STARS & STRIPES

USRowing Central Masters Regional Championship | June 22, 2024

RIVERSPORT Chesapeake Boathouse
725 S. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City

Welcome!

The Stars and Stripes USRowing Central Masters Regional Championship was held on Saturday, June 22, on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, OK. All races for this event are 930 meters.

For race results from the 2023 event, click here.

Masters were also invited to race in OG&E NightSprints as part of the day’s race schedule! (Non USRowing ). This 500 meter short sprint included the following events: M/W 1x events, Mixed 2x, 4x and 8+.

2024 Important Dates and Deadlines

May 20 – Registration opens on Regatta Central at 12:00 AM CDT.
May 27- Night sprints Registration opens on Regatta Central 12:00 AM CDT.
June 10 – Online registration closes on Regatta Central at or before midnight (CDT). Line-ups due on Regatta Central at or before midnight (CDT)
June 11 – Late Registration opens on Regatta Central at 12:00 PM (Noon) CDT
June 17 – Online Late Registration closes on Regatta Central at midnight (CDT).
June 2 – Initial race schedule posted.
June 20 – Final race schedule posted. Heat Sheets posted.
June 21 – Venue opens for trailer parking and staging.
June 18 – 7:00 PM Coaches, Coxswains, Bow Seats, and Single Meeting will be virtual. All participating rowers will be responsible for any information discussed in the meeting.
June 21st- Practice Row opens 1-5:30PM

Eligibility

All Masters and Open rowing category participants. Juniors are not eligible.

Coaches, Coxswains and Bow Seat Meeting:

June 18 – 7:00 pm Virtual – Coaches, Coxswains, Bow Seats, and Single Meeting will be virtual. All participating rowers will be responsible for any information discussed in the meeting.

Registration Information

Registration/Events

All entries must be registered through Regatta Central at www.regrattacentral.com . No paper entries will be accepted for this event. Registration will open May 20, 2024, at midnight (CST). No refunds will be given after midnight June 11.

Registration Desk

HOURS

Friday June 21 • 4:30-7:30 PM

Saturday June 22 • Opens at 6:30 AM

Registration will be located at the Finish Line Tower 1^st Floor.

To complete registration, all crews and athletes must check in at the registration desk. Your USRowing Membership and waiver must be compliant, and all fees must be paid to receive an athlete wristband. You will not be allowed to launch without an athlete wrist band.

USRowing Membership

All U.S. based organizations must hold active organizational membership with USRowing. Organizations can join or renew at https://membership.usrowing.org or by contacting Member Services at (609) 751- 0706.
Individual competitors must hold Championship Membership, have a signed waiver and member agreement on file digitally with USRowing. All athletes 18+ must complete the SafeSport training-Abuse Prevention for Adult Athletes.
Individual competitors can join USRowing at https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/join or by contacting the Member Services (609) 751-0700.
Competitors can renew an expired membership and/or check their current membership status by logging in to their member profile at https://membership.usrowing.org/individual/login.
To avoid delays at registration, teams should ensure all competitors have met these membership requirements prior to arriving at the event. A current listing of your athletes, their member numbers, and expiration dates can be found on the online team roster through the USRowing Membership Portal at https://membership.usrowing.org.

Waivers

All rowers and coxswains must have a signed USRowing Waiver. https://membership.usrowing.org/

Competitors rowing as “Unaffiliated” must be Championship level members. Competitors rowing for USRowing registered clubs do not need to be Championship members.

SafeSport

Member safety and well-being are priorities for USRowing, and education is critical to prevent the harm that misconduct causes our members. In partnership with the U.S. Center for SafeSport, USRowing provides training on how to identify and prevent the various forms of misconduct. Effective January 1, 2023, all Relevant Adult Participants are required to take SafeSport training on an annual basis. If a relevant adult participant’s SafeSport training is not completed prior to attending a regatta, the participant will not be allowed to participate.

As a member organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), USRowing, its employees, contractors, volunteers, officials, board members, committee members and other designees, members and organizational members (collectively, “Participants”) are required to comply with the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

As a registered participant in a USRowing event, you are required to adhere to the USRowing Safe Sport Policy Manual Approved MAAPP 12.16.22 USRowing (PDF) – USRowing for the duration of the event. Additionally, reporting misconduct is vital to protecting athletes and preventing further incidents. Sexual Misconduct must be reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport at https://www.safesport.org/report-a-concern. To report other forms of misconduct, including violations of the Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies, refer to the reporting protocols, including how to report a violation USRowing Misconduct Incident Report – USRowing.

