As the racing season is starting, it is a good time to talk about the relationship between the local organizing committee, the competitors and the referees. From time to time at a regatta, I have seen bewildered people sent from the regatta committee desk to the chief referee and back again trying to find an answer to what may have seemed like a simple question. In the interest of trying to help people, this article is meant to be a short guide to the roles and duties at regattas and who does what. I may not be able to cover all examples; instead I am going to outline the major roles at a typical event.

Registration

Registration for a regatta is the starting point for everything. USRowing now uses Regatta Central for national events and more and more local regattas are using Web-based registration sites. The duties here are almost exclusively in the hands of the local organizing committee and referees have only a small role to play. The LOC handles:

• Registration, fees and waivers
• Regatta schedule
• Seeding of heats
• Crew lists

Typically, there is a regatta chairperson and a regatta secretary (or registration chairperson) who handles these duties, and they are the primary contact point for registrants. 

Referees usually do not have any major duties with registration until the day of the event. The chief referee often works closely with the regatta chairperson to learn the size of the event, number of entrants and the race centers. This is important as to developing a staffing plan for the referees. In addition, the chief referee works with the regatta chairperson on allocating certain duties and responsibilities for the day of the race. Specifically, they work out:

• The regatta traffic pattern
• Dockmaster and race launch plans (the dockmaster can be a referee but is more often a volunteer
• Emergency plans including first aid and inclement weather plans.

Day of the Race

Once the event starts, the referees have a number of specific duties that are closely tied to the running of the regatta:

• Weigh-ins for coxswains and lightweights
• Crew member substitutions
• Schedule changes (collapsing events, impact of changes on progressions)
• Eligibility questions (age, skill)

Where this can get to be confusing is when there are changes to the schedule that might impact safety or fairness. The LOC might recommend that the start time of a race be changed, but the chief referee is consulted to ensure that no crew is given an advantage or disadvantage from the change. (For example, the need to rest between heats and semifinals or if there is hot seating of athletes or equipment.)

Running the Regatta

Once the regatta starts, the referees tend to control the flow