Kidderminster Lions Raft Race
Arley To StourportMAY 9th 2010
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION RULES FOR ALL RAFTS
Rafts must display the allocated number at least 300mm square on the starboard side so that timing officials can identify each Raft.
All containers used in the construction must be free from contaminants.
Rafts must be less than 8 feet wide and have a crew of between 4 and 10 persons.
A 10ft rope must be fixed to the front of the raft for towing purposes in an emergency and to assist with removal from the river.
Paddle wheels, home made paddles and sails are allowed provided any mast is demountable to clear bridges.
Welded joints are allowed.
Teams must be on the raft from start to finish.
All rafts will be checked for safety at the start by a scrutineer.
Time penalties will be added to any raft not complying with these rules.
Any raft considered to be dangerous to entrants, other competitors, the general public or the environment will be disqualified from the event.
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED
Moulded glass fibre hulls or pontoons.
Foamed plastics or materials likely to break up and polute the river.
Double paddles, oars, rowlocks or any form of fixed rowing station. Rafts must be poled or paddled without attachment.
Outboard motors, water pumps and water hoses are forbidden.
Rules for Super Rafts are available on request
SPONSORSHIP
The Lions Club have decided, this year, to donate sponsor money to
The County Air Ambulance
We would hope that you would wish to donate your sponsor money to this worthy cause, or at least part of it.
Please let us know where your sponsor money is going and how much you have raised.
THE START
Rafts must only be launched from the offical launch site on the west side of the river at Upper Arley.
The only vehicular access to the start is via the B4194, Bewdley to Highly road, turning off to Arley in the village of Button Oak. Map of Start Line position
Overnight camping is not allowed.
The launch site will be open from 7am.
Rafts will begin launching at 9.30am with Super Rafts going first. Other rafts will launch at minute intervals when directed by the Lion marshals.
There is ample parking for entrants and spectators at the start at Arley and on the riverside at Stourport.
THE FINISH
The finish line is at Stourport Boat Club. Disembarkation and raft removal is a short distance down river. Map of finish line at Stourport Boat Club
Landing at the boat club is not allowed. It is not safe to remove rafts there.
All rafts and equipment must be removed from the finish immediately to avoid congestion.
The Boat Club has changing facilities and the bar will be open until 4pm.
Team Captains of abandoned rafts must inform the Finish Marshals.
All rafts are required to be removed from the water by 5pm.
Raft Teams must remove all flotsam and jetsam from the river.
RESULTS AND PRESENTATIONS
A copy of the results will be available here within a week of the event.
SPONSORSHIP FORMS
All sponsorship forms must be handed in at the start and collected at the finish after certification.
PROTESTS
Any protest regarding the race must be made in writing to the Lions Club by 4pm on the day, accompanied by £20, which will be refunded if the protest is upheld.
SAFETY
If the level of the river is deemed to be unsafe, the race will be postponed.
All crews must be able to swim and must wear approved bouyancy aids throughout the event.
All crew must be over the age of 16.
The crew must be able to escape easily from a sinking raft.
There must be no throwing of water, flour, eggs or other missiles. Broken eggshells have caused nasty cuts, which could become infected in the river water.
Excessive drinking of alcoholic bevarages and cold water can kill. Please do not drink. If you are drunk and fall into the river, your chances of survival are greatly reduced. In previous years rafters have had to be treated for hypothermia because of the effect of alcohol and cold water.
Avoid total immersion if possible as the river contains waterborne diseases, which are not very pleasant and are best avoided.
TREAT THE RIVER WITH RESPECT
