Team Information - Sunday 13th July 2008

Entries for the 2008 Challenge are now closed but expressions of interest for 2009 can be registered with David Thompson 

To advertise in the race programme please use the "Programme Advertising Proforma" 

Location

All of the activities associated with the Dragon Boat Racing will be centred on the Station (South) side of the river between Scarborough Bridge and Lendal Bridge. Access to the site and the layout are shown on the site plan sent to each team. The only vehicular access for teams will be via the Esplanade Car Park. All the other activities associated with the Gala Day will be on the Minster (North) side of the same stretch of river.

Car Parking

Each team will be allocated two free parking spaces in the Esplanade Car Park, Leeman Road, for cars, light vans, etc (no trailers please) See parking map. This will take up the whole of the car park so no additional spaces can be made available. The entrance to the car park is between the new Westgate apartments and the War Memorial gardens, where a Rotarian will be on duty to assist you. The car park will be otherwise closed for the day. Each team will be sent two parking permits for the Esplanade car park prior to the event. Other parking is available in public car parks further along Leeman Road, in Tanner Row, in Nunnery Lane or on the opposite side of the river in Marygate car park. There are also Park and Ride facilities on approach roads into the City

Team Registration

In order to stagger the team's arrivals, each team will be given a registration time before the event. Teams should arrive at that time. Teams registering should arrive at their allocated time at the York City Rowing Club (YCRC) clubhouse, near the eastern end of the Esplanade Car Park, where the a registration desk will be located. When registering, the Team Captain, who must be aged 21 or over, will be required to nominate the members of the team up to a maximum of 20 including reserves, from which the crew (normally 16 paddlers and a drummer) for each race will be drawn. Registering more than 17 will enable teams to change members of the crew between heats. Following registration the team will have at least 30 minutes to change ready for racing. The minimum age for participants is 16. Any crew member aged 16 or 17 must produce a Youth Waiver (sent to team captains) signed by their Parent/Guardian. Could the team captain also indicate each team member's sponsorship.

When registering on the day Team Captains will be required to present a Crew Declaration signed by every member of the team they have nominated, accepting all the risks involved in participating and that the members of their team are fit and able to swim as per the medical restrictions below and will not hold the Rotary Club of York, The Organisation, Dragon Boat Events, York City Rowing Club, British Waterways, and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance liable for any claims arising from any accident resulting in loss or damage including bodily injury or death and agree to be bound by the Rules. Click here for a copy of the Crew Declaration  Please have this essential piece of paperwork signed in advance by every member of the team, there will not be time on the day to chase signatures. Anyone considered by The Event Director to be unfit, or unsuitable to participate for reasons of alcohol or any other reason, will not be permitted to race and the Event Director’s decision in that respect will be final.

Members of the team must be reasonably fit, able to swim at least 50 metres wearing a lifejacket and not vastly overweight in relation to their height. If you are unsure whether you are fit to take part, please seek advice from your doctor. If any members of a team have disabilities, they will be asked to sign a Disability Waiver – copies sent to team organiser. The Event Director reserves the right to refuse any entry, if he has grounds for believing the person is physically or medically unfit to race.

Each team will be allocated an area of the riverside path approx 4.7m long by 2.5m front to back, for their use as a ‘team base’. These areas back onto the Esplanade Car Park and a private car park. The area to the front, overlooking the river, needs to be kept clear, as it is a public right of way, a cycle path and access for emergency vehicles. Teams may erect small gazebos etc on their team bases, but the areas have a tarmac surface and mustn’t be damaged in any way, for instance by pegs etc. Gazebos may need to be weighted down if the day is windy (bags of compost do that job admirably!). Teams may use barbecue cooking equipment, providing it is suitable for use in the confined space available. As these areas are all accessible to the public, please arrange for any personal belongings to be looked after.

