Racing Manual / Rules
(II ) Rules
( revised 2011. 2. 17 )
1. GENERAL
1.1 Any crew that fails to observe
the Rules and Regulations herein may be disqualified, or receive an official
warning . Any team that has already received one warning and commits another
offence again ( disregard of the same item of not) on the same round of race
will be disqualified. Serious disciplinary offences will be dealt with
differently at the Chief Official’s discretion.
( Amended 2010)
1.2 A crew should compete only by
racing in accordance with the recognized principles of fair play, good
manners and sportsmanship. In particular any act of this nature against any
of race officials, Judges or another competitor or other serious breaches of
these principles will result in disqualification. Any offending team may be
denied entry in the following years event.
1.3 A crew must follow the
directions of the Race Officials within 15 minutes of their starting time.
1.4 Each crew must have a Team
Manager, who must be present in the Crew Assembly Area (on the beach) &/or
in the boat during the time that the crew is under the control of the Race
Officials. ( Amended 2011)
1.5 The entry fee paid is
non-refundable should the crew decide to withdraw from the races or should
some or all of the races be cancelled for reasons beyond the Organizer's
control (e.g. bad weather).
1.6 The Organizer reserves the right
to refuse entry of any crew in the races at its sole discretion.
1.7 Each crew is entirely
responsible for its own conduct and for complying with the race rules.
1.8 All races will also be governed
by all Notice of Race and Team Memos, as well as any amendment issued
by the Race Organizing Committee on the race day, including the "Race
Manual". Anyone in charge of a team should familiarize with all these
documents.
2. SAFETY
2.1 It is the responsibility of the
person or organization making the entry to satisfy himself or itself that
all crew members are physically fit and are able to swim. The Race
Organizers (Stanley Residents Association) cannot be held liable for any
injury (or worse) of any competitor as a result of his or her lack of
fitness or inability to swim. Each participant's capacity and skill should
not be overstated. Each competitor must be able to swim at least 100 meters
wearing light clothing.
2.2 Each competitor is solely
responsible for his or her own safety during official practice sessions and
during races and responsibility will be accepted by the organizer or any
other individual or organization connected directly or indirectly with the
races for any death, injury, damage or loss incurred or borne by competitors
or members of a team.
2.3 It is the responsibility of the
team manager and of individuals to decide for themselves whether or not they
wear life jackets or personal floatation equipment which are to be prepared
by the participants themselves. Such move does not mean participants do not
have to abide by item 2.1 above. ( Amended 2010)
2.4 For safety reasons, all members
of the team must be familiar with the essence of the "Capsize Drill". After
sinking, all crew members must return to the shore and line up right in
front of the Official Stand for Team Captain/ Manager to take roll call and
report to the organizer's officer-in-charge before dismiss or carry on with
the remaining race or practice.
3. THE CREW AND CREW
COMPOSITION
3.1 Each boat must carry up to 18
paddlers (and not fewer than 12) , and must carry 1 steersman and 1 drummer.
3.2 No men may participate in the
Ladies crew except as steersman or drummer. For expatriate teams, over half
of the crew must be Non-Chinese. For the Chinese teams, over half of the
crew must be Chinese. Ladies may enter Men's races, but must not exceed half
of the crew.
3.3 There is no gender restriction
for drummers and steersmen.
3.4 Each paddler may only compete in
ONE team. (If an organization register 2 entries, each entry is considered a
separate team !) Each steersman or drummer may race for more than one team
but only "of the same organization". However, prior approval by the
organizer is necessary.
3.5 There is no limit (ceiling) for
reserves, but "full list" of team members should be submitted after entry,
in case it is instructed so. The team manager must also prepare a full team
list (including all spare athletes and team officials) in hand on race day
to be submitted to the Race Control Panel in occasions he/she is asked to do
so.
3.6 The Judge Panel may, in case of
unfavourable weather and sea conditions, announce it mandatory to lower the
number of rowers on each boat.
3.7 In mixed events, there should be
a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12 female paddlers on board during a race.
Since a mixed team is considered a team, crew members of the team are not
allowed to take part in another team.
4. MARSHALLING,
EMBARKING &
PROCEEDING TO THE START
4.1 A crew must be assembled in the
Crew Assembly Area and be ready to board their allocated boat 15 minutes
before the race time.
4.2 A crew is not permitted to
choose which boat to use and must use the boat allocated to it by the
Organizer.
4.3 Each boat will carry a number
indicating the lane in which it is to race. A crew must race in the lane
allocated to its boat.
4.4 After a crew has embarked, it
must immediately leave the beach and proceed to the starting area without
delay.
5. STARTING PROCEDURE
& RESTART
5.1 A crew in the starting area must
obey the instructions of the starter, umpires and other race officials under
the control of the starter.
5.2 A crew must immediately take up
its correct position in the starting area in the lane allocated to it. Any
crew that deliberately paddles or edges forward on the start line to gain an
advantage will be disqualified.
5.3 When instructed by the Marshal,
a member of the crew must pick up the bow-line in order to hold the boat
straight to its course. Lines attached to the starting line (stern-rope)
must be picked up and held by each steersman. The steersman may release the
line ONLY when the starting signal is given.
5.4 When the starter is satisfied
that the crews are correctly aligned, he will alert all crews with the
verbal warning “READY” ( or “ARE YOU READY” ) and a green or white flag will
be raised. Either a horn will be sounded or a gun will be fired or verbally
the English word “GO” is shouted ( and / or with the flag lowered) to
signify the start of the race. ( Amended 2010)
5.5 Once the boat is at the starting
line waiting for the starting signal, and the starter shouted “READY” ( or
“ARE YOU READY” ) all paddles must be static ( without any movement ) as the
"ready" position. (see also rule 6.10) (
Amended 2010)
5.6 In the event that the starter
considers that any crew has started before the starting signal is sounded, a
second horn or gun will be sounded to signify a false start and all crews
must stop and immediately
return to the start. The race will be restarted. The starter will issue a
warning to any crew that actively took
part or caused in a false start. (Refer to 1.1)
5.7. Any crew that fails to return
after a false start or that causes a false start while the race restart will
be disqualified. Races will carry on if false start occur during the "Re-start".
