Regatta Day Preparation and Information 

A week or two out

• USRowing

• • • Ensure your membership is valid through the date of the regatta and that you at least have the Basic Membership level. Along with other things, USRowing membership provides the required insurance for almost all regattas we attend.
      • You need at least the Basic Membership level for our home regattas: Spring Regatta, Summer Regatta, and Frostbite Regatta.
      • Rowing in the US Rowing NW Masters Championships (AKA “Regionals”) requires the Champion Membership level.
    • Check that your SafeSport training and USRowing liability waiver are both valid through the date(s) of the regatta.
    • https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/login 
    • When you log in you will see your membership level at the top, including expiration info, and SafeSport waiver information, including expiration.

• GLC Racing Uniform

• • • Green Lake racing tank top – rowers are required to wear a team uniform. This can be worn under cold weather gear and splash jackets.
    • If you don’t have your own uniform yet, check with the office to see if they have any for sale; otherwise, check with teammates who are your size to see if you can borrow a uniform for the event.

• Pay for your regatta

• • • For regattas that have coaches (paid coaching), you will work through the office and they will create an ActiveNet (activecommunities.com) link for payment and send it out via email. You will likely have a few emails with this information. If it’s getting close to the regatta and you haven’t seen the link, contact the office to ensure you’re subscribed to the correct email lists.
      • All payments must be received before the day of the regatta, so double check that your payment went through.

• Coordinate with your boat(s)

• • • If nobody else has, create a group “boat chat” (or multiple if you’re in multiple boats) to get in as much practice time as you can
    • Note that some people do not share their contact details through iCrew, so if you don’t have their contact info, you may need to talk to them at practice.
      • To avoid this, please consider sharing your contact information with other club members. It’s also helpful to add a current picture to your profile, especially if you’re new to the program.
        • To share your contact information with other club members, go to Profile from the main menu, then go to Basic Information and scroll down below where you enter your mobile phone number. There should be a button or slider labeled “Share your info with other members.”

• Practice!

• • • As mentioned above, coordinate practices with your boat(s), and get as much time together as you can. 
    • Help the coaches out by listing your boat line up in the Coaches’ Notes in iCrew and say that it’s for the upcoming regatta.
      • If you need a coxswain, put that in the note, too.

• Practice more!

• • • Seriously! Every second of practice will make your race day better.

• Sign up to volunteer

• • Home regattas (hosted by Green Lake):
    • Your inbox should have plenty of information and reminders for this. Regattas need local volunteers to run smoothly. You’ll already be there anyway, and it’s fun!
  • Away regattas (hosted by another team/venue)
    • Sometimes we coordinate food, carpooling, housing, etc. This is typically done on an ad hoc basis through GroupMe, so keep an eye out for how you can help make the event fun for everyone.
• Verify your boat(s) and race time(s) (once heat sheets are listed)
  • Once heat sheets are listed identify when your races are and what lane you will be in. Heat sheets can generally be found on a races Regatta Central website.
    • https://www.regattacentral.com/

• On the RegattaCentral website search the name of the regatta to find the specific link for it. This is also sometimes listed in the iCrew sign up. Once you’ve found the regatta specific page there are tabs for heat sheets and other useful information.

• Once you know your race time, make a plan with your boat for when and where you’ll meet up. If you’re worried about sleeping in or being late, take a note from the Juniors and have a “proof of life” plan: everybody texts pictures of themselves when they’re getting up, and people who haven’t checked in get called.
  • Missing a race is a terrible, terrible feeling. Have a plan!
  • Also, the “proof of life” pictures are a great addition to any photo album.

• Regatta communication

• • • Team Communication
      • Get on the GLC team GroupMe group chat for the regatta. This is where the coaches will be sending out last minute information and people can coordinate other things.
    • Official Event Communication
      • Get on the regatta chat group. This may not always happen, but many regattas will have an official chat group in GroupMe, WhatsApp, or in some other way. This is where they will send important safety and event notifications during the event. If they have set this up, it’s good to have access to it.