For reasons of health and safety, each competitor must have available a complete change of clothes, a windproof jacket, or similar garment with hood, and appropriate footwear, such as trainers, to protect their feet from any sharp objects on the river bed, should they capsize. Crew members are advised to bring a towel and, if the day is warm, a supply of suntan cream. 

Each team will receive their safety briefing from Dragon Boat Events immediately before their first race. It is important that all members of the team are there for that briefing, not just those paddling in the first heat. Any team member missing their teams safety briefing, will not be able to take part in the first race  and will only be allowed to take part in subsequent races if the opportunity of attending another briefing session arises - that cannot be guaranteed.

Buoyancy aids (life jackets), supplied by Dragon Boat Events, must be worn by all crewmembers at all times whilst on the river. Two safety boats will be on the river at all times during racing. First aid facilities will be available.

Shower facilities are available in the YCRC’s Clubhouse for members of any team, should they capsize. Toilet accommodation is provided on both sides of the river, in the YCRC’s Clubhouse and in the car park area. 

Arrangements are being made for there to be a food stall on the South Bank, where food and drink may be purchased. 

Participants are encouraged to seek their individual sponsorship early, rather than leave it to the last moment. A number of Sponsorship Forms are sent to the Team’s contact, when the application is accepted and can be downloaded from the site - see above

Teams are reminded that all team members, including reserves, are expected to raise a minimum of £50 each in individual sponsorship. In fact on average, teams raise in excess of £1500 per team. One third will be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The remaining two thirds will go to the team’s nominated charity. 

Team Captains will be asked to confirm the value of each member’s sponsorship during registration, and to arrange for all sponsorship monies to be collected and sent with the sponsorship forms to Steve Burton, 98 The Village, Stockton-on-the-Forest, York YO32 9UW by Wednesday 20th August, or as soon after as possible. Cheques to be made payable to The Rotary Club of York please. 

The value of the sponsorship is increased if sponsors donate their money under the Gift Aid arrangements - please encourage them to do so - see the details on the sponsorship form.  The Rotary Club will use the sponsorship forms to recover the tax under the Gift Aid arrangements and distribute the money raised by each team , including reclaimed tax, between the nominated chariy above and the Team's nominated charity.

As the sponsorship of the individual is for entering the Challenge and not on the individuals performance, why not ask the sponsor for the money, when they are signed up to save having to go back for the money later. 

Based on the sponsorship paid to Steve Burton by 5.00pm on 20th August, there will be a prize of £100 donated to the team's nominated charity for:

1. The team raising the most sponsorship. 

2. The individual in any team raising the most sponsorship. 

There will be a commentary about the event and on the races throughout the day. Each Team is asked to provide in advance, background details of their organisation, their team, their members and the characters in their team, humorous or otherwise, so that the commentary is lively and interesting for team supporters and the public. A Pro-forma for this purpose has been sent to Team Contacts. 

A comprehensive programme with full details of  the teams is on sale approximately three weeks before the event. Each team receives 50 complimentary copies of the programme, for distribution or sale to families, friends and colleagues, giving details of the event and the teams taking part. The proceeds of any sales may be retained as a donation to the teams nominated charity. 

A professional company, Dragon Boat Events Ltd, a division of The Organisation Ltd, (The Organisation) will organise the racing in accordance with the rules of the International Dragon Boat Federation. The Dragon Boat Event's  Race Director will be in overall control of the racing, and his directions, relayed over the tannoy and via radio to river marshals, are to be observed by crews on the river at all times. His decision is final in all aspects of racing. Dragon Boat Events will also provide a qualified helmsman with each boat. His or her duties are to navigate and oversee the safety of the crew. His or her directions to the crew must be observed.

The Organisation is registered  under the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority for their dragon boat racing activities. The Organisation complies with industry standards and has £5 million public liability cover and Employers liability of £10 million. The Rotary Club of York also has £10 million public liability cover under the Rotary movement’s national policy.

