2025 Rules & Procedures
Updated: July 26, 2025
All USRowing rules found in the Rules of Rowing apply unless otherwise noted below.
1. Registration
Online Registration Process and Dates. The complete online registration process and dates can be found on the regatta’s Overview Page on Regatta Central.
Order of Events. The posted order of events and start times are preliminary until all entries have been made, and when appropriate, are intended to allow for an athlete’s participation in multiple events. When registering an athlete in multiple events, it is recommended to (i) take notice of the tides/currents working against the row to the start, and (ii) allow for a minimum of 1 to 1-1/4 hours between the start times of each event, however, we cannot guarantee that this will always be sufficient time. Requests from team coaches regarding the order of, and spacing between, events will be reviewed and taken into consideration.
Seeding of Races. Seeding of the races will be at the discretion of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC). All “A” boat entries should be the fastest boats and should be following by the “B” boat entries (and so on).
USRowing Sanctioned Regatta. This regatta is a USRowing Sanctioned Regatta. All competitors must be on the active roster of a USRowing organizational member, unless they are rowing as Unaffiliated, and all competitors must meet all individual USRowing requirements, such as having a valid USRowing membership, waiver, and, if applicable, SafeSport certification.
2. Event Definitions
Middle School Events. Only rowers who are actively enrolled in middle school may enter a Middle School event. In an effort to increase safety on the water, coxswains are excluded from the middle school enrollment requirement, i.e., non-middle schoolers may cox middle school boats. All Middle School events shall be run on a racecourse shortened to exclude Cesery Bridge passage.
U15 Youth Events. Only rowers 14 and under who do not attain the age of 15 in the current calendar year. In an effort to increase safety on the water, coxswains are excluded from the U15 age requirement. All U15 Youth events shall be run on a racecourse shortened to exclude Cesery Bridge passage.
Youth Events. Only rowers and coxswains who in the current calendar year do not attain the age of 19, or who are and have been continuously enrolled in a secondary school as a full-time student seeking a diploma may enter Youth or Parent/Child 2x events. No collegiate rowers can enter Youth events.
Youth Novice Events. Limited to Youth rowers, as defined above, who have been competing for one year or less as of the Regatta Date. Experience in sculling events does not count as experience in sweep events and vice versa. In an effort to increase safety on the water, youth novice boats are not required to have a novice level coxswain.
Youth Lightweight Events. Men’s Youth Weight: max 150 lb. (No average). Women’s Youth Weight: max 130 lb. (No average).
Novice 1x Events. Limited to Youth and Master rowers, who have been competing in sculling events for one year or less as of the regatta date. Master rowers will be eligible for an age handicap.
NCAA Events. Open to all rowers currently enrolled at a college or university where the rowing program does compete as NCAA Division I, II or III.
Collegiate Events. Open to all rowers currently enrolled at a college or university where the rowing program does not compete as NCAA Division I, II or III.
NCAA and Collegiate Freshman/Novice Events. Limited to college rowers enrolled in their first year (freshman year) at a college/university, or who have been competing at a college/university for less than one year as of the regatta date.
Masters Events. Limited to competitors who have attained or will attain the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the nearest whole number. A Masters crew shall be comprised exclusively of master’s rowers, but the coxswain need not be a Master. With the exception of Masters 1x events, which are split by age groups, all other Masters Events will be run with all ages combined. USRowing age handicaps will be used in all Masters Events. The boat’s age handicap is based on the average age of the rowers in the boat and excludes the age of the coxswain. For Masters 1x events, the rower must be registered for the correct age category and cannot row up or down in age classification.
Open Events. Open events are open to all rowers and coxswains who have attained or will attain the age of 19 in the current calendar year (no Youth rowers). All open events have no handicap or weight limit.
Mixed Crews. Each mixed crew shall include men and women rowers. Doubles require a crew of one man and one woman, quads/fours crews may have either one or two men, and eights may have two, three, or four men. Coxswains are exempt from this rule.
Men’s or Women’s Events. Men’s events are for male scullers and rowers only. Women’s events are for female scullers and rowers only. Coxswains may be of either gender.
Parent/Child 2x. All entries in the Parent/Child 2x event shall be comprised of two rowers, an adult master’s rower, and their son, daughter or grandchild. The “child” can be of any age. Entries can be mixed or of the same gender. The Masters’ age handicap will not apply to this event.
