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In 2006 we had 94 clubs, 244 races, 873 boats, 1,459 athletes, including 500 masters, before the regatta was cancelled due to flooding.

Regatta schedule

• Friday, starting at 9:00 am
  • Heats for any juniors events (other than junior 8's) with more than 6 entrants
  • Heats for any of these events which have more than 6 entrants (most did last year):
    • Mens and womens intermediate, light intermediate, open and light open singles
    • Mens intermediate pair w/o, womens pair w/o and mens open pair w/o
    • Heats for any event with more than 18 entrants (semis required)
  • Heats for mens and womens junior 8's

• Saturday, starting at 8:00 am
  • Dash heats, if required, for mens and womens light and open singles will start the day.
  • Heats for any 1000 meter races: parent/child 2x or novice 1x. Based on last year, this is father/son 2x and father/daughter 2x.
  • Semis, if required, for any events with more than 18 entries, will follow. Based on last year's entries, this is MJ2x, WJ1x, WI2x, WJ2x and M1x
  • Heats for any Saturday events with more than 6 entrants.
  • Heats, if required, for the mixed open 2x. Final on Sunday
  • Heats typically run until about 11 a.m.
  • Finals for Saturday events.
  • All juniors events and all masters sweep events are on Saturday. Heats for juniors events with more than 6 entrants are on Friday.

• Sunday, starting at 8:00 am
  • Dash finals - WL1xD, ML1xD, W1xD, M1xD
  • Disabled doubles
  • Heats for any Sunday events with more than 6 entrants. Heats typically run until about 11 a.m.
  • Final for mixed open 2x
  • Finals for Sunday events.
  • All masters sculling events, except the mixed 2x and 4x, are on Sunday. The mixed masters 2x and 4x are on Saturday.

For planning purposes, here is a preliminary schedule based on anticipated numbers of entrants. The schedule will change after the entry deadline, when actual 2007 entries have been compiled.

Womens Events:

• Intermediate Lightweight - 1x, 2x
• Lightweight - 1x, 1x Dash, 2x, 4+
• Intermediate - 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+, 8
• Junior 16: 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+
• Juniors: 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+, 8
• Masters: 1x, Light 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x, 4+, 8
• Novice: 1x (1000 meters)
• Open - 1x, 1x Dash, 2x, 4x, 2-, 4+, 8

Mens Events:

• Intermediate Lightweight - 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+, 8
• Lightweight - 1x, 1x Dash, 2x, 4x
• Intermediate - 1x, 2x, 4x, 2-, 4+, 8
• Junior 16: 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+
• Juniors: 1x, 2x, 4x, 4+, 8
• Masters: 1x, Light 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x, 4+, 8
• Novice: 1x (1000 meters)
• Open - 1x, 1x Dash, 2x, 4x, 2-, 4+, 8
• Senior - 2x

Other Events:

• Octuple Sculls
• Disabled 2x
• Mixed Open 2x - heats on Saturday, final on Sunday
• Mixed Masters 2x and 4x
• Parent/Child 2x (1000 meters)

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 2007, 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 during 2007. A competitor's age is determined as of December 31, 2007.

Masters - USRowing master definitions apply: A master is a competitor who has attained or will attain the age of 27 during 2006. 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, 2007.

• The new masters AA category will not be recognized. With 82 events, we feel we provide ample opportunity for everyone to compete.

Novices - A novice is a rower who has never rowed in a rowing race prior to January 1, 2007. 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.

Mens & Womens Master Pairs - We've added events 83 & 84. If fewer than 6 boats in the two events, they will all race together.

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 - We've added event 85. Malta Boat Club has offered a trophy. Girls crews 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

• 2 heats: top 3 advance to finals. If only 7 boats in field, 3 advance from one heat and 2 advance from the other heat. For heats where not all competitors show up, advancement will remain as listed here: For 2 heats with 3 to advance, for example, and only 3 boats appear at the starting line, all 3 will advance, subject to maintaining racing pressure and cadence in accordance with the Rules of Rowing.
• 3 heats: top 2 advance to finals.
• 4 heats: top 3 advance to semi-finals
• 6 heats: top 2 advance to semi-finals
• Semi-finals: top 3 advance to finals

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.

How to Enter - 3 Steps
1.	Entries	All entries MUST be completed at Regatta Central. Click here for details on how to enter at Regatta Central. Entry deadline is Thursday, June 21.
		On-line at Regatta Central (preferred)	Via Mail (alternate)
2.	Payment	Via credit card at Regatta Central's secure servers.	Alternatively, print the invoice from Regatta Central and mail or drop it off with your entry fees to: Independence Day Regatta c/o Schuylkill Navy #4 Boathouse Row Kelly Drive Philadelphia, PA 19130 Checks payable to "Schuylkill Navy" must be accompanied by the printed Regatta Central invoice. Payment must reach us by Monday, June 26.
3.	Waivers	Complete on-line at Regatta Central. The online waiver submissions are good for all USRowing-registered regattas listed on Regatta Central. The waiver process must be initiated by the person submitting the entries. Just log-in to the account used to submit the entries and click the 'SEND WAIVER' link in the 'My Roster' section. Follow the instructions and provide the email addresses for the rowers. The rowers will then receive an encrypted link via email where they'll be prompted to complete their portion of their waiver. If they're under 18, they'll also be prompted for their parent's name and email. The system will then forward an encrypted link to the parent so they can submit their portion, too. Once that is done the waiver is submitted and you'll see a green checkmark by the athlete's name. Athletes do not need to be individual members of USRowing.	Alternatively, the athlete can sign a paper waiver. Paper waivers must be mailed, reaching us by Monday, June 25.

Register Now!

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 Thursday, June 21. 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 25, 2007. (Address above.)

Entry Fees
8	$173
4+	$100
4x	$83
2-, 2x	$49
1x	$37

Entry fees - You'll note our entry fees have gone up. We've increased fees $5/seat, so a single goes up $5 and an eight goes up $45. We wish we did not have to raise entry fees, but rising costs force it. Fairmount Park fees will be $14,863 this year and Philadelphia charges an additional $10,380 for police costs to close Kelly Drive.

Fees are non-refundable after June 21, 2007.

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 25.

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

The course

• Click on the map at right for a full-sized satellite image of the race course.
• All dash races will be 1/4 mile, starting at the top of the island.
• The disabled doubles, novice singles and all masters races will be 1000 meters.
• All other events will be 2000 meters.
• There will be stake boats at the 2000 meter starting line only.
• All crews must pass under their lane number on Strawberry Mansion Bridge. Violators may be excluded (disqualified).

• Races will be held in the order listed. There will be no exceptions to this.
• Racing will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday unless large numbers of heats necessitate an earlier start time.
• Races will not be delayed for crews that are late to the line for any reason. Crews should be in their lanes and, for 2000 meter races, locked onto the stake boat two minutes before the start of their race.
• The safest and fairest way to run 250 races in July heat is to keep the regatta on schedule. We will be ruthless in starting races on time and will not hold races for any reason.

Weigh-ins

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.

• Motorboat drivers - We pay $5 an hour, minimum half day shift, with free lunch for people working all day. Contact Dona File.
• Stakeboat holders - We pay $5 an hour, minimum half day shift, with free lunch for people working all day. Contact Anne Miller.
• Other positions - Administrative, finish tower, dockmasters, starters assistants, go-fers. We need 'em all. Contact Clete Graham.

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!