After the successful NZ Masters and Aoraki 1k Regattas this past weekend and with Otago Championships just 6 weeks away, the SIR Covid Committee want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the impact of Covid restrictions on the Meridian Rowing Centre when running events.
Level 2:
All teams will be assigned to zones within gathering limits.
Competitors and support staff must arrive into the zone parking in a vehicle, remain in their zone, launch and retrieve from their zone, toilet in their zone and leave from their zone in a vehicle. THEY MUST NEVER CROSS A ROPE OR BARRIER INTO ANOTHER ZONE.
The only access to the facility is via vehicle (no access by bicycle or on foot). As teams are required to stay away from their zone when not competing, entire teams arriving by bus is not possible. Passes will be allocated to individuals for each zone. No Pass, No Entry, No Exception.
THERE ARE NO SPECTATORS AT THIS REGATTA. AS THE REGATTA WILL REQUIRE ALL ZONES THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE LAKE, INCLUDING ON MACKENZIE DISTRICT COUNCIL MANAGED LAND. A ROAD CLOSURE HAS BEEN SOUGHT FROM THE MDC.
Entities are reminded that gate staff are volunteers and should not be having to turn away family and supporters at the gate.
Teams are required to appoint a Covid Officer who must fill in the following documentation.
(1) Team Contact Register. This will be used to issue passes for entrance into the venue and will be used as an official record for health purposes,
(2) Away from venue level 2 compliance template. This is required to ensure your team is aware of and has plans in place to comply with Level 2 in Twizel away from the controlled environment at the venue.
Squads will be locked via Rowit at 10pm on Friday 19 November 2021, so zones can be allocated. There will be no changes to entry closing dates. No Composites will be accepted via Rowit composites will be Zone only after entries close.
Each entity will be allocated a maximum additional passes based on the number of competitors as set out in the table below.
| Entrants | Additional Passes |
| < 5 | 2 |
| 6-12 | 3 |
| 13-24 | 5 |
| 25-32 | 7 |
| 33-40 | 9 |
| 41-48 | 10 |
| 49-56 | 11 |
| 57+ | 12 |
Entities should prepare to manage their group with this number of support staff. Support staff will need to include drivers of competitors into the complex. This may mean that entities need to appoint a driver to do drop offs from the gate to the zone.
Entity Club reporting via Rowit will be enabled should clubs choose to allow schools to enter via the school entity then they will be considered separate groups. If groups are separate, then they may be placed in separate zones and should be aware that plant and equipment cannot be shared between zones.
Covid Logistics Manager (CLM) Logan Keys will run a briefing on Wednesday 10th November on the Level 2 Plan SI-wide for all key persons at each program so they understand what they need to do and how the plan will likely affect how they operate.
Topic: COVID Level 2 Update
Time: Nov 10, 2021 07:00 PM Auckland, Wellington
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88623001874?pwd=VHUyMmdNdXo5bkhVRVRReFkzY3VhUT09
Meeting ID: 886 2300 1874
Passcode: 349926
Traffic Light System:
As signalled by the Government, should sufficient levels of vaccination be achieved, NZ or the South Island may move away from the current alert level frame work to the Traffic Light System. As currently framed under this system events have the ability to move away from gathering limits of 100 if the event is limited to those vaccinated.
SIR, CRA, ORA, MRA and SRA are committed to running events with as minimal restrictions as possible. Therefore, upon implementation of the Traffic Light System the 2021 Otago Championships, 2022 Canterbury and South Island Championships will be limited to those vaccinated only, if doing so would allow fewer restrictions.
SIR and the Covid Regatta Committee are continually reviewing how the Government framework affects our Regattas and will keep our rowing community informed of any changes to protocols.
Please direct any questions to covid@ruataniwha.co.nz
Aoraki was well run regatta under trying conditions at times. Can the mower/weed eater go along the bottom of the bank. We were in zone 7 and it was tricky in places.
The zoom meetings should be adopted for all future regattas. better than on the Friday night when we are normally busy with crews.
Thanks to all involved, you have done a great job.
Thanks for your feedback, this has been passed on to our Complex Custodian (weed eating) and the Regatta Committee Chair (zoom).
There seems to be no mention or provision for Officials or volunteers. Is this Regatta being run without them?
Also, what happens at the start? Again there is no mention of a starter, boat holders, aligner etc. Is the start being run remotely?
Thanks for your comment. The Covid Committee have advised the following: Officials will be required as normal and will operate from their own exclusive zones at the finish line area and the start area. The start will be run as normal. We are hoping to run the event with boat holders as per normal. Boat holders would be members of the official’s zone at the start line.
Hi there
With the 20 zones for the Otago champs – are the clubs/schools that have a pad/area going to be allocated within that zone that their pad/area normally is? It would be good to be able to put up a tent on the existing pad.
Hi Sacha, thanks for your comment. I have checked with the Covid Logistics Manager and can confirm that there is no guarantee teams will be allocated a zone which has your regular tent site/area. Some zones will be in the boat park, some at the start and the remainder spread along the embankment between 1000m and finish in areas where the bank is not too steep to launch. The zones will be allocated after squads are locked on Friday 19th. So definitely make sure you have some tent pegs and a decent sledgehammer at the ready!
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