These are unofficial notes, not with the authority of the ARA nor of the
Rules of Racing Sub-Committee.
For full details of the rules, see the relevant issue of the British
Rowing Almanack.
A summary of the 2005 changes, and the 2005 edition of the ARA
Rules of Racing (in
php
and MSWord
versions)
are available on the
ARA website;
there are a number of errors in the
php
version.
2-1-6 - Qualifications of key race officials.
The final provision is to remain as a recommendation, and the note
has been deleted which said that this provision will be mandatory from 1.4.2005.
It will now read:
"It is recommended that the Starter and Race Umpire at a multi-lane competition
should hold a multi-lane endorsed licence or be a trainee adopted by the
Multi-Lane Commission and under the direct supervision of a multi-lane endorsed
umpire."
2-2-3 - Safety Information and Circulation Patterns.
The footnote is strengthened and will now read:
"These instructions shall be distributed to competitors with the draw. One
copy must be supplied to each competing crew. These instructions shall also
be distributed, in advance of the competition, to the commissioner attending
(in accordance with rule 5-1-2) and all officiating umpires."
2-3-7 - Coxswains
Sub-para a clarified, and now will read:
"Coxswains must wear a life jacket or buoyancy aid in the correct manner
and be familiar with the method of operation. In "front-loader" boats
coxswains must wear manually operated gas inflation life jackets."
The wording of the rules regarding the start has been clarified:
2-4-1 - Reporting at the Start
Sub-para b will now read:
"The Starter shall announce the race, the competing crews, their stations
and, where practicable, thereafter the time remaining to the start of the
race, ideally at one minute intervals, up to two minutes prior to the start
time."
2-4-3 Crew Preparation
will now read:
"Competitors must be attached (where relevant) and ready to race two minutes
before race time.
The only delays on the start should be for alignment and for getting straight.
Excess clothing should have been removed, and adjustments made, by two minutes
before race time."
2-4-4 Start Procedure
The clarification includes splitting the old sub-para b to distinguish the
announcement of the race details (in the new sub-para b) from the "Roll Call"
(in the new sub-para c) which forms part of the final start sequence:
"a. The starter shall announce any ‘Official Warnings’ that have
been given against any crews in the race, including any given by him for
being late at the Start.
He should ensure that any affected crews understand that an ‘Official
Warning’ counts as a false start, and so a false start in the race will
eliminate them. He shall ask for an acknowledgement from any crews so
named.
b. The Starter shall announce the race number, event, and the outcome (if
appropriate).
The aim here is that the competitors are sure of the outcome of the race
and what result they have to achieve to continue in the event.
c. The starter shall then carry out the "Roll Call", naming each crew in
turn.
This identification should be simple and brief. The Start Procedure
has now begun. Ideally the Roll Call will not begin until aligning
is complete because competitors can expect the race to be started at any
time after the end of the Roll Call.
d. Once the Roll Call begins, the crews must make sure that their boats are
‘straight’.
Crews must actively get ‘straight’ and indicate if they are
not ready to go by a raised hand from the steersman.
If the Starter considers that one or more crews are delaying the start through incompetence or without good reason, or if wind conditions make it too difficult for all crews to achieve simultaneous alignment down the course, he shall indicate his intention to proceed with the start by the words: ‘Hands Down’.
e. Each crew is responsible for being both straight and ready to race at the end of the Roll Call. The Starter may then take no further notice of any crew which indicates that it is not ready or that it is not straight.
f. After the last crew has been named in the Roll Call the Starter shall check that the Judge at the Start has the white flag raised, Timing and Race Umpire are ready; and shall then say ‘Attention’.
g. The Starter shall then slowly and deliberately raise a red flag.
h. After a further distinct pause, the Starter shall say: ‘Go’,
simultaneously dropping the red flag smartly to one side.
Whenever possible the flag shall be held extended using both hands so
that it is extended under tension and its release can be easily seen by
competitors and officials alike. The pause between the raising of the
flag and the start command shall be variable.
j. If, after the red flag has been raised, the Starter decides that the Start
should not proceed directly, he shall say: ‘As you were’ and slowly
lower the red flag. When he is again ready to proceed, he will begin
again from the word: ‘Attention’.
Notwithstanding ‘e’ above, the Starter is responsible for the
fairness of the Start, and he should watch that the crews continue to be
in a position to start fairly during the final stages before the word
‘Go’.
A white cross may be added to the red flag of the Starter to assist
visibility.
Variations to the Start Procedure for Veteran Handicap races are given in
Rule 4-1-7."
2-6-3 Duties of the Judges
The following additional sentence is added to the note in sub-para b:
"It is recommended that a sound, audible to the competitors, be provided
as each crew passes the line."
3-3-1 Lightweights
Clairification regarding weighing in. Sub-para d will read:
"d. The weight of lightweight competitors shall be determined each
day not less than one hour and not more than two hours before the scheduled
time of the first race that day of the event in which the competitor is entered
(see 2-3-6a). All members of a crew must report for weighing at the
same time. This rule shall not apply to coxes (see Rule 2-3-7b).
It is recommended that, for identification purposes, competitors carry
their ARA Racing Licence or photographic identification when presenting
themselves for weighing."
3-3-3 Juniors
Sub-para c was worded incorrectly in some of the published versions of the
rules folowing last year's changes. As well as correcting the misprints,
categories J9, J10, and J11 have been added at the request of Council. It
should read:
"c. J9, J10, J11, J12, J13, J14, J15, J16 and J18 are competitors who have
not attained 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 18 years of age respectively
before the first day of September preceding the event."
5-2-3 Closing of Entries
The word "foreign" should have been removed when sub-para g was reworded
to refer to "any crew from an association other than the ARA". It should
read:
"g. The Regatta shall make enquiries of any crew from an association other
than the ARA, to check, as far as they are able, that the crew enters an
appropriate event for their experience and crew record.
Such crews should provide an event with details of their competition history
with the understanding that their governing body may be contacted."
A summary of the 2005 changes, and the 2005 edition of the ARA Rules of
Racing (in
php
and MSWord
versions) are available on the
ARA website;
there are a number of errors in the
php
version.
Page produced 27 Dec 2004, last updated 21 May 2005.
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