Race Organiser’s Pack
There’s quite a lot to organising and running a canoe marathon event. Below is a list of different elements you need to think about and do for it to be a successful event.
What you need to think about beforehand
- Check ahead possible local conditions relating to:
- Other sporting events
- Fishing season
- Boating season
- Weed or likely river conditions
- Tides
- Check local users and facility availability or clearance for:
- Clubhouse
- Parking
- Toilets
- Other river/towpath users dates
- Canal and Rivers Trust
- Local authority
- Appoint Event Safety Officer(s) and/or get them appropriate trained on the 3-hour Event Safety Management training course run by PaddleUK – More information here.
- Get the main organising team to meet and arrange a suitable date
- In the last August before event, submit a calendar entry online, with alternatives dates
Once the date has been confirmed
- Arrange race organisation team and meet as necessary
- Arrange additional insurance if needed
- Contact/inform police and other services as necessary – the local council Safety Advisory Group are normally very helpful in connecting all these services together and giving feedback on your event paperwork
- Think about how you are going to advertise your event
- Is there some sponsorship you could source for it?
- On the day arrangements
- 1 month before or earlier, sort out entries page on our site and send out the advertisements for the event – social media, MRC social media (contact the comms team)
About 2 weeks before the event, complete the essential set-up tasks
- 2 weeks before or earlier:
- Complete Risk Assessment, upload to entries site and forward it to RMA
- Brief marshals
- Assemble or check safety equipment
- Confirm all tasks and volunteers needed, particularly marshals, starters, finishers, results
- Download Event Toolkit template and other forms from PaddleUK or MRC website
- Day before:
- List any issues for checking in, such as fees or evidence of PaddleUK membership
- Download Racman file complete with entries and current rankings if working offline.
On the day or just before
- Carry out a final course and conditions check
- Mark out the course
- Checking in – ensure membership, Event Toolkit issues dealt with, late entries
- Briefing contents:
- Domestic issues of venue
- Safety issues
- Rules
- Course(s) being used
- Combined starts for inquorate classes and special arrangements if very low numbers or split starts
- Start order
- Allow time for some questions
- Starts
- Finishes
- Deal with any issues
- Publish provisional results through the race entry software
- Prize-giving
- Keep any result lists/finish orders/videos/notes/marshal’s reports
After the event
- Check all information in results file for membership numbers, expiry dates, etc.
- Immediately complete race management software file(s) and forward to RMA, Ranking Officer and Race Records Officer with report of any necessary issues
- Within 2 days, total the race levy and forward to MRC Treasurer
Things you will definitely need to do
- Complete the Risk Assessment, containing the welfare/safeguarding plan or create a separate one
- Register the race organiser and your race on the Race Entry System
- Locate the PaddleUK Single Event Membership link for use with visiting competitors that are not PaddleUK members. They should use the link and obtain SEM before entering so the PUK can be entered.
- Report all incidents that occurred during the event using the PaddleUK Incident Reporting Form
- Total up and remit the Race Levy either by cheque or by online banking
The above is all detailed within the Hasler Race Process
