Marshaling Policy
As part of the privilege of participating in CRCA club races in Central Park, each racing member is obliged to serve as marshal during the racing season — March through November.
Marshals are required by the NYC Parks Department to be stationed on the course to ensure the safety of racers and other park users. Marshals also serve as ambassadors of the club for those who stop to ask for information.
Marshals are expected to show up on a bike or on blades.
–Marshal Director
How often?
Each racing member is subject to marshal twice each year, with the following exceptions:
- New members subject to marshal three times.
- Junior members do not marshal
- Life members do not marshal
- Board members, women racing age 55 and above and men racing age 65 and above are only subject to marshaling once as new members
Race Eligibility
Members must be signed up for their full marshaling requirements for the season in order to be eligible to participate in club races.
Where do I check in for marshaling on race day?
Please sign in for marshaling, in the car park along Cat’s Paw Hill (which is north from the boathouse, up the hill on the left).
New members
New members are required to marshal 3 times during their first season. The system will guide you to choose among certain dates specifically for new members for the first marshal date. The other 2 dates may be chosen from any marshal dates that are open.
But it was raining!
CRCA races are held rain or shine. You are expected to show up to marshal no matter what the weather. You can bring a warm coat, galoshes, an umbrella, and coffee - unlike the guys and gals who ride.
If you show and the race is canceled, you will be given credit for a marshal date. If you do not show, you will be suspended.
Marshal schedules
The marshal schedule is published in the newsletter and on the CRCA web site at least one month in advance, but usually two. If your name appears, you are responsible for marshaling on that date or for furnishing a substitute. You may change a marshal date via the system on www.crca.net to another marshal date that is open, but bear in mind that the system ‘locks’ 14 days prior to each race to prevent a marshal shortage for the upcoming race.
Pace drivers
Members who have motorcycles can be assigned as pace drivers, which will count as one marshaling date. Indicate on your renewal form if you will be available to serve as a driver. Coordinate any moto pacing dates with Stephen Chang.
Contact: stephenkchang[at]yahoo.com
Reminder
The week before the race, you will get an email reminder of your marshal duty. If you do not receive a reminder due to a system failure or for any other reason, you are still responsible for that marshal date.
Suspension
If you miss your marshaling date for any reason, you will be penalized an extra marshaling date — ie you will have to marshal twice before you are off the suspended list — once to cover your initial missed date, and one extra penalty date. Everyone will still be expected to marshal twice in a season (not including suspensions).
For Sub teams there is an extra incentive for ensuring your team mates are observant of marshaling rules:
As in previous years any sub team with a member on the Suspended Marshals list will not be able to score Team Cup or Team Challenge Points. This goes for the current race and any future ones until the suspension is cleared.
If any sub team has three members on the Suspended marshals List then the whole team will not be allowed to race any CRCA races until such time as all suspensions and extra marshaling duty is cleared.
A suspended member is not permitted in club races.
The suspended rider is responsible for making up all of the dates missed. Just show up on a morning of a race and volunteer.
Members on the suspended list at the beginning of a year (for failure to marshal) must marshal as often as the number of marshal dates missed in the preceding year. You will not be assigned new dates until the prior year’s suspension is made up.
A suspended rider who is inadvertently allowed to enter a club race will forfeit any placing and winnings for that race. Additional penalties, to be determined by the CRCA board, may also be imposed.
When to arrive
Marshals are expected to sign in with the marshal captain 45 minutes prior to the start of a race. If you are not in the marshal sign-in line 15 minutes before the start, depending on how many marshals and volunteers show up, you may be considered a no-show. Members who simply show up to volunteer for credit are accepted only if we have not reached the required number of marshals at the 15-minute time limit.
Substitutes
You may recruit adult friends or relatives to serve as your replacement. You may swap dates with another member.
You may also pay someone to marshal for you. We will try to publish a list of ‘freelance’ marshals in the newsletter. The arrangement between you and a paid marshal is a private business matter. The marshal director will not find a substitute for you; you do not have to inform the marshal director when you use a substitute.
Your substitute must give your name and the reason for marshaling (e.g., “getting off suspension”) to the marshal captain for you to get credit for marshaling. If you use a substitute for an assigned marshaling date and your substitute does not show, you are suspended. You may use a substitute for getting off suspension. You may race when you use a substitute on an assigned date, or to get off suspension (provided that all of the missed dates are made up). Your substitute must come on a bike or blades.
Associate membership
If you do not want the responsibility of marshaling but wish to keep in touch and support the club, renew as an Associate (non-racing) member. You may be able to switch in midseason by calling the Membership Director. Associates enjoy all privileges of a CRCA member, except that they cannot enter club races.
You can download a printable copy of this policy.