Dragon Boat West

Edit: See post below or http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout) for race information.

Date has changed to May 6 due to a conflict with a running event on the 27th. Registration information will be posted shortly to www.fcrcc.com (http://www.fcrcc.com)

For what it's worth, May 6 = BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon and also the Tacoma Half and Full.  If you're looking to avoid running events that's also a big day.  However, with runs pretty much every weekend somewhere you're never going to avoid it!

From my past experience with the BMO marathon, the course doesn't cut into our area...
and it's not ending in front of BC Place anymore, I think it ends at the convention center. Thank goodness. There would've been so many people! Not nearly as much as the Sun Run, though.

The FCRCC Regatta was moved because of a scheduling conflict with a running event that started/ended at Athlete's Village.

One of our creative thinkers came up with an idea for a race format that we think people will find different and exciting. As a result, we are changing the name of the Spring Regatta to the Spring Knockout!!!! (add more exclamation marks if you like). And no, we're not changing the date again.

The Format

Teams will race two 200 metre heats to qualify for a "knockout division". In each knockout division, teams will race 200 metres and the bottom team(s) will be knocked out. The survivors will have 5 minutes to return to the start line and race again. The knockout races continue until there is only one survivor.

There will be mixed, men's and women's divisions.

Fees

Early bird and regular registration fees remain as previously posted. Mixed teams can enter additional crews in the men's or women's division for $100/crew.

Registration package (including online payment) and more details will be posted very soon on fcrcc.com

Okay, the race information, registration form, and online payment options are up on the FCRCC web site: http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout)

Knock yourselves out.

A question: Will advancement to a knockout division and then eliminations be based on time, points, or placement or a combo thereof and if so please explain...like to know before committing to racing in this new format...thanks   

The qualifying heats will be used to seed teams into 4 "knockout divisions". Exactly how this works hasn't been determined yet. IMO, it's pretty difficult to come up with a system that will please everyone but, if you have specific concerns or preferences, now is the time to let us know! All I know right now is that it will be based on time, placement, points, or some combination of the above.  :)

Once teams are grouped into the knockout divisions, it's pretty simple. The 8 teams in a division line up to race and the last place team is knocked out. The surviving teams have 5 minutes to return to the start line and race again. The races continue until there is just one survivor (the division winner).

I like the method for eliminations as they rely on placement - you come in last and you're out...simple.

My first concern is using times for advancement - on a course with tide (&,wind) there are just too many variables from race to race to make fair comparisons....I think we have all seen races where the times for the same team in the same lane and same boat but racing an hour and a half apart can vary by 10-15 seconds ...things can and do change from race to race even.  Times can only be fairly used when comparing boats within the same heat.

My other concern is using points for advancement - sometimes an average team will win a preliminary heat simply because the field is weak. The winner will get a lot of points for first place and based on an easy win will advance into subsequent heats where they get blown out of the water in the semi's or finals. The problem is that you could have another heat where the competition is high level and a number of the boats in the heat would have beaten the aforementioned easy winner however they won't get the chance because they can't all get sufficient points to advance...They likely end up in divisions which are below them which results in disappointing racing for all concerned.

Of the two methods above the points method is probably better but I would suggest that the points spread be reduced to something like 6 for a win, 4 for second and 2 for third...that way there is a chance for those teams coming in second or third in their first race to redeem themselves in subsequent races and advance into their appropriate class.

The other option is, if you do go with points, to have a repechage race for all teams that come in 2nd in their preliminary heat, the winner of which gets to advance to the competitive semi or final, as the case may be. 

Thats my $.02

All valid points and I'm sure the race organizers will try to figure out a system that is as fair as possible under the circumstances. They do have two things working in their favour:

1. With a 32 boat (max) field, it's probably the top three or four teams in each qualifying heat that will "move up", not just the winner. So if you win a "weak heat", there's at least two or three other "weak" teams that will come along for the ride. Conversely, if you're in a "strong" heat, you'd have to finish bottom four to "move down".

2. Over 200 metres, I would expect the impact of "uneven" currents be much less than over 500 metres.

The repechage idea is interesting. Anyone know if it's used in any races around these parts?

We should also remember the adult early bird fee is only $300+HST. That seems like a good deal no matter how you slice it.

Hi all, to provide some specifics on the race format-

Each team is guaranteed at least 4 races.

