Race Day Information Sheet Saturday, September 12, 2015 Thank you for participating in the fifth annual Great River Race, and for helping raise funds and awareness for student success. We are excited for your morning on the river You ll be one of 28 teams paddling to win but in the end, everybody wins as all race proceeds benefit the UWCA s creative outdoor education initiatives designed to help reduce the academic achievement gap. The Great River Race is an approx. 6-mile canoe race from Hidden Falls Regional Park, around Pike Island, and back to Hidden Falls. This is a staggered start race the type often used in competitive rowing regattas held on rivers. Boats will cross the starting line in flights of 4-6 boats. It doesn t matter what number you are in the launch sequence; your official time begins when your bow crosses the starting line. You never know who is winning in a staggered start race until the end when all split times are calculated. Your goal in a staggered start race is to work together to move your boat quickly, safely, and efficiently towards the finish line and to safely pass as many boats as possible along the way. More details are provided on the Racing Tips sheet included in this packet. You will be racing in a 24 Voyageur canoe, led by an experienced Wilderness Inquiry boat captain in the stern. Paddles and life jackets will be provided for all racers. Each canoe will carry a dry bag for small personal items. Please consult the packing list included in this packet for more suggestions. Note that all on-the-water times presented here are estimated. A strong tail wind could make the race go faster; a strong head wind could slow us down a bit. In case of emergency: If your family needs to reach you while you re on the water, they should contact Chad Dayton at mobile number 651-605-1827. He will be on-site and in radio contact with the race all day. GOOD LUCK PADDLERS 1
GREAT RIVER RACE Saturday, September 12, 2015 Itinerary 8:30-9 a.m. Arrive at the North Gate of Hidden Falls Regional Park, which is located near the intersection of S. Mississippi River Blvd and Magoffin Ave. in Saint Paul. Here s a map: http://goo.gl/tcmst Race volunteers will direct you to parking. For a spot in the park, please arrive early (and carpool if possible). Overflow street parking will be available in the adjacent neighborhood. Upon arrival, check in and meet your team. Restrooms, coffee, and a snack will be available. Yoga and stretching provided by Yoga Sol. 9:15 a.m. Brief program and race overview, with an explanation of staggered start racing. * During the program, your team will be given a bow number. When your team is called, your team captain should go to the stage to get your canoe s stern flag. 9:45 a.m. Team Huddles: Gather with your team at an assigned equipment tarp. Select paddles and life jackets. Your Wilderness Inquiry boat captain will provide a quick paddle demo and safety talk. You and your team can discuss race strategy and have final preparation. 10:00 a.m. First Flight of canoes moves to the canoe launch area. We will launch flights of 4-6 canoes at a time, at the direction of course master Chad Dayton. 10:15 a.m. RACE BEGINS 11:30 a.m. FIRST BOATS FINISH We estimate that canoes will cross the Finish Line at Hidden Falls between 11AM and 12PM. *After landing, your Wilderness Inquiry boat captain will guide you in carrying gear and the canoe to a staging location. 12:00 noon PICNIC LUNCH / AWARDS CEREMONY Join your fellow racers for lunch and festive music by Gravel on Mud. Once everyone has their lunch, trophies will be awarded for first, second and third place. A Team Spirit trophy will also be awarded. Be sure to grab your Great River Race t-shirt at the lunch tent 1:30 p.m. Event concludes. 2
R i v e r PersonalPackingListfortheGreatRiverRace To#ensure#safety#and#comfort#on#race#day,#we#recommend#that#you#wear/bring#the# following#clothing#and#gear:# Clothing,Outerwear,andGear ##T:shirt,#ideally#in#a#quick:dry#fabric#such#as#poly:propylene#or#nylon# Note:&&We&encourage&teams&to&coordinate&colors&and&to&show&your&team&spirit.&&Costumes&are& welcome&too.&&judges&will&be&watching&and&selecting&a&team&to&receive&the&spirit&award.& ##Shorts#or#zip:off#pants,#ideally#in#a#quick:dry#fabric#such#as#poly:propylene#or#nylon# ##Jacket#or#sweater# ##Shoes#that#you#can#get#a#little#wet#and#dirty.#You#may#want#to#also#wear#wool#socks# (Smartwool#works#great),#to#keep#your#feet#toasty#even#if#they#get#wet.# ##Rain#jacket#or#poncho# ##Baseball#cap#or#other#brimmed#hat#to#protect#you#from#sun#and#rain# ##Water#bottle# OptionalItems ##Sunscreen# ##Lip#balm# ##Sunglasses# ##Camera# #Small#daypack#for#personal#items# Note:&&Paddles&and&life&jackets&will&be&provided&for&all&racers.&&You&can&bring&your&own&life& jacket&if&you&prefer,&but&you&must&use&a&wilderness&inquiry&paddle&during&the&race.& & # Note:#Each#boat#will#have#one#dry#bag#for#personal#items.#It#is#recommended,#however,#that# you#protect#cameras,#wallets,#phones,#etc.,#by#storing#them#in#ziploc#plastic#bags.#
RACING TIPS The Great River Race is a staggered start race. Boats will cross the starting line in flights of four to six boats. It doesn t matter what number you are in the launch sequence; your official time begins when your bow crosses the starting line. What makes a staggered start race exciting is that you never know who is winning until all split times are calculated at the end. Your goal is to work together to move your boat quickly, safely and efficiently towards the finish line and to safely pass as many boats as possible along the way. When starting a stage of the race, think about hitting the starting line at full race pace, or as fast as you think you can get your canoe moving. This means building speed and power as you leave a staging area and head toward the starting line, which will be marked with red Coast Guard or floating inflatable buoys (and in some cases, our race officials tent). Remember: In order for our race officials to get accurate starting times for each boat, there is no passing until you have crossed the starting line. The Great River Race is an 6-mile race from Hidden Falls Park, around Pike Island, and returning to Hidden Falls Park. The goal to is keep your canoe moving at a strong, steady-state paddle rate. Any time you pass a boat, you re improving your chances of winning, so use passing a boat as motivation to bring the pace up. To keep the energy up in your boat, designate a team booster or have your team captain call some focus drills, like take 10 power strokes for the UWCA or take 10 speed-up strokes for our team captain Joe, etc. You can also use landmarks to keep the pace up: add speed and power through the next green buoy. Additional Thoughts: Always listen to your boat captain (in the stern). Trust that your boat captain is doing his or her best to make your boat fast (and safe). Always listen and follow any safety instructions from the race pontoon boats -- and any other safety officials on the water. Don t focus on where you start in the line-up. With staggered start racing, you never really know who is in the lead. Race hard and don t let up even if you think you re ahead. A boat several places back could be passing boats, making up time and pulling off the win HAVE FUN This is a race, but it s also a glorious way to spend a fall day on the river for a great cause
Starting Line Walking Path Finish Line Take Out Location Bridge No Pass Zone 4 Paddlers Max Minnesota River