About the sport
Types Of Boats
The boats (or shells) are basically of two types and reflect the two forms of rowing---sweep rowing and sculling. In sweep rowing each rower handles a single oar (about 12.5 ft. or 3.9 m long); in sculling a rower uses two oars, or sculls (each about 9.5 ft. or 3 m long). The word shell is often used in reference to the boats used because the hull is only 1/8 to 1 inch thick to make it as light as possible. These shells are also rather long and as narrow as possible. Each rower has his back to the direction the shell is moving and power is generated using a blended sequence of the rower's legs, back and arms. The rower sits on a sliding seat with wheels on a track called the slide. Each oar is held in a U-shaped swivel (oarlock) mounted on a metal pin at the end of a rigger. The rigger is an assembly of tubes that is tightly bolted to the body of the shell. The subtypes of rowing shells are classified according to the number or rowers in the shell: eight (8's), four (4's), two (doubles), and one (scull).
Race Formats
Divisions
Races are classified into divisions: Mens (M), Womens (W), heavyweight (HWT) or open, lightweight (LWT), etc. The divisions are then divided up into 8+s, 4+s, 1xs, and so on. For a typical regatta you might see separate races scheduled for M8+, W8+, W4+down to W1x and M1x. There may be separate heavyweight and lightweight divisions. Lightweights may require a weigh-in before the start of the regatta.
Types of Races
Sprint. The standard sprint race distance is 2000 meters and usually has six shells racing against each other in their separate designated lanes which may or may not be marked by buoys. These races can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes depending on boat class, weather conditions, water current and the physical condition and experience of the rowers. Other racing distances are 1500 meters for Junior age division (high school).
Head Races. These races are conducted later in the rowing season, starting in late September. They are about 2.5 to 3 miles long and the boats are started in their respective divisions separately at 10-second intervals. These races are usually conducted on a river with an assortment of bridges and turns that can make passing quite interesting. The winner of each division is referred to as the 'head' of that river.
Starting Procedures
Crews are expected to be at their starting stations two minutes before the scheduled time of the race. Once the boats are locked on, the judge at start will supervise the alignment process. When all crews are level, he/she will raise a white flag. The Starter will then poll the crews by calling their name process. When all crew are level, he/she will raise a white flag and say, 'Ready'. If a crew is not ready, its bowperson should raise his/her hand. When all crew have been polled, the Starter raises a red flag, gives the commands Are you ready' and Go!. At the command GO! the Starter drops the red flag. Crews may break the plane of the starting line once the flag begins to move.
In windy conditions, the Starter may dispense with polling the crews and use a 'quick start'. Here, the Starter says, 'Attention!' and if no crew responds, immediately raises the red flag and gives the starting commands.
Crews can be assessed a warning for a false start for being late to the start, or for traffic rules violation. A crew that receives two warnings in the same race is excluded from the event.
If a crew breaks equipment in the first 10 meters of the race, it should stop rowing and signal to the umpire, who will then stop the race.
Once the race has begun, the Referee follows in a launch. He/she will instruct a crew only to avoid a foul or safety hazard. If a crew is about to interfere with another crew, the umpire will raise a white flag, call the crew's name, and drop the flag in the direction where the crew should move. If a crew is about to hit a known obstruction (such as a bridge abutment) the umpire will raise a white flag, call the crew, and yell 'Obstacle!' or simply 'Stop!'. If the umpire needs to stop the entire race, he will ring a bell or sound a horn, wave a red flag, and call out 'Stop!' if necessary.
A crew that wishes to protest the race must raise a hand after it crosses the finish line and lodge the protest with the umpire. This must be followed by a written protest accompanied by $25. A jury will decide the protest after a hearing. If the hearing goes in the favor of the protest then the $25.00 is returned.