All the boats, paddles, buoyancy aids, etc. will be provided by Dragon Boat Events. The buoyancy aids (life jackets) must be worn by all crew members at all times whilst on the river. 

The 250 metre course starts just downstream of Scarborough Bridge and finishes close to the York City Rowing Club clubhouse, just upstream of Lendal Bridge. Crews will board their boats from the steps in front of the Clubhouse. They will then paddle upstream to the start, keeping to the Minster (north) side of the river. Following their race, crews will disembark at the same Clubhouse steps. There will be other traffic on the river and care will need to be taken to ensure that racing can take place safely and without inconvenience to other river users.

Racing will commence at 10.0am and continue throughout the day to finish between 4pm and 5pm There are 36 teams participating, with four boats racing at a time. Each time a team races it will be against different opponents. There will be 3 complete sets of heats.  All times will be recorded and each team’s fastest single time will be used to rank the teams. The racing will conclude with the Final, for at least the four fastest teams from the heats, to determine the winner of the Challenge Trophy. 

Eight boats will be in use throughout the day, so that whilst one set of four boats is racing, the other set of four boats can be prepared for the next race. Each team will race in different boats during the course of the day and there will be a short turn-round time in disembarking and boarding boats. Times will be allocated for each of the races but depending on conditions, etc, these times may vary. Teams therefore need to listen to announcements, so that they can see how the timetable is progressing.

The Challenge Trophy which is being competed for the sixth time will be presented to the winner of the Grand  Final immediately after that race. The Trophy itself was specially designed and made for the event by the winner of a design competition held amongst Art & Design students at York College. The winning team holds the Trophy for one year, when it will again be competed for, at the following year’s York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge. 

The winning team also receives a prize of £100 donated to the Team’s nominated charity & two bottles of ‘Bubbly’. Each crew member receives a Dragon Boat Winner’s Medal. 

There will then be three "Runners-Up" Cups from amongst the remaining teams in the Grand Final and a prize of £50 to their nominated charities. 

• The Merlin Cup for the fastest "Armed Services" team (or the second fastest Armed Services team if  the Challenge Trophy is won by an Armed Services team)

• The Ouse Cup for the fastest "Civilian" team (or the second fastest Civilian team if the Challenge Trophy is won by a Civilian team)

• The Charity Cup for the fastest "Charity" team (or the next fastest Charity team if the the Challenge Trophy or the Ouse Cup is won by a Charity team)

The Trophy and Cups will be held for one year and competed competed for again at the following year’s York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge. 

As each team will race in different boats during the course of the day and because of the short turn-round time in disembarking and boarding boats, it will not be possible to decorate the boat with the team's colours, etc. However teams are asked to identify themselves,  whilst on the water with a distinctive flag. The flag should be 1 metre high by 600mm wide carrying the team's logo. The flag need to have a sleeve along the side to take a 35mm diameter pole. The sleeve should be closed at the top to enable it to be slipped onto the boat’s flag pole as the team boards its boat.

It  is hoped that teams will wear matching team outfits and fancy dress is welcome. However in designing outfits remember that everyone will have to wear a life jacket whilst on the water. During the day, the Best Dressed Team will be identified and the winner announced during the afternoon. The winning team will receive the Ged Bell Trophy and a £50 donation to their team's nominated charity. The Ged Bell Trophy will be held for one year and competed for again at next year's York Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge. A local firm Sign-A-Rama again offer to design and print tee shirts - contact tel. 01904 692155

In the unlikely event that the river is in flood and it is too dangerous to race, the event would have to be cancelled. By monitoring river conditions with the Environment Agency and the British Waterways, every effort will be made to  notify cancellation to the team contacts by Friday 13th July.  In the event of a sudden deterioration in  river conditions, however the organisers reserve the right, on the advice from those concerned, to cancel the event at any time.

Have a great day - Bring your family, friends and colleagues to cheer you on and enjoy the other activities taking place on the riverside.