Understanding Regatta Programs

Most regatta programs have the following attributes but the content and placing of the information may vary.

Title : This indicates the name of the event and the year in which the event is held (important because some events have been going for over a hundred years)

Draw Status : This indicates whether the draw is still in the provisional, draft stage or final draw. There can be no changes to a draw once it is published as ‘Final’ except in extreme cases where weather or a catastrophe disrupts the event.

Lane : This indicates the lane in which the crew must race. Internationally there are 6 lanes on a course and up to two spares. This is to permit the umpire to shift a race over one lane should this become necessary. Boats are fitted with bow numbers which usually correspond with the lane they are in, however the starter may move a boat into a different lane should this be required. Locally courses have up to 10 lanes but the norm is eight. Buffalo regatta in East London has 4 lanes between the start and 1000 metres and 6 lanes from 1000 to the finish

Race Number – This is a consecutive number on the draw from the first race to the last.

Event Number – This is per the events published by the regatta organiser prior to the draw. These do not follow consecutively as a result of changes made during the draw to accommodate unforeseen circumstances (like crew withdrawals due to illness). The same event number follows progressively through the program from heats to finals.

Race ID – This denotes whether the particular race is a Heat, Repechage, Quarter Final Semi Final or Final. Depending on  the number of entries an A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I and J Final may be rowed. Mercifully this is not the case locally and there are usually only A, B and sometimes C finals

Description : Here’s where the fun starts what on this wonderful blue planet does  JW16 2x mean?

J stands for Junior;

W refers to gender in this case Woman;

16 refers to Age and indicates Under 16;

2 designates the number of rowing crew members and;

x indicates that the style of rowing is sculling.

The Abbreviation Chart will help to identify these designations

Distance : This is the distance the crews will have to race

Progression Rules : These are determined by the rules of racing and show what will happen at the end of this race. In this example (1st,2nd,3rd,nxt Fst to Final) The first three places will go to the final and the next fastest crew as well. This is for a 2 heat event. So if the 4th and 5th place in Heat 2 are faster than 4th in Heat 1; the Heat 2 crews will progress

Trophy : If there is a specific trophy awarded for this event it is shown here

Status : This indicates where one is in the program. The status progresses from Scheduled to Un-Official to Official but may also show Re-scheduled or Cancelled as a result of weather. Un-Official is used until the officials have confirmed the result (in the case of a dead heat for example)

Time : This is the time the race will take place. The times the crews achieve are published underneath each crew together with placing