IMPORTANT: All relevant adult participants (defined here Safe Sport – USRowing ) must complete SafeSport training and be in good standing by the lineup entry deadline. If this is not the case, the relevant adult participant will not be eligible to participate and will not be allowed to be on site.

Scratches

Will be accepted up to one hour prior to the event with a $5.00 fee per scratch. Scratch forms are available, and payment made at the registration desk. NO SHOWS to an event will be charged $10.00.

Regatta Rules

Stars and Stripes will follow the 2024 Rules of Rowing. All rowers, coxswains and coaches should be familiar with these rules as may or may not be amended herein and as effect at this event, which may be found here: http://www.usrowing.org/rules-of-rowing/

Boats will be checked for bowballs (must be firmly affixed) and heel ties) no more than 3-inch heel lift)
Every boat must have a bow number. You must provide your own bow number(s).
No coxswain weigh-ins.
Objections must be lodged with a referee on the water at the Finish. If you intend to Protest, your written protest must be submitted within one hour of the time they are off the water. Submit the written protest along with $50 to the chief referee. Protest forms can be picked up at the Registration Desk.

The following rules will be waived for this event:

Rule 3-202 Oars and Uniform throughout the crew.

Rule 3-104 Minimum weight of Boats. (No boat weigh ins.)
Coxswain weigh-ins. (No coxswain weigh-ins.)

Classifications

Master- A master is a competitor who has attained or will attain the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the nearest whole number. Thus, a competitor becomes a master on January 1st of the year of his or her 21^st birthday. A masters crew shall be comprised exclusively of master’s rowers, but the coxswain need not be a master.
Open- Any Master, Collegiate or High-Performance rower may participate. No Juniors may compete in Open categories to protect their collegiate eligibility.
Mixed Events- A crew competing in a mixed event must be 50% male and 50% female, not including coxswain. A female rower shall not compete in events for men, and a male rower shall not compete in events for women.
Novice- A rower competing in this event must be new to rowing within the past 12 months. Sculling and sweep rowing are separate categories. If you are experienced in sweep but new to sculling, you may row in the novice 1x category.
Open Gender- USRowing definition is as follows: The intention behind this event is to create space for nonbinary athletes to compete if they wish to compete in a category outside of binary events.  We expect that entire boats of men and women will race in their respective categories to preserve that intention. At least half of the rowers in the boat should identify as non-binary. 
PR3-V1– Athlete with full use of arms, trunk and legs but are permanently visually impaired with reduced or no vision.
Inclusion Event- 50% Para eligible / 50% not Para eligible
Coxswains- Coxswains may cox in any boat, regardless of being male or female. Coxswains should also adhere to the 40-minute hot seating rule.

Order of Events

The schedule of races and flights will be determined based on the number of entries at the close of registration. Events with no entries at the close of registration are subject to elimination. Events with one entry may be scheduled to race with another event but shall be awarded separately within their own categories and within the medals / awards rule.
Event age categories will be broken down into flights once registration closes and the number of entries is determined.

Age Classifications

Masters Categories

AA 21-26

A 27-35

B 36-42

C 43-49

D 50-54

E 55-59

F 60-69

G 65-69

H 70-74

I 75-79

J 80+

The age category of a Masters crew shall be determined by the average age of the rowers in the crew, rounded to the nearest whole number. The age of a coxswain shall not be counted. The ages of individual rowers need not fall within the age category, so long as each rower is a master, and so long as the average age of the crew falls within the applicable category.

Individuals whose age places them in AA (21-26) may now compete in any age category where the average age of the boat falls within that specific category.

A Masters crew may compete in a younger category but not in an older category.

If there is more than one entry in a specific age category, no handicap shall be used.

Saturday June 22
Womens Masters 1x PR3-VI , Guided
Mens Masters 8+
Womens Masters 1x
Womens Open 1x
Womens Novice 1x
Mens Masters 1x
Mens Open 1x
Mens Novice 1x
Womens Masters 2x
Womens Masters 2-
Womens Open 2x
Mens Masters 2-
Mens Masters 2x
Mens Open 2x
Womens Masters 4+
Open Gender 2x
Mixed Masters 2x
Mixed Open 2x
Mens Masters 4+
Womens Open 4+
Mixed Masters 4x
Mixed Open 4x
Mens Open 4+
Womens Masters 4x
Womens Open 4x
Mens Masters 4x
Mens Open 4x
Women’s Masters 8+
Womens Open 8+
Mens Open 8+
Inclusive 2x
Mixed Masters 8+
Parent/Child 2x

Results

All results will be posted online at Stars & Stripes River Festival – Riversport OKC and at RegattaCentral after racing. Results, once made official, will also be posted under the Lincoln bridge during the event.