• Boat transportation (Away regattas only)

• • Everyone who is rowing at the regatta is expected to participate in rigging/derigging and loading/unloading our boats for transportation to/from the regatta venue. Many hands make light work, and there’s a lot of work.
  • Before the regatta, the coaches will send out a schedule for transporting the boats. This information will include details and times that are specific to the regatta; however, there are common steps that apply to most regattas, and they generally break down into four distinct time frames:
    • A day or two before the regatta:  we will need to derig the boats and load the trailer.
    • The morning of the regatta: we will need to unload the boats and re-rig the boats.
    • After our last race: (when everyone is exhausted), we need to derig the boats and load the trailer.
    • When the trailer arrives back at the boathouse: (when everyone is even more exhausted), we need to unload the trailer, re-rig the boats and put everything away properly.
      • Once the coaches leave the regatta with the loaded trailer, they’ll communicate when they expect to reach the boathouse. If you have time to go home and change, shower, or whatever, that’s fine. Just be sure you’re at the boathouse by the time the coaches said. Keep an eye on the GroupMe channel for the team to get updated info in case the trailer has a problem or is just taking longer to get back than anticipated.
      • Be nice about ensuring things are put away properly. It can really mess up the next class if they unexpectedly have to rig boats or they can’t find things.

Day before

• Coaches and Coxswains Meeting

• • • Generally the night before a regatta there will be a Coaches and Coxswains meeting. This is good to call into if you can as important info about the race course and event will be shared. This info can frequently be found on the regatta central web page or by asking your coaches.
    • If you’re not a coach or coxswain, you can still join the call and listen in. It’s a great way to hear about what’s going to happen, especially if you’re new to regattas or the venue.

• Sleep! 

• • • Get a full night’s sleep.

• Monitor the weather

• • • Keep yourself informed so you know what to pack and you know if there may be an issue that could delay or cancel your event(s).

• Monitor communications

• • • email, texts, GroupMe, and whatever the regatta is using for official announcements.

• Bring good food

• • Pre-race food: Eat a healthy and light breakfast before your race. Stay away from greasy food or a lot of protein. Some rowers find that yogurt (particularly high fat/whole milk yogurt) and carbohydrates, like bagels and cheese, do not bother you when you row. If your race is at the end of the day, eat a good breakfast, but light lunch. You don’t want to be hungry but also shouldn’t be too full and lethargic.
  • For larger events, rowers sometimes organize group food through the GroupMe channel.

Packing List

• A filled water bottle (or two) labeled with your name
• Money for t-shirts or other regatta gear/souvenirs.
• A flashlight, tissues, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper. Regatta port-o-potties aren’t always well supplied!
• Sunscreen (high SPF), sunglasses, and a brimmed hat.
• Dry layers 
  • rain gear
  • extra sets of dry layers, especially socks at least one pair per race.
  • layers in case it warms up or cools down
    • Prepare for changing weather conditions
  • rowing uniform
  • it can be useful to have a large plastic bag (garbage bag) to put wet clothes in
    • garbage bags can also useful in keeping your backpack dry when it’s raining.
• Any medications you require (e.g. an epipen)
• 7/16” wrench (2) – optional (for rigging/derigging)
  • You’ll know an experience regatta rower when you hear their ratchet wrenches
• Band-Aids and tape for hand blisters
• Lunch, snacks and/or money for food
• Camera
• Chair or mat
• Reading material, music

Racing Day!

• Check in with your boat(s), check the GroupMe and official regatta communication channels to review any updated information. For away regattas, the coaches will post the location of our boat trailer.
• Please be on site at least 2 hours prior to race time, or as directed by your coaches. Please account for road conditions and traffic in calculating your driving time to the regatta site. If you can arrive earlier it is always appreciated to help with rigging boats for other events and cheering on teammates with earlier races.
• When you arrive, go to the trailer (for away) or the boathouse (for home) and check in with your coach. Each person should do this in person (don’t have someone check in for you and don’t do it over text or chat). Check in with the coach on what needs to be done, and help ensure the early races get out okay.
• Once the initial work is done, confirm your event number and race times with your coach in case there were any last minute schedule adjustments.
  • This is the responsibility of the whole boat to know, not just the coxswain or bow seat. Everyone should be able to answer if a race official asks for your event and lane/bow number.
• Stay hydrated! Maintain your hydration! Water or diluted Gator Aid.
• Keep off your feet and stay out of the sun – on hot days keep cool by finding an area with dense shade and a breeze, especially 2 hours before your event.
• Avoid eating a heavy meal within 3 hours of your race.
• Assemble with your crew and coach 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to your race time, or as previously set by your coach.
• Be available to rig /de-rig and move boats as required
• Support other crews in their races and offer your assistance in getting them on/off the water (carrying oars, shoes, etc.)
• Be conscious that you are representing GLAC and always show good sportsmanship at regattas. We have a reputation, that we are very proud of, of being one of the friendliest masters teams. Let’s try to maintain that!
• In addition to checking/rigging boats and being prepared for your race, be aware of other jobs that might need filling at the regatta and pitch in when you can. You can always help by filling the water jugs and taking trash to the dumpster.