Head of the Genesee Regatta

Head of the Genesee Regatta
Sunday, October 6, 2019

Genesee Waterways Center Boathouse
149 Elmwood Avenue
Rochester, NY

Our next upcoming regatta is the 31st Annual Head of the Genesee Regatta sponsored by Rochester Community Inclusive Rowing (RCIR) and held here on the Genesee River based out of our home boathouse, Genesee Waterways Center. The Head of the Genesee is part of the Rochester River Romance Weekend of activities promoting our great city and venue for rowing. It is one of the largest regattas in New York State west of the Hudson River hosting over 50 organizations annually.

The Head of the Genesee would not be possible without the continued dedication and support of over 150 volunteers every year from 13 rowing clubs: Brighton Rowing Club, Fairport Crew, Genesee Rowing Club, Genesee Waterways Center, McQuaid Crew, Mercy Crew, Naiades Oncology Rowing, Pittsford Crew, Rochester Institute of Technology Crew, Rochester Boat Club, SUNY Geneseo Crew, University of Rochester Rowing Club, and William Smith Crew.

Notes for this weekend:

  • Rower Drop Off: Those dropping off rowers, turn north off of Elmwood Ave. onto S. Plymouth Ave (follow PURPLE, see image). Do not park. Athletes will get off in the drop-off zone and proceed along the short, marked, lighted, and monitored pathway along the river, underneath the Elmwood Avenue Bridge (follow GREEN, see image). DO NOT WALK ACROSS ELMWOOD AVE. Parents can then drive around the turnaround loop and out onto Elmwood Avenue. There is absolutely NO parking at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex or the GWC Boathouse.
  • See schedule below for Arrival times and Race times.
  • We will start using TeamSnap to send quick chat messages for brief communication purposes (i.e.- last minute changes to race times.,etc). You have received an email asking you to sign up for TeamSnap. In order to get the notices to your phone, you will need to download the TeamSnap app and log into your Mercy Crew account. Your daughter will need to get the app as well if she wants notifications – otherwise it goes to email. Your daughter will need to add your phone for communication purposes as well to her account.
  • Our Hospitality Tent & Trailer will be located along the baseball fence, river side, behind the McQuaid Boathouse.
  • McQuaid will be hosting a Sunday Mass at 12 noon near their boathouse for anyone that is interested in attending.
  • Rowers are encouraged to cheer each other on, but are not required to be there all day. We are not loading the trailer, so we do not need everyone to stay.
Lets have a great home race day! Go Mercy!
Coach Casey & the Mercy Crew Coaches

SCHEDULE:

  • Friday 10/4 NO PRACTICE – Mercy Spirit Day & Early Dismissal
    • No de-rigging of boats and nor loading of the trailer needed due to regatta being held out of our home boathouse, GWC.
  • Saturday 10/5  – Head of the Genesee – Collegiate Events
  • Sunday 10/6  – Head of the Genesee – High School & Masters Events
    • 7:30 am Arrival for Coxswains & 1st Varsity 8+
    • 8:00 am Coaches & Coxswains Meeting
    • 8:20 am – 1V Varsity 8+ Launch
    • 9:00 am – Arrival for 2V & 3V Varsity 8+‘s (to watch 1V 8+ race)
    • 9:15 am – Event 10 (Bow 100) – Women’s HS 1V 8+ (Boat: New 8)
    • 10:19 am – 2V/3V Varsity 8+‘s Launch
    • 11:14 am – Event 28 (Bows 194 & 200) – Women’s HS 2V/3V 8+‘s (Boats: King & SS)
    • 11:30 am – 🍝 Lunch 🥗
    • 12:00 pm – 🙏 McQuaid to Host Sunday Mass (near the McQ Boathouse)
    • 1:00 pm – Arrival for All Novices (however encouraged to arrive by 11:00 to cheer on 2V & 3V races at 11:14 and to have lunch)
    • 2:43 pm – Novice 8+ Launch
    • 3:00 pm – Novice 4+ Launch
    • 3:38 pm – Event 45 (Bow 292– Women’s HS Novice 8+ (Boat: Tica)
    • 3:55 pm – Event 47 (Bow 298) – Women’s HS Novice 4+ (Boat: Peartree)