General Rules

Hot Seating

Hot seating equipment or rowers is not permitted in events that are less than 25 minutes apart on the race schedule. Hot seating is done at each crew’s risk and race starts will not be held.

Scheduled Race Time

The regatta is always on time! If racing runs behind, every effort will be made to make up time and get back on schedule. If you are not at the start and locked on for your race by 2 minutes to the race start you are considered “Late to Start” and will be assessed a warning. Races will not be held for a crew or rower who is late to the start.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Unsportsmanlike conduct includes, but is not limited to, the failure to heed instructions of race officials, use of obscene language or gestures, delaying a race without just cause, intentional or flagrant disregard of principles of safety and fairness, or abusive behavior toward any official, team member, spectator, or volunteer.

A crew that engages in unsportsmanlike conduct may be assessed a penalty by any race official.

Any team member, including a competitor, who engages in unsportsmanlike conduct, on or off the water, at any time during the regatta, may have his or her further participation at the regatta curtailed or prohibited by race officials or staff.

Safety Check

Check your equipment for race readiness, including the proper tying of heels of shoes (3 inches). Bow balls are required. Each organization is responsible for ensuring that their equipment meets US Rowing Rules 3-105 and 3-108.

Bow Numbers

Teams must provide their own bow numbers 1-6. You may need multiple sets if you have multiple crews on the water during the same timeframe.

Starting Platform

All crews must be able to align on the fingers with stakeboat holders, connected to the platform. Please make sure your coxswains and crews know how to back onto the fingers (pods) and maintain a point. Crews will be expected to know how to “scull” to keep their point.

Floating Starts

In the event we are unable to utilize the starting platform and fingers, we will be using a floating start. All crews must be familiar with the floating start procedure.

Quick Start

If crews are unable to hold their point due to wind for a polling start, a quick start will be utilized. No polling of crews. Attention…Go.

Launching

There will be no calls to launch. Control Commission will open 45 minutes before the start of the first race. You will not be allowed to launch earlier than 45 minutes prior to your race time.

The dock in front of the Chesapeake Boathouse will be used for launching and recovery.

Crews will launch from the west end- train bridge side of the dock. Recovery will take place on the east end- Lincoln Bridge side of the dock.

After completing a race, all boats will turn north and row through the northern-most opening of the Lincoln Bridge.

Practice Row

The course will be available for practice on the afternoon of Friday, June 21st.

Crews may launch for practice at 1:00pm and ending at 5:30pm.

All crews off the water by 6:00pm.

Crews must be aware of the traffic pattern before launching and should be sufficiently competent in the boat they are rowing. Practice marshals will be on the course to monitor for safety, but they are not there to coach crews on the water.

Crews violating the traffic pattern will be removed from the course by the safety marshals.

There will be no practice times available Saturday morning prior to racing.

Practice pattern will follow right hand rule going to the start on the south shore in lanes 1,2 & 3 and back to the finish in lanes5,6 & 7. Lane 4 is a dead lane. You may go west of the train bridge but must stay east of the first main bridge (Shields).

PR3-V1 Guided

Each participant in the PR3-V1 shall be required to be directed by a guide boat. The guide boat is not allowed to coach or encourage the participant and is only permitted to give instructions intended to guide the participant down the racecourse within their assigned lane. The guide’s instructions should be limited to “Port,” “Starboard,” and “Weigh Enough”, as well as any other verbal instructions if needed for the safety of the participant, or any other person.

The guide boat shall also stay between the buoyed lines of the lane assigned to the participant, but in front of (on the bow side of) the participant.

The guide boat cannot be motorized but shall be a rowing “single” shell, rowed by a person with no disability.

OG&E NightSprints

OG&E NightSprints masters events will take place under the lights during our evening Stars and Stripes Regatta. Masters events will be offered in the Mens 1x, Womens 1x, Mixed 2x, Mx 4x, 8+. Events will not be handicapped. All events are 500 meters. * Please note this is not part of the USrowing sanctioned event.

Rules

Must be masters rower 21 or older
Boats must have at least a stern light and a bow light to launch. Feel free to add as many lights as you want! (Must provide your own lights)
The first 5 registered are guaranteed entry. All others will be waitlisted.
No boats past I-35. Any boats that row past I-35 during night sprints will be excluded and sent back to the dock.

