General Information

The Atlanta Erg Sprints is a sanctioned USRowing Indoor Open Regatta. It is open to the public for both spectating and competing. Competitors do not have to be USRowing affiliates/members.

See our registration page for all necessary information.

Waivers

USRowing Affiliates

All rowers who are members of USRowing (or members of a USRowing-affiliated club) must have signed a USRowing online waiver: https://membership.usrowing.org

Non-USRowing Affiliates

Rowers who are not members of USRowing must bring a signed USRowing paper waiver to check in.
Waivers for minors (under 18) must be signed by a parent or guardian -- no exceptions.
https://usrowing.org/documents/2024/1/4/2024_Waiver_of_Liability.pdf

Distance

All races are 2000 meters unless otherwise noted below in the Event Categories section.

Equipment

The Concept 2 Model D RowErgs will be used for all events. Competitors may select a damper setting of their choice but may not be changed during the race.

Event Categories

All events are raced separately for men and women:

- Ages 30-39 – no handicapping, age is determined based on their age on December 31st of the current year.
- Ages 40-49 – no handicapping, age is determined based on their age on December 31st of the current year.
- Ages 50-59 – no handicapping, age is determined based on their age on December 31st of the current year.
- Ages 60 and up – no handicapping, age is determined based on their age on December 31st of the current year.
- Veteran - no handicapping, no age restriction, restricted to U.S. military veterans.
- Para Classification (PR3, PR2) - 1000 meter race, definition below.
- U13 Junior – restricted to entrants under the age of 13, 1000 meter race.
- U15 Junior – restricted to entrants under the age of 15.
- U17 Junior – restricted to entrants under the age of 17.
- U19 Junior – restricted to entrants under the age of 19.
- U19 Junior Lightweight – restricted to entrants under the age of 19; Men-155 lbs max, Women-135 lbs max.
- Junior Coxswain – Ages 14-18, 1000-meter race.
- Junior Team Relay – Ages 14-18, 2 females, 2 males; each pulls at least 250 meters for a total 2000 meter race.
- 1000 meter dash - no restrictions.
- Lightweight – Men-165 lbs max, Women-135 lbs max.
- Novice – definition below.
- Open – no restrictions.
- Coxswain – 1000 meter race.
- 500 meter dash – no restrictions.
- Open Team Relay – 2 female, 2 male; each pull at least 250 meters for a total 2000 meter race, no restrictions.

Coxswain: is defined as a person who has been a coxswain in a regatta (not an oarsman or oarswoman) during the previous year. Weigh-in is not required.

Junior: For all Junior events, rowers may enter events designated for older high ages but may not enter younger age events. Junior coxswain and Junior team relay events are restricted to rowers under the age of 19. Age eligibility is determined by the rower’s age on December 31st of the current year.

Novice: restricted to entrants who have been competing in non-Junior 2000 m rowing events for less than one year as of race day.

Adaptive/Para: A rower may compete in an adaptive or para-rowing event if his or her disability meets the criteria set out in the USRowing Para Classification Information and has been classified by a national or international classification panel into an eligible sport class. A rower without a sport class or whose sport class has been withdrawn may not compete in adaptive or para-rowing events. Exceptions may be made to this requirement at the discretion of the Adaptive race director, the coach, and the Chief Referee.

Veteran: A rower may compete in the Veteran rowing event if he or she is a U.S. military veteran.

Schedule

A final schedule will be posted the week of the event. Depending on entries, start times will alter slightly, but will not alter more than 15-30 minutes. The schedule will be posted here.

Awards

Event Medals

Medals for each event.

Awards are given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finisher in each event (not each flight).

Results are posted next to erg assignments (on a wall at the gym) roughly 15 minutes after the final flight of each event (larger events have many flights).

Medals may be picked up from the registration table when results are posted. Medals must be picked up the day of, and will not be mailed after the event.

For age-grouped races: Unless entry numbers are very high for each age group, these different events will race at the same time. However, they will still be awarded separate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals for each male and female winner in each age-grouped event. There is no handicap.

Team Point Trophies

Please read about Team Point Trophies in the Results - Team Points section of this webpage.

Hammer Awards

Please read about Hammer Awards in the Results - Hammer Award section of this webpage.

Race Day Information

All participants and spectators must get a WRISTBAND at the entrance to the event.

Weigh-in: for lightweight events only

- Friday Night: 7:30 PM at the race venue. Please arrive on time as this will close when everyone has weighed in.
- Saturday: Open at 9:00 am Saturday and are open up to 30 minutes before your race.
- Coxswains do not have to weigh in.
- To qualify for a Concept2 record, weigh-in must occur 2 hours before your race. Record Requirements.
- Weight limits for lightweight events are:

*There is not a separate event for Junior Men WIRC (greater than 155 lb and under 165 lb). Junior men racing to qualify for WIRC should register for the Junior Men event or the Open Lightweight Men event.

Erg Assignments are posted at the venue. Please find your erg assignment before your race. Your name should also appear on your erg monitor. Please ensure you are pulling on the erg assigned to you so your results are accurate.

If you would like, you may have one teammate hold your erg during your race. This is not necessary, but if you choose to do this, note that your one teammate can only hold the erg from the back side. No one besides the Atlanta Erg Sprint event staff may be on the wheel side of the erg.

Check-in: Individuals

- There is no need to check in at the registration table if your registration (payment and waiver) is complete.
- If you are attempting to register on the day of the event, please visit the registration table with payment in hand by check or credit card. Day of entries are allowed ONLY if there is an empty erg in the desired race. You will be charged the late fee and will have to sign a waiver.

Check-in: Teams

- If you are a part of your team - your coach will organize your registration. You can view your erg assignments posted at the venue.
- Coaches: please visit the registration table for the following:
  - Pick up a coaches packet which has helpful documents for erg assignments and tracking results for your team
  - Complete any registration.
    - Scratches - please report ALL scratches so race directors are not looking for the athlete at the start. Scratches will result in an empty erg and will make room for a late entry.
    - Additions - Additions are subject to erg availability and are not guaranteed. Additions are allowed up to 1 hour before the official race time. Additions will be charged the late entry fee. Waivers for additions on race day must be paper waivers (Junior coaches, take note that the waiver may require a parent's signature).
- Please note that absolutely no additions are allowed 1 hour before the official race time.
- Scratches will result in an empty erg. We will not reassign ergs. Ergs are auto-seeded based on the registration deadline.

Separate warm-up ergs will be available on an adjacent basketball court. The indoor track is also available for warm-up. Please be respectful of other patrons using the gymnasium.

Racing Information

Finals Only

All events are finals only. You will only race once per event and competitors will be seeded, based on erg scores submitted.

We seed competitors according to their ability as best we can. The best time overall will win each event.

Start of each race

At the start, follow the instructions on your erg. See the link below for the start sequence that will appear on your monitor.

In the off chance that your monitor fails to compute during your race, it will not fix itself during the race. Immediately stop rowing and put your hand in the air. If breakage occurs during the first 200 meters of the race, all rowers will be stopped and called back to the start. If breakage occurs after the first 200 meters, the rower can choose to finish the race (and be taken out of competition) or pull the whole piece again. If rower chooses to pull again, they must pull in the flight immediately following their current flight.

RaceStart.pdf

RaceDisplay.pdf