Notes:

  • Girls should report directly to the trailer by their scheduled arrival time.
  • Coaches & Coxswains Meeting will be held in front of Dock 2.
  • Girls in the 1V Varsity 8+ and Coxswains are to arrive having eaten breakfast ahead of time.
  • Boats will meet and warm up 1 hour before Launch time.
  • Boats will get ‘hands on 1 hour & 15 minutes prior to Race time.
  • Boats will launch no later than 55 minutes prior to their event.
  • Boats will arrive ON TIME, 10 minutes before Launch Time.
  • Launching:
    • Coaches & coxswains will help launch the 1V Varsity 8.
    • The 1V Varsity 8 will help launch the 2V/3V Varsity 8’s.
    • Varsity will help launch the Novice 8 & Novice 4.
  • All high school head race events are single lane races with staggered starts. The Head of the Genesee Regatta is rowed over a 5,000 meter course for high school Varsity and a 2,366 meter course for high school Novice beginning between Jefferson Road and the Iron Railroad Bridge and finishing at Perinton Park, just beyond the Genesee Waterways Center Boathouse.
  • We will be launching from our normal docks (i.e Dock #3).
  • We will follow the Heat Sheet unless cleared by the Dock Master.
  • Travel up to the start in 6s and 8s in the 8+ and by all 4s in the 4+, better to be early!
  • Although we are home rowers, we need to check the equipment, tighten bolts and adjust shoes.
  • The inside portion of the boathouse, offices, bathrooms and conference/erg room are OFF LIMITS to everyone.  The regatta officials want to eliminate foot traffic through the building. We can be in our Mercy bay and storage areas.
  • Our Boat Yard will be a travel space for boats to the main dock, so be aware and courteous.
  • Porta-Potties are located between the small boathouse and McQuaid boathouse. The boathouse restrooms are off limits to athletes and spectators and are reserved for race staff and officials only.
  • Hazard, start and finish buoys are red. Keep yellow buoys demarking the travel lane on your port side at all times. Oars, not hull, may cross over a buoy without penalty unless doing so interferes with a race. Boat traffic from launch to landing is counterclockwise. The finish line is on the east end of dock two.
  • Medals will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. A crew must beat another boat in order to receive a medal.
  • Preliminary Results of racing will be posted outside the MEDALS window as soon as they are tabulated. Results will be marked final when the preliminary period has ended.

 💻  HEAD OF THE GENESEE MERCY CREW ENTRIES LINK

 💻  HEAD OF THE GENESEE ‘HEAT SHEETS’ LINK  

Heat Sheets provide the final detailed schedule with times, event numbers, competing crews & bow numbers.

ROWER EXPECTATIONS

  • Rowers are to meet at the trailer at the time indicated. You will have your uniform on, water bottle ready, sneakers for warm up and positive attitude by this time.
  • Rowers come dressed for the weather with dry layers/sunscreen/refillable water bottle and of course their uniform.
  • Coxswains attend the coxswain meeting and meet with their boats to go over race plan.
  • Rowers bring their own oars down to the dock area.
  • After your race, you will meet as a boat before being dismissed to get food.
  • No wandering off, check in with a coach if leaving the race area, even if with your family.  Stay with a buddy and cheer on your teammates.
  • You are representing Mercy Crew and Our Lady of Mercy. You will conduct yourself with good sportsmanship throughout the day.
  • Be alert on the dock and in the trailer area.
  • There will be down time.  Rowers cannot leave the venue during down time, and are expected to be by the trailer or cheering for teammates throughout the day.  Homework is a good option during down time!

COURSE MAP & RULES

Coxswains: Prior to race day please review the following (click the links):
Rowers and Parents:  You may find this information helpful as well.

