Starting Procedures, Race Schedules and times – all the good to know stuff!

Starting Procedure

1. Warming up is only allowed up-stream of Skooltjie bridge on Day 1 and Zonquasdrift bridge on Day 2.
2. Paddlers will be started on Day 1 in batches seeded according to the CSA K1 ranking system.
3. Batches will consist of 20 paddlers each.
4. The first batch of seeded paddlers will be allowed on to the water at 09:50 on Day 1 into the Holding Zone to assemble in their starting positions within their batch at the first line of red flags on the water.
5. Batches will consist of four rows of five and all paddlers will be allocated rows i.e. the first row is to be made up of only the top ranked 5 paddlers within the batch.
6. At 09:55 the first batch, while holding their starting positions, may drift in position into the Starting Zone, up to the starting line.
7. At 10:00 the race starts and the next batch of paddlers will then drift in position into the Starting Zone, up to the starting line.
8. On Day 1 only, the top 20 female paddlers will be started separately unless the field is too small to allow them to enjoy competitive racing.
9. Slip-riding of opposite sexes is allowed, subject to the basis of fair play and sportsmanship. (i.e. getting the boyfriend to wait and pull is NOT allowed)

Day 2

1. Slip-riding of men is allowed by all female paddlers. Female paddlers will be batched on merit together with the male paddlers according to the previous day’s results.
2. Day 2 will start at 08:30 in the form of an elapsed time start for all paddlers that finish within the top thirty and within 30 minutes of the Day 1 winner. This is ‘A’ Batch.
3. ‘B’ Batch and subsequent starts will begin at five-minute intervals in groups of 20 from 09:00/09:05, depending on when the last elapsed time paddler leaves. (A five-minute window is required to ensure adequate time for a batch to get onto the water.)

Other

1. Disregarding race officials’ instructions at the start or during the race will incur either a 20 minute time penalty or disqualification.
2. Abuse of officials and other misdemeanours will be referred to the paddler’s provincial governing body for further action and/or will incur either a 20 minute time penalty or disqualification.

	Day 1 Schedule
08:00-09:30	Registration and Goodie Bag collection;
08:15-09:45	Boat inspection and entrance into Batch Pens
09:30	Welcome and safety announcements.
09:40	Paddlers to assemble in their batches in the Batch Pens
09:50	‘A’ Batch paddlers allowed on to the water into the Holding Zone downstream of Skooltjie Bridge. To assemble in their starting positions of four rows of five (with top ranked paddlers in the first row and lowest in the last row) within their batch at the first line of red flags on the water. Next batch of 20 paddlers move up to the Bridge Zone.
09:55	‘A’ Batch, while holding their starting positions in the four rows, may drift in position into the Starting Zone, up to the starting line. Now under Starter’s orders. Next batch of paddlers take their place in the Holding Zone. Following batch of paddlers moves up to the Bridge Zone.
09:59-10:46	Photographic recording of assembled batches for scrutiny by Race Officials.
10:00	Race Start: ‘A’ Batch starts, subsequent batches move up into next zone
10:05-10:45	Next Batch of 20 paddlers starts. Repeated at 5min intervals.
11:45	Cut-off time at Grensplaas
12:30 onwards	Finishers arrive at Zonquasdrift. Time of arrival dependent on conditions.
13:00 onwards	Lunch
13:45	Cut-off time at Hermon Bridge
15:30	Cut-off time at Zonquasdrift
(17:00)	(Springboks vs Scotland)
	Day 2 Schedule
07:45-09:15	Entrance into Batch Pens.
08:15	All paddlers that finish within the top thirty and within 30 minutes of the Day 1 winner assemble at Zonquasdrift Bridge to start in an elapsed time start. This is ‘A’ Batch.
08:30-09:00	Elapsed time start. Slip-riding will be allowed for all female paddlers on Day 2.
08:40	All other paddlers to assemble in their batches in the Batch Pens
08:50	‘B’ batch of 20 paddlers moves up to the Holding Zone at the put-in points and waits for last elapsed time paddlers to leave before getting on the water. Next batch of paddlers moves up to the Bridge Zone.
08:55-09:00/09:05	After the last elapsed time paddler has left, ‘B’ batch paddlers may get on the water and drift into the Starting Zone, up to the starting line. Now under Starter’s orders. Next batch of paddlers take their place in the Holding Zone put-in points. Following batch of paddlers moves up to the Bridge Zone.
08:59-09:41	Photographic recording of assembled batches for scrutiny by Race Officials.
09:00/09:05-09:40	First batch starts, subsequent batches move up into next zone. Repeated at 5minute intervals
11:25 onwards	Finishers arrive at Bridgetown. Time of arrival dependent on conditions.
11:30	Cut-off time at Gouda Bridge
12:00 onwards	Lunch
13:30	Cut-off time at Train Bridge
15:15	Cut-off time at Bridgetown
15:00-15:30	Prize-giving: Medals awarded, followed by the Lucky Prize Draw