Adaptive Events

1. COURSE: The Adaptive events in the 2022 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (HOSR) will take place 8:00 AM on Saturday, October 29 over the full 2.4-mile head-race course.

2. ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY: All adaptive athletes competing in the HOSR must be officially pre-classified according to current FISA and USRowing standards as either PR1 (arms and shoulders only), PR2 (trunk and arms) or PR3 (legs, trunk and arms).

3. EVENTS:  In 2022, the HOSR is offering events for PR1, PR2 and PR3 athletes as set forth below.

a. The first events (01A and 01B), NEW THIS YEAR, are The Para Racing-Shell Full Course Challenge for singles and doubles.  Both will be open to high-level competitive male and female PRI, PR2 and PR3 athletes capable of rowing top-level single and double racing shells, in line with the growing international trend in Para rowing. For safety reasons, in addition to athlete-specific adaptations, all shells used in (01A and 01B) must be fitted with a stabilizing pontoon attached at the outboard end of a matching set of outriggers on both sides of the boat.

b. The second event (01C) is the Adaptive Inclusion Double. It is non-gender-specific and has the following sub categories:

  1. An adaptive PR2 or PR3 athlete sculling with a sighted able-bodied partner who is seated in, and steering from, the bow seat.
  2. Two adaptive athletes of different classifications (e.g. PR2 and PR3) sculling together, but the athlete seated in bow must be sighted and competent at steering. Both sub categories are to be rowed in FISA-standard adaptive double-sculling shells, such as the Wintech adaptive double.

c. The third event, (01D) is the Adaptive PR2 Double. It is for doubles in which both athletes are officially classified as adaptive, in the following sub categories:

  1. Two PR2 scullers of the same gender
  2. Two PR2 scullers of mixed gender.

4. ATHLETE SKILL LEVEL: All adaptive and para athletes competing in the HOSR Adaptive events (along with their able-bodied partners if applicable) must individually have the skill, experience and physical fitness to scull and navigate 2.5 miles (4,023 meters) in no more than 30 minutes. Guide boats will not be permitted on race day.

5. REGISTRATION: All competitors must register via Regatta Central by 11:59PM on Sunday, October 9, 2022.

6. EQUIPMENT: All adaptive doubles must bring their own equipment – boat, oars and necessary rigging, including outriggers, seats, straps and pontoons. All adaptive doubles must be outfitted with pontoons. Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing (PAR) welcomes the opportunity to host visiting competitors at its boathouse by advance arrangement and to the extent that space allows. However, PAR regrets it is not able to provide “loaner” equipment for its guests.

7. LAUNCHING LOCATIONS: Tentative –  All visiting adaptive doubles must launch from either (a) the PAR boathouse on Martin Luther King Drive (see below for PAR contact information); OR (b) the main HOSR docks at the Three Angels Festival Area on Kelly Drive. Experienced PAR volunteers will be assigned to both locations specifically to welcome and assist all visiting adaptive crews as needed. Please note without exception, any adaptive boats that do not honor this rule will not be permitted to race.  In order to assist with planning and race day logistics, HOSR volunteers will be in contact with registrants to ask for declaration of launch point.

8. RACE-DAY ONSITE PARKING FOR ADAPTIVE CREWS: After entries have closed, the HOSR regatta committee will assess the need for specially reserved parking at each adaptive launching location and will plan to set aside the necessary dedicated spaces. Visiting adaptive participants can greatly help the success of the plan by consolidating their need for race-day onsite parking to one vehicle per crew. All additional vehicles associated with a given adaptive crew will have to utilize the most convenient and available off-site parking area (see HOSR traffic and parking maps).

9. CONTROL COMMISSION ADVISORY:  All adaptive boats will be thoroughly inspected for safety and compliance according to USRowing 2022 Rules of Rowing Article X before launching. Adaptive athletes utilizing straps are hereby advised that only Velcro closures are acceptable; and if more than one strap is required, all straps must open and close in the same direction to facilitate quick release in an emergency. Furthermore, adaptive shells using stabilizing pontoons will be required to demonstrate, once launched, that both pontoons are simultaneously in touch with the water.

10. ROWING TO THE START LINE AND RETURNING FROM THE FINISH LINE: Adaptive doubles launching from the PAR boathouse will immediately cross to the east side of the river and proceed upriver to the start line (see online course maps at www.hosr.org). Adaptive doubles launching from the docks at the Three Angels Festival area will access the start line by rowing upriver on the east (Kelly Drive) side of the river. After racing, adaptive doubles returning to the PAR boathouse will turn to starboard below the finish line and will row up the west (MLK Drive) side of the river. Adaptive doubles returning to the Three Angels will turn to port below the finish line and will row up the east (Kelly Drive) side of the river. It is vitally important for all adaptive boats rowing up to the start line or back from the finish line to diligently avoid encroaching onto the race course.

11. MEDALS:  The HOSR wants to ensure that every adaptive and para boat entered in Events 01A-D has a fair opportunity to compete for a gold, silver or bronze medal, based on its actual performance relative to other boats. Accordingly, as soon as possible after entries have closed on October 9, the HOSR organizing committee will review all adaptive entries and will endeavor to allocate each entry to its most applicable pre-determined competitive category, or other grouping (such as, for example, a grouping based on age).

On Saturday, October 29 an awards ceremony will be held in the Three Angels Festival Tent. All adaptive and para medal winners, and their able-bodied partners if applicable, are encouraged to attend this ceremony to personally receive their awards and be deservedly recognized for their achievement.

12. CONTACT INFORMATION:   If you have any questions regarding the adaptive/para events at the HOSR, please contact info@hosr.org.  If you would like to coordinate access with PAR, please contact Jeff McGinnis, Executive Director at jeff.mcginnis@centeronline.com or phone (215) 327-8943.