ETIVE RIVER RACE
One River One Race
Aim
The aim of the event is to be quickest team (two persons) to cover the course.
The course / water Levels
The race will held on the River Etive, Scotland and will largely depend on the water levels
Low – medium level: the race will start at Triple Falls and finish at the bridge just before the confluence of the Allt a Chaoruinn, grid NN 219 519 (for arguments sake, the finishing rapid will, for this race, be referred to as ‘Twist and Shout ’).
Low levels: the race will Start at Triple Falls and finish at Right Angle.
High/mad levels: the race will start just below the grade 5 rapid on the River Coupall to the top of Triple Falls.
Race Rules
RULES GOVERNING ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER AND TAKE PART IN THE EVENT
Glen Etive is one of Scotlands most beautiful glens. It is wild and remote with a single-track road and few passing places and fewer parking places. All teams and their supporters are respectfully asked to comply with the following.
Any team flagrantly ignoring the pre race rules may be disqualified from taking part in the race. These rules are to ensure that the race runs smoothly and that access through Glen Etive is unrestricted should any emergency arise. The organisers realise that they cannot enforce some of these pre race rules as Glen Etive is a public place with a public road running through it and members of the public have free and unrestricted access. However, the race organisers reserve the right to disqualify teams who act in a manner that could discredit the event or whose behaviour is overtly unacceptable. Please observe all the pre race rule.
Safety / Controllers:
Safety and Control persons have two different roles entirely.
Safety persons are all experienced kayakers and have attended a site specific training weekend, on the Etive. Their main role is to ensure their safety, their teams safety and then the competitors safety whilst the race is underway. Safety persons will be wearing their normal kayaking attire (without spray deck) and stationed at the seven main rapids.
Controllers might not have a kayak back ground. For example the timekeepers. However, there will be other controllers on the river acting as an official. All controllers will be identified with having a day glow vest. Controllers main rolls are to ensure the smooth running of the race and ensuring rules are adhered to.
The following rapids / drops will have the following persons designated, at the start of the race, assigned to. Note, some safety people will be peripatetic and change throughout the day, but as a minimum will be assigned the numbers against the rapid / drop. Note Ski jump will not be manned!
Triple Falls Marshall Richard Hunter |
3 |
Safety: Eddie Butler - Andrew Mein - Lyle Smith |
|
Letterbox |
3 |
Safety: Brian Burns - Harvey Anderson - George McMillan |
|
Ski Jump |
0 |
Crack of Doom |
3 |
Safety: John Alexander - Sam Harvey - Stuart Stapleton |
|
Crack of Dawn |
2 |
Safety: Stewart Chalmers - Paul Hopkinson |
|
Rock Slide |
2 |
Safety: Alistair Allan - Helena |
|
Right Angle Marshall Dave Robb |
4 |
Safety: Wullie Gardiner - Richard Hensman - Sarah Marshal - Jim Wardlaw |
|
Twist and Shout |
2 |
Safety: Mike Mylie - Tom Flynn |
|
Peripatetic |
4 |
Dave Walsh - Chris Tickner - Jonathan Goldthorp |
|
Mini Bus Drivers |
3 |
Andy (Moose TRC) TBC TBC |
|
Controllers |
5 |
Chief Controller: James Fleming Chief Timekeeper: Hamish Fleming, Starter and start timekeeper: Tom McMenemy. Yvonne Yost |
|
Peripatetic Doctors |
2 |
Tony Davie & Clair Jones |
|
Ryan Paschke, Photographer |
|
Controllers will have no input in practical safety on the river.
Safety people will not intimate or show paddlers the ‘line’ in which a paddler might navigate a rapid. Safety persons can intervene and assist a competitor in trouble, if the competitors self help has been insufficient or is clearly futile. Where aid has been afforded to competitors the time in giving this aid will be penalty enough.
Each major rapid will be marked with a flag, traffic light system. A Green flag will indicate the rapid is not obstructed by a competitor or their equipment. An Amber flag, will indicate that there is some sort of competitors kit obstructing the rapid and caution should be used. A Red flag will indicate that a competitor is 'seriously' injured and the race will be stopped till that person has received the appropriate medical care.
Where the race has been stopped and the course is under a red flag, those teams that might be upstream of the incident will be allowed to run again. Any team passing a red flag will be disqualified.
Radios will be at each rapid and for race doctor, starters and the race coordinator to communicate to each other.
Registration:
Teams will be issued with race numbers at registration. Teams should ensure they have the correct number. Each kayak in the team carries the same race number. It is the kayak that is registered at the start and finish along with the kayakers. Numbers must then be fixed to each kayak using Gaffer / duck tape on all four sides, ensuring that all edges of the number are securely fastened down. Kayaks without a number will not be allowed to take part in the race.
Registration will take place within the Glencoe Ski Centre Car Park. Entrance to the car park is on the south side of the A82 and just south of the road leading down to Kingshouse Hotel.
Registration will be opened on Friday, the day before the race, from 18:30 – 20:00 hrs, that’s 6:30pm to 8:00pm and on Saturday morning from 08:00hrs to 08:30 hrs that’s 8am to 8:30am. If you do not register between these times you will be disqualified and your place will be either be void or passed on to any reserve team that might be waiting.
There is NO exception to this rule, so don’t get angry or upset!