Instructions

Please note: this information is accurate for Lea Autumn 2025. Exact arrangements for 2026 are still to be confirmed.

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Welcome to Hackney! We’re very happy to welcome you to Lea Autumn Regatta. Our Organising Committee has worked hard to ensure we have plans to run the event smoothly, but everyone has a crucial role to play in its success. We ask all competitors to read these instructions to ensure we have a safe, fun, and successful day of racing!

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​Rules & regulations

• Lea Spring Regatta is run as a Stable Boat Event in accordance with Appendix E of the British Rowing Rules of Racing. As a recreational event, this is likely to be your first race in a while – or even your first ever regatta – so we advise you take some time to get familiar with those rules.

• In addition, you must follow the instructions below and be aware of our safety arrangements.

 

Getting to the regatta

• The base for the regatta is Lea Rowing Club, Spring Hill, E5 9BL.

• Public transport is recommended. Nearby stations include Finsbury Park, Manor House and Seven Sisters, all of which can be reached by bus 253/254 from Clapton Common.

• Drivers should park on local streets. Be advised that space is limited, and you may well need to walk some distance. Please note that the car park behind Lea RC will be closed.​

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​​Registration

• Crews must report at the Registration Desk to receive racing numbers at least 30 minutes before their race. Be ready to present your crew’s British Rowing racing licences or photo ID. Outstanding payments, scratches and crew changes must be made at this point.

• Race numbers are to be worn by the bow rower, on the back of their racing kit, and securely attached.

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Equipment

• There is no need for clubs to bring their own boats or blades. Lea RC is providing four stable boats, rigged for sculling.

• Coxes must wear a life jacket conforming with British Rowing requirements that visiting clubs should bring with them.

 

Warming up

• It will not be possible to warm up on the water. You should therefore plan to warm up on land.

• Please feel free to use the ergs in the club gym at your own risk. Please do not move them and be sure to sanitise after use.

 

Crew briefing

• There will be a briefing for all crews 30 minutes before racing in front of the boathouse. At least one crew member from each crew should attend.

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Divisions

• The event will be run in two divisions of 4 boats. Start times are in the draw.

• The boats will have identifiers and allocated to a crew before racing commences, so that a minute or two can be spent adjusting feet and stretchers only. The boats allocated for the first four crews of each division will be moored on the landing stage, with the first crew opposite the bottom of the clubhouse steps, held by the crew’s coxswain. Crews may place their blades in the gates laid across the boat before going to the start line.

• As the boats return later crews in the division can take charge of them.

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Racing format

The event is comprised of a circuit in three phases:

1. Timed obstacle course. 1300m upstream against the clock, from a "Le Mans" style bank start with various obstacles and challenges along the way.

2. Timed head race. 1300m downstream against the clock. A straight time trial, ending when the quoit is placed on a post outside the boathouse.

3. Side-by-side finals. 500m downstream, two-boats racing side-by-side. Crews are paired up based on their times in Phases 1 & 2.​​

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​Phase 1: Timed obstacle course

• Start: Whole crews need to be ready outside the boathouse 15 minutes before the start of their division. Crew 1 will stand behind a start line, 10m downstream of their boat. On the start signal, they will boat and push off the landing stage. Crew 2 will be released approximately 2 minutes later, and so on.

• Quoit collection: The first challenge is to collect a quoit hanging from the green footbridge. This can be attempted as many times as required.

• 180deg spin: The crew should turn around and proceed upstream with bow side blades nearest the reservoir side of the river.

• Slalom challenge:  Whilst proceeding up the TT course, crews will see two orange and a black derricks/cranes on their left bank and an umpire on the bank below. The crew must navigate the six buoys ahead (three white three orange, alternating colours). The first white buoy should be passed with it on your port or strokeside (coxes LHS) the next orange buoy to starboard or bowside (coxes RHS) etc. etc. until completed. The umpire will show a white flag upon successful and clean completion of the obstacle, a red flag if penalties are incurred. There will be a 10 second penalty for each buoy that the body of the boat passes on the wrong side or “runs over”, the decision of the umpire is final.

• 360deg spin: As crews approach the bend at the top of the straight, the crews will see a second umpire with a red flag. At this point the crews should slow or stop and complete a 360° spin. Once completed, the umpire will change to a white flag and the crew may continue upstream. If a crew ignores the challenge or fails to complete a spin and receive a white flag, they will incur a time penalty of two minutes. This challenge MUST be completed on the reservoir side of the two red buoys so as not to foul any traffic coming the other way, the umpire will decide any penalty up to the maximum two minutes if this rule is not followed.

• Halt & Go: After navigating the 360° spin and bend the cox should look on their left bank for an umpire with a red flag. The crew must come to a complete halt opposite the umpire before the railway bridge. In the Experienced event only, once stationary and ‘sat’ the crew must swap the seats of two members; this may be two adjacent rowers or the cox and stroke. Once the challenge is completed the umpire will change to a white flag and the crew may continue upstream. If a crew ignores the challenge or fails to come to a complete halt and receive a white flag, they will incur a time penalty of 30 seconds (Novice event) or 1 minute (Experienced event).

• Obstacle course finish: The finish line will be around 50m upstream of the railway bridge (marked by a red buoy and signalled to crews by an audible buzzer or hooter). The crew’s time for Phase 1 will be taken as the total from the Start to Finish signals with any penalties for incomplete challenges or crew inconsistencies.

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Phase 2: Timed head race

• Once Phase 1 is completed, crews are asked to turn upstream of the finish line and prepare to be started on the downstream head section.

• This phase is a straight time trial, like a traditional "head race". There are no obstacles in this phase.

• Crews will be told to go about 30m before the start line, which is marked by a red buoy. Timing will end once the crew places its quoit on the orange post outside the boathouse.

• Once the crew has completed Phase 2, they can return to the landing stage and hand their boat to another crew to prepare foot stretchers etc.

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Phase 3: Side-by-side finals

• This phase will run once all crews have completed Phases 1 and 2.

• Crews will be paired up based on their combined time trial results, in a succession of lettered finals (e.g. D, C, B…) final between the two slower TT crews, up to an A-final between the two fastest crews.

• Boating: Crews for the letter finals will be asked to boat together and proceed up to the bend where they will turn under the instructions of the marshals. They will then come under the control of the starter and aligner.

• Start:  The racing will be from a free start (no stake boats) with bows aligned by an umpire. There are two stations, which are named as Reservoir or Towpath. The faster crew from the TT will be on the towpath station. The race will be started following an adapted procedure from that in the Rules of Racing. Crews will be called to the aligning area in race order, at which point the starter will continue with the start procedure (i.e., roll call, attention – go), when all other conditions for racing are met.

• During the race: Take care to stay on your station. The course will not be buoyed, other than a central red buoy at the finish. The finish will be judged on a line perpendicular to the bank outside of the club with an orange mark on a green background on the far bank and will be signalled with an audible buzzer or hooter. Be aware that moored boats line both sides of the course. Check your steering regularly and listen carefully for instructions from umpires and marshals.

• After the finish: Both crews in a race should immediately stop and, under instructions from a marshal, turn ready to return to the landing stage and deboat quickly and efficiently; a marshal will take the boats painter attached to the bow and walk it to the upstream end of the landing stage.

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Maps​