2 Qualifying heats based on time, and then 1 Semi Final heat based on placement - the results will determine each team's lane position and division in the Final i.e. the Knockout round.

questions? [email protected]

Thanks for reading mee

‎False Creek Racing Canoe Club is collaborating with One West Dragon Boat to produce a FCRCC 2012/13 Dragon Boat Program that will cover and advertise the FCRCC Spring Knockout Regatta (May 6th), the FCHP Women's Regatta (May 26th), and the new programs introduced at FCRCC this year! Hopefully this will draw even more paddlers to the sport of Dragon Boat!!

For advertising and sponsorship opportunities with this project please email me at [email protected].

All Teams that are fully registered within the next 2 weeks will be entered into a special draw prize! Free wine or beer tasting for your whole team at Legacy Liquor Store! Sign up now!!

http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout)

and also check out our facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/pages/False-Creek-Racing-Canoe-Club/7412231766 (https://www.facebook.com/pages/False-Creek-Racing-Canoe-Club/7412231766)

Heads up! Early bird registration ends in a week on March 27th! Early bird price: $300 - that's just a little more than $10 per paddler for your team. Register early- after March 27th, registration fee goes up by $100. 

For a competitive race experience, awesome prizes and sponsors, and the lowest registration fee of the year for a regatta! You won't want to miss it! Sign your team up now.

Hey,
final date to register for the regatta is Wednesday, April 25th. After which registration will be closed.
Thanks!

Race grid is out!

http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout)

Long shot... but is anyone able to race with Ares for this regatta?

Updated race grid v2 posted party. same website.

For the Knockout portion of the races, is 5 minutes sufficient for a team to return to the docks and change up paddlers, or is it expected that the paddlers on the boat at the beginning of the Knockout races remain for all races of the Knockout?  Basically, are we allowed change up paddlers?

I believe the crew in the last guaranteed heat is the same crew for the knockouts. I spoke to Jackie the other day, same question!

Hi, so the format is as follows: Qualifier Round 1, Qualifier Round 2, Semi Finals and then the Knockout stage (3 rounds).

In the Knockout stage that's where you have one crew and 5 minutes to return to the start line after each 200m race. This will be repeated three times.

After the first round of the Knockouts, the last 2 teams will be out, then a 5 minute break while the remaining 4 teams paddle to start line, then a 2nd round of Knockouts, the last 2 teams will be out again, another 5 minute break while the remaining 2 teams paddle to the start line, and then a final 200m race.

I hope that made sense! Check out the race grid for a more graphic explanation: http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/fcrcc-spring-knockout)

Also be sure to check out the FCRCC Spring Knockout Paddlers' Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/433188003360520/ (https://www.facebook.com/events/433188003360520/)

See ya theree

Race 1, Lane 1: Team Laser Hurricane Explosion Ninja Attack
Don't know who they are but they get my early vote for best team name of 2012.

From today's results One West is the team to beat this year. 

One West beat FCRCC HP in the finals today.

To Ares, great job making it into the top division.   What is amandachan feeding you guyz?

Also, FCRCC did a great job running the regatta.  Everything seems to run very smoothly and I enjoyed the "knockout" format.  All teams appeared to be well seated in each division.

I second mappingguy re: race format. Loved the knockout format. It's the most fun that I've had at a festival in a long time and I think it made it more exciting for spectators to see quick, back to back races. It also helped a little that it wasn't raining, for once :) I hope you continue this format in the future.  Great job organizing.

I cannot fathom how they can eat oranges before racing  :x
Guh. I have no idea what happened today or how it happened... I'm still taking it in. :shock: Thanks mappingguy for your awesomeness.



Indeed. Props to Jackie Webber for bringing some East Coast to the West Coast! Always nice to spice things up around here.

Full Race Results:

http://www.fcrcc.com/news/spring-knockout-2012 (http://www.fcrcc.com/news/spring-knockout-2012)

I hope you had a good time, thanks for coming!

direct questions and feedback to [email protected]

Any videos or pictures of knockout?

Great racing on Sunday, combined with weather! I hope this format stays cause I think it brings something that is both fun and different than the usual races out west. Great job to all teams and it was awesome to see teams from all over including the island, Langley, Chilliwack, etc.

And Mappingguy, will we ever find out your identity?  :lol: :lol:

- Terry

Awesome day of racing!!!

What happened to the hot dog vendor? He's always been at this event as far as I can remember.  I was so looking forward to a smokie....hahaha
I spoke to him last year and he told me he'll be back.