Rules for Boater X, Men’s & Women Hard Shell Kayak Downriver, Inflatable Kayak Downriver, Packraft Downriver, Canoe Downriver, Paddleboard Downriver, Inflatable Kayak & Packraft Slalom, SupSquatch Downriver.
Rules for Mass Start and Downriver races:
- Starting points are listed in race description (Fish Creek or Armstrong)
- Kayak, canoe, and packraft racers start in their boats
- Paddleboards start one foot on and one foot off at rear of board
- Competitors will start within the designated starting area at the put in
- A verbal countdown of 3,2,1, then a horn/whistle will designate the start
- Malicious intent to harm is not allowed
- Intentionally swinging of a gate or gates is not allowed and will result in disqualification. Just what is meant by swinging a gate?
- Racer must negotiate downriver gates #3, #5, #7 and finish at gate #8 (Boater X and Inflatable Kayak & Packraft Slalom complete ALL gates)
- Failure to negotiate a gate is disqualificationOk to touch a gate post as long as the boater’s torso passes through? This will be the judge’s discretion.
- A missed gate can be completed by attaining (paddling) back upstream. Racers must attain on the outside of the gate and pass through the gate moving downstream.
- In the case where all racers miss a gate the winners will be decided by whoever completes the most gates and finishes in the first, second, and third positions.
- Un-sportsmen like conduct will result in a disqualification ie. behaviors deemed as inappropriate, towards judges, spectators, or other racers.
- Must finish with craft
Additional rules for Boater X:
- Heats of four racers
- All eight gates must be negotiated
- Top two racers move on to next heat until the final heat four
Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival
Slalom Race Rules
River Races
NOTE: All boats must be a minimum of 12′ long and 5′ wide with the exception of the Kayaks. Race staff have the final decision on all boating and safety equipment suitability.
RACE EVENTS RULES
There will be only three penalty categories for this year’s races: 5, 10 and 50 second penalties. Scoring is as follows:
- CLEAN GATE: 0 PENALTY – A gate is passed correctly if all team members are in the raft and their heads pass between the poles.
- TOUCHED ONE POLE: 5 SECOND PENALTY – boat, paddle, oar, frame, paddlers, rower, or anything associated with the boat touches a pole while at least one crew member passes inside the poles while in the boat. Note that once you have touched a pole, no additional penalties will be assessed for that gate unless there is a touch on the second pole.
- TOUCHED BOTH POLES: 10 SECOND PENALTY – boat, paddle, oar, frame, paddlers, rower, or anything associated with the boat touches both poles while at least one crew member passes inside the poles while in the boat. Note that once you have touched both poles, no additional penalties will be assessed for that gate.
- MISSED GATE: 50 SECOND PENALTY – a boat passes a gate without all crew members passing between the poles. If a pole is intentionally moved so as to make a missed gate into a touched gate, this will be considered a missed gate and be given a 50 second penalty.
8-12 gates. at least two of which will be upstream
Incomplete teams crossing the finish = 1 fifty (50) second penalty
Upside down through a gate = 1 fifty (50) second pen
- A missed gate can be completed by attaining (paddling) back upstream. Racers must attain on the outside of the gate and pass through the gate moving downstream.
Please note that a complete set of rules will be available at the registration counter and will be explained prior to the event. It is up to the competitor to be familiar with the rules as there will be no adjustment to penalties for not knowing the rules. Decisions by the judges are final.
The best and most exciting place to view the course is just up river of Carter Bridge.