Chattanooga’s Market Street Bridge has served as the starting point to Chattajack since the race began. Paddlers have staged upstream of the bridge, a countdown was initiated and the race began. As the race has grown the number of paddlers has increased making it a little trickier for the crowd of paddlers to maintain position, turn around, avoid other vessels around themselves, deal with the current, etc.
So, with that…here is how Staging and the race will start this year:
Staging for the race will take place UPSTREAM of the Walnut Street Bridge. ALL RACERS/VESSELS MUST BE ABOVE THE WALNUT STREET BRIDGE.
• Approx 8:26 AM, Racers will be instructed to begin initiating alignment. – Racers begin positioning themselves in alignment to floating toward the Market Street Bridge • Approx 8:27 AM, Racers will be given the official 3-Minute Warning – Paddlers begin drifting downstream toward the Market Street Bridge (Official CJ Starting Line). No racer shall pass the race official’s boat (Single boat drifting mid river just in front of the race line). The boat will have a P.A. system and will communicate with racers to create alignment. Failure to heed instructions/rushing the line/etc. will result in 10-minute time penalties added to racers individual finishing times.. Simply stay behind the boat. • Approx 8:29 AM, racers will be provided the official 1-Minute Warning – Continue holding lateral alignment while slowly drifting toward the Market Street Bridge, stay behind race official’s boat. • At the sound of the GUN the race begins. (Gun start will take place in close proximity to the Market St. Bridge)
Notes: SUPs - you do not have to stand while staging or maintaining alignment.
Racers may choose to lag behind the front row of alignment if they wish.
Failure to heed instructions/rushing the line/being in front of official start boat at gun start, etc. will result in 10-minute time penalties added to racers individual finishing times.. Simply stay behind the boat.
