1. Rules of Rowing An Introduction 2007

2.  Referee Commission January 2007 2 Rules of Rowing Published annually in March by the United States Rowing Association (USRowing) Available for download on the web at http://www.usrowing.org; click “Referees”, then “Rules of Rowing” http://www.usrowing.org

3.  Referee Commission January 2007 3 Rowing Defined (1-201) Rowing is the propulsion of a displacement boat through water by the muscular force of one or more rowers, with or without a coxswain, in which oars are levers of the second order, and in which the rowers are sitting with their backs to the direction of forward movement of the boat

4.  Referee Commission January 2007 4 Underlying Principles and Priorities (1-102)  Safety  Fairness  Consistent Application The first is infinitely more important than the rest

5.  Referee Commission January 2007 5 Major Sections General Provisions Conduct of the Race Equipment Competitors Regattas Trials Rules The Course Head Races Supplemental Rules —Addenda Today’s Topic

6.  Referee Commission January 2007 6 Conduct of the Race Officials Safety and Fair Conditions The Start The Body of the Race The Finish Penalties and Protests

7.  Referee Commission January 2007 7 Officials (2-101 to 2-105) Six functions/positions described in the Rules, to be filled by licensed officials Chief Referee Starter Referee Judge at Start Chief Judge Members of the Jury Referees routinely fill other functions/positions Marshal Control Commission

8.  Referee Commission January 2007 8 Minimum number of Officials More than one of the required functions can be performed by a single individual, e.g., Starter can follow a race Judge at start can follow a race A registered regatta is required to have a minimum of 3 licensed officials, one of whom must have a Referee license (to act as Chief)

9.  Referee Commission January 2007 9 Safety and Fair Conditions (2-201 to 2-207) Chief Referee is responsible for insuring the safety of the course and regatta procedures Checking course - layout, obstacles, hazards Posting of safety information Launch protocols Traffic patterns Pre-race meeting (“Coaches & Coxswains”) Assignment of referees and safety personnel and equipment Chief is also responsible for making the call to cancel or suspend racing if conditions turn hazardous

10.  Referee Commission January 2007 10 The Start (2-301 to 2-311) Starting area is controlled by the Starter An effective Start Marshal is the key to a smoothly-run starting area Typically, Starter announces race, lane assignments, crews and time remaining at 10 minutes prior to announced race time Repeats race call and time remaining at 5, 4, 3 and 2 minutes Crews report and “lock on” NLT 2 minutes before the announced race time Crews need to be uniformly attired

11.  Referee Commission January 2007 11 Getting Ready Judge at Start issues alignment commands to crews/stakeboat holders White flag signals proper alignment While waiting to start, crews maintain alignment, and their “point”, or proper direction straight down the course Crews indicate not being ready to start by raised hands (bowperson, but cox typical) Starter typically begins start sequence by announcing event and progressions

12.  Referee Commission January 2007 12 Types of Starts Polling Start: Crews polled by name only, starting with Lane 1 “Hands are recognized”, i.e,, Starter delays Start until all crews are ready Starter issues Starting Commands Quick Start No polling; starter announces “Quick Start” Hands are recognized Starter issues Starting Commands Countdown Start Starter announces “Countdown Start” Hands may be recognized (but typically are not) Starter counts down: “5-4-3-2-1” Starter issues Starting Commands

13.  Referee Commission January 2007 13 Types of Starts (cont’d) Polling Start is normal and preferred, when conditions and time permit Quick Start used in various scenarios: floating starts, to make up time, crews’ inability to “lock on”, etc. Countdown Start used when conditions prevent use of other types without inordinate delay Typical to bypass use of Quick Start and go right to Countdown Start

14.  Referee Commission January 2007 14 Starting Commands Same for all types of starts Starter uses 3-beat sequence: “Attention!” Red Flag raised overhead “Go!” simultaneously accompanied by quick downward motion of the Red Flag to one side First motion of the Red Flag = OK to start Rules call for a “distinct and variable pause” between raising the flag and Go! Command Good Starter practice is to vary the length of the pause; don’t be predictable

15.  Referee Commission January 2007 15 False Starts and Failure to Start A crew “false starts” if their bow crosses the plane of the starting line before movement of the Red Flag Only the Judge at Start can “call” a false start A warning is the penalty for a false start (terms are often used interchangeably, e.g., “give them a false start”) A crew may choose not to start, and may stop within the limits of the starting area May receive a warning, unless there was broken equipment or their failure to start was otherwise justified

16.  Referee Commission January 2007 16 Starting Commands with Lights Rules modified in 2007 to provide for aligning, starting commands, and judgment of false starts using light systems, rather than flags One US course with lights now (Mercer County, NJ, more expected in the future

17.  Referee Commission January 2007 17 Starting Area and Broken Equipment Starting area extends down the course 100 meters from the start Also called the “breakage zone” Can also be measured by approximately 20 seconds of elapsed time on an unbuoyed course “Broken equipment” may be claimed for boat, oar, or mechanism used in normal propulsion, flotation or steering Cannot be claimed for conditions resulting from neglect or carelessness, “crabs” or jumped slides Races stopped in Starting area are re-started, after any penalties are assessed

18.  Referee Commission January 2007 18 The Body of the Race (2-401 to 2-411) Competent performance by the Referee encompasses a combination of attributes and skills awareness, anticipation, decisiveness, knowledge and understanding the ability to communicate effectively with crews during the race proper launch positioning

