2019 TWS Race Announcements regarding Race Course and Race Check-in
Race Course:
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Spring Lake Dam portage. Due to construction on the river left of dam is not a legal/allowed portage. The middle (standard routes) and river right around the dam are allowed. The TWS will have cones and one lane of the road blocked off for racers who choose to portage river right around the dam.
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Rio Vista – River left is fenced off which means less viewing for spectators. Running the rapid or portaging is still the same.
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Martindale Dam/Bridge could be a mandatory portage around bridge. It will be a decision made on Friday and announced at race briefing on Friday at racers meeting/briefing.
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Palmetto State Park Bridge procedures or instructions will also be announced at race briefing on Friday at racers meeting/briefing.
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Gonzales Dam will be a mandatory portage river right. Portaging around Gonzales Dam river left is illegal and is not allowed due to repairs on turbines. The portage around Gonzales Dam river right is a modified version of the long portage and all teams are required to take it. It will be marked.
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Below Swinging Bridge Checkpoint jams are forming and breaking up. It’s a fluid situation and racers need to be prepared how best to handle.
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The Seadrift Cut to San Antonio Bay is clogged with Hyacinth and Jams. They may not be clear by TWS. It is us up to teams to know how to portage or navigate the Seadrift cut or know the route taking Traylor Cut to San Antonio Bay.
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We have secured a property/lot for team captains and spectators on a property/lot river right directly across from Traylor Cut for team captains and spectators to see their teams. Follow River Road off HWY 185 like you are going to Wooden Bridge.
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Teams that take Traylor Cut and where the cut opens up into Mission Lake that is considered part of the bay. All team members are required to wear a personal floatation device (PFD, Life Jacket).
Race Checkin:
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Race Check-in begins at 12 noon. We have 185 teams entered this year, a record for the TWS. Check in will busy and we recommend getting to check in early. Check-in lasts from 12 noon to 6:00 PM.
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Must pick up race packet at Check-in table prior to Race Officials checking in team. Race bag will contain racer t-shirts, team captain t-shirts and TC vehicle placards. The placards must be displayed on TC vehicle dashboard.
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Required Equipment will be checked at this time – see section 3 Required Equipment of the rules. Due to the record number of boats entered this year it is highly recommended that the paperwork is filled out ahead of time and ready to be reviewed when race official checks boat in. Checklist/Inventory Sheet
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Racers and Team Captains must sign waivers. These must be completed before finding a Race Official to complete check-in.
There are 2 waivers that each racer and TC must sign. One person per waiver. The guardian section is only completed if the racer is a minor. You must sign your name, print your name and FILL IN COMPLETE ADDRESS. Also complete the Emergency Contact Information section. Write boat number at the top of each waiver.
If a racer or TC cannot be on site Friday to sign waivers, they must sign waiver Saturday morning by 7:30 if waivers were not completed before check-in. Click here Waiver Instructions
Race officials will collect the waivers from the team during when the boat is being checked.
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Find a Race Official to complete check-in once your boat is unloaded with equipment that will be in the boat along with completed waivers and completed check in/inventory sheet. Ensure that you have all required equipment for officials to verify. Check date of flares.
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No race day check-in allowed.
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Team Captain changes will incur $25 admin fee
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Race briefing will be from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. One person from a team is required to be at race briefing. That person can be a racer or it’s team captain. No exceptions.
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Please register your SPOT prior to race check-in on Friday.
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Palmetto park passes will be available for sale at check-in table. Required for anyone entering the park. This is official check point so all team captains will need one. Annual State Park Passes are valid as well.
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Parking: A third shuttle bus has been added to this help transfer folks to and from parking areas. We will have a designated boat unloading area. This is not a parking area. It’s for dropping off boats. Please unload boats as quickly as possible.
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To get to the check-in/start, stay on the access road coming from Aquarena Springs Drive and not go up on the overpass and follow arrows to the Meadows Center(see attached map). There will be a boat drop off area and then vehicles unable to park at the Meadows Center will need to be moved to Travis Elementary School lot 1 or road area 2. Bus shuttles will pick up and drop off starting at those lots. Once those two areas fill up the shuttles will also pick up and drop off at the overflow area in the football stadium lot as well. Parking Map 2019