3. Seeding & Bow Numbers
Seeding. Boats will initially be seeded based on the prior year’s finishing order, including in age handicapped events, and a random draw from the remaining entries until one boat has been placed for each organization.
NOTE: Within a single organization, boats are placed by designation (A, B, etc.); entering several boats with the “A” designation will not result in better seeding. An organization’s fastest boat should be designated as their A entry. Should two or more boats be labeled as the “A” boat, absent other information, the order in which the entries were submitted will be used to determine which is the first or “A” entry.
Bow Numbers. Bow numbers are assigned sequentially across all events based on the results of the seeding. There may be gaps in the sequential numbers between events.
Bow Cards & Back Numbers. Bow cards and back numbers for bow-seat/coxswains will be provided in the registration packet provided when the team checks in at the registration desk.
Lost Bow Cards. Bow cards must be returned at the completion of the race. Lost bow cards are subject to a $10.00 fee.
Missing Bow Cards. No boat will be allowed to launch without its bow card. Boats racing without bow cards may be subject to a 15 second penalty. Please be sure the bow card is securely fastened (taped, if necessary) to avoid penalties.
4. Time Adjustments
Masters Age Handicaps. Masters handicapping will follow USRowing guidelines. A factor of 4.8 will be used for the full racecourse and, if applicable, a factor of 2.8 will be used for the bad weather modified racecourse.
Average Age. For Masters 2x, 4x, 4+, and 8+, the age of the crew will be the average of the rowers (except for coxswain) rounded down to the nearest whole number. When the average age is 27 or below, the handicap will be zero.
Missing Ages. The correct age must be provided for each crew member. If any age is missing, no handicap will be assigned to the boat. Any handicap corrections must be made online prior to the deadline for lineup changes.
Penalties. A boat’s finishing time will be adversely adjusted by any penalties that may be assessed. If your boat is interfered with by another boat, the boat that was at fault will be assessed a time penalty, however, your boat’s time will not be adjusted for any delay resulting from the interference. It is to the benefit of all boats to avoid interference events.
5. Weigh-Ins
Weigh-in Windows. Rowers may weigh-in at any of the following times: Friday 5:00pm to 7:00pm or Saturday 6:30am to 8:00am
Entire Crew Weigh-in. Rowers in the same boat need to weigh-in together and must provide their boat’s completed weigh-in form. There will be no boat weight averaging for lightweights of either gender.
Re-weighs. A re-weigh is ONLY allowed if a rower is within one pound of the maximum weight.
Lightweight Weights. A male Youth rower will have a maximum weight of 150 lb. A female Youth rower will have a maximum weight of 130 lb.
Coxswains. There are no minimum weight requirements for coxswains.
6. Equipment
Boat Inspections. All boats must conform to the USRowing regulations regarding construction and design detailed in Article III, Part A of the Rules of Rowing. All boats will be inspected prior to launching to ensure they conform to the USRowing regulations. If any boat does not conform, that boat will not be allowed to launch.
Boat Weights. Hulls will not be weighed.
7. Practice Session
Practice Session. The racecourse will be open for practice from 4:45pm to 6:45pm on the Friday before the regatta. Teams will be assessed a warning for returning late to the dock.
If a team is warned Friday night, every boat of that team will start the race with a warning. Due to the limited number of marshals, boats practicing on Friday will often not be in sight of a marshal. Practice at your own risk. NO practice will be allowed on Saturday.
Complete Check-in. All rowers/crews looking to practice must check in at the registration desk prior to launching. All rowers launching to practice need to be confirmed as having completed their USRowing waivers and their payment of all entry fees.
Traffic Pattern. Follow the normal race traffic patterns (stay to the right, starboard side) throughout the course and use only the marked bridge arches. All race launch and recovery traffic patterns will also apply unless otherwise directed by a regatta marshal. (See Course Map.)
During Practice. Crews may row the full racecourse during practice if time permits being off the course by 6:45pm. If crews are unfamiliar with the racecourse, they are encouraged to row the latter half of the course proceeding through the University and Cesery Bridges to the finish line, which represents the more challenging steering on the course. Crews turning onto or off the racecourse at any point other than the start and finish areas must yield to crews that are already in the traffic pattern. If rowing to the start area, please be aware of potentially swift river currents when passing under the Mathews Bridge.
