Weather Contingency Plan {effective 2023}
In the event of bad weather that could jeopardize the safety of competitors, the MSRA has established the following contingency racing plan for the regatta. Safety and fairness are of central importance.
It is the responsibility of each program to be aware of the current weather conditions that could put any of the following actions into effect.
A mandatory coaches meeting will be held one hour before the first race on Saturday and Sunday. If weather conditions require a change in the schedule, coaches will be notified at that time. The meeting place will be the regatta headquarters.
At registration, each program must provide a text/phone/lodging contact number, however, it is the responsibility of the head coach to be present at announced coaches meetings.
The decision of the Chief Referee, the members of the Executive Committee and a representative from the LOC on races will be final.
Discussion from school administration, coaches, parents organizations, or athletes will not be permitted. It is the responsibility of each program to inform their coaches, rowers, and parents of these contingency rules which could be put into effect.
Based on recent regattas, our full schedule has required approximately nine hours of preliminary racing (plus a one hour break) on Saturday and four hours of Finals on Sunday. The anticipated scenarios may yield 7/6 hours or less.
Limited racing on Saturday – full racing on Sunday {7+ hours}
Unable to run races Saturday – Race only on Sunday {7 hours}
Limited racing on Saturday and Sunday {6 or fewer hours}
Given any of these situations, Priority #6 and #7 events would NOT be run.
If weather conditions limit the available amount of time available, racing of events will follow the following list of priorities. Each of the seven components would require ~2 hours}
The only exception to these priorities would be events that have fully launched and on the water. Reasonable completion of those events already fully on the water would occur, with the possibility of changing format (Semifinal to Time Trial), prior to implementation of the Priorities listed below. Events are to be run in the following Priorities, at each stage as weather and time permit.
Priority #1A: Heats/Time Trials (first round) of Varsity events (though we may choose to limit 1x for weather concerns): {SRAA qualifiers} 1V8+, 1V4+, V4x, V2x
Any of these events with 7 or fewer entries will be run as a Final-only using either a traditional race format or a Time Trial.
Priority #1B: Heats/Time Trials of V1x [8-10 events]
Priority #2: Heats/Time Trials (first round) of Junior and Freshman events: {SRAA qualifiers} Jr8+, Jr4+, Jr4x, Jr2x, 2V8+, Fr8+, N4x+
Any of these events with 7 or fewer entries will be run as a Final-only using either a traditional race format or a Time Trial. [14 events]
Priority #3A: A-Finals of Varsity events 1V8+, 1V4+, V4x, V2x, 2V8+
Priority #3B: Finals of V1x [10-12 events]
Priority #4: Finals of Junior and Freshman events: Jr8+, Jr4+, Jr4x, Jr2x, 2V8+, Fr8+, N4x+ [14 events]
Priority #5: Heats/Time Trials (first round) of non-SRAA events: V4-, V2-, 3V8+, N8+, N4+ [10 events]
Priority #6: Finals of non-SRAA events: V4-, V2-, 3V8+, N8+, N4+ [10 events]
Priority #7: B-Finals: 1V8+, V4+, V2x, Fr8+ [8 events]
The Chief Referee, the members of the Executive Committee and a representative from the LOC reserves the right to select events that can be run depending on the time, weather, and safety along with race format.
Potential means of preserving the entire schedule, or at least as much as possible, might resort to options that include the following:
Modified progression with Time Trials, with no Semifinals.
Time Trial: either resulting in final placings or advancing the fastest 7 to a Final.
Combination of Time Trial or 2 Semifinals, advancing the fastest 12 from the Time Trial to 2 Semifinals or beginning with Semifinals (8-14 entries)
If equal conditions allow, the Semifinal winners and 5 next fastest remaining times will advance to the Final. If the Final is not subsequently run, the time order from the Semifinals will be the basis of final placement.
Up to 7 entries: no preliminary rounds, may use a 7-boat final or a Time Trial.
Shortening the course (by as little as possible)
Floating starts
If Unable to run races on Sunday, but all scheduled Time Trials/Semifinals were raced on Saturday: Award medals/event plaques and trophies (if requirements were met) awarded based on the last fair round completed. Events that were not raced because they were Finals only will not receive medals/event plaques or points.
If Unable to race Saturday and Sunday: The regatta will be considered cancelled and no medals/event plaques or point trophies awarded.
If the event schedule is compressed by racing Priority #1 events only, there might be potential conflicts, an effort will be made to provide adequate time between races to avoid those conflicts.
Substitutions in events that have already raced in a heat will be restricted to substitution for Medical reasons. Athletes that have raced in at least a heat of an event that has been canceled still have one of their possible races counted toward their limit of two races, even if the final of that event is not raced.
Other substitutions in events that have not been raced will otherwise be limited to 50% of the crew, but when submitting a written substitution, the document must indicate what other event any substituted athlete has raced in or will be racing in.
Medals/Event Plaque/Event Trophy: Events that have had no races run will not receive medals. Medals/event plaque/event trophy (when one exists) will be awarded based on time placement in the last fair round [Heat, Time Trial, Semifinal or Final] completed.
Points Trophies
a) Sweep points trophies: The Mens and Womens points trophies will not be awarded unless more than half [117.5 points] of the event points are awarded including the Priority #1 sweep events [1V8, 1V4+, 2V8] for that gender. In this case only the placing of first place is awarded and noted with an * on the record.
b) Sculling points trophies: The Mens and Womens points trophies will not be awarded unless more than half [50 points] of the event points are awarded including the Priority #1A sculling events [V4x, V2x] for that gender. In this case only the placing of first place is awarded and noted with an * on the record.
c) Weaser Combined Points Trophy will only be awarded if the Boys Sweep and Sculling points trophies, and Girls Sweep and Sculling point trophies are all awarded.