The Three WaveChaser Race Courses

In an effort to accommodate racers with various paddling goals and abilities, three race courses are offered at each WaveChaser race. The following should be used as guidelines to determine which course is most appropriate for you.

The novice course is typically 2 miles in length. The conditions on the course will typically be relatively calm. This course is designed for entry level racers such as (1) those without previous race experience, (2) those that lack the rough water paddling skills required to race in the short or long WaveChaser courses, and (3) those that lack the conditioning required to race in the short or long WaveChaser course.

The short course is typically 6 miles in length. Where the conditions will typically not be as calm as those of the novice course, they will typically not be as extreme as those in the long course. The short course is designed for those racers whose experience, skills, and conditioning have progressed beyond what appropriate for the novice course, but who don’t want take on the longer length and possible extreme conditions of the long course.

The long course is typically 10 miles in length. The long course is designed to test the endurance and rough water skills of expert paddlers with experienced in rough water paddling. Course conditions will vary by race venue and the weather of the day, but expect high winds, large waves, and/or strong currents. This course is usually not appropriate for intermediate level racers, and is never appropriate for entry level racers. Racers in the long course should be able to complete the course within approximately two hours.

It is the responsibility of each racer to determine for themselves which course to enter. You should take this responsibility seriously. Do not place yourself and others at risk by entering a course that is beyond your level of skill or conditioning. There are safety boats on the water during each race. If a safety boat is required to rescue you or feels the need to closely monitor you, then you are taking that safety boat away from the rest of the race course and the rest of the racers…putting everyone at additional risk. Always keep in mind that weather and water conditions can change rapidly. If you determine during a race that you are at risk, you should abandon the race and head toward the finish. Inform the WaveChaser staff in the finishing area that you have abandoned the race.

Prior to each race, each racer should check with "http://www.wavechaser.com" and/or the WaveChaser Yahoogroup for specific course info. Each racer should attend the pre-race meeting. Due to changes in weather and course conditions, the course may change the day of the race and/or during a race. Each racer should carry the required safety gear.

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