Race Rules

The 2011 Hamilton Island Cup is being run in accordance with AOCRA regatta rules.  For full details and information on these rules, please visit the AOCRA website for full details.

Prize Money
For an event/division to qualify for prize money a minimum of three (3) teams must have nominated for the event.

PLEASE NOTE:
For a team to be eligible for prizemoney in the 42km marathon, a minimum of 6 competitors in the team must have competed in a 16km event, on any form of outrigger canoe.

Race Briefings
Race Briefings will be held on time as published in the Official Programme, or as otherwise advised by the Race Announcer. All Race Briefings will be held in the Bougainvillea Marquee, except for the Escort Boat Briefing for the Hamilton Island Cup Marathon which will be held outside the Marina Tavern in the Marina Village.

Canoe Signage / Sponsorship
Canoes with logos or signage in direct competition to Hamilton Island Cup Official Sponsors will not be permitted onto Hamilton Island to race in any event at the 2011 Hamilton Island Cup weekend.

Any refusal to abide by these rules will call for disqualification of that canoe and its teams from competing in any events, and disqualification from previous events. The Race Committee reserves the right to reject the entry at any time of a team which, in the opinion of the Race Committee, is carrying advertising on their canoe, equipment, uniforms or accessories for a company or product in conflict with the event sponsors.

Official Sponsors: Hamilton Island Resort, AV Partners, Bob Blore Pyrotechnics, and any other sponsors as advised by the Race Committee.

Hamilton Island Cup Marathon Instructions

Escort Boats - Race Briefing
All canoe escort boat drivers and coaches/team captains must attend the Race Briefing outside the Marina Tavern in the Marina Village at 7.00am 19th June 2011. Failure to attend this Race Briefing will result in the team that is escorted by this escort vessel being disqualified. All escort drivers are to sign a register to state which team they are escorting and that they attended the briefing.

Paddlers Note: Escort Boat Drivers have absolute discretion as to where they will manoeuvre their vessels when making changeovers.

At the commencement of the Hamilton Island Cup Marathon only three (3) official boats and two (2) media boats are to proceed south with the outrigger canoes. All other escort boats and spectator craft must stay to the west of Plum Pudding Island and proceed to the western side of Dent Island via the northern end of Dent Island. All escort and spectator craft are requested to remain due north of the Dent Island Lighthouse. Only boats making women changeovers may proceed further south than the designated “men” changeover area.

Escort Boats - Regulations & Safety
Race Officials have the power to act and disqualify any crew whose actions, be it in their canoe or escort craft, do not regard the safety of their own crew members or other competing crews, or whose escort craft does not meet the following criteria. Escort craft must not reverse up to paddlers in the water.

Escort Craft Criteria
The following criteria are in compliance with Queensland Transport and must be followed. Vessels will be randomly inspected on Sunday morning and those not meeting the criteria will be forced to resign as escort craft:

• Tin dinghies are not suitable escort craft.
• Vessels must be seaworthy and have a minimum carrying capacity of 5 people. Your maximum capacity sticker must be affixed prior to the event.
• Vessels must be fully fuelled and mechanically sound.
• Must be equipped with all safety gear, including personal floatation devices for all passengers, first aid kit, bailing equipment, flares, mirror, VHF radio, boarding ladder, spare fresh water and oars.
• Vessels must be registered with Queensland Transport and have their registration stickers, numbers and capacity stickers correctly displayed.
• All escort vessels and operators of such vessels to comply with Transport Operations Marine Safety Act and subordinate Regulations.
• International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea 1972 with respect to these vessels shall apply.
• All operators must be aware of all Official Race Rules, as prescribed in the Official Program of Events.
• Escort boat drivers must attend the race briefing at 7.00am on 19th June 2011 outside the Marina Tavern..

Please Note: Your escort boat driver has final say over the commandeering of his/her vessel. They have the right to instruct team captains where they will and will not conduct water changeovers.

Escort vessels MAY NOT use megaphones or loud hailers for any purpose whatsoever, except in the case of an emergency.
Escort Boat Interference - All events

If any escort boat causes interference to any other canoe in any way whatsoever the team they are escorting may be disqualified. The escort boat of the interfered team may radio their disapproval to the Race Officials who will then issue one warning. If this escort boat continues to carry on with unsportsmanlike behaviour, the interfered team/ escort boat may then radio their disapproval again to Race Officials who will then take appropriate action.

Escort Boat Interference - All events
If any escort boat causes interference to any other canoe in any way whatsoever the team they are escorting may be disqualified. The escort boat of the interfered team may radio their disapproval to the Race Officials who will then issue one warning. If this escort boat continues to carry on with unsportsmanlike behaviour, the interfered team/ escort boat may then radio their disapproval again to Race Officials who will then take appropriate action.

Team Numbers
Open Men, Master Men and Senior Master Men teams will be made up of no more than nine (9) paddlers. No other replacements will be allowed during the course of the race.

Open Women and Master Women teams will be made up of no more than ten (10) paddlers. No other replacements will be allowed during the course of the race.

Open Mixed and Masters Mixed teams will be made up of no more than ten (10) paddlers with a maximum of five (5) males. Teams must have three (3) female paddlers in the racing canoe at all times. No other replacements will be allowed during the course of the race.

Changeovers- Women and Mixed Crews
Changeovers are not allowed until the canoe has passed the lighthouse on the western side of Dent Island.

Changeovers- Men Crews
Changeovers are not allowed until the canoe has passed the Official Buoy which will be located 1.5km further north of the Dent Island Lighthouse.

Changeovers should be made with full consideration given to all safety aspects of the changeover. For Safety Reasons: Paddlers must wear brightly coloured caps at all times when in the water, before and after changeovers are made.

Sale of Wares
The sale of merchandise and canoe equipment, including OC1 and OC6 canoes, paddles, surf skis, T-shirts, magazines, etc. on Hamilton Island is strictly forbidden, without the written permission from Hamilton Island Resort or the Event Administrator. Only those companies that have made prior arrangements with the Event Administrator may display and trade their goods on Hamilton Island.

Please direct all enquiries to the Event Administrator on (07) 4948 9303.