- Click Here for 2011 Draw
- Click Here for 2011 Results - rev 30Aug11
- Click Here for 2011 Regatta Poster
- Click Here for Circulation Plan
- Catering
- 2011 Regatta Photos
- 2010 Regatta Photos
Thank you to all the Sponsors if this years races who include:
Bird in Hand - http://www.birdinhand.co.uk
MacFarlane Telfor - http://www.bespokehotels.com
BMW Sytner - http://www.sytnermaidenheadbmw.co.uk
Elva Lodge Hotel - http://www.elvalodgehotel.co.uk
Holiday Inn, Windsor & Maidenhead - http://www.holidayinn.com
Thames Riviera Hotel & Blue River Cafe - http://www.bespokehotels.com
General Instructions
1. Car Parking
Those cars towing boats should deliver their trailers to Bridge Gardens and then park their car in the car park in Mill Lane.
2. River Conditions
The course is clear of all weed in the main channels, however near to the banks there is weed growth and competitors should proceed with care in these areas.
3. Prize Giving
Prizes will be given to crews immediately after their final has been rowed at the downstream raft next to the rowing club. All crews in qualifying events will need to present their ARA cards to Race Control in Bridge Gardens before boating.
4. Refreshments
A full range of refreshments will be available throughout the day at the tea tent, BBQ and Bar on the regatta lawn. There will also be a tea tent supplying the core range of food and drink at Bridge Gardens from early morning through to the lunch break. Please see enclosed leaflet for details.
I trust that you will enjoy the day, if you have any queries please contact me on 07747107764.
John Rayer
Safety Briefing & Safety
Attention: All umpires, officials, coaches, coxes, and competitors must be aware of the contents of the attached documents and how to react in all circumstances.
Plan
The primary objective of the Maidenhead Regatta is to enable both experienced and inexperienced oarsmen/women to compete competitively over a safe 500m upstream river course.
Maidenhead Rowing Club operates according to its ARA approved Safety Management Plan and in compliance with both the ARA Water Safety Code and the ARA Rules of Racing. In order to minimise the risks to the safety of regatta competitors, officials, spectators and other river users, additional safety precautions will be in operation on Regatta Day, enhancing the rules and guidelines contained in the Maidenhead Rowing Club Safety Management Plan, details as follows.
1. Trailer and car parking
- all boat trailers are to be parked in Bridge Gardens, which is located immediately upstream of the road bridge, on the Berkshire bank.
- all cars including tow vehicles are to be parked in the car park located on the opposite bank behind Windrush Volkswagen Garage.
- the Maidenhead Rowing Club park is fully reserved parking for permit holders only, including First Aid/Emergency service vehicles, Lifeguard vehicle/trailer, and Regatta umpires. To minimise congestion, please do not drive into River Road (which passes the Clubhouse) since this road has parking for residents only.
2. Boating arrangements
- boating will be either from the boating rafts, which are located on the Berkshire bank adjacent to Bridge Gardens, or from rafts at Maidenhead Rowing Club. All activity on and around the boating raft area will be under the full control of the Raft Marshals.
- boats at Bridge Gardens will be launched from the downstream side of the boating raft and all crews will be required immediately to manoeuvre their boat to get parallel with the bank and ready to proceed in a downstream direction through the designated arch of the road bridge.
- boats will be landed at the upstream side of the landing raft at Bridge Gardens. This is approached by passing under the designated arch of the road bridge and then turning on to the upstream boating raft from the upstream side. Care must be taken to avoid the river depth post, which is located on the upstream side of the raft, approximately 5 metres from both the Berkshire bank and the landing stage.
- boats at Maidenhead Rowing Club will be launched from the upstream side of the boating raft and will join the navigation pattern as per the Circulation Plan, and turn below the road bridge under control of the Raft Marshall located at Maidenhead Rowing Club.
- a Safety Marshal will be positioned on the Clubhouse balcony to oversee river traffic moving between the railway bridge and the road bridge area.
- no boats are allowed to proceed more than 100 metres upstream of the road bridge at any time during the Regatta.
3. Boat Circulation Plan
- all participating clubs will be issued with a Regatta Boating and Circulation Plan, which clearly illustrates the boat circulation route in the Regatta course area, highlighting the location of hazardous areas of the river and defining the upstream/downstream limits of the course. This information will also be posted on notice boards at the landing rafts and in the spectator area.
- all crews are required to stay within the defined upstream and downstream limits of the Regatta course area.
- the navigation channel adjacent to the Regatta Course is likely to remain busy throughout the day with non-regatta pleasure boat traffic, travelling in both directions. Extra care must be taken at all times to avoid boating accidents.
- practice starts are not permitted in the Navigation Channel.Crews must be considerate and give priority to other river users when paddling to the start.
- Crews boating from MRC will give priority to crews and other river users moving either upstream or downstream through the road bridge.
- Between the bridges crews will follow Environment Agency rules of steering, i.e. downstream to Berks and upstream to Bucks side of the river.
4. Regatta course channel
- the 500m regatta course will be buoyed and meet requirements of the Environment Agency.
- this allows for a Navigation Channel on the Berkshire bank. Non-regatta river craft and racing crews moving to the start will be directed to this channel by:
- signs positioned at either end of the course directing craft to the navigation channel
- Marshals located on the course
- all crews who are on-water between the regatta start line and the downstream limit of the course will be under the control of the Start Marshals, who will be supported by an additional Marshal who will be patrolling this area.
