Regatta

As Regatta ( from Italian ( venez. ) regata: Gondola race ) sports races are referred to water. Regattas around in the sports of sailing, rowing, canoe racing, dragon boat and windsurfing.

History

Originally the race was one in Venice takes place from the Piazzetta from gondola race on the canals of the city. The Venetian word regata is documented since the 15th century, when the competition already had a long tradition. Since the 18th century regatta was a general term for a boat race. The original meaning of the word is uncertain.

Rowing

For rowing regattas are conducted according to the guidelines of the DRV and the FISA.

Ages

The rowers are divided into specific age classes. These ages indicate that the rowers, moves into this age category up to and including the year in which he reaches that age.

• Children - rowers to 14 years ( some with subdivisions ). Dangers are all Skull boats up to quadruple sculls, this however always with coxswain.
• Junior B - rowers to 16 years. Dangers are all Skull boats and partly belt boats. Here Composite crews are allowed for the first time, that is, go rowers of different clubs in the same boat.
• Junior A - rowers to 18 years. Dangers are all boat classes.
• Senior B - rowers to 23 years. Dangers are all boat classes.
• Senior A - Open age group. Dangers are all boat classes.
• Masters - rowers from 27 years ( there are further subdivisions ). Dangers are all boat classes.

Distances

Rowing regattas are held at distances ranging from a few hundred meters to several thousand kilometers ( Ocean rowing). Since most natural routes are used, the route lengths vary greatly depending on the given conditions.

Route lengths

Special regattas (selection)

• 6,800 m: endurance race, the famous boat race between the two elite universities of Oxford and Cambridge as well as the Head of the River Race, both of which take place in London on the Thames.
• 9,000 m: Armadacup at the start, the famous mass start race at the Wohlensee near Bern, up to 250 skiffs simultaneously
• 12,000 m Rose Island rollercoaster, Germany's biggest rollercoaster race, performed annually in September on Lake Starnberg from MRSV "Bavaria", all classes, mass starts.
• 12,700 m: E.ON Hanse Cup, roller races ( international) on the North Sea Canal from Breiholz ​​to the railway bridge in Rendsburg
• 15,000 m: Around Wannsee, eights and coxed four with a mass start
• 135 km Weser Marathon, canoeing and rowing boats of all classes of Hann. Munden to Hameln
• 25 km: Red Bull XRow, eight races over two lakes, bear with boat
• 160 km: Tour du Lac, long-distance races in the world for four with coxswain on Lake Geneva, which is probably the toughest endurance races. The lake is circumnavigated.
• 210 km: Elfsteden Roeimarathon, long-distance races for double pairs with coxswain ( driven by most teams as a relay race ).

Race operation

In the short and normal routes each boat has its own runway. If possible, be at regattas, as well as in championships, the individual lanes separated by buoys ( Albano system). On smaller regattas, where often only three or four lanes are present, the numbers of the tracks are mounted on the track at regular intervals. They serve the rowers also as an indication of the distance covered, as they are usually mounted at intervals of 250 m. In long distance racing start time set in the control to 30 to 60 seconds, so that the distance up to two to three tracks must be wide. In such cases, there is - except the start and finish - usually no track marks. Due to the different start times equal competition conditions can not always be guaranteed, since change slightly swell and wind conditions. In English-speaking countries make such long distance races to 8 kilometers in length, called Heads, a large part of the race.

Where the nature of the regatta permits, the races are differentiated according to performance classes, that is, the faster drive in a run against each other, the slower ones in another. In general, the lot of the starting places decides. The launch sites can be partly deliberately set. The aim of this method is to first separate high-performance rowers from each other. This is used for example in performance testing application that are decisive for the national education.

On championship regattas come from the heats depending on the placement and number of heats, the fastest boats - depending on the size of the field - directly to the semifinals or finals. The remaining boats in the so-called " repechage " a second chance to qualify for the final. The next six boats that could not qualify for the final of the best to come into the " Small -finals," also known as " B-final ." In rowing regattas only the 1st place is generally rewarded in a run with a medal in rowing championships the first three places of the "A- finals ."

The boats can be found a few minutes before the race starts behind the start line a. A referee ( unless previously been announced) the classification of races and the runways known. Once the runways are free, the boats depart to the tracks and are hosted by the bowman while the so-called start pontoons / boot - start lying person at the stern.

