NZDBA Nationals 2014 update. And the "Rules of Racing"

[NZDBA]

Fellow Paddlers, 

(and especially those 33 teams coming to the NZ Dragon Boat National Champs) here is an update to the Nationals Race Day info. The changes are fairly minor, but it is a good idea to re-read it to remind you how things will work.  

Unfortunately one of the reasons for the update is to remove references to Oceania and Trans-Tasman Championships.  Despite the best efforts of AusDBF, we have not been able to convince Australian teams to join us at Lake Hood.  However we will be working with them to find a way to get more Trans-Tasman Racing opportunities.

I have also included a copy of the "NZDBA Rules of Racing".  This is another NZDBA initiative aimed at raising the standard and consistency of racing here.  The rules are fundamentally based on IDBF Rules, while incorporating some changes that AusDBF use in their Rules, plus making specific rules for how we will run races.  For example it has specifics on Race Protests, it describes how we will run the starts of the 2k Turns Races, and it also has a slight change to the passing rule during a turn. That is, as well as the 'overlap' rule that gives right-of-way to the boat on the left, we now allow a boat to pass on the right on a Turn so long as they maintain clear water, and do not move into the lane of the inside boat.

These Rules are also are available on www.nzdba.co.nz (Documents Tab)

Meanwhile, please remember that we need you to send us:

• signed Safety Waiver forms 
  
• team photo sheets (see the template on nzdba.co.nz "Documents")
  
• numbers for the Hangi on Saturday evening (Lakeside after the schools prize giving. Cost is only $10 pp, just 300 available).
  
• numbers attending the Friday night meeting (Development and Growth, Nationals 2015, Adelaide 2016 etc)
• any requests to have access to IDBF Spec 202a Paddles.

-- 

Regards

Noel Anderton (Chair)
New Zealand Dragon Boat Association