In 2009 we had 83 clubs, 245 races, 890 boats, 1,653 athletes, including 800 masters.

Regatta schedule

For planning purposes, here is a preliminary schedule based on anticipated numbers of entrants. The schedule will change after the entry deadline, when actual 2010 entries have been compiled.

Womens Events:

Mens Events:

Event Number Index

Click here for a printable pdf version of the event index.
Women
  1x Dash 2x 4x 2- 4+ 8
Junior 16 15   26 1   24  
Junior 14   39 10   16 43
Novice 8            
Intermediate 52   35 68   62 75
Light Inter. 22   63     54  
Lightweight 65 46 21        
Open 44 48 55 73 56 34 79
Masters 60   71 83 85 2 29
Masters Lt. 61            
Men
Junior 16 12   40 23   18  
Junior 37   13 17   28 42
Novice 9            
Intermediate 51   27 67 41 25 74
Light Inter. 53   69 38   64 36
Lightweight 66 47 20 78      
Open 45 49 57 77 19 33 80
Senior     11        
Masters 58   72 82 84 30 3
Masters Lt. 59            
Other Events
Octuple Sculls 81
Junior Octuple Sculls 70
Disabled 2x 50
Mixed Open 2x 76
Mixed Masters 2x and 4x 31, 32
Parent/Child 2x (1000 meters) 4, 5, 6, 7

Other Events:

This is a USRowing registered regatta. The Regatta will be conducted in accordance with USRowing Rules of Racing.


Registration - There is no registration, but you are welcome to check in with us at the regatta HQ tent at the Canoe Club.

Juniors - USRowing junior definitions apply: A junior is a competitor who will not attain the age of 19 in the calendar year, or who is and has been continuously enrolled in secondary school as a full time student seeking a diploma. A junior 16 is a competitor who will not attain the age of 17 in the calendar year. A competitor's age is determined as of December 31 of the calendar year.

Masters - USRowing master definitions apply: A master is a competitor who has attained or will attain the age of 21 in the calendar year. AA = 21-26, A = 27-35; B = 36-42; C = 43-49; D = 50-54; E = 55-59; F = 60-64; G = 65-69; H = 70 and over. Average age of the crew determines eligibility. The age category of a masters crew shall be determined by the average age of the crew, rounded down to the highest contained integer. Time handicaps will be applied in any masters event that combines two or more categories. A competitor's age is determined as of December 31 of the calendar year.

Masters crews are reminded of the rule requiring them to report any line-up changes in writing not less than 2 hours prior to the start of the race. This allows the regatta committee time to recompute the age handicap and announce it to the other competitors prior to the start of the race. Violators risk disqualification!

Novices - A novice is a rower who has never rowed in a rowing race prior to January 1 of the calendar year. Specifically excluded from the "novice" category are rowers who have raced before as sweep rowers but are racing for the first time as scullers.

Mens and womens open singles will have petite finals.

Intermediate/Senior/Open - "Intermediate" and "senior" are "classifications by skill" defined by the USRowing Rules of Racing. Basically, if you have to ask, you're probably an intermediate. Everyone is an intermediate until they win a national championship or at Canadian Henley.

Octuple Sculls - The octuples scull event is an open event. In order to encourage more participation, handicaps will be assigned by the regatta director, at his sole discretion, to all masters crews. Mixed crews will be allowed. Handicaps for junior crews will also be considered. You must notify the regatta director if you change your line-up, with names and dates of birth.

Junior Octuple Sculls - Malta Boat Club has offered a trophy. Girls crews are welcome.

Master's Mixed Double - The Betty Shepherdson Memorial Award will be presented to the winner of the master's mixed double. The names of each year's winners will be permanently inscribed on a bronze plaque to be displayed at Malta Boat Club. Special individual awards will be presented to the winning contestants. USRowing masters age handicaps will be used in determining the event winner.

Progressions

Mariner Point Trophy - Sponsored by Mariner Insurance Group, the trophy will be presented to the club earning the most points in the regatta. All events will count towards the points total. Composite boats do not count. Here's how points are calculated, per the USRowing Rules of Rowing:

Type of Event Points
1x 10
2x, 2- 15
4+, 4x 20
8+, 8x 30
Number of Boats in Event Percentage of 1st Place points
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
2 20%
3 40% 20%
4 60% 30% 5%
5 80% 40% 10% 5%
6 or more 80% 40% 20% 10% 5%

We'll have a running tally at the regatta HQ tent at the Canoe Club on Saturday and Sunday. Composite crews are not eligible for points. Please let us know if your crew is a composite.

