Christopher F Shea
Honorary Secretary
Top Tip
If you wish to transfer between two crews, you need to start by subbing in
someone who is not taking part. OE will prevent someone being in two crews
but you can sub as much as you like as long as you have at least two of the
original (rowing/sculling) members of the crew entered at all times.
Chris Shea
Hon. Sec.
HOR4s
What about the special case of replacing the cox and then making two
further subs? You then have replaced half the "rowing members" and the cox
which is allowed. There's no rule to say that the crew has to compete in the
order you have them on the entry form, or even that the cox and stroke (say)
cannot swap on the day provided that the points total is still correct.
Please remember that there is a Rugby International at Twickenham.
This usually means that the main A316 road, that goes over Chiswick
Bridge, becomes gridlocked with heavy traffic from about mid-morning.
There are also roadworks, road closures and divertions on the South
Circular Road, where it crosses Putney High Street. (Not all the
alternative routes are suitable for trailers)
There are also road works on the Upper Richmond Road in Sheen/Mortlake
area at the junction with Queens Rise.
Good Luck
I would read that as changing 3 of the rowing members, which isn't allowed.
Seating order of rowing members isn't significant under the rules; who rows
and who coxes is.
--
David Biddulph
Rowing web pages at
http://www.biddulph.org.uk/
Perhaps one for the RoRSC to clarify?
I won't hold my breath - my umpire's ticket runs out in 2013
Richard du P
"Up to half the rowing members of a crew and the coxswain may be substituted
before the crew's first race."
When the Cox swaps places with one of the rowing members, they cease to be
the Cox and become a rowing member of the crew. You have then replaced more
than half the rowing members of the crew in your scenario.
Sorry but my news reader has taken against you and I was unaware of your
post until David replied.
Chris
At the same time you should be considering the ability of your crews to
compete in what are likely to be rough conditions, even if the race takes
place. We can only decide whether the race is safe to go ahead for suitably
competent crews. You are the ones in a position to consider the competence
of your own crews. If you are in any doubt about your crew being able to
cope with the conditions you should scratch. One School has already
scratched two of its three crews on this basis. They are to be commended
for making that judgement.
Any scratching must be notified before 10pm tonight or in person at Chiswick
Pier House. If the race goes ahead it is essential we know who is on the
water.
It is likely to be cold and windy. If crews are not properly dressed there
will be a real risk of hypothermia, especially for the latter starting
crews. We will not hesitate to remove crews from the river not properly
attired for the conditions.
Christopher Shea
Honorary Secretary
Head of the River Fours
IIRC in 2007 when the HORR was cancelled, the weather was blustery
and yet the decision to go ahead was made on the basis of a 'weather
window' predicted by the PLA. I was afloat in a tin-fish, much against
my own instincts because I had expected a cancellation even before the
tide turned, helping crews above Barnes Bridge which had been swamped,
when the decision was made to start racing. I then heard all of the
radio messages from the umpires and emergency services and the efforts
of them to get everyone safely ashore cannot be underestimated but,
unfortunately, my own warnings before the race started were not heard
because the steel structure of Barnes Bridge prevented clear
reception.
I am sure that lessons were learned then and that if the weather has
not stabilised the event will be cancelled. If not, then coaches must
make their own decisions based on the experience of the crew and the
inherent buoyancy of the boat.
Fine words, but -
How many coaches, crews or clubs will have even the first inkling as to
what is the "inherent buoyancy of the boat"?
Can _you_ calculate it? Only a tiny proportion of the population,
rowing or otherwise, is able to do the maths - even for a simple
prismatic object.
Could Stuart Ward do it? He has written to inform me that he is
sufficiently expert in such matters. In reality I think he was kidding
himself & foolishly attempting to fob me off. All so shabby when lives
may depend on the real life flotation characteristics of a swamped shell.
Respect where it is due, some lessons, organisational and other, will
certainly have been learned from previous fiascos. I have a high regard
for the normal expertise of those running this event, but if conditions
are abnormal....? The place & time to do that learning is _not_ when
you have 500 crews afloat in a storm. That, as they say, is when the
shit may hit the fan.
Each crew, we are told, is supposed to make its own risk assessment on
each occasion they go afloat. Unless they have previously been swamped
in their boats, or have performed the necessary calculations on those
boats (for both of which, in the large majority of cases, the answers
must be that they have not), they cannot even begin to make that risk
assessment.
Let's all hope for better conditions & a great race.
Cheers -
Carl
--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells -
Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write: Harris Boatyard, Laleham Reach, Chertsey KT16 8RP, UK
Find: http://tinyurl.com/2tqujf
Email: ca...@carldouglas.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1932-570946 Fax: -563682
URLs: www.carldouglas.co.uk (boats) & www.aerowing.co.uk (riggers)