ATTIRE

  • Varsity
    • Unisuits
    • Pink Sports Bra
    • Pink Headsweats Visor or Hat
    • Optional: Mercy Crew jacket
    • Optional: White long sleeve tech shirt and navy or black leggings for the cooler morning
  • Novice
    • Navy Mercy Crew t-shirt
    • Navy Rowing/ Spandex Shorts
    • Light Blue Headsweats Visor or Hat
    • Optional: Mercy Crew jacket
    • Optional: White long sleeve tech shirt and navy or black leggings for the cooler morning
  • Waterproof boots are a recommended in the event of rain or wet conditions. There are a lot of grassy areas near the tents that tends to get muddy with the heavy foot traffic.
  • Have a plastic garbage bag with you to put your bag in to keep it dry if it rains or is wet near the trailer.

FAMILY/ PARENT EXPECTATIONS

  • Think of the trailer like a locker room. Parents should not be by the trailer. We want the girls to be independent rigging their equipment and focusing on their races when it is time to meet.
  • For safety/ efficiency, parents should not be on the dock, unless asked by a coach to help.
  • Have fun! Cheer on your girls! And celebrate their continued hard work!
  • Parents of Novice Rowers:
    You are encouraged to meet your rower’s big sister families to learn the ropes of being a crew parent. Regattas are all day affairs, bring a chair, binoculars (maybe a book) and enjoy.

HOSPITALITY

  • Breakfast: We will have bagels, fruit, yogurt & other misc continental breakfast items, however no cooked breakfast.
  • Lunch:  We will be preparing baked ziti & garden salad.
  • All food donations that families signed up for should be brought to the Mercy Crew Hospitality Tent upon arrival.
  • All food & drink is available for rowers & families throughout the day.
  • If you have not yet provided your family’s meal count for the regatta, please do so ASAP by clicking the Signup Genius link below.
Please contact Hospitality Chairs, Tina Trudeau, Christine Thomas or Val Riggs with any questions at hospitality@mercycrew.org

MISC INFORMATION

  • A clothing vendor and a food truck will be located near the boatyard.
  • Porta-Potties are located between the small boathouse and McQuaid boathouse. The boathouse restrooms are off limits to athletes and spectators and are reserved for race staff and officials only.
  • Parents are encouraged to wear their fan wear and to bring your cow bells to cheer the rowers on. You may find a pair of binoculars helpful.
  • Bring chairs.
  • Bring waterproof boots as the grassy area where the tents and viewing area are tends to get muddy with the heavy foot traffic of the day.

PARKING

Rower Drop Off: Turn north off of Elmwood Ave. onto S. Plymouth Ave (follow PURPLE, see image). Do not park. Athletes will get off in the drop-off zone and proceed along the short, marked, lighted, and monitored pathway along the river, underneath the Elmwood Avenue Bridge (follow GREEN, see image). DO NOT WALK ACROSS ELMWOOD AVE. Parents can then drive around the turnaround loop and out onto Elmwood Avenue. There is absolutely NO parking at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex or the GWC Boathouse.

All spectators are suggested to park in the UR Medical Parking Lots and Genesee Valley Park Lots.

The Pedestrian Footbridge is the shortest path between Genesee Valley Park and the boathouse.

Handicapped & Official Regatta Parking is located next to the turnaround circle near the Genesee Waterways Center south of Elmwood.

Head of the Genesee Regatta Site Map
(Click on the map picture to open in Google Maps)

Spectator Parking indicated by 🅿️ and light blue shading
Foot Path for Rower Drop Off highlighted in orange across Elmwood Ave.
Spectator Viewing on the Pedestrian Bridge highlighted in Orange across the river
GWC Boathouse indicated by green pin drop
Dock #3 Launch Docks highlighted in green
Race Course marked by Red line
Finish Line marked by Red Flag icon
Boat Trailer Area for visiting crews indicated by purple boat icon on the baseball outfield


Head of the Genesee Regatta 2019 Congratulations!

Congratulations to our Novice Girls 8+ on their Second Place finish!

And to all of our boats for a great performance. Crews all got off the water feeling that they had done their best. We are very proud of all of the rowers and coxswains! Thank you to everyone for supporting one another, getting the boats on and off the trailer efficiently, and for being such great teammates!

💻  HEAD OF THE GENESEE REGATTA 2019 RESULTS