Click here to read how to enter.

A completely paperless entry system: Submit all your entries and pay with your VISA credit card at Regatta Central. Execute all waivers on-line at Regatta Central. You're done! No paper work for you or us! We strongly prefer you use the paperless system.

Entry Deadline - On-line entry at Regatta Central must be completed by Friday, June 25. After that date, entries will be accepted at the discretion of the regatta director on a "lane available" basis and with a $10 per boat late fee. If you do not take advantage of the paperless entry system, the printed Regatta Central invoice, entry fees and competitor waivers are due on Monday, June 28, 2010. (Address above.)

Entry Fees
8$180
4+$105
4x$85
2-, 2x$50
1x$40
Fees are non-refundable after June 25, 2010.

Waiver forms - Every competitor must execute a waiver. The Independence Day Regatta is a USRowing registered regatta using Regatta Central. For USRowing registered regattas, the club or school must be an organizational member but the athletes do not need to be individual members. Waivers can be completed on-line at Regatta Central. Once done for any USRowing registered regatta, the waiver applies to all USRowing registered regattas for the calendar year. Alternatively, the athlete can sign a paper waiver. Paper waivers must be mailed, reaching us by Monday, June 28.

Questions - Contact Clete Graham via e-mail. You'll get a quick response.


The course


Weigh-ins

Lightweight men shall weigh no more than 160 lbs. Lightweight women shall weigh no more than 130 lbs. Averaging is not required.

Weigh-ins will be held from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Friday and 6:30 to 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday at the Canoe Club. Competitors must weigh in each day they compete. Only one weigh-in per day is required. Coxswains do not weigh in.

Per the recommendations of the USRowing Sports Medicine Committee, athletes must be within two pounds of the required weight on the first try, or they will not be allowed to weigh-in again. If they are within two pounds they are allowed to return up to two additional times.

All races will be timed with our high speed, high resolution FinishLynx camera.

Results will be processed and distributed by RaceDay software. Results will be uploaded to our web site within minutes of each race's completion. Results will also be printed at the Canoe Club for visiting crews within minutes of race completion.


Awards - Schuylkill Navy wristwatches will awarded to winners in all events.

Directions to the race course

Parking will be challenging. There will be significant restrictions throughout the regatta. Please read this. We do not use the Three Angels for this regatta; all out-of-town boats launch from the Canoe Club. Download and print a parking pass.

Volunteers - We need volunteers. If you have a few hours between races, come to the regatta HQ tent at the Canoe Club and offer your services.

Scratch fees - Entry fees will be refunded if the scratches are made before June 25, 2010. Those scratching after that time will forfeit their entry fees.

If fewer than three entries are received or if all the entries are from the same club, the event will be scratched and the clubs will be notified.

No competitor may represent two different clubs in the regatta. Boats composed of members from various clubs should register as composite crews on their entry form.

Bow numbers & bow balls - No shell may launch without a bow ball and no shell may race without its appropriate lane number affixed to its bow. It's the only way we can tell who you are as you cross the finish line. Any crew reporting to the starting line without a bow number will be assessed a warning ("false start"). A second warning will result in exclusion from the race. Each crew must supply its own bow numbers. Bow numbers will not be provided; however, bow numbers will be available for sale at the Regatta Headquarters tent at the Canoe Club, $12 for a set of 6.

Uniforms - All crews must wear matching shirts. "Matching" means identical in style, color, and detail, including any insignia. No crew will be permitted to race in violation of this rule.

Bow-coxed boats - Bow-coxed boats must adhere to USRowing rules governing the size of the opening, i.e., minimum 2.3 foot long longitudinally, minimum 1.64 foot length as wide as inner hull, inner surface smooth and free of obstacles.

Vendors/Advertising - All manufacturers, clubs, and sellers of rowing related equipment and goods are welcome to apply for vendor space. For more information, please contact Anne Miller.

We'll have a vendor's tent at the Canoe Club again this year. Please support our vendors and make a visit. Buy an official Independence Day Regatta t-shirt!

  • Parking
  • Late entry procedures
  • Masters lineup change procedures

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