19.  Referee Commission January 2007 19 Interference (2-404) Physical contact with or washing another crew, or forcing another crew to alter its course to avoid imminent collision Crews are entitled to protection from interference when in their own water Crews outside their water may be instructed to return, if they are in danger of causing interference Interference is the principal cause of unfairness; judging interference is thus an essential Referee skill

20.  Referee Commission January 2007 20 “Correct” Launch Positioning Two criteria provides the Referee with a proper perspective to visually judge the lane positions (relative and absolute) on a continuous basis enables the Referee to appropriately warn a crew before a significant breach of safety or fairness occurs, without unnecessary disruption to the progress and concentration of the other crews

21.  Referee Commission January 2007 21 Effective Communications Rules 2-407 to 409 delineate various instructions which the Referee may be required to give to crews during a race Each is initiated with an alert to get the attention of the specific crew(s) being signaled Raise the white flag vertically Call out the name(s) of the crew(s) [“Whitman!” “Gonzaga!”] “getting the crew’s attention” is getting eye contact/other recognition from the stroke The specific instructions may be visual, entailing use of the white or red flag to signal to the crew(s); or combine the flag signal with an auditory command

22.  Referee Commission January 2007 22 Referee’s Instructions to Crews (2-407) “Keep Apart!” - raised white flag and command [Move to port/starboard] - white flag moved laterally to desired direction, from vertical “Stop!” - raised white flag and command (for stopping the crew, not the race) “Continue to Row!” - white flag moved forward from vertical “Race Cadence!” - raised white flag and command

23.  Referee Commission January 2007 23 Instructions to Avoid Unsafe or Unfair Conditions (2-408) “Obstacle!” - raised white flag and command “Stop!” - if collision is imminent Crew ordered to stop may have opportunity to win or advance restored, if obstacle was previously unknown or unidentified Unfair advantage: Referee may instruct a crew outside its water and obtaining an unfair advantage to return to its water using instructions in 2-407(a)

24.  Referee Commission January 2007 24 Stopping a Race in Progress (2-405) Must be justifiable on 2 basic principles the likelihood that a crew in contention has been deprived of a fair competitive opportunity, and no further competitive value remains in the race May result from serious collision, freak weather, wildlife interruptions, etc. Interference per se not sufficient; has to justify invoking one of the basic principles Much easier to do in the first 500 meters; rare in final 500 meters “Stop!” - Wave red flag, whistle, air horn, etc. (2-407(d)

25.  Referee Commission January 2007 25 The Finish (2-501 to 2-504) A crew finishes when its bow crosses the plane of the finish line Chief Judge Presides over the finish area Establishes order of finish, assisted by other judges Chief Judge’s opinion is final Directs other personnel Flagperson Timers Scribe Informs Chief Referee of protests Releases results after the race is declared “Official”

26.  Referee Commission January 2007 26 Declaring the Race to be Official (2-503) No protest Referee on the water raises white flag Visible to competitors and Chief Judge Penalty imposed/actions taken, without further protest or appeal Referee raises red flag, followed by white flag Announces penalty Protest being addressed to Jury Referee raises red flag Announces protest Referee reports race time to Chief Judge Chief Judge acknowledges receipt of time by raising white flag Only races ended by “white flag” are considered official

27.  Referee Commission January 2007 27 Penalties and Protests (2-601 to 2-608) Four types of penalties: Reprimand: informal caution/verbal admonishment, with no immediate effect Warning: a formal caution, applying to a crew for the duration of a particular race Two warnings = exclusion Exclusion: Removal of a crew from a particular event Crew may row in other events Disqualification: Removal of a crew from all subsequent races and events in the same regatta Applied for flagrant or intentional violations affecting safety or fairness Reported to USRowing May be applied to individuals in lieu of ta crew

28.  Referee Commission January 2007 28 Restoring Opportunity of Winning Exclusion is normal penalty for interference Referee may choose not to exclude Can place offending crew behind offended crew in order of finish Can’t move offended crew ahead, but… Can consider the offended crew to have rowed a dead heat with the crew immediately preceding it Other remedies Order re-row Advance offended crew to semis/finals,if feasible

29.  Referee Commission January 2007 29 Protests Some matters not subject to protest Non-substantial rights of the crew Findings of fact by race officials All valid protests (with limited exceptions) must be heard and ruled upon on the water by the Referee, at the end of a race Referee’s decision can be appealed to the Jury Offended crew disagrees with facts or remedy Offending crew disagrees with facts, penalty, or remedy Crew completes and files written protest statement, accompanied by $25 fee, within 1 hour of reaching the dock

30.  Referee Commission January 2007 30 The Jury Convened by Chief Referee, who presides as President Jury Hearing Introductions and reading of protest statement Testimony obtained from protesting crew, any affected crews, race officials, other parties Formal rules of evidence do not apply Non-participating observers permitted Jury deliberations in private Results announced, penalties imposed, race declared official Jury decisions may be appealed to USRowing

31.  Referee Commission January 2007 31 Rules Are Just the Start Rules are not rigid, but some are more important than others Chief can relax enforcement of the uniform rule Exceptions/modifications to Rules can be granted to a local organizing committee (LOC) by USRowing as part of the registration process Rules marked by an asterisk (*) cannot be waived or modified by a local organizing committee, except by the Board of Directors Human beings are always in charge (1-105) In situations not covered under these Rules, race officials are empowered to make such decisions and give such instructions as are necessary to carry out their responsibilities, and to effect the purposes described [safety, fairness, consistent application]

32.  Referee Commission January 2007 32 Questions?