Medals/Awards

Medals are awarded for first, second and third place for all events, except that no medal shall be awarded to the last place boat if three or less entries. In Masters events where there is no more than one flight, medals will be awarded for each flight as if it were a final. Open and novice categories with multiple flights will be treated as one event and medals for first, second and third will be awarded to the three fastest times pooled from all flights of any given event.

All medals will be available for pick up at the registration desk on the 1^st floor of the Finish Line Tower after the results have been made official. Coaches or athletes can sign for medals.

*Night Sprints medals will be awarded on the Finish Line Tower Dock at the end of racing.

Venue

Location

Chesapeake Boathouse, OKC Boathouse District

725 S Lincoln Blvd

Oklahoma City, OK 73129

Course

The course is a 930m, six-lane, fully-buoyed course with a starting platform.

Practice Course Map

Course Map

Trailers and Boat storage/staging:

Trailers

Trailers will be parked in the grass by the Finish Line Tower- 606 RIVERSPORT Dr, Oklahoma City, 73129. Please pull onto RIVERSPORT Drive (formerly 6^th Street) and turn into the north entrance of the Finish Line Tower parking lot. Proceed to the trailer slot closest to the river marked by a wooden stake.

Car –Toppers

Car-toppers may park at the Chesapeake Boathouse parking lot 725 S Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, 73129. Please let us know ahead of time that you are bringing a car top by contacting the Regatta Director at [email protected]

Boat Staging

Boats can be staged in two areas: the Finish Line Tower grass area and on the east side of the Chesapeake Boathouse. Those boats staged at the Chesapeake Boathouse should use the grass area east of the front walkway. Do not block any walkways.

Crew Tents

Crews may place tents in the clearly marked areas along the racecourse on Saturday only. Tents must be removed by 2:00 pm on Saturday immediately following the end of racing.

Grilling Permit

NO open flame is allowed on property.

Teams wishing to purchase a permit to grill on a Blackstone or griddle may pre-purchase a permit he re
(1 per tent). Teams will also be required to review the No Open Flame Policy, prior to arrival.
Permits are available pre-race day for $50 or day of for $100, per grill.

Parking

Paid parking will be available in designated Boathouse District areas for $10.00.

Event Drone Policy

In accordance with USRowing’s drone policy, anyone interested in utilizing a flying drone at the regatta venue must receive approval from USRowing and the Local Organizing Committee. To request approval, contact [email protected] for more information. Unapproved drones are not permitted anywhere on the regatta venue. Continued use of unapproved drones may result in penalties to the associated crew, and the operator may be subject to removal.

Drones are also subject to federal, state and local laws and ordinances. It is the responsibility of the pilot to ensure compliance.

Inclement Weather Information

USRowing, the Regatta Director, Local Organizing Committee and Chief Referee will work together to monitor the weather continuously during the regatta.

Should it be determined that schedule changes are necessary due to weather concerns the following weather plan will be utilized:

Communication Plan

The weather-related schedule changes will be announced using the following mediums:

Announced over PA
Via Text message. We will be using the What’s App to send out any pertinent information. All coaches and or athletes registered through Regatta Central will be emailed a link to join the S&S Coaches information Broadcast Group on What’s App
Online via Regatta Central.

Crews are responsible for staying updated on any announced schedule changes.

Please direct any questions about schedule changes to the Regatta Director at the registration desk.

Schedule changes will be made with the following priorities:

Delay racing a maximum of one hour. At which time the weather and schedule will be reevaluated to determine if any events can safely be raced.
Begin racing earlier than previously announced. Announcements will be made no later than 3 hours before racing or 9:00 pm the evening before in the case of the morning racing.
In case of high wind small boat categories deemed unsafe to race will be eliminated starting with 1x, then 2-, 2x etc.

Cancel regatta.

Emergency Evacuation Plan

In the event of an emergency evacuation, all boats will row down to the nearest designated docks. Rowers in lanes 4, 5 & 6 will recover at Devon boathouse docks. Rowers in lanes 1, 2 & 3 will recover at Finish Line Dock. All others row back into Chesapeake dock. In this event, please make sure team members are apprised and prepared to come to the docks and assist with equipment.

In the event of a tornado please seek shelter in the nearest building.

Chesapeake Boathouse- fitness center restroom and / or internal offices (you will be directed by staff)

Finish Line Tower- Ground floor

Devon Boathouse- First floor restrooms

Contacts

Regatta Director

Gena Terrill

[email protected]

405-552-4040 Ext 4219

PRESS AND MEDIA INFORMATION

Please contact M. Elizabeth Laurent, [email protected], and include your full name, telephone number, the name of your media outlet.

Local Media Officer

M. Elizabeth Laurent

email: [email protected]