There are several types of races run on Pern: sprints, middles, and stayers are flat races; hurdles and chases are jump races, and there are two types of chases; finally, there are cart races.

Flat races are run over a flat course. Sprints are generally on a straight flat course while middles and stayers are often on an oval course. Sprints vary in length from 1/4 to 1/2 mile long, ideal for runners who have great speed but little stamina; middles run 1 to 2 miles long and are based primarily on a combination of speed and stamina; stayers run over 2 miles long and are named for the runners' ability to stay in the race and rely less on speed than on stamina.

Jump races are run over a course containing obstacles that require a horse jump over them. Hurdles are light and moveable, constructed of thin slats of wood with give to them. There are at least 8 hurdles in a hurdle race, and the hurdles are between 2 and 4 feet tall. Frequently, hurdle runners are former flat runners who no longer have the staying power to last in flat races. Next are chases, of which there are two types--coursed and uncoursed. Coursed chases resemble modern Earth steeplechases and occur over a set and otherwise flat course with specially designed obstacles (hedges, ditches, and fences). Uncoursed chases, which resemble the original steeplechase, are less prestigious but more competitive than coursed chases; a leader (or organizer) will pick a particularly tall landmark which can be anywhere from 1/2 to 5 miles off and runners will race in that direction, jumping any obstacles they come across. This is a highly dangerous form of racing, frequently resulting in injury and death to both runner and rider, and there are no Clubs that actively support this form. Frequently, chase runners are hurdle runners who are too slow to hurdle but whose jumping technique has improved over time hurdling.

Finally there are cart races. These resemble modern Earth harness-racing and involve a single horse pulling a lightweight cart carrying a driver. The carts are two-wheeled affairs, little more than wheels, axle, and a platform barely large enough for the driver to sit which follow close on the runner's heels. Some runners are panicked by the proximity of the cart and may kick at it, breaking the cart, injuring the driver, or even harming themselves. These races are ideal for heavier or smaller runners who don't have the build for flat or jump racing, particularly draybeast stock. The runner only has to trot, a pace which most runners can maintain for hours on end; cart racing also has sprints, middles, and stayers races.

• Challenger Chapter (Nagas Weyr)
  • Chapter President: M'kym
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• Sprinters Chapter (Nagas Hold)
  • Chapter President:
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    Chapter Members:
    • Lord Alec
    • Chrenrod
    • Borec
    • Tincer
• Didelus Bay Chapter (Padas Hold)
  • Chapter President:
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    • Ziarna
    • Dartore
    • Tuken
    • Dartia
• Black Rock Chapter (Samas Hold)
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    • Niek
    • Brutan
    • Kaylough
• Runners Chapter (Bukas Hold)
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    • Sokolos
    • Panal
    • Dironi
• Firestone Chapter (Gunas Hold)
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    • Oriar
    • Nasan

There are several types of canine races run on Pern: dashes, mids, and longs are flat races; channels are designed specifically for the terrier types; and agility.

Flat races are run over a flat course. Dashes are generally on a straight flat course while mids and longs are often on an oval course. Dashes vary in length from 100 to 200 meters long, ideal for canines who have great speed but little stamina; mids run 200 to 400 meters long and are based primarily on a combination of speed and stamina; longs run between 400 and 800 meters and are named for the canines' ability to stay in the race and rely less on speed than on stamina.

Channels run through specially designed tunnels underground. A rodent or tunnelsnake is placed in a box at the end and the canine is graded on time taken to locate the prey and how often the canine comes out of a wrong exit.

Finally, there are agility races. Like the races of Earth, these are completed with a combination of human and canine work. An obstacle course is set with assorted hurdles, platforms, tunnels, and walkways that the canine must navigate completely in a set order. The handler works extensively with the canine, teaching hand and voice signals in order to command the canine as it works its way through the course. Because of this extensive training, it is frequently the owner who runs the canine rather than another handler.

• Contender Chapter (Nagas Weyr)
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• Dashers Chapter (Nagas Hold)
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• Heelers Chapter (Padas Hold)
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• Darters Chapter (Samas Hold)
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• Canines Chapter (Bukas Hold)
  • Chapter President:
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    • Sokolos
• Trackers Chapter (Gunas Hold)
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Several types of boat racing have evolved on Pern, some of which resemble modern Terran boatracing. Three of the most popular with younger sailors are match, fleet, and sailboard races. There are also canoe racing, rhythm races, sprint racing, offshore racing, team racing. With the exception of canoe, sailboarding, and rhythm racing, all of these races can be run with crews between 1 and 4 sailors; canoe and sailboard racing are a one-man crew only while rhythm racing requires 3-5 participants. Frequently, match and fleet races are one- or two-man crews.

Canoe racing can be done on a variety of watercourses, from rivers to open ocean. There are several designs of canoe, from long and broad to slim and short depending on the watercourse it was designed for. On river-races, the short, slim variety are prefered due to the faster speeds that are incurred by traveling downriver. Longer and broader boats are preferred for lake and ocean racing. A second type of boat preferred for lake racing are the coracles, a design created and popularized by the Weyr; coracles are a small, round bowl-shaped boat, designed by the Weyr for bathing dragons in winter when a rider can't chance becoming soaked in cold water and falling ill. They are particularly difficult to navigate as their round shape allows them to travel in any direction, while canoes generally move in only two directions--forward or backward.

