Mandatory Pre Race Briefing
A mandatory pre-race briefing will be held on 31st December 2022 (location to be confirmed).
If your team manager and sweep, or paddler, do not attend you will not be able to compete.
- Skis Time to be confirmed
- Surfboats Time to be confirmed
The briefing will cover:
- Issuing of GBM official merchandise to crews/ski competitors.
- Change over protocols
- Scrutineering of surfboats and skis
- Scrutineering of powerboats by NSW Maritime (note large powerboats can be checked prior to commencement of the race on the water by NSW Maritime)
- Drawing of starting race bibs for day one.
How is the race run?
For those that have never experienced our “Great Race” here is a brief overview of what you should expect.
Future newsletters can go further into the actual race and tactics but this should give some insight into
what you’re in for.
The start every day is in deep water between markers at the back of the surf. Under no conditions do we race off a beach. Remember you will have sliding seats fitted and the straight line start will set you on a course directly down the coast.
During the race the ocean is your oyster.
You may steer whatever course you wish and many crews do just that. Some stay close to shore while others can be found kilometers out to sea.
One of the classic ocean racing quotes was made during the 1981 marathon when a cagey old sweep of the
young Corrimal crew was heard to yell at the crew from Moruya “move over Moruya and let us through”.
Remember these crews were racing kilometers out to sea with nothing but ocean all around. You will need to be mindful of hazards (including other crews) and not take the shore side of certain islands and rocks.
These are usually pointed out during the daily briefing. (e.g cutting the corner south of Haycock into Eden).
The finish will always be fair and square to the racing course between markers beyond the break. You will never be asked to complete a race in through the surf. This is a rowing race not a race of chance and the last thing we want to do is place tired crews at risk by asking then to crack waves at the end of a marathon under race conditions.