8. Race Day Launching
Launch Schedule. Boats may proceed to the Launch Area beginning one hour prior to their race start time. No announcements will be made calling boats to the Launch Area. The officials at Control Commission will encourage all boats to launch on time, but it is expected that crews will be aware of their launch times and anticipate delays, particularly in those events that have a large number of entries. Depending upon the time of day, there will be an incoming or outgoing tide which will affect the time necessary to reach the starting area.
NO crew will be allowed to launch with LESS THAN 25 minutes left prior to their scheduled race time.
Potential Schedule Changes. The LOC reserves the right to delay or advance the starting times for any event. In the event that a race’s starting time or the course’s starting point has been changed, those changes will be reflected in the CrewTimer app and can otherwise be confirmed by the Dockmaster. Coaches are responsible for checking CrewTimer for updates.
Launch Rules. Prior to launching, all boats must be cleared through Control Commission, which will check for boat safety issues. All boats MUST have (1) a properly positioned and secured bow ball, (2) secured heel ties of a proper length for all shoes affixed to the boat, or rapid release shoe mechanisms, and (3) the appropriate bow number properly secured. If a boat fails to meet any of these criteria, the boat will step out of the launch queue until the deficiencies have been corrected. A limited supply of boat slings will be available for use while the deficiencies are remedied.
Dockmaster Instructions and Oars Assistance. Upon clearing Control Commission, listen for instructions from the Dockmaster for when to proceed to a specific dock to launch. Before the boat reaches the front of the queue, a coach or other team members should be present with the oars ready to accompany the boat onto the launch dock and to carry off any shoes or other items not being taken in the boat.
Know Your Bow Number. Prior to launching, the coxswain and rowers should know their bow number to aid in getting in starting order in the Staging Area.
Traffic Pattern. The start line is located approximately two miles from the boat launching area. Red race buoys will separate the racecourse from the traffic proceeding to the start area. Boats are required to keep to the starboard side of the river with the red race buoys on their port side while proceeding to the start. (See Course Map.)
Race Warm-Up. It is recommended that each crew complete the full pressure portion of their warmup prior to passing under the Mathews Bridge. Available space and boat congestion will limit your ability to safely complete power pieces beyond the Mathews Bridge.
Broken Equipment. Crews experiencing broken equipment on the way to the start should report their issue to a course marshal or start marshal as soon as possible. If the issue can be fixed on the water and the boat is safe to race, the crew will be allowed to proceed to the start as long as they will arrive at the start in time for the scheduled start of their race. Crews with equipment that cannot be fixed, or not fixed in time for their race, will be instructed to row directly back to the recovery dock on the outside of the racecourse keeping the yellow race buoys on their port side.
9. Hot Seating
Hot Seating Cards. Crews with short windows between their races must pick up a Hot Seating card at Control Commission prior to their first race when the equipment, rowers, or coxswain will be used in a second race. The crew should display the card in a visible fashion for the Dockmaster to see as they queue for, and approach, the recovery dock.
Readiness and Notifying the Dockmaster in Advance. Members of the crew in the subsequent race, which is looking to use the equipment, rowers, or coxswain from the landing of the hot seating boat, should contact the Dockmaster in advance of the landing of the hot seating boat and have all necessary rowers and equipment present to complete a timely departure as specified by the Dockmaster. In the event that the rowers or coxswain will be joining a launching crew using a different hull, members of their team must be present at the recovery dock to carry the boat used in the initial race back to the trailer area.
Time Between Events. Reduced recovering times are not guaranteed and the start time of the second race will not be delayed waiting for the hot seated crew. Should the race schedule be condensed or reduced for any reason, you may no longer be able to hot seat between the desired events.
10. At the Start
Starting Times. On-time starting will be STRICTLY enforced. All crews must be at the Staging Area AT LEAST 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time of their race. Late starts, defined as arriving to the starting chute after one or more boats in a following race have started, will not be permitted. At the discretion of the Start Marshal, a crew that arrives late to the start may be allowed to row as Exhibition Only (ineligible to be included in the official order of finish for their event). If in the judgment of the Start Marshall that such a crew would adversely affect the remaining race schedule, the crew that was late to the start will be required to row directly back to the recovery dock on the outside of the racecourse keeping the yellow race buoys on their port side.
Organization Procedures in the Staging Area. When rowing to the start, boats should proceed behind the starting chute (marked by blue buoys) to the Staging Area. (See Course Map.) Marshals will be positioned in launches in the Staging Area for the purpose of organizing participating crews beyond the start into the proper starting order and spacing between boats. Follow the instructions of the start marshals and position your boat in bow card order. Depending on the time of day, the current may cause your boat to drift further away from the start line. Please try to hold your position and not drift out of the Staging Area.
