safety & KIT

Race 2 the Castle is a fully licensed, insured and permitted event. We continue to work alongside all local authorities to ensure we host a safe, fun and inclusive event for all.

What are we doing to keep you safe

The route is very familiar to us. It’s our home waters. We have paddled this route many many times and clocked up the km’s in a variety of conditions. We have the skills and experience to let you know what to expect out on the route regarding weather and conditions and will share this information with you via the safety briefing delivered in the whatsapp group and online portal.

Everyone has access to our online maps highlighting check points, locks, first aid points and any hazards to be aware of. All participants will follow the navigational rules of the waterway (River Right) event signage and updates on event day from the Race Director.

Pre Registration

1A. Event open to paddlers 18+ 

1.B. All Junior paddlers will be invited to register later in the year.

2.A. All paddlers must register for the event and read the safety briefing which will be posted in the event whatsapp and on the online event portal, this will be released 48hrs before event day.

2.B All paddlers must have familiarised themself with the published route, points and hazards ahead of event day.

3.A. You have the necessary experience, skill and stamina to take part in the event.

3.B. You have the ability to paddle unaided for 40km in varied (possibly choppy and windy) conditions.

3.C. You have experience paddling on a river.

4. You have understood the pacing, timings and cut off times for your specific category.

5. You understand and acknowledge that SUP can be potentially dangerous and that there are inherent risks, which may result in serious injury to yourself. You also understand that water and general weather can act in a sudden, unpredictable and changeable way. You declare that you can confidently swim a minimum of 100 meters unaided in a PFD and can self rescue and have the ability to repeatedly remount your SUP Board without external assistance as a result from a fall.

6. You agree to carrying the following Mandatory Kit

Mandatory Kit List

This will be checked on registration, Gunthorpe Check Point and at the end (not because we are dictators and rules for rules sake….but because if sh*t goes down, we want you to have access to some basic stuff that will help you). You can of course add more items, that suits your needs and strategy.

6.A. Emergency Kit

The following 5 items below MUST be carried on your person, in your PFD pocket or bum bag.

  • Fully charged mobile phone, with access to the internet and in a dry bag. You will have the Race Director and Head of Participants Welfare telephone number pre programmed in your phone. You will have joined the event day WhatsApp group and have notifications on loud.

  • Event tracker.

  • Foil blanket - The Marathon style one. (Something like this)

  • Sugary snack & spare hydration.

  • Cash / bank card.

6.B. Equipment

Inflatable board only, fin, single blade paddle, leash, personal flotation device (PFD). Your PFD must be body worn at all times when on the water. Not permitted - Inflatable waist PFDs, powered fins, wind assisted devices and wind assisted clothing.

6.C. Clothing

  • Suitable clothing that is reactive to the weather.

  • Footwear must be worn at the locks. No barefoot portaging/walking.

  • Consider sun protection, rain, cold temperature.

  • Full change of clothing available at the end of the race. We will transport this for you.

  • Access to change / spares during the event (spares on board?)

Dedicated First Aid Provision

We have a dedicated team of professional first aiders at Gunthorpe Lock & at the end at Newark Castle. Their sole focus will be welfare checking on all participants and be ready able to provide any necessary care required.

Additional to this, supporting along the route, we will have our team of RLSS Open Water Lifeguard Instructors who also hold their Emergency First Aid Certification and be able to provide any necessary care required.

Hydration & Nutrition

Paddlers are required to begin the race carrying their own water and fuel. We highly recommend using a hydration bladder in your PFD or wear the rucksack type on top of your PFD rather than relying on a water bottle on your board. At all locks and at the finish there will be access to drinking water via the waterways tap and snacks to help re-supply paddlers with water.

We ask you to consider and plan your fuel needs ahead of event day.

For the safety of all participants there will be a mandatory 10min break for all racers at Gunthorpe Lock. You’ll arrive at this checkpoint/cut off point and then your 10min will begin. Here, our team of volunteers and first aid support will welfare check you and get you ready for your next stage. You can of course have a longer break, but you need to manage your timings to meet the next cut off check point.

How will I know where I am? How will you know where I am?

