The 2003 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River
Canoe Marathon July 26 - 27

2003 RULES

2003 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe

Marathon Race Rules

ATTENTION MARATHON CONTESTANTS:  Be sure that you carefully review the 2003 Race Rules.   Also please carefully review the Sprints For Position Rules and Information, and the Competition Committee & Infraction/Penalty Information

 

1. Teams are required to race as indicated on their entry form.  The two contestants must continue together as a team for the duration of the race in the same canoe that they start with.

 No contestant substitutions are allowed.  Any changes in the team entry, prior to the official entry deadline, will require a newly completed and signed entry application and will be subject to the new entry fee, based on the date the new entry is received by the Race Committee.  There will be no refund of entry fees for entry changes or for withdrawal from the race.  If a team withdraws prior to the Monday, July 21 deadline and one of the team members enters with a new partner, a credit equal to 50% of the original entry fee will be applied to the new entry.  The entry fee credit pertaining to partner changes is limited to one change per person.

Amateur contestants may paddle in the Expert division and decline their prize money.     

Minimum age to participate – 15 years of age.  Contestants under 18 years of age must have written parental/guardian consent on their entry form. 

2. All contestants must check in, before their Sprint, at the Marathon Race headquarters at the Grayling Mini Mall.  For contestants sprinting on Thursday, the check in deadline is 3:00 PM on Thursday of race week.  All other Marathon contestants must check in by Noon on Friday of race week.  Contestants who fail to check in by the deadline will be disqualified from competing in the Marathon. 

3. Amateur and Expert Class boat specifications are detailed in the entry packet.  Expert class participants may utilize either Expert or Amateur specifications.  Amateur class may only utilize an Amateur specification boat.     Recreational canoes are not acceptable.  Canoes used by all contestants must be commonly recognized type C-2 racing shells and must meet the official Marathon specifications. 

Canoes must be presented for Official Inspection in “race ready” condition.  Any canoe that does not pass inspection by 3:00 PM at the Official Inspection the day of the Marathon is disqualified.  Canoes will also be inspected at the finish.

Official measuring of the canoes will be available at the Sprints on Thursday and Friday.  A decal will be placed on the canoe by the Race Committee if the canoe meets all the required specifications outlined in the rules and entry packet.  All canoes must be presented for inspection (life jackets, flares and whistles) following the Pre-Race Briefing at noon on Saturday.  The canoes will be presented Saturday in the order of Sprint results-fastest first. 

The Race Committee will measure the canoes of the five (5) fastest Sprint teams (first row for the Marathon) as part of the Official Inspection process following the Pre-Race Briefing even though such canoes may have already been measured at the Sprints on Thursday or Friday.  Any team which chooses not to have their canoe measured during the Sprints, or their canoe failed to meet all required specifications when measured at the Sprints, must present their canoe for measuring at the Official Inspection following the Pre-Race Briefing on Saturday.  The Race Committee reserves the right to re-measure any canoe as part of the Official Inspection on Saturday. 

Teams are required to use the canoe numbers supplied by the Race Committee during race week.  The numbers will be similar in size, material and design as those used in the 2002 Marathon.  Expert teams must use a two digit number from 00 to 99.  Amateur teams must use a three digit number from 100 to 199.  

Commercial advertising is allowed on canoes.  All teams are to have a clear 20” long area [20” long x 5” high] from the gunwale to the water line on both sides of the canoe at the bow and at the stern so that the Race Committee can place promotional stickers on the canoe.  These stickers are to remain on the canoes throughout the completion of the race. 

4. A single blade canoe paddle is the only means of propulsion each contestant may use. 

5. Each contestant shall have at least one U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket and sound signaling device (pea-less type whistle) in the canoe at all times, that are easily accessible.  The whistle may be either attached to the life jacket or to the contestant.  Life jackets may not be taped in or otherwise permanently secured and will be inspected.  Life jackets shall not have holes in the material or holes covered with tape; properly made repairs to life jackets – stitched up rips or tears – are acceptable. 

Each team is required to carry three (3) U.S. Coast Guard approved red aerial flares.  The flares must satisfy all Coast Guard day and night signal requirements.  The flares are to be used to signal for aid only in the event of serious injury or illness or other life threatening situations. 

Contestants should ensure that they have all of the above required safety equipment when they present their canoe at the Official Inspection; this required safety equipment will not be available for purchase at the Official Inspection. 

6. Following the Official Inspection canoes will be sequestered in a fenced and guarded area until race time.  Absolutely no admittance will be permitted.  Prior to the race no contestant shall touch another contestant’s canoe or equipment without permission. 

7. Except for the six (6) dam portages, canoes must remain in the riverbed.  Leaving the riverbed to advance the canoe constitutes an illegal portage.  To remain in the “riverbed”, contestants must be in the water, shoes wet.  There will be race officials at unspecified points along the river. 

8. Contestants may receive food, water and extra paddles during the race.  Teams must carry the canoe, at least two (2) life jackets two (2) whistles and at least two (2) paddles through all portages.  No one is allowed to help convey or advance a contestant, canoe and/or the specified equipment.  Feeders may stabilize a canoe during a feed, however, a “push-off” after feeds or portages and/or aiding the forward motion of the canoe at any time is not allowed.  