Maintaining Proper Start Positions. Crews shall be responsible for maintaining their proper starting position (increasing numerical order) and for maintaining the proper interval between themselves and other crews (2 lengths of open water, or as directed by a Start Marshal or the Starter) as they proceed in single file towards the starting chute.
Starting Chute Spacing. Crews will be called to the starting chute in approximately ten-second intervals. Do not increase pressure and move towards the start chute until instructed to do so.
Failure to Follow Instructions. All crews not currently involved in the staging of the start shall yield to crews being summoned by a Start Marshal. Interference with the staging of the start and failure to follow the commands of marshals or the Starter shall result in a penalty.
Gaps Between Events. Time permitting, the Starter shall provide for a sufficient amount of time between events so that crews in different events do not overlap on the course or at the finish line. If delays occur, the Starter and Start Marshals will work to get all boats on the course safely and with the least event overlap possible.
11. On the Course
Course Markings: Buoys and Bridge Spans. After passing through the blue buoys that mark the starting chute, you will be on the racecourse when your bow crosses between the first pair of red (port side) and yellow (starboard side) buoys. Throughout the racecourse, red buoys will mark the port side of the course and yellow buoys mark the starboard side of the course. On each of the three bridges that are on the racecourse, there are two arches that can be used and each is marked by a large green and white banner suspended above the arch.
Passing Rules: Correct Passing Procedures. A crew is deemed to be overtaking another crew when it has moved to within one length of open water of the crew ahead. The boat overtaking (Passer) has the right of way to pass (on the side of its choice) if a safe pass can be accomplished. The boat being overtaken must yield and give suitable room to the Passer (on the side chosen by the Passer) if a safe pass can be accomplished. Generally, this will be the shortest line that gives an advantage.
Failure to yield to the Passer is one of the most serious infractions of competitive conduct.
Crews MUST:
BE ALERT to possible upcoming passing attempts and promptly yield when there is adequate room and time. The Yield should be completed by the time the overtaking boat has closed to within ½ boat length.
BE PREPARED to miss a few strokes if necessary to allow the Passer to pass safely and without interference.
Passing Rules: Communication During a Passing Event. Communicate effectively during racing. All bow coxed shells are strongly advised to have their bow seat rower and all stern coxed shells are strongly advised to have their stroke seat rower advise their coxswain when a following crew is about to begin a pass and on which side the passer is approaching. Timely instruction from the appropriate rower may assist in avoiding an interference penalty.
Passing Rules: Insufficient Room and Unsafe Passing. Passing is NOT allowed — nor is the crew being overtaken required to yield — in cases where the overtaking crew’s position clearly prevents safe passage, or where there is insufficient room to yield.
Passing Rules: Approaching and Proceeding Through Bridges. A passing crew must complete their pass prior to 100 meters in advance of entering a bridge arch. If within 100 meters of a bridge and the crew being passed has indicated which bridge arch they will use, the passing crew may only proceed to pass using another valid bridge arch. Failure to do so can subject the passing crew to a penalty.
Clashing Oars. When boats come together and interlock oars, this does not necessarily result in a penalty situation if there were no specific violations of the racing rules observed by a race official.
12. Penalties
Dockmaster's Instructions. A crew that fails to adhere to the Dockmaster's instructions may be penalized 15 seconds.
Starting Line: Incorrect Order and Late Arrival. A crew that misses its correct order at the start may be penalized 10 seconds. A crew that arrives at the start after their event has run and the following event has begun may row Exhibition Only at the Start Marshal’s discretion.
Missing Bow Numbers. A crew that crosses the starting line without its required bow number may be penalized 15 seconds. Be prepared for rough waters. Tape the bow marker with electrical tape.
Starting Line: Failure to Yield or General Interference. A crew that fails to yield to a crew that is being summoned to the starting line, or that otherwise interferes with the Staging Area, shall be penalized 10 seconds by the Start Marshal or Starter.
On the Course: Failure to Yield. A crew on the racecourse that fails to yield to a crew having the proper right of way shall be penalized a minimum of 30 seconds and may be subject to disqualification at the discretion of the Referee.
On the Course: Missed Buoys. Red and yellow buoys mark the boundaries of the course. A penalty of 10 seconds may be applied for each buoy passed incorrectly.
