Registration F.A.Q.

What does my entry fee include?

One on-water practice sessions will be available on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Team managers will be contacted by email in the order of their registration date to select their practice session day and time. We recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity. We encourage you to have your own steer available for practices. If you don’t bring a steer/sweeps person from your team, we will assign a volunteer steer to your practice.

Friday evening - Opening ceremonies with beverages and appetizers. Followed by a welcome reception to greet old friends and make new ones.

Saturday afternoon/evening - Parade of Nations and “Block Party” which includes a variety of food vendors, music to get you “pumped up” and dancing along with a grand time with our friends in Sarasota.

Team representation in the Sandy Smith Global Race

Closing Ceremonies

A minimum of 2 races per day plus the Sandy Smith Race and the Flower Ceremony

20′ x 10′ tent at race sight (for teams with at least 20 paddlers)

Individual credential identification tag

Souvenir program

Souvenir bag

Lunch on both race days

Water at race sight

Round-trip transportation from Official Recommended Accommodation hotels to race site, parade site and opening ceremonies, return to hotel after closing ceremonies from race venue. There will be limited transportation to practice sessions. More information on this will follow once we coordinate practice sessions based on team arrival dates.

What are the fees per paddler?

All fees are in US dollars including all taxes and are:

Early Bird Registration – starting April 1, 2013 until October 31, 2013 or the first 50 teams register, whichever comes first. Early Bird Registration closed April 4th, 2013.

Price - $200 per person includes IBCPC* $10 Levy

Standard Registration– begins May 28, 2013 and closes February 1, 2014.

Price - $225 per person includes IBCPC $10 levy

Where and how do I send the registration form?

This will be an electronic registration process. Your team manager will do your provisional registration. Once we receive your deposit of $2000, your team manager will receive an email prompting her to create a user name and password to start your team roster. Once your team manager adds a paddler’s name and email address, it will send a link to the paddler with information to fill out a team member form and waiver, which will also be electronic.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please email [email protected] or call 786-666-2014.

IMPORTANT PAYMENT NOTE: Please ensure that all forms of payment (checks or wire transfers) include your team name as it is registered with IBCPC and be sure to register your team name for this festival as it appears on the IBCPC register. We need consistency so we can reconcile payments with team registrations in order to clear you for your accommodations selection. You will not be able to select and reserve your accommodations before clearance from registration, meaning your team must be registered and full deposit payment received.

If we are a USA team sending a check, where do mail it?

You can send your check to the address below. Please note the envelope should be to the attention of the REGISTRAR.

Sarasota BCS 2014 Festival Corp

7200 S.W. 108th Terrace

Miami, FL 33156

Attn: Registrar

If your team is outside of the United States, please see the instructions below for your wire transfer. Please remember to send your transaction number or information to: [email protected] as soon as you have completed your wire transfer so we may be aware and can monitor your deposit.

Wire transfer must be directed to:

Payments from all countries except the United States must be in USD and made by wire transfer to:

Bank Name: Bank of America, Brickell Branch
Address: 701 Brickell Ave., Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 1-800-432-1000

Contact the registrar for payment procedures at: [email protected]
_________________________________________________________________________

Wire transfer should be made out to:

Beneficiary Name: Sarasota BCS Festival 2014
Address: 7200 /SW 108th Terrace, Miami, FL 33156
Beneficiary Bank Name: Bank of America

Email a copy of your wire confirmation to: [email protected]

What is the IBCPC Levy?

The International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission (IBCPC) levy is one of the primary methods of acquiring funds for the IBCPC. Please visit www.ibcpc.com to learn more about the organization which is committed to supporting breast cancer survivors around the world through dragon boating.

What about transportation?

Transportation to and from Sarasota from home locations or airports is an individual/team responsibility. Airport transfers can be arranged through the following links, depending on where you are arriving.

If you are going to arrive at Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete/Clearwater or Sarasota/Bradenton airports, click here to make a reservation with the coupon code with SuperShuttle for ground transportation to Sarasota
If you are going to arrive at the Miami airport, you can inquire about transportation services at this link.

The festival will provide transportation to take you to and from your Official Recommended Accommodations to festival activities and return you to your accommodations as long as you are credentialed for these services. This applies to both paddlers and supporters. It is highly recommended that teams stay together as much as possible at one hotel/lodging facility for ease in getting your teams to the race site on time and without incident.

If you choose to rent a car during your visit, most hotels have ample or free parking. More information will be provided at a later date regarding our car rental partners from either airports or within the Sarasota area.

What is the deadline for registration?

The deadline for registration is May 1, 2014 and absolutely no late entries will be accepted.

What if we don’t know all of our team member names in time for the standard registration deadline?

Teams must pay the required deposit of $2,000 USD and submit names to their team roster when the second and final payment is due. All names must be submitted no later than August 1, 2014 when all individual registrations and waivers are due.

Are there different fees for supporters?

Fees are the same whether you’re a supporter or a paddling survivor or non-paddling surivior. There will be at least one race for those supporters who wish to paddle. Supporters will have access to everything the paddlers do with the exception of racing, if they register with us.

How is breast cancer survivor defined? What if someone is at high risk and has take preventable action, for example, had surgery for a double mastectomy and wants to participate in this event as a survivor?

For this event, a breast cancer survivor participant is someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer or is considered a previvor, meaning someone who has undergone surgery to prevent the possibility of breast cancer due to hereditary genes. People not fitting into this definition can participate as a supporter.

Can supporters participate and how is supporter defined?

A supporter can be a partner, friend or family member of a breast cancer survivor participant. A non-paddling survivor may also be a breast cancer survivor who does not wish to participate in the on-water activities.

How is “team” defined?

A team consists of a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 26 members including drummer and steers person (sweep). The entire team must be made up of breast cancer survivors; there are no exceptions. This includes the drummer and steers person. Steers will be provided if you do not have one but we strongly suggest that you bring your own steers person if you can, since that person will be familiar with your team’s paddling technique and commands and visa versa. Please be sure and have your steers or sweep bring a brief resume of their experience.

What is considered a team registration?

A team registration consists of ONE entry with at least 20 participant place-holders which is submitted simultaneously by the Team Manager or coordinator.

Are substitutions allowed?

Yes, substitutions are permitted. An administrative fee will be charged for each name change after September 1, 2014. (These fees can be paid in US dollars when the team manager comes to pick up team credentials to avoid another wire transfer fee.)

What about refunds?

This policy has been in place since registration opened April, 2013. As a reminder your team captain has agreed to the following by signing the registration form:
Condition of Entry/Refunds:
“I certify that our team undertakes to be bound by the conditions of the entry/registration. I further understand that entry fees for all members of the team are not refundable.”

If I have additional questions, whom do I contact?

Please contact: [email protected]