Canoes may be removed from the river by the contestants for repairs or due to illness or injury, but must reenter the river at the point of exit.  All repairs must be performed by the contestants.  

9. A competing canoe shall not benefit from a non-competing watercraft by means of a tow or pull, wake riding, pacing, leading or feeding from a non-competing watercraft.

In the event a competing canoe capsizes, (or incurs significant damage such a hole or bailer problem which threatens its ability to stay afloat),  the contestants may receive assistance from a designated safety patrol boat or other watercraft.  This activity is limited to returning the canoe to an upright position, assisting the contestants to get back into their canoe, or bringing the canoe safely to shore.  Also, in the event a paddler requires medical attention the contestants may seek such assistance from a designated safety patrol boat or other watercraft.  If as the result of one of these procedures the canoe has moved forward, it should be returned to the previous spot before the team continues the race.  

10. Contestants are responsible for their own food and water.  Each team is to designate a feeder/support Captain.  The Captain or another member of the feeder/support team must attend the Pre-Race Briefing.  The Captain is to brief all support team members and is responsible for the actions of his/her team.  

Contestants are not to throw trash such as jugs, cups, plastic bags, etc. into the river.  Feeders are responsible for all clean-up after feeding.  Contestants who litter the river or whose feeder teams do not clean up after feeding are subject to a penalty.

Contestants may receive assistance from their feeder/support crew to change apparel items, add or remove flashlights, receive spare paddles, and to apply lotion-type items such as sunscreen or pain relief cream.

Contestants may receive assistance from their feeder/support crew in the removal and/or replacement of food, jugs, cups etc. during a feed or portage.  However, contestants may not receive assistance in conveying the canoe or any required equipment. 

11. Commonly accepted rules of sportsmanship will prevail.  Intentional capsizing or damaging an opponent’s canoe, or other flagrant un-sportsmanlike conduct, will mean disqualification. 

12. It is illegal to use “cuts” (flowing shortcuts) identified as “closed” during the Pre-Race Briefing.  

13. Teams (both members, together) and the feeder team Captain/representative must report at noon, Saturday (race day) and must be present for the entire Pre-Race Briefing.  

14. Teams (both members, together) which do no participate in the Sprints For Position and/or are not present when the team’s names are called for the Introduction of the Paddlers at the pre-race program which begins at 7:30 PM Saturday night will be penalized by being moved behind the back row for the race start.  

15. Cut-off times have been established at the following timing points along the racecourse.  Teams that require more than the following time to reach any one of the listed locations will be disqualified and must leave the race course at that point.  

 

Timing Locations	Hours		Timing Locations	Hours
Burton’s Landing	None		McKinley Bridge	9:30
Stephan Bridge	2:00		4001 Bridge	None
Wakeley Bridge	None		Alcona Dam	11:30
McMasters Bridge	4:00		Loud Dam	13:45
Parmalee Bridge	None		Five Channels Dam	14:15
Camp Ten Bridge	6:30		Cooke Dam	15:45
Mio Dam	7:00		Foote Dam	17:15

 

16. The Marathon is officially concluded nineteen (19) hours after the start.  The Race Committee ceases all racecourse functions at that time.  Teams which do not finish within nineteen (19) hours do not qualify for awards. 

17. Teams dropping from the race, or their feeder/support Captain MUST report to the nearest timing location to sign out of the race.  Teams may also call the Marathon Office (989-348-4425) to report that they are leaving the race; they must still report to a timing location as soon as is possible to officially sign out of the race.  Contestant/team members who leave the race and who do not officially sign out of the race are subject to disqualification from the following year’s Marathon.

18. Under no circumstances shall any illegal drug be taken.  Any contestant who has a physical ailment for which it is necessary to ingest a controlled substance (prescription medication) shall so declare in writing to the Competition Committee no later than before the start of the Pre-Race Briefing. 

A contestant who wishes to lodge a protest against another competitor under this rule shall submit the protest in writing, accompanied by a $100 protest fee.  Said protest fee will be 50% refunded should the protest be upheld.   

In the event of a drug rule violation protest, the prize money of the contestant(s)/team against whom the protest has been made shall be held in escrow by the Race Committee pending results of the drug test and the conclusion of the protest. 

The Competition Committee, whether on their own initiative or in response to a contestant’s protest, has the right to collect specimens and conduct such laboratory tests necessary to prove or disprove the presence of any illegal drug or controlled substance in a contestant’s body. 

19. All protests by a contestant must be made to the Competition Committee in writing within ½ hour of the race finish (19 ½ hours after the race start) accompanied by a $50 non-refundable protest fee (except as noted for a drug rule violation protest).  

20. Imposition of any sanction or penalties is the responsibility of the Competition Committee.  The Competition Committee reserves the right at all times to modify, amend or abbreviate the rules and to impose, modify or waive any penalty or sanction. 

 

 

End