That means in each race there will only be 2 starts at maximum.
( Amended 2011)
5.8 If a steersman pushes the handle
of the starting pontoon to help his team during the start, it will be
regarded as causing forward propelling force and will lead to
disqualification of that team. (Added 2010, 2011)
5.9 If collision occurs after the
50-meter mark, the race will carry on and the Chief Official shall NOT call
for any re-race. (Added 2010, 2011)
6. RACE CONDUCT
6.1 Each team must have an
experienced steersman who is registered with the Stanley Residents
Association and must wear their Steersman Identity card at all the times
while steering the dragon boat. The association can provide a registered
steersman if notified in advance. A fee is to be paid in advance for this
service through proper procedure.
6.2 The proper course for each boat
is a straight line from its starting position to a corresponding point on
the finish line. Each boat must remain in its allocated lane and must not
interfere with other boats.
6.3 Any boat failing to keep to its
proper course may be warned by a Race Official and may be required to
replace the steersman with one provided by the Stanley Residents Association
for any future races at the prescribed fee. Boats should not pass outside
buoys marking the edge of the course.
6.4 In the event of a boat failing
to keep to its proper course and thereby interfering with the course of
another boat which is on its proper course or in the event of a collision
between two or more boats, the Chief Official may disqualify the offending
boat(s). ( Amended 2010,2011)
6.5 If, in the opinion of a Race
Director, a boat has been swamped or capsized deliberately by the crew, the
Organizer reserves the right to disqualify the competitor and to refuse such
crew's entry in future races. The crew of a swamped boat must assist the
Organizers in getting the boat back to the beach and bailing out all the
water and ensure no paddles or equipment are lost.
6.6 If, in the opinion of the Race
Director, or a Race Official, a boat or its equipment is damaged
deliberately by the crew, the team will be disqualified and the Organizer
reserves the right to impose a penalty of HK$50,000 on “the organization to
which the crew belongs”. The Organizer also reserves the right to require
such organisation to pay for the costs of repairs .
6.7 All teams must race to the best
of their ability. Any team deliberately slowing down or wasting time will be
disqualified. This applies to teams deliberately slowing down to obtain a
poor result in order to enter the plate competition.
6.8 NO TEAM SHOULD MAKE PERSONAL
ARRANGEMENT WITH THE OFFICIAL STEERMAN &/OR PAY THEM DIRECTLY and bypass
the proper booking procedure.
6.9 Each steersman can only race for
the team he/she is registered for in that year as shown in the card.
(see also rule 3.4)
6.10 From the moment the crew
line up and get ready for a start, till cross the finish line, the steersman
must not cause any forward propelling force for the boat.
6.11 All paddlers and the
drummer shall sit and remain in the designated seats throughout the race and
the drummer should hold drum-stick(s) in hand during the race.
6.12 Each competitors must
wear the team uniform during the race.
7. THE FINISH
7.1 The finish line will be show
approximately by buoys. The exact finish line will be defined by a line
between a fixed point at the Finish Tower and a fixed location on the far
side of the Beach.
7.2 The finishing order of a
race and the time taken by each boat will be determined by the Finishing
Judges whose decision shall be final. The time is determined by the moment
when the dragon boat nose crosses the finishes line.
7.3 Each crew must return
immediately to the Beach Assembly Area and disembark after the race.
7.4 Each boat must immediately stop
paddling and slow down after the bow of their dragon boat crosses the
finishing line. Any boat that continues to paddle or approaches the beach at
speed risking injury to spectators and damage to boats will be disqualified.
8. PROTESTS
8.1 Teams should respect decision of the Judges and
the Organizer. Should there be dissatisfaction of towards the organizer's
decision and there is a need for protest and appeal, all protests and
appeals must be lodged in writing and submitted with the appropriate fee designed by the
organizer ( respectively HK$ 500 and HK$1000), and must be signed by Team
Manager. IDBF
Protest Forms & IDBF Appeal Forms will be available at the
information booth. All team affairs dealing with the organizer should only
be handled by the Team Manager, and with the team card shown.
(Amended 2010, 2011)
9. EQUIPMENT
9.1 Except drum sticks and bailers,
all equipment used by competitors shall be provided by the Organizer. All
official equipment must be returned in good order after use. The allocation
of boats and paddles to individual crews shall be at the sole discretion of
the Organizer. Any participant not leaving the official equipment behind
after crossing the finishing line shall be treated as a defiance of rules
and/ or a case of theft.
9.2 The Organizer will not be
responsible for any failure of equipment during the race and each crew is
advised to carefully check the boat and paddles allocated to it
before the racing.
9.3 No modifications or additions to
the boat or the equipment within the boat may be made or carried by any
competitor or crew. In particular:
(a) Any pad or device for the
rower to sit on should be of flexible material to the extent that it should
be able to be folded over double and
should not be thicker than 2 inches uncompressed.
(b) No equipment for removing
water from the boat is permitted except plastic hand-held bailers with which
the water is picked up and scooped out of the boat by a crew member. No
pumps of any kind are permitted.
10. ALLOCATION OF BOATS
10.1 Boat allocation of the
"first round" will be done by random draws. But allocation in subsequent
rounds will all be determined by finishing places in previous rounds.
(Read also 4.2)
(THE END)

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