The Greater Chicago Junior Rowing Championships regatta is a United States Rowing Association sanctioned regatta and will follow the rules of USRA.

The course will be buoyed on the outside of lanes 1 and 6.  Buoys will be at the first 100 meters and every 500 meters, as well as the starting and finishing lines.  Rowing will be from west to east, finishing in the front of the Main Beach Building.  The length of the course may vary based on lake water levels.

The course will be buoyed on the outside of lanes 1 and 6.  Buoys will be at the first 100 meters and every 500 meters, as well as the starting and finishing lines.  Rowing will be from west to east, finishing in the front of the Main Beach Building.  The length of the course may vary based on lake water levels.

The final heat sheet schedule will be issued during the Coaches and Coxswains' meeting on Saturday morning of the race day.   See the schedule tab up top for the most current one.

The warm-up area will be on the north side of the course.  A return cool-down lane will be marked and allow crews to move counter-clockwise back towards the docks.  Proceed off the launching docks toward the north side of the lake and down to the start.  Be aware of shallow areas along the north shore, and the peninsula about 300 meters from the west end of the lake.  Maps will be provided at the Coaches and Cox'ns meeting.

Each event must have a minimum of two entries to constitute a race.

All race participants within a boat must wear one type of representative rowing uniform.

Bow numbers for each boat will be required.  It will be your responsibility to supply your own bow numbers.  If a team does not have their own bow number, the organizing committee will make them available to you after receiving a refundable deposit of $5 per number.  Crews will not be allowed on the water without a bow number.  No racing shell will be allowed to race or practice without a bow ball.

Where the feet of the competitor are held by foot gear affixed to the stretcher of the boat, the design of such foot gear shall provide for the quick release of the competitors feet, without the use of hands, in case of the boat capsize.  Such design may consist of Velcro or pull strings at the heels.

All boats will be checked for such appropriate footgear.  If such footgear is not present at all seats that boat will not be launched.  This checking of the boats will occur immediately prior to launch.  All boats, even if they row in multiple races, will be checked prior to each race.

Crews will be called to the launch dock by the dockmaster.  First call will be 25 minutes before each event, with second call and last call 20 minutes and 15 minutes before each event, respectively.  Launch officials at the launch docks will make every effort to launch boats on time.  Coaches and coxswains should be ready to launch 30 minutes prior the scheduled time of their event.  No crews will be allowed on the water before being called or for additional practice on the day of the race.

Lightweight men and lightweight women will be on the honor system. Coxswains will not be weighed.

Hot seating must be arranged with the dockmaster.  Events will not be delayed to permit re-reigging of shells. There must be a minimum of 3 races between events for any hot seating, but start officials will not delay racing to accommodate hot seating.

It is the responsibility of the crew to arrive at the start at least 5 minutes before their scheduled start time. The Regatta Marshal and a USRowing referee will be positioned in launches in the starting area for the purpose of organizing participating crews above the start and getting the competitors into the proper starting order and time interval.  Please listen to the directions of the officials.  All oars must accompany boats to the launch area.

Crews shall be responsible for maintaining their proper order, for maintaining their proper interval between themselves and other crews and for staging in the start area.

The race will begin from start platforms with stake boat holders at each lane position.  The USRowing referee start official will call crews to the start approximately five miutes prior to the start.  All crews not currently involved in the staging of the start of the next race shall yield to crews being summoned to the start by the USRowing official.

Interference with the staging of the start may result in a penalty.

If racing is delayed, the USRowing Judge Referee at the start shall provide for a sufficient amount of time between events so that crews in different events do not overlap at the finish line.  

After crossing the finish line, crews shall return to the return dock.  Returning crews should yield and avoid interfering with the launching crews.

Intent to file a protest must be indicated on the water immediately following the finish of a race.  The protest must be made to a USRowing official before the crew leaves the area between the finish tower and the Main Beach return dock.  After a crew returns to the return dock area, all right to protest is waived.

The regatta will consider a protest from the coach of coaching representative (only one coach/coaching representative per protest is allowed) per USRowing rules at a fee of $50.00.  The protest must be filed with the Regatta Director and the fee paid within 1 hour of the finish of the race in question.  The Regatta Jury will consider appeals from crews who have been assessed a penalty.