What do I need to do at the start of a race?

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Accepted Answer

Your crew must be attached to its start platform at least two minutes before the start time. A crew arriving less than two minutes before is late and may be given a Yellow Card by the Starter (rule 10.1). The first 100 metres of the course is the Start Zone, and the Starter assigns your lane when you enter it. At "Two minutes" the crew prepares to race: removes extra clothing and checks equipment. The Starter then calls the roll of crews in lane order. Once the roll call begins, make sure your boat is straight. Each crew is responsible for being straight and ready to race at the end of the roll call, and the Starter takes no further notice of a crew that then says it is not ready or not straight. The Starter says "Attention", raises the Start Flag (or turns the traffic light red), pauses for a clear and variable time, then drops the flag and says "Go" (or the light turns green with an audible signal). In a Quick Start there is no roll call: the Starter says "This will be a quick start", then "All Crews", then "Attention" (rules 10.3 to 10.6).