FMGI Dragon Boats - Canada's Dragon Boat Specialists

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presents the

Saskatoon Dragon Boat Festival

July 7-8, 2001

Team Training | Race Details | Rules & Regulations | Trophies

team training

Practices

Practices will be available in June. Team managers will be notified as the dates become available. Some days will not be booked due to unavailability of coaches or site access. Practices are booked on a first come first serve basis. All teams must register for at least 3 training sessions, weather permitting. All sessions that are cancelled due to bad weather will be rescheduled, time permitting. Exceptions will be considered by the Festival Race Committee.

Steerperson training

Steerperson training will take place during the practice sessions booked by the team.

Logistics Meeting

The Team Logistics Meeting will be held the week of the event. All team captains and team managers will be notified of the correct date and all should attend. For more information, please contact us at:

Phone: 1-888-679-4222

E-mail: [email protected]

race details

Race Format

The course is 500 metres long.

The race start line will be announced.

The race finish line will be 500 metres downstream.

Race Schedule

Copies of the Race Schedule will be available to team managers approximately one week prior to the event.

rules & regulations

All Rules and Regulations are based on the International Dragon Boat Federation Members Handbook (2nd Edition, 1/1/1997) AND Local rules and regulations developed by Facility Marketing Group Inc.�s Organizing Committee.

A. Fundamental Rules

Safety : The first priority of all competitors is the safety of their crew and all other crews involved. Assistance must be rendered in need.

Fair Play: CONDUCT OF CREWS: "Any Dragon Boat Crew or competitor who attempts to win a race by other than honourable means, or who deliberately breaks the Racing Rules, or who disregards the honourable nature of the rules shall face disqualification from the competition." (Reference: I.D.B.F. Competition and Rules of Racing, R4.2)

B. Race Details

1. The minimum race crew is 16 paddlers, plus 1 drummer, and 1 steersperson.

2. Crews exceeding 22 members on board will be disqualified.

3. Only crew members on the roster are allowed in the dragon boats.

4. Races are 500 meters in length, unless otherwise stipulated.

5. A team cannot finish a race unless all crew members who started the race are present in the boat.

6. Teams will be assigned lanes, by number, and must line up and stay within these lanes during the start and race.

C. Starting

1. Boats must listen to Chief Race Official (Starter), and follow instructions clearly, when lining up for start.

2. Starters instructions will include procedures for boats to �hold�, �back up�, and �one minute to start� (not actually 60 seconds), while boats are lining up for the start.

3. Once the Chief Race Official feels boats are lined up evenly (at his/her sole discretion) in the designated starting area, the warning signal of "Attention Please!" will cue all paddlers, of every competing boat to prepare for Start.

4. Chief Race Official will sound signal at any time after warning signal, seeing all boats in Starting Area.

5. Drummers may not drum during Start procedures. Drummers must stop drumming if a False Start is called by the Starter.

6. UNFAIR STARTS - When a crew �jumps the start�, (which for the purpose of the Rules of Racing means that a crew has anticipated the Starters word of Command, or Sound Signal), and a �False Start� cannot be called, but in the opinion of the Starter a material advantage has been gained by the crew or crews, the Starter may award a �Time Penalty� to crew or crews in question.

C. Right of Way Rules:

1. A boat changing lanes during a heat may not pass in front of any team on the course.

2. Any contact between boats will result in penalty or disqualification.

3. All boats must attempt to avoid contact at all times on the water.

4. A boat which is not competing must keep clear of all boats which are competing.

D. Finishing

1. Finish line will be between the last buoys of marked lanes. When lane markers are not present, finish line will be finishing official on land.

2. For the Finish line officials to stop the clock, the Dragon Boat�s bow (Dragon�s nose) must cross the finish line.

3. Teams returning to docks must stay in return lane and return as quickly as safely possible.

E. Other Grounds for Disqualification and Penalty:

1. Any Team determined to have broken a rule, as defined in the Official Rules and Regulations or any Team not complying with the Safety Protocol, will receive a time penalty or disqualification, depending on the seriousness of incident.

2. Mixed Teams with less than 8 female or 8 male paddlers in a Race crew will be disqualified or assessed a penalty of 30 secs for breaking the rules and 2 sec. for each paddler that is missing.

3. Crew members that are �inebriated� will be disqualified from racing. The Organizing Committee has the sole discretion to deny any racer from entering a boat who they feel has been drinking or using banned substances.

4. Discipline - (As per I.D.B.F. Competition Regulations & Rules of Racing, Part 2, R3.1.3) �The Chief Race Official shall be responsible for implementing the Disciplinary Code and additionally may disqualify any crew or competitor who behaves improperly or shows contempt by bad conduct or speech towards the Race Officials or any other persons, including on-lookers.�

F. Disqualifications and Time Penalties:

1. Any boat deemed disqualified (DSQ) by either the Organizing Committee or the rules, will receive a time of the slowest time for the day - PLUS five seconds

2. Disqualifying times will not be considered qualifying times.

3. Time Penalties which are assessed to Teams can range anywhere from 1 - 5 seconds.

G. Appeals:

Must be made by the Captain or Manager only, no later than 15 minutes after their heat is finished. Protests are made to the Chief Race Official. Protests should be made in writing, however a verbal protest made be made first, followed in a timely fashion by a written appeal. When an appeal is made, the Chief Race Official must immediately notify any affected parties. Subsequently the Chief Race Official will convene the Race Committee as soon as feasible to rule on the appeal. First Line of appeal is as follows: Chief Race Official makes his/her ruling. This ruling is reported to the appealing team. Second line of appeal is as follows: The appealing team having not agreed with the Chief Race Official appeals to the Event Coordinator. The Event Coordinator makes a ruling which supersedes or affirms the Chief Race Official. Third Line of appeal: should the appealing party still be unsatisfied, the third and final line of appeal is to the Festival Chairman. The Festival Chairman makes his/her decision (based on previous appeal decisions) which is binding and final.

H. Results and Awards:

1. Results from heats and appeals will be posted on the Official Notice Board, which will be located at the Dragon�s Lair and/or Marshalling.

2. Trophies will be awarded only to Teams which have qualifying times in all heats of the competition.

3. Awards structure and time and place of Awards Ceremonies will be discussed at Logistics Meeting.

***NOTE: Adjustments to race course, times, and race schedule may occur due to a number of circumstances including weather, daylight, safety, etc. These adjustments are a part of the event and are at the sole discretion of the Race Officials and are final, without appeal.

trophies

Each year, the Dragon Boat race teams compete to win one of the many prestigious SaskEnergy presents the Saskatoon Dragon Boat Race Trophies. These trophies highlight many different aspects of the Dragon Boat Races. Here is a listing of all of the trophies and their current holders from 2000:

Champion of Champions

fastest average of all three (3) race timings overall

# 70 Pond Scum

Mixed Competitive Champion

fastest average of all three (3) race timings within this category