VRC Racing | Polar Bear Series

The Race Committee has accepted a series registration from About Time with a PHRF rating of 104 rather than her valid PHRF-BC rating of 114. About Time has made no alterations to her stated As Sailed configuration. As About Time possesses a valid 2020 PHRF-BC rating (NOR 6.1) but is requesting a faster rating for this series and NOR 6.4 excludes boats with a valid PHRF-BC rating from receiving a Club Rating, About Time will remain eligible for series prizes and/or trophies.

All Polar Bear competitors departing from Vancouver Rowing Club moorage must familiarize themselves with the Rowing Flow Pattern illustrated on the linked document: https://vrcracing.ca/wp-content/uploads/Course-Map-Current-2020-10-15.pdf. A reminder that you must have a lookout sighting and communicating the position of rowers when departing the VRC docks.

Port of Vancouver freighter anchorages are marked on CHS Chart 3481. They are available on the web at the Port’s interactive map, as GPS coordinates on page 167 of the Port’s Port Information Guide, or the navigation app of your choosing such as Navionics or Seapilot.

VRC Polar Bear racers: Polar Bear racing is POSTPONED for tomorrow, November 8, 2020.

As most of you have probably seen, Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry has ordered some additional restrictions on sporting activities that go into effect today. Although we are still waiting to see the exact wording of the health orders, we feel the most prudent thing to do is to postpone tomorrow’s race.

We will be looking to get the full details of the orders as soon as they are published, and will advise you on the status of the Remembrance Day race and subsequent Polar Bear races; we are eager to get back on the water once it’s safe to do so! We will also look at the possibility of adding an additional race day onto the end of the series, depending on how things unfold.

VRC Polar Bear racers: Polar Bear racing is POSTPONED for both November 22, 2020 and December 6, 2020:

In the spirit of the recent Provincial Health order and with the limitations on travel between communities, we have decided to postpone the next two Polar Bear races that were scheduled for November 22, 2020 and December 6, 2020.

We will be looking at scheduling dates in 2021 to replace the three races that have been postponed from the Fall 2020 series.

We are all eager and looking forward to getting back on the water and racing again once it’s safe to do so!

Update on VRC Polar Bear Winter Series:

As a result of the BC Provincial Health Orders restrictions being in place until January 8, 2021, unfortunately the exhibition race scheduled for Sunday January 3, 2021 is cancelled.

We will be providing an update with regards to the other races scheduled in the Winter Series when there is more information available from the Provincial Health Officer on whether these restrictions will continue into January or beyond.

We know many of you are itching to get back out there and we look forward to when the restrictions are lifted so that we can see you all out there on the starting line. Until then, stay safe and we’ll provide you more details when we have some further guidance.

Update on VRC Polar Bear Winter Series:

As a result of the continuing BC Provincial Health Order restrictions that are now in place until February 5, 2021, unfortunately the races scheduled for January 17th and January 31st are postponed.

We hope to reschedule the missed Polar Bear races at a later date in 2021.

Until then, stay safe and we’ll provide more details on the scheduled February and March races when we have further guidance.

VRC Race Committee

Update on VRC Polar Bear Winter Series:

With the recent announcement from the BC Provincial Health Officer confirming that Province-wide restrictions on groups and adult sports are now in place indefinitely, we are postponing all remaining Polar Bear races for the 2021 Winter Series.

We still hope we can reschedule the missed Polar Bear races at a later date in 2021 if the restrictions are lifted.

Until then, stay safe and we hope to see you at the start line when we can resume racing again.

Also, we are looking at scheduling a Rules Update for Racers evening in the near future – so stay tuned for the date.

VRC Race Committee