  • Tracker. You are tracked. We can see you. Not in a weird stalker way though. Our Race Director, Head of First Aid and Head of Participant Welfare will all be able to see you and track your progress. On event day, behind the scenes there is a military operation happening. We have eyes on you in person at the CPs and virtually via the tracker app. Your tracker is included in your entry fee. All participants will be able to share the tracker details with friends and family.

  • Map. You can also print, laminate and wack it on your board.

  • Everyone has access to our online maps highlighting check points, locks, first aid points and any hazards to be aware of. All participants will follow the navigational rules of the waterway (river right), event signage and updates on event day from the Race Director.

Communication on event day

You will have pre- programmed the Race Directors & Head of Participant Welfare contact details and they will be available to take your call. There will also be an event day WhatsApp group that all communication will be shared in.

Retirement from the event

9.A. I have had a fun day, but I want to retire from the race.

Our aim is to see and cheer you all in at The Castle in Newark, but we aren’t the boss of you. If on event day you decide you have had enough fun and you want to retire from the race early, that is Aokay. Gunthorpe Lock Check Point (16.4km) is the easiest and preferred place for you to retire from.

Here you must phone and inform the Head of Participant Welfare and inform them of your retirement. This number will be stored in your mobile phone. Once contacted, feel free to make your way to the castle for event day celebrations (and collect your medal). If you are concerned about not making these cut-offs please have your own transportation organised. The race will not provide shuttles from these points. If you leave the course and fail to notify event officials, you will not be permitted to enter the race in the future.

9.B. Cut Off Times & Welfare Checks.

These are designed to keep you paddling at a pace and to ensure everyone participating has the skills, stamina and strength to complete the event. For your safety and your wellbeing if you are unable to meet the required cut off times you will be asked to retire from the event, return your tracker. Additional to this, if our professional first aid team at Gunthorpe have concerns over your health and well-being, they too will ask you to retire from the event. If you are concerned about not making these cut-offs please have your own transportation organised. The race will not provide shuttles from these points.

Our safety team has the full authority to revoke the option to continue paddling past the checkpoints, and they can insist that a paddler retires from the event if they deem the paddler unfit to continue. This may be due to extreme fatigue, poor nutrition, injury etc. If the paddler does not appear coherent/appears confused/losing coordination/motor skills/etc., our team has the authority to insist the paddler stop paddling. Please accept this with grace. These cut-off times are for your safety. 

Paddler etiquette

We ask the R2TC community to be respectful and supportive of all paddlers. Any paddler found to be behaving with poor etiquette, unsafely and in an unsporting way, will be disqualified.  See below for definitions. Race Director decision will be final.

  • If you see a paddler in distress, you must stop and offer support. We will make any necessary time adjustments.

  • At the locks. The wave start time will help ease congestion at the locks, but we do ask for the support of the R2TC Community of paddlers to ensure the smooth and respectful exit & re - entries onto the river. If there is a queue at the locks, this means no shoving, clambering, jumping the queue. You must wait your turn. Use these known points in your event strategy, take a rest, stretch, take something to eat if there is a queue at the locks.

  • A reminder that we will be sharing the waterway and tow path at the start, finish and locks with members of the public and to follow all event directional signage. All portages will be keep right on the tow path and no running with boards at the locks. This will allow a safe shared space.

  • All paddlers must walk and portage all locks. Going through the locks is not permitted. No running is permitted at any locks.

  • Further unsporting / unsafe behaviour is defined as:

  • Using the board, paddle or body in order to block a fellow paddler from forward progress, turning, drafting, starting or finishing.

  • Purposely impeding the ability of a fellow paddler to paddle, turn, dismount, start or finish.

  • Behaving in an excessively aggressive way through conduct or speech towards the event officials, other paddlers, spectators and the general public.

  • Repeated contact with another paddlers boards (particularly from behind whilst drafting).

  • Not adhering to the “opt out” drafting with the adventure fleet.

  • Running at the locks.

Weather

Our prayers to the weather gods have all ready begun, we ask you to pray for a sunny spring day with cloud cover, tailwind and a lovely flowing river ;)

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the skills, stamina and experience to paddle in the conditions on event day. We will communicate to you via the safety briefing 48hrs before event day on what the weather and conditions are predicting and what to expect out on the route.

Our dynamic risk assessment includes reacting to weather and river conditions. In the unlikely event of adverse, unsafe weather with a weather warning in place on race day, the event will be postponed.