REGATTAS | Rowtac

2024 TAC Fall Regatta Schedule

Head Race Regatta season is upon us. A head race is a race against time, or a time-trial competition, where the rowing teams compete for the fastest time in finishing a course. Head races are usually held in the fall season, on a lake or river course with some interesting bridges and turns. Head races vary in length but are typically within 2.5 to 6 miles (4 km to 10 km) long.

Requirements for participation in Head Race Regattas at TAC

Submit 5K Erg Test in iCrew by 9/15/2023 - You may join in on a Monday evening erg practice to complete your test with other team members.
Regular Practice Attendance
Coaches’ evaluation of your on-water performance
Pay Regatta fees - All fees listed below are approximated and subject to change by the regatta required deadline date
You do not have to commit to attending all the regattas, but you must declare your interest in participating in any specific regattas for the season.
You must sign up for each regatta you want to participate in on iCrew. Switch to REGATTAS ONLY in iCrew sessions. We will try to accommodate your interest in a specific regatta, but your interest may not correlate to getting a seat.
Decisions on lineups will depend on several factors, including the criteria listed above.
The deadline for signing up for any/all regattas is Sunday, August 25 at 5 pm.

The TAC Board and Coaches are excited to announce participation in the following regattas:

1. BATTLE OF THE BOATHOUSE
When: Saturday, September 21st, 2024
Where: Tampa River Center
Open to All Rowers
Cost – Zero
This is the race that will kick off our fall season and we’d love for every rower to participate if possible! Regular practice will be cancelled that day. The Battle of the Boathouse is held in downtown Tampa, starting at the mouth of Garrison Channel, rowers will navigate around Harbour Island into Seddon Channel, finishing at TGH docks. Rowers will launch from the Tampa River Center and warm up to the start line. Racecourse is 3.5K Warm up, race and return equals approximately 6K. This is a great team-building event for everyone to socialize, and also a wonderful opportunity to invite our family and friends to come watch a fun race. It’s a low-key event, just for fun, and if you’ve never raced before, it’s a chance to get some meters under your belt. (There could be food and drink involved!)

2. HEAD OF THE HENDERSON
When: Saturday, October 5th , 2024
Where: Lake Henderson, Inverness, FL (USA)
Open to All Rowers
Cost – includes entry fees, coaching, coxing, boat rental, and boat trailing – less than $100 per rower
The Head of the Henderson is held on Lake Henderson, and the connecting Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes is located in Inverness, Florida. Rowers will navigate this 5K course across the chain of lakes, finishing in Lake Henderson, where spectators will have a fantastic side vantage point of the final 750 meters, including the finish line. Rowers will launch from the finish line area and warm up to the start line. Warm-up and race combined equal 10K.

3. HALLOWEEN REGATTA - TENATIVE
When: Saturday, October 26th, 2024
Where: ByPass Canal, Tampa, FL (USA)
Open to All Rowers
Cost – includes entry fees, coaching, coxing, boat rental, and boat trailing – less than $50 per rower
The Halloween Regatta is held on the ByPass Canal at Harney Park, Tampa, Florida. The racecourse is approximately 4K. Warm up, race, return to launch docks is approximately 7K. There will be several volunteer opportunities, to get involved and learn how a regatta is
run. It’s always a fun experience, whether you’re rowing or volunteering. This event is tentative, and will only include a couple of boats to race as an exhibition. There are no other master’s teams. This would be best for a novice or intermediate boat, to get some practice on a shortened course.

4. HEAD OF THE HOOCH
When: Saturday and Sunday – November 2-3, 2024
Where: Chattanooga, TN (USA)
Open to Experienced rowers
Cost – includes entry fees, coaching, coxing, boat rental, and boat trailing $200 per rower
Additional Costs – Each rower will be individually responsible for travel, lodging, and meals.
The Head of the Hooch Regatta, previously known as the Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta, is a 2-day rowing regatta held annually on the first full weekend in November in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The head race runs downstream on a 3.1 miles (5.0 km) course on the Tennessee River.

How to add your erg test result into iCrew for Fall 2024 season:

For the fall 2024 season, we ask that every member interested in racing submit a 5km erg test. Regardless of your results, we want to make sure you understand the distance requirements for a 5km race.

In iCrew, go to:

1) Your Profile

2) Your Test

3) Look for the test name "2024 Fall 5K Test"

4) Click the edit pencil icon

5) If you see multiple erg test options for the 2024 fall 5k test, you only need to enter data of your erg test in ONE of them.

6) Don't forget to hit "save"

How To Check Your iCrew Documents:

Safesport requires annual re-training & it is almost time for everyone at TAC to complete it. More importantly, if you are blocked in iCrew, the system will auto-remove you from all future sessions, including fall regatta signups. This could create a problem for you! Therefore, please go check your iCrew profile, under DOCUMENTS, to verify when your SafeSport & USRowing membership will expire & update it on the USRowing website before blocking occurs.

If you get blocked, please update your USRowing account & contact Sharon or Jessica W to update your iCrew account. Recheck all your future session signups, including fall regattas, because you may need to re-sign up for them.

Battle of the BoatHouse - Sept 21, 2024 - Race Course & Cox/Bow/Coach Instructions

Below is the course map and the Coach/Coxswains/Bow Seat Guide. If you’re only a rower, it’s good information to know.

Download Race Course

Cox/Bow/Coach Instructions

Some navigational info:

The channel between Davis Islands and Harbor Island is the Seddon Channel.
The Channel between the Convention Center and Harbor Island is the Garrison Channel.
The channel between Harbor Island and Port of Tampa is the Sparkman Channel. If there is shipping traffic in the Sparkman Channel, racing will be temporarily stopped.
The area assigned to the staging area is quite limiting.
- Do NOT stop after you finish the race!
- Do NOT park your boat too close to the finish line while in the staging area. Stay close to the Convention Center.
- Single file boats going through all the bridges!
- Stay on the STARBOARD side of the bridge & STARBOARD side of the river when returning to the dock.
- Stay to the inside of GREEN Channel markers located in the Sparkman Channel.
- Boats must be in the staging area 10 minutes before the start of their race.