- all crews must remain within calling distance of the Start Marshals.
Instructions given by the Start Marshals must be complied with at all times.
Failure to do so may result in the offending crew receiving an official warning.
- Racing practice such as starts is not allowed in the navigation channel, they may only be carried out below the Start marshal in clear water conditions.
5. Safety Plan
The Regatta is being run in full compliance with the ARA Water Safety Code and the Maidenhead Rowing Club Safety Management Plan, reinforced by the following additional measures
- all crews are required to stay between the defined upstream and downstream limits of the Regatta course area.
- all race officials and safety boat crews are in constant open channel radio contact throughout the Regatta.
- the Brent Lifeguard Club (or equivalent) will provide on-water Regatta course safety cover. They will be positioned on the Bucks bank, located near the mid-point on the course.
- the Club’s safety launch will also be available in an operational state to provide on-water safety cover for the stretch of river between the finish of the Regatta course and upstream of the boating areas as in the Circulation Plan.
- a Marshal’s boat will patrol the river area between the Start Marshal and the downstream limit of navigation as shown in the Circulation Plan.
- all crews are required to comply fully with the Regatta’s safety/racing rules and instructions given by Regatta officials.
All officials understand that, in the event of an accident, racing will be stopped until such time that the crew has been attended and the course returned to a clear state. In the event of a capsize, boating accident or other on-water incident, the safety boats will provide an immediate rescue response to the affected crews. If there is a capsize on the course or adjacent to the course, all racing will be held up until the incident is cleared.
In the event of all serious incidents the Safety Advisor (Gordon Fraser) and/or Regatta Chairman (John Rayer) must be kept informed. If necessary, they will take control. All key officials will have have radios and as a back up they can be contacted on the following mobile telephone numbers:
Safety Advisor - Gordon Fraser - 07876 354333
Duty Doctor - Nicola Mole - 07711 885674
Regatta Chairman - John Rayer - 07747 107764
6. First Aid
- the local British Red Cross (or equivalent) will provide first aid cover and they will be based at Bridge Gardens, together with a first aid station located in the spectator area.
- a Medical Officer will be in attendance at the Regatta and he will be contactable through Regatta Control, which is located at the Regatta course finish line.
- key safety and first aid information will also be published in the Regatta programme.
7. Child Welfare
In line with ARA guidelines a Competiton Welfare Officer (Howard Boyce) has been appointed. He will be responsible for dealing with all child welfare issues. His contact details are given below and will also be displayed in various areas around the club house and regatta areas.
Competition Welfare Officer Howard Boyce - 07775 753126
8. Emergency Plan
An emergency situation is a serious incident resulting in personal injury, requiring immediate medical attention.
In order to provide a loud audible notification of an emergency situation, a signal will be given using an air horn. Four Regatta Marshals located at different points on the course will each carry an air horn and they will be located at the Bridge Gardens boating rafts, on the Clubhouse balcony, at the Regatta course finish line and with the Start Marshals. Should an emergency situation rise, the following action will be taken:
- the emergency signal will be given by one of the 4 Marshals. This will comprise of one long air horn blast (to attract attention), followed by four short air horn blasts (which signal danger).
- the Marshal giving the signal is then required to advise Regatta Control by radio link of the precise location of the incident and brief details.
- on hearing the air horn alarm, the nearest Safety Boat and nearest Marshal should move towards the direction of the signal and contact Regatta Control to advise that they are attending the incident and ask for details of the emergency.
- other Regatta Marshals should remain at their stations unless requested to move by Regatta Control.
- persons afloat involved in the emergency will be taken to the Clubhouse by a Safety Boat; all marshals and umpires will be contacted through their radio channel, however Regatta Control will make the necessary arrangements for the British Red Cross or Emergency Services (999). However if resuscitation is immediately required at the time of the rescue, the affected person must be transferred to a safe position on the river bank where CPR will be administered by a suitably trained person and the emergency services immediately called by dialling ‘999’.
- in the event that an emergency situation arises in the Regatta spectator area, emergency assistance will be sought by contacting Regatta Control.
The nearest BT telephone from which emergency ‘999’ calls can be made is located at the Maidenhead Rowing Club Clubhouse either just inside the 2nd bay boat house door on the right hand wall or in the kitchen area on the first floor.
The Ordinance Survey grid reference for the Maidenhead Rowing Club Clubhouse is 902813.
9. Abandonment of racing
If at any time the Race Committee decides that is if unsafe to continue racing, then the following procedure will be followed.
1. Radio messages will be sent to all officials, saying that racing is to be abandoned, and to await further instructions.
2. No further crews will be allowed to boat, and all rafts cleared to receive crews.
3. All safety boats to remain where they are to monitor / assist crews returning to pontoons.
4. Crews already at the start will return (at a paddle) using the main racing lanes, to the pontoons.
5. Crews in the circulation lanes near the start will continue with the normal circulation pattern and turn at the start and return in the racing lanes to their boating area. Remaining crews in the circulation lanes to turn with care across the buoys and return using the racing lanes under control from the Marshal and return to the boating area, taking care to avoid crews returning from the start by giving way.
6. Safety boats, will follow last crews, (or any in trouble) back to pontoons.
