The ECAC is pleased to announce that the 2003 ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships (formerly known as the Avaya Collegiate Championships), will be held on the Cooper River, home of the EAWRC Sprints and IRA Championships. The 11th edition of the championships, co-hosted by the Cooper River Rowing Association (CRRA) and the Masters Rowing Association (MRA), will take place May 10th and 11th. In addition to the involvement of the CRRA and the MRA a new lead sponsor will be announced next week.
The move to Camden was made possible in part by the Camden County Board of Freeholders and Camden County Parks Department, who responded enthusiastically when approached by the ECAC in its search for a home for the 2003 championships. This will be the first time that the Cooper River will play host to three ECAC Rowing Championships in the same year.
Please find the full text of the Regatta Notice below:
Friday, February 14, 2003
To: Interested ECAC, Avaya, and Other Coaches and Administrators From: Gary Caldwell, ECAC Director of Rowing Re: Site Change, Event Name Change, addition of alumni events, policy changes and implementation for the 2003 ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships. (Avaya Collegiate Championships)
As in past years the ECAC Rowing Office, in consultation with various coaches and administrators has attempted to fine tune regatta structure and format. After careful consideration and lengthy discussions the following policies were approved for the conduct of the 2003 Regatta:
Championships Dates and Venue: The Championships will move to the Cooper River, Camden County, New Jersey in 2003. Co-hosts for the event are the Cooper River Rowing Association (CRRA) and the Masters Rowing Association (MRA). The regatta will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2003 and Sunday, May 11, 2003.
Regatta Title and Sponsorship Changes: The Avaya, Inc. sponsorship of the ECAC Collegiate Rowing Series ended as of July 1, 2002. To avoid further confusion over the name of the regatta (i.e. what happened to Champion), the championships title will change to the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships effective with the 2003 regatta. An announcement regarding the addition of a new lead sponsor will be forthcoming next week.
Regatta Entry fees: Entry fees for the 2003 championships will be $150.00 per boat accepted into the regatta. As in past years, payments for unaccepted entries will be refunded. Fees for schools participating in the ECAC/Metro portion of the regatta will pay a flat entry of $600.00/school.
Tentative Championships Race Schedule (Subject to change): The first preliminary heats will be conducted on Saturday, May 10, 2003 from approximately 3:00 to 6:30 PM. Remaining heats, semifinals, and all finals will be conducted on Sunday, May 11, 2003 from approximately 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM. A copy of the proposed tentative schedule is attached to this document. Please note that this is a tentative schedule only.
Women's Events - Eligibility: No changes will be made in the eligibility for the women's events for the 2003 Championships. Institutional eligibility vis-à-vis scholarship issues will remain the same as they were in 2002 and the same five events for women's crews will be offered, (Varsity Women's Eight, 2nd Varsity Eight, Novice Eight, Varsity Four, and Lightweight Varsity Eight).
Expansion of Events for Division I Scholarship Schools (ECAC/Metro): Up to 12 ECAC Division I Scholarship Schools will be invited to compete in the NCAA events, Varsity Eight, 2 Eight, and Varsity 4, and also Novice eight. Only Colleges that are able to field crews in all four events will be considered for these events. (Note: EAWRC Schools will not be eligible to participate). As of today the following have been issued invitations: UMass, URI, Buffalo, St. Joseph’s, Delaware, Villanova, West Virginia, Drexel, Colgate, and USMMA. All crews in this Division will race in heats and finals on Sunday, May 11th only. There are currently two slots available for further school participation to fill the field for this event.
Men's Events - Eligibility and Format: Eligibility restrictions previously imposed against non-sprints scholarship schools (Men's programs only), were lifted prior to the 2002 championships to be consistent with the regatta rules as they existed prior to 1997. Non Sprints schools that offer athletic aid to their men's programs, (GWU, Rollins, Charleston, etc.), are once again be eligible to compete in the regatta. The same six events for men's crews will be offered as in 2002; Varsity Men's Eight, 2nd Varsity Eight, Novice Eight, 2nd Novice Eight, Varsity Four, and Lightweight Varsity Eight.
Women’s Varsity Eight and Men's Varsity Eight progression: The race progression for the Women’s Varsity Eights event will be changed to mirror the progression first used in the Varsity Men’s Eight in the 2002 Championships as follows: Three heats of six crews each will race at the beginning of the Saturday afternoon program. The top four finishers in each heat will progress to two six boat semifinals to be raced at the end of the Saturday program. Fifth and six place winners will move directly to the third level final on Sunday. Place winners 1-3 in each semifinal will move to Sunday's grand final, place winners 4-6 will move on to Sunday's Petite Final.
Alumni Eights Races: As part of the 2003 Championships, the ECAC will hold Alumni Eights races for men and women in affiliation with co-host Masters Rowing Association (MRA). Entry materials for these events will be included in the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships entry package.
The ECAC is committed to providing a season ending championship opportunity to those Division I ECAC member schools that are not currently members of the EAWRC Sprints League, starting in 2003. The viability of this new championship is at least in part contingent upon the NCAA Division I Competition Committee recognizing this new regatta, the EAWRC Championships, The Western Sprints, and the South Central Championships as viable Regional Championships with at least one team automatic qualifying berth to the NCAA Division I Championships from each regatta.
The intention of the ECAC is to continue to represent our traditional Avaya constituency, REGIONAL and NATIONAL, as best we can, while at the same time trying to continue to provide exciting competitive racing opportunities in a championship setting and format for ECAC Division I, Division II, and Division III schools.
Pertinent policy changes outlined above will be incorporated into the 2003 ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships entry package. 2003 Entry materials will be available via e-mail and online at http://rowing.ecac.org/site/ February 15, 2003.
ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships Preliminary Schedule