Occoquan Challenge

INTRODUCTION:

Welcome to the Occoquan Challenge! We would like to invite all crews and scullers to take the Occoquan Challenge! The Challenge is rowed on a completely new 3 mile(5000m) course on the Occoquan Reservoir in Fairfax, Virginia and is unlike any other head race currently held in the United States. Not a stake race, or a stop-and-go course, this race allows competitors to race flat out on a fully buoyed course with several challenging turns.

Additionally, the schedule format and design of race course gives competitors the opportunity to race several times and easily enter and exit the river.

COURSE DESIGN:

Designed to fully challenge crews this course provides each rower and coxswain with a fully buoyed course with several turns which allow crews and scullers to start and finish at the same location. Starting at Sandy Run Regional Park (on the Prince William Side of the River), the course winds its way downriver towards the 2000 m race course starting line. Halfway through the race, crews will be required to complete a wide quarter mile long 180 degree turn to finish the final leg of the race. By allowing crews to safely start and finish at the same location, rowers can get a clearer idea as to how the race is going as they are racing. It also provides spectators several excellent locations to watch crews both at the start and finish of each race. To learn more about our course design see our map under Sculler and Coxswain notes.

AWARDS:

Awards will be given to all first, second and third-place in all sculling divisions, Medals will be given to all first place crews in each sweep event. In the open and junior eights events we will inscribe the names of the winning boat on a trophy that will be kept at the Sandy Run boathouse.

The Challenge also awards trophies for most events. We will inscribe the names of the winning boat on a trophy that will be kept at the Sandy Run boathouse.

We will add a new trophy each year until all nine events are represented. There are currently seven trophies representing several sculling and sweep events.

REGISTRATION:

1) You can register ONLINE by clicking on REGISTRATION on the top of this page. In order to be allowed free parking you MUST register online before August 20th.

2) Registration and Weigh-ins for lightweight events will be held at the top boathouse at Sandy Run Regional Park from 8:00am-10:00pm the day of the regatta.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

Event #	Event Time	Event	Must Launch By	Entry Fee
N/A	8:30am	Registration Desk Open and Weigh- Ins	N/A	N/A
N/A	9:00am	Free Course Tours Start & Practice Course Open	N/A	N/A
1	11:00 AM	Men's 1x	10:40am	$30.00
2	11:15 AM	Women's 1x	10:55am	$30.00
3	12:15 PM	Women's 8	11:55am	$75.00
4	12:30 PM	Men's 8	12:10am	$75.00
5	12:50 PM	Men's 2x	12:30pm	$40.00
6	12:55 PM	Women's 2x	12:35pm	$40.00
7	1:45 PM	Women's 4+	1:25pm	$55.00
8	1:50 PM	Men's 4+	1:30pm	$55.00
9	2:40 PM	Quads and Mixed Events (8+, 4x, 2x)	2:20pm	Priced according to boat size
NOTE: All payments and entries received after the deadline will be required to pay an additional ten dollars per event. Please be sure to launch 20 to 30 minutes prior to your event time.

EVENT DEFINITIONS:

Event Definitions
This events list should act as a guide when determining what event you should enter. The regatta staff reserves the right to change the event list based upon the total number of entries.
All events include divisions in the following order; Open Weight, Lightweight, Master 30+, Senior Master 40+, Grand Master 50+, Veteran 60+, Juniors, Novice, Recreational).
Open/Championship Level	No restrictions.
Club Level	Persons that, for the past three years have not finished in the top five places at: Dad Vail Regatta Stotesbury Regatta SRAA Regatta Canadian Schoolboy Head of the Charles Head of the Schuylkill Regatta Head of the Potomac Head of the Occoquan Occoquan Chase IRA Note: Scullers or Rowers who finished in the first three places at the Occoquan Challenge are ineligible and may not row in the club event for the next 2 years. The Regatta reserves the right to rule on any competition situation not specifically addressed above.
Recreational Level	Persons that, in any sculling or sweep-oared competition that have not placed at ANY regatta in the past three years. Scullers or Rowers who finish in the top three places at the Occoquan Challenge are ineligible to row in this event for the next two years.
Lightweight	Must be at or below 165 pounds for men, 135 pounds for women. No averaging.
Junior	Must be less than 19 years of age the day of the regatta. No College Students may participate.
Novice	All competitors must be in there first year of rowing and cannot have participated in a race during the previous Spring season.
Master	Each competitor must be at least 22 years of age AND the average age of each boat must be over 30. This does NOT include the coxswain.