Rhythm races are similar to canoe races, although rarely occuring on rivers unless the river is slow and wide. These are strictly a team race, requiring at least two sailors plus a drummer. The drummer beats on his or her drums to guide the rowers. There are two drums on the boat, one on the starboard and one on the port side. The two rowers face the stern of the boat while the drummer faces the prow; thus, the drummer is in charge of providing direction to the rowers. To turn the boat to port (left), the drummer beats solely on the starboard drum and the rowers pull only on the starboard oars; the process is repeated on the port side to turn the boat to starboard; to pull on both oars and follow a straight line, the drummer beats on both drums. Besides this, the speed with which the drummer beats determines the speed which the rowers row.

The NEWEST sailrace event is sailboarding. This, like canoeing, is a one-man crew only event. This event is similar in every way to canoe racing except for the type of craft used. While canoes are powered by a single sailor using oars, sailboards are powered by a sail. The craft is simple and consists simply of a flat board with two fins on the stern end and a thin mast with a single sail; control is maintained by the sailor's weight over the fins (leaning more weight on one fin or the other increases drag on that side and forces the board to veer in that direction) and the angle of the sail (this is limited depending on the direction of the wind but can be used to veer the prow end of the board in one direction or another). It is a new type of craft invented by Freeholder children under Master Sailor Kelasi's tutelage. It is rapidly gaining popularity among the younger generation.

The most dangerous sailrace is the sprint race. Although the name sounds inocuous, the word does not refer to the length, but to the time which the race is completed. The race resembles the uncoursed chase for runnerraces. A course can be laid out on and around a river using buoys and natural water channels. Channels are 9-15 feet wide and generally intersect each other at any angle other than 90 degrees and curves in the course may be either sweeping or very tight. Courses may be laid out on open water using buoys to define the edges of the channels. Most sprint race craft hulls are 13-15 feet long with a vee angle of 21-23 degrees and it also has several strakes on each side; longer hulls take more distance to turn and usually must be turned at a slower speed while the strakes provide "traction" by preventing the craft from sliding sideways across the water when turning at high speed. Although it is possible for a single sailor to compete in these races, generally craft are crewed by two sailors, a driver and a navigator. The navigator's sole responsibility is to guide the driver through the course, usually using simple hand signals. This event is limited to sailboats only. A race consists of a short, swift race with 25-30 changes of direction and lasting less than 3 minutes. Sailboard racers are beginning to take up sprint races using sailboards despite the extreme danger involved in these races.

A less popular sailrace is the offshore racing. These are generally long-distance races, up to and sometimes even exceeding 10 miles long and are mostly held on the ocean, although some do occur with smaller craft on Didelus Bay. Although craft of any size can be entered in these races, the only stipulation is the use of sails; now rowboats are allowed.

Match racing is an extremely popular event, particularly with the younger generation. These vary from a small race between to or three competitors to large races involving up to 32 craft. The races are run over a short section of water, generally a mile long, and only two craft at a time. The craft are paired off by type and crew size, so in a sanctioned race, a 1-man skif cannot race a 2-man sloop. The craft are placed in brackets, and the winner of each bracket goes on; i.e. when starting with 32 craft, the second bracket level will only contain 16, the third only 8, the fourth 4, the fifth 2, and the final bracket is designated for the overall winner. This method can be used for any number of competitors, though it gets more complex the more craft are entered in a race.

Also very popular is fleet racing. Fleet racing is identical in every way to match racing except for one aspect: instead of only two craft of the same type and crew size racing at a time, all craft of the same type and crew size race at the same time and each craft is judged on an individual basis. The only other difference between fleet and match racing is the length of the race; fleet races are frequently longer to give the craft more time jockeying for position.

One of the least-practiced races are team races which are run in a relay style. Teams consist of either three or four craft which are spaced out evenly over a straight course. The first craft begins the race, sailing toward their team's second craft, which is not allowed to begin moving until the first craft reaches a marker just over a boat-length from the second boat's stern. This requires precise timing because if the second craft fails to begin moving in time, the first craft may collide with the second. The second follows the same patter sailing to the third craft; if teams include a fourth craft, the third follows the same pattern as the first two. These races are not limited by craft type, although teams must consist of the same types of craft: for example, if Team A has a canoe, a rhythm boat, and a sailboat, Team B must also have a canoe, a rhythm boat, and a sailboat in order to compete in the same race as Team A.

• Flitter Chapter (Nagas Hold)
• Wherry Chapter (Nagas Hold)
• Bay Cruisers Chapter (Padas Hold)
• Skimmers Chapter (Samas Hold)
• Drifters Chapter (Bukas Hold)
• Riverrun Chapter (Nagas Hold)

Think of the Inventors League as your high school or junior high school science team. These are mostly Journeymen and women of different crafts who put aside conflicts between their crafts or between each other and work on inventing new things. Right now, one of the most popular things is finding a better way of cutting stone in order to make easier the carving new weyrs in the volcanic face of the Weyr. It requires the work of stonesmiths, miners, smiths, and a couple of healers (to clean up the injuries when a prototype test goes badly). Most of the Chapters consist of men and women in the following Crafts: Smithing, Woodsmithing, Sailing, and Stonesmithing; there are also several from Mining, Tanning, and Glassblowing, and every chapter has at least one member from the Healercraft. This last is pretty much required since experiments and prototypes have been known to blow up (literally) in their builders' faces.

So what do they do? They invent stuff. They're tinkers and advanced thinkers. In Earth terms, they're engineers. Most of the Chapters have a particular table (or, in the Holds, a particular tavern) where they meet regularly in the evenings after their classes and duties for the day are done to discuss their projects.

• Innovaters Chapter (Nagas Weyr)
• Masons Chapter (Nagas Hold)
• Sands Chapter (Samas Hold)
• Carpenters Chapter (Bukas Hold)
• Furnace Chapter (Gunas Hold)