A competition judge at the level of the starting line ensures that all boats are aligned (boot spikes at the start line ). Once this is done, it gives the starter a corresponding character. The starter calls the clubs and runways, with "Caution" go the teams in the start display. Then the starter raises the red flag. Simultaneously with the signal " Go! " Lowers the starter the flag and race and time measurement start.

There are (usually on solid regatta courses and major regattas ) and the lights start, the so runs initially as described above, in which but for " Caution" or "Attention" a traffic light system is first switched to red and then jumps on green or yellow, which then serves as a starting character. The visual starting signal has to be coupled with an acoustic signal (horn ).

If a false start is detected, the red flag is swung and rung a bell. Traffic lights flashing and horns - if possible - also to indicate the false start. The boats then go back to the start. The team that caused the false start must be cautioned and advised that it will be excluded when a new false start. The team was cautioned in advance, so the team will also be excluded from the race.

When the boats are a few meters away from the start, goes the referee with a motorboat the run afterwards to monitor the race and prevent collisions. Most start at this time and the preparations for the next race.

During the race, the referee gives instructions when a boat out of his lane and crossed the path of another boat and this hinders the ability. If a boat but go out of the field onto the bank or from the racing world, this is usually not announced. The judge also has the right to disqualify boats for repeated, consistent leaving his train or stop the race in case of accidents.

Ergometer competitions

In winter, when not racing outdoors are possible, Ergo Cup will take place in many cities. The rowers rowing rowing ergometers here on called that simulate the rowing action about. These bikes are equipped with small computers that calculate the different values ​​and can stop the time so that a comparison of the performances is possible.

24 -Hour races

" 24 -hour races ," often on large still waters instead ( rivers or lakes ). The principle of this regatta is similar to a relay race, the race course is self-contained and each vessel of a club rowing on the fly. The regatta lasts through 24 hours and not even by bad weather (rain, fog) interrupted. The winner is the team who has traveled the greatest distance at this time. In these races, it is not necessarily about winning - being there is everything. Thus are often blind rowing clubs and rowing clubs with only a few minor participants at the starting line, (as opposed to the big clubs with many participants ) have little chance to win. Overnight in general in a tent near the change point. Known 24 -hour regattas take place, for example in Berlin and in Hürth near Cologne.

Sailing

When sailing regattas are conducted according to the guidelines of the German Sailing Association and the ISAF.

A distinction is made between unit classes regattas and compensation regattas. Class regattas are held between boats a boat class. In compensation regattas boats of different classes can participate. There are relatively simple compensation systems ( Yardstick system) and complicated calculation systems (IMS - International Measurement System; ORC - Offshore Racing Congress). The number of participants boats at regattas is not normally limited in fleet races. Restrictions on the number of starters there but depending on the discharge area in most German Championships or International German Championships - especially in the youth and youngest area. In addition, for example, the participants in the largest catamaran race in the world, the Ronde om Texel, restricted to reduce the risk of collisions between the several hundred participants. Known fleet races are the Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race ) and the regatta Vendée Globe as the regattas of the Olympic boat classes. There are so-called match races in which only take two identical boats or boats with the same value of racing against each other. The most famous match race is the America's Cup.

For short -distance sailing races, different course lengths have naturalized. Previously that was almost exclusively " Olympic triangle" used a course that has approximately the shape of an isosceles triangle. The first line always leads against the wind, to equalize the field while cruising at the beginning of something. In the dinghy area of ​​triangular course is being replaced by the trapezoidal sheet are used in the four buoys as turning points. For catamarans and many dinghy and keelboat classes with spinnaker or gennaker, the up-and -down course has prevailed, in which there is next to the start line only two turning buoys. However, in order to equalize the field at the turning points, are often a drain tonne - in Luv - or even a " gate " (Tor ) - used - in Lee.

Canoeing

• In Canoeing usually only competitions in canoe racing, canoe sailing and dragon boat are referred to as Regatta, during the competitions in the other divisions are labeled differently.

• When canoe racing regatta following distances are common: 200 m, 500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m and 6000 m.

• In dragon boat races following race distances are common: 200/250 m, 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 2000 m.