Rules

Updated 4/14/2008: Due to requests, rules have been changed as follows:
1. One or more spare paddle(s) may be used as part of the "safety gear" weight (see the "Mandatory Safety Equipment Requirements" section).
2. Racing boats are allowed in the Expedition class but a time penalty will be added as deemed appropriate by the race judge(s).
3. Specific cutoff times have been established. Pro class racers must reach Stairtown by 3:30 PM. Expedition class racers must reach Stairtown by 2:00 PM.
4. Failure to bring required weight of safety gear will result in a time penalty.

Paddling on a river is an inherently dangerous activity. People have been seriously injured and even killed while paddling on Texas rivers. Thousands of dollars worth of property or equipment has been damaged, lost, or destroyed during training runs or races on Texas rivers. Participants in this race participate at their own risk, and shall not hold liable anyone involved in the race including its organizers, volunteers, participants, sponsors, and spectators--particularly in the case of damage to property or equipment, injury, or death.

We will not have any dedicated safety persons to assist racers in peril. There will be no dedicated sweep boat to ensure everyone is off the river.

It is an absolute requirment that every racer should be a proficient swimmer and should be well educated in the hazzards of the river, along with methods for minimizing risk. Everyone should be well versed in techniques for self rescue and the rescue of others.

Both races will be unlimited support, but no team captain is required. Anything can be picked up or exchanged--the only exceptions are a 20 minute penalty for exchanging a boat (this ensures that using multiple boats on the course is not an advantage), and a 5 minute penalty for replacing a lost life jacket (this encourages people to not loose their life jacket). Any communication devices are allowed. Cooperative drafting is allowed so long as all boats involved are entered into the race and are participating in the race according to the race rules (the point here is that your "team captain" can't paddle on the river and allow you to ride his wake in order to give you an advantage).

If a team is or appears to be in distress, any passing teams must offer assistance. The offer for assistance should be worded something along the lines of "Hello, do you need help?". The team in distress must immediately respond wether or not they require assistance. No team shall be penalized for either offering or receiving assistance in a distressing situation. Teams may not provide assistance for the purpose of gaining an advantage in the race (for example, one boat towing another).

If a team is in a dangerous situation where they need assistance, they should call out for help--preferably by repeating the word "help" multiple times. Any team that passes by and does not offer help to a team asking for it will be penalized or disqualified.

It is not wise to rely on equipment to assure your safety. The purpose of a mandatory equipment list is not to assure the safety of everyone; rather, the purpose is to assure that there is no reward for foolishly choosing to not bring the appropriate safety equipment in order to save weight. Therefore, we require that each boat must carry a certain minimum weight worth of safety gear--3.0 lbs for Pro class (solo), 4.0 lbs for Expedition class solo, 6.0 lbs for Expedition class tandem. A scale will not necessarily be provided--so please weigh your gear ahead of time.

The only specific item that we require is a life jacket. Other items should be chosen by the individual racers, but should include things like the following:

- Boat repair kit (e.g. repair tape, epoxy/cloth, leatherman, spare rudder cables, spare rudder, etc.)

- First aid kit (e.g. sting/snakebite kit, bandages, sterilizing wipes, ointments, heart rate monitor, emergency blanket, water purification pills or device, etc.)

- Misc. Emergency item(s) (e.g. GPS, cell phone/radio, signal whistle, flares, fire starter, knife, etc.)

Wel make no restrictions on the exact nature of the above items, other than that the minimum weight requirments. At least 80% of the weight must remain carried in the boat (or on your person) throughout the duration of the race (deliberate jettison of safety gear is illegal) except in the case of genuine emergency or hazardous situations. The point here is that we don't want people to have to choose between bringing the safety items that they want to bring vs. saving weight. By allocating X lbs for safety gear for everyone, we are giving everyone the opportunity to bring whatever safety items they feel comfortable with.

Note: We have placed GPS and heart rate monitor on the list of safety items because we believe that maintaining an accurate picture of your progress, as well as monitoring the state your body is safer than not doing so. We include the spare

Note #2: Items that would normally be brought in the boat or items that are permanently (or semi-permanently) mounted to the boat do not qualify as being on the list of safety items. Examples: Pump, pump batteries, spray cover, water jugs, water jug holders, food, water.

Note #3: Failure to bring required weight will result in a time penalty of 5 minutes per oz of missing safety gear.

Normal TCRA racing rules generally apply but with the following additions: The leading boat (bow in front of the other boat) has the right of way--with the exception that expedition class racers must always yield to overtaking pro class racers. Deliberate harming of the progress of other teams via boat to boat, paddle to boat, boat to paddle, hand to boat, or hand to paddle is not allowed. However, the leading boat can use his right of way status to attempt to force the lagging boat to take an undesirable line. The lagging boat must make every effort to not impede the motion of the leading boat's paddle. Any boat may deliberately splash water into another boat of the same class.

It is our belief that the parent is the best judge of whether or not their child is qualified to participate in a race such as this. Therefore, any participant under the age of 18 must have written approval from a parent or guardian. However, we do not encourage participation of young people--for this reason there are no special junior awards (juniors must compete for overal placement like everyone else). Similarly, we do not set a maximum age limit. In order to qualify for the "senior" cash prize, the participant must be a minimum of 50 years old as of race day.