A crew passes a buoy incorrectly when a Referee determines that a part of the boat’s hull passes on the wrong side of the buoy. However, oars may cross the buoy without penalty. Penalty exception may be granted in the event of a safety issue, e.g., avoidance of imminent collision with another boat.
Crews may be disqualified for excessive crossing of buoy lines in an effort to shorten the distance traveled at the discretion of a Referee.
On the Course: Unsafe Passage Procedures. A crew that passes or tries to pass in an unsafe manner, such as approaching or using the same bridge span, will be penalized 30 seconds or be subject to disqualification at the discretion of the Referee.
On the Course: Clearing the Finish Line. A crew that fails to clear the finish line immediately may be penalized 10 seconds.
On the Course: Not Passing Through the Official Start and Finish Line Markers. A crew that does not pass between the red and yellow buoys that mark the start and finish lines will be assessed a 10 second penalty.
Rowing on the Marked Course Pre-or Post-Race: Any crew that crosses from the warm-up/recovery/return lane onto the racecourse and/or interferes with boats on the racecourse shall receive a 30 second penalty or may be subject to disqualification at the discretion of the Referee.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Unsportsmanlike conduct by athletes, coaches, and/or spectators will be reported and penalties may be assessed, ranging from a reprimand to a 60 second penalty, depending on the severity of the incident. “Unsportsmanlike conduct” shall include, but not be limited to, failure to heed the instructions of Race Officials; use of obscene language or gestures that are directed at another crew/team or person in attendance at the event; delaying a Race without just cause; intentional or flagrant disregard of principles of safety and fairness; or abusive behavior toward a Race Official, team member, spectator or person in attendance at the event as communicated to, or witnessed by, a Race Official.
13. At The Finish
Markings for Finish Line. The finish line is marked by the last pair of red and yellow course buoys before a string of blue buoys, which mark the finish line chute.
Procedure Upon Finishing. After crossing the finish line, crews shall continue to row at light pressure to the end of the finish line chute and turn to port to return to the recovery dock while avoiding interference with other crews. Crews shall also follow any instructions given to them by the Finish Marshal.
Return Path Buoy Markings. In proceeding from the finish area to the recovery dock, the red course buoys should always remain on the boat’s port side. Extreme care should be taken to prevent the crew’s hull and oars from crossing onto the racecourse.
Dockmaster’s Instructions. Once boats have passed through the Cesery Bridge, they should await instructions from the Dockmaster as to when and where to dock.
14. Appeals
Appeals. Scullers and crews may appeal for relief from any ruling of ineligibility or any penalty imposed on them for alleged infractions, e.g., interference, course violations, etc., but no appeal alleging interference by a competing entry will cause a penalty to be assessed on the alleged crew. Appeals must be made by a race participant who observed or experienced the incident. No crew shall receive a time advantage from a decision by the Head Referee or Jury.
Appeals Process. A crew seeking changes to the results or the removal of a penalty must do so within 45 minutes following the last boat to finish in the event, by presenting themselves and talking with the Head Referee.
15. Race Results & Awards
Race Results - The unofficial results of each race will be posted on the CrewTimer app as each boat crosses the finish line. The race results will be marked as official: after one hour, if NO appeal has been made, or as soon as possible thereafter, if an appeal HAS been made.
Medals – Medals will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes, based upon the number of entries per event:
Event with 2 Boats → Gold only
Event with 3 Boats → Gold & Silver only
Event with 4+ Boats → Gold, Silver, & Bronze
Medals can be picked up by a team’s coach at the awards tent after the race results have been marked as official in CrewTimer.
Team Points Trophy - A Team Points Trophy will be awarded at the conclusion of the regatta. Each club or scholastic team will be awarded points for their entries based upon the boat class, their order of finish, and the number of competitors that started each event. Points for a second crew from the same team in a race will not be awarded points, i.e., only the boat with the highest finishing order from each team will receive points. However, their finish order will count as a placeholder, blocking the awarding of those points to another team.
Team Points Calculation - The tables below list the number of points that will be awarded for each boat class and each competitor. Composite crews and the host club will be assigned points per the tables below, but are ineligible to win the Team Points Trophy.
16. Cancellation Policy
If, in the opinion of the Local Organizing Committee, weather or other unforeseen events cause the racecourse or venue to become unfit or unsafe, the regatta or specific races/events will be canceled. No refunds will be given.