park Rules: Competitors/Coaches

Please be aware that most of these are enforced by the City of San Diego Park Rangers and Police Department; Mission Bay Park is a City of San Diego park.

SPECIAL RULES FOR CREW PARKING AND ADMISSION

• Participants in the races (CREWS) are issued wristbands and parking passes by their coaches. The coaches receive these wristbands and parking passes when they check in on their arrival at the Crew Classic.
• Crew assigned parking is in the North (Yellow) paved lot. Only vehicles with these passes may park free in the crew lot and every person in the vehicle must have a wristband. A trailer with rowing shells must park in the dirt lot only or on the “road closed” area when directed to do so. NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Parking passes and wristbands may only be obtained from the coach. If no one in the vehicle has a wristband, then one person may enter the venue to find the coach or the coach may enter to properly check in. Without a pass, a vehicle must park on the street and send someone with a wristband into the venue to find the coach. NO EXCEPTIONS

GENERAL PARK RULES

• Everyone pays to enter the event unless they have a pass, wristband, official Crew Classic badge, or are on a VIP list
• There is no paid parking. A free shuttle is available from Ski Beach at Vacation Isle.
  • Parking in the YELLOW (north lot) is reserved for trailers and crew transportation.
  • Parking in the RED lot is first come first serve except for a few spaces required for the Event Venue.
  • Parking in the GREEN lot is first come, first serve. 
• NO DRONES Personal drones and/or any other drones not associated with the San Diego Crew Classic’s race coverage are not allowed
• NO BIKES, E-BIKES or SCOOTERS are allowed inside the venue. You may lock your bike to the exterior of the fence
• NO SKATING, ROLLER BLADING or SKATEBOARDING are allowed inside the venue. You may carry skates or skateboards if you have appropriate alternative footwear
• NO DOGS or other pets (except service dogs) in city parks, including parking lots
• NO GLASS CONTAINERS
• NO ALCOHOL, except in officially designated areas– This is a City ordinance which will be enforced by Park Rangers and Police Officers who are required to be on site during the event. No alcohol may be brought into the event venue or consumed in the parking lots
• NO BALLOONS
• NO SMOKING in any City of San Diego park, including parking lots
• Zero tolerance for pranks, including removing decorations and other goods
• NO POP-UP OR OTHER KINDS OF TENTS INSIDE THE VENUE except those specifically authorized by the Crew Classic
• Nothing can be tied to anything in the park. Nothing can be put in the ground. No banners on trees or buildings. No stakes in the ground.
• NO LARGE UMBRELLAS
• NO vehicles are allowed anywhere inside the venue at any time. 

Coaches Information

Information and links will be updated as the regatta approaches.  

Schedule
Coxswains Check List
Traffic Pattern in the area of the Crew Classic Course for all of Mission Bay during Crew Classic Week.
Directions for trailer drivers.
Coaches Packet 2024 will be available after March 27, 2024

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:

• Returning trophy winners must return trophies no later than noon Friday. A team will not be allowed to check in or race if their trophy has not been returned.
• Payment of all required entry fees, including penalty fees for late entries.
• Verification of eligibility for collegiate and club athletes.
• Confirmation of age and date of birth for junior and masters athletes.

COVID-19 Information

The San Diego Crew Classic (SDCC) Board developed these COVID-19 health and safety guidance strategies to promote a safe and successful regatta, aligned with current community practices and city, county, state, federal and US Rowing recommendations.

This guidance is subject to change as scientific knowledge advances, based on changes in disease epidemiology and prevalence, and to conform to appropriate regulatory guidance.

San Diego County COVID-19 FAQ information is reviewed regularly, and the latest update (1/14/22)
is available at:

https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/FAQs.html

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updates and information is available at:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx

General Guidance

Please refer to the San Diego Crew Classic’s Full COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols for further information.