The Pro class is a solo unlimited paddling race. In this case, the word 'unlimited' means that there are no restrictions of any kind as to the shape (or shapes) of the hull (or hulls) above or below the waterline--any canoe, kayak, surfski, or other paddling craft may be used.

The Expedition class is a solo and tandem paddling race originally intended for slower recreational hull designs, with hull shapes being along the lines of common recreational craft.. However, racing-style tandem boats will also be allowed to compete, but they will be given a time penalty. Generally speaking, this does not include "touring" kayaks--which can be competitive with some racing boats. Aluminum boats are allowed.

Since this is a paddling race, rowing boats are not allowed--neither are "pedal boats". The source of propulsion should be from human muscle power acting on a double or single bladed paddle.

Racers must make sufficient progress throughout the day to ensure that they will finish the race by 5:00 PM. Racers who do not make sufficient progress may be pulled out of the race as determined by race officials depending on the river level and course conditions on race day. Unless course conditions are unusual, pro class racers must reach Stairtown by 3:30 PM and expedition class racers must reach Stairtown by 2:00 PM.

Racers must not do anything illegal during the race. For example, deliberate littering of non bio-degradable material will almost certainly result in an immediate disqualification. Any racer that accidentally litters something must stop to pick up 7 items of litter while on the river to compensate.

It is unlikely that any race official will ever tell you where to go on the river or portage. Use your best judgement rather than merely doing what some person on the bank tells you to do.

If there is a critical instruction that must be given, the race official will have a loud whistle that they will blow to allert you prior to their instruction.

Let common sense prevail. No set of rules will ever cover all situations. Decisions of any race judges will be final.

The below info was taken from a Texas Water Safari brochure (with some small modifications), but applies to this race as well:

The Texas River Championship is a long, grueling race that is extremely demanding, both physically and mentally. Entrants are encouraged to consult a physician to ensure that they are in good health and can withstand the rigors that participation entails. The physical demands of the race, combined with sleep deprivation, heat, dehydration and exhaustion, often cause participants to become disoriented. Amnesia, hallucinations and other debilitating conditions are quite possible. Such effects can impair judgment, a condition especially dangerous for solo paddlers.

Coast Guard approved life jackets are required for all participants. In addition to having these devices in the boat, participants are strongly urged to wear them. Weak or non-swimmers should not participate in canoe racing or other activities involving deep water. All but the most confident swimmers should wear life jacket at all times. A life jacket should be worn by everyone in white water (or other hazardous river conditions), in open water and whenever a paddler is incapacitated, disoriented or in danger of becoming incapacitated or disoriented. Participants should consider carrying a knife, safely mounted in a sheath, attached to clothing or life jacket, to free clothing caught in trot lines, other cordage, or in obstructions.

Moving water, even under normal conditions, involves certain inherent dangers. A person in a boat may be struck by overhead branches or manmade objects. A boat may strike a stationary object causing injury. A person in the water may be pulled under, especially if not wearing a Coast Guard approved life jacket. He/she might be pinned against tree limbs or trunks or rocks, possibly between his/her canoe and such obstructions. Boats and swimmers can be swept over dams and into recirculating currents. Even slow moving water has tremendous force. All participants are strongly urged to be familiar with the sport of canoeing and with their craft and equipment. Participants should use only craft which they can safely control and should prepare themselves by reading, practicing and taking lessons from qualified instructors. Participants should become familiar with the racecourse and know the locations of all rapids, dams and obstructions. The fact that the Texas River Championship allows novice racers to participate should not be interpreted to mean that this is a race for people who have not previously learned to canoe.

The effects of heat can be extremely debilitating, resulting in temporary disorientation and discomfort or even in death. Take heat exhaustion and heat stroke seriously. Become familiar with the causes and effects and learn to recognize them. Dress in light-colored clothing that dissipates heat and “breathes”. Use water or ice to cool the body and, most importantly, the head. If you feel heat exhaustion or stroke coming on, stop and take care of the problem. drink plenty of liquids and avoid becoming dehydrated. Drink on schedule and before you feel thirsty. Eat regularly, as failure to eat can enhance exhaustion and disorientation.

Animal hazards can be a factor--and snake bites from venemous snakes are possible. Participants should be especially careful during portages and when passing beneath overhanging vegetation. Because there is controversy, even among medical experts regarding snake bite kits, the decision as to what kind of snake bite kit is brought or not brought is left up to the participants. It is recommended that you consult a physician about this issue prior to race day. Wasp, hornet, and bee stings are common on the river and fire ant bites are quite common; people subject to allergic reaction to these insects should take the necessary
precautions.

Team captains and spectators should also be aware of all the possibilities described in this narrative and in other publications. Take the same precautions recommended for racers. Snakes, moving water, heat and other hazards don’t distinguish between racers and team captains.

There is danger in all outdoor sports, but there are wonderful benefits to be gained. There is a fine line between “gutting it out” and pushing on inthe face of pain on the one hand, and failing to recognize the danger signs on the other. This race is not for everyone, the best you can do (what we have all done in the past) is talk to other racers, enter races of shorter duration and gain experience. Race officials, team captains and partners not withstanding, you are in the best position to recognize where the fine line is. There is no disgrace in pulling over to rest for awhile.