Virtual Hooch

Setup for Your Virtual Race!

Last updated 11/13/22

Frequently Asked Questions

+ 1. Adaptive

Do I need to be FISA classified to race in the Adaptive Events?

No. The virtual Head of the Hooch ® allows all athletes to self-classify in all events. If you are classified, you can let us know when you enter.

+ 2. Awards

If I’m a winner, how do I receive my medal?

We will to send it to you in the mail.

+ 3. General

When does registration open?

Registration will be open around the time of the in-person event and will close on January 12, 2024.

What time is my event?

Once entries close, we will create the draw for the racing schedule. Your event may be combined with other races if there are insufficient competitors.

What time zone is the virtual Head of the Hooch® operating in?

Good question! All times will be based NA Eastern Standard Times (EST) or GMT - 5 hrs.

Can I get a refund if I can’t race?

There are no refunds as indicated when you register for the race.

What is the distance raced?

All events are 2,000 meters.

+ 4. Race Day

Can I bring food and drink into the facility with me?

Your house, your rules.

Can I have my own coach/coxswain/parent with me?

Sure.

Can I use someone else’s entry?

No, entries are non-transferable. Each lobby code is unique

Can someone take my place?

No. Substitutions are not allowed.

Is there seeding for the virtual event?

If I’m a winner, how do I receive my medal?

We will mail your medal to you.

Is there a warm-up period?

40 minutes before your race you will be allowed into the race lobby for warm-up and preparation for your event.

What drag factor do I have to use?

You may use any drag factor setting you choose. However, you may not change the setting once the race has begun.

What is the race schedule?

Click here for the event schedule.

When does the race schedule post?

The preliminary schedule can be found here and may change depending on the number of participants.

Where can I find a video of me racing?

We do not record a video of the event.

Where can I find photos of me racing?

We do not take photos of competitors.

+ 5. Registration

I missed the entry deadline. How can I make a late entry?

If space and time allow, we may allow late entries

Is it too late to enter?

The deadline to enter the 2024 Virtual Head of the Hooch ® is 11:59 PM EST January 12th, 2024

Is there a coxswain event?

What is my age group?

For all racers other than Youth entrants, age is determined as of December 31, 2024. For, instance, for the 2024 event, Under-23 event participants must have been born on or after January 1, 2002. Youth entrants must be 12 before or on race day, and must be under 14 on race day.

What is the age cutoff for the Under-23?

For the 2022 event, Under-23 event participants must have been born on or after January 1, 2002.

Masters

Masters Events are limited to competitors who have attained or will attain the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the highest contained integer.

A competitor becomes a Master on January 1 of the year of his or her 21st birthday. A Masters crew shall be comprised exclusively of master’s rowers. With the exception of Masters 1x events, which are already split by age, the 2x will have two divisions, 50 and over and under 50. The age is based on the average age of the boat and handicaps will still be used. 2x events could be combined depending on the number of entries received, with the same start time and different event number. However, medals will be awarded to the winners in each category (men and women under 50 and over 50, and mixed 2x’s (over and under 50).

What is the qualifying time for my event?

There are no qualifying times required to enter and race in the Virtual Head of the Hooch®.

Can I enter any event?

No. Men’s events are for male rowers only. Women’s events are for female rowers only.

What about mixed crews?

Each mixed crew will have a crew of one man and one woman.

When does registration open?

October 6th 2023 and closes January 12th, 2024

What do I need to do to have my Virtual Hooch time qualify towards an entry for the WIRC?

In order for any competitors time to be used as a qualification for the WIRC, the athlete must submit a video of the row to the WIRC. This must be a single take that includes a close-up of the monitor before the start, a clear view of the athlete and erg throughout the race, and a close-up of the monitor after the finish. Documentation to confirm age must be made available upon request. Lightweights must be weighed-in no earlier than two hours before their race, under independent supervision, on approved scales. Personal scales with family or friends as witness will not count. Weigh-in should satisfy the same level of scrutiny as at a venue race venue.

+ 5. Equipment

What equipment is needed for the Virtual Hooch®?

Concept2 static ergometer with PM3, PM4 or PM5 monitor with the most current firmware, a laptop (PC or Mac), USB A-B cable (i.e., Printer Cable) Internet connection wired (preferable) or Wi-Fi. It is recommended to keep a back-up internet option ready like a mobile phone hotspot in case you lose your internet connection.

What drag factor do I have to use?

You may use any drag factor setting you choose. However, you may not change the setting once the race has begun.

Do I need a stable Internet Connection?

Yes! Competitors must compete on an internet network with a maximum latency of 500ms. Competitors who have not met this internet speed requirement by 5 minutes before their race start will be removed from the live race. You can check your setup connection by following the steps below:

Connect your ergometer to a laptop
Go to https://homerace.nl
Click on “connect your ergometer” button and connect to the system
Do a connection test – this will check if your internet latency is good enough to join a race.

This requirement is to make a best effort so that all competitors can reasonably see one another throughout the race. However, internet speeds can vary throughout a race, and competitors can drop out and back into a race. With this in mind, competitors are advised to race to their maximum effort and not rely on the visual images which might be misleading.

How do I test that my equipment will work?

A test day is scheduled for Wednesday January 17th, 2024. All athletes are strongly encouraged to sign up for one of the test slots to ensure that they understand how to connect to the Homerace software and attempt a practice race.

Test slots will be limited to 40 athletes at one time, and testing will take approximately 20-30 minutes. Slots will be added as needed in popular time zones.

Registration for your test slot will open soon and you must be signed up for before January 12th. 2024. Registered competitors will receive a Homerace link 2 days prior to testing via email.

I broke a record during my race. How do I have my time recognized by Concept2?

The athlete must submit a video of the row to Concept2. This must be a single take that includes a close-up of the monitor before the start, a clear view of the athlete and erg throughout the race, and a close-up of the monitor after the finish.

Documentation to confirm age must be made available upon request. Lightweights must be weighed-in no earlier than two hours before their race, under independent supervision, on approved scales. Personal scales with family or friends as witness will not count. Weigh-in should satisfy the same level of scrutiny as at a venue race venue.

If I managed an Individual World Record, what do I do?

Good thing you asked! Concept2 has a very detailed information page for submission of world and national records – Just [click here][3] for more information. [3]: https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/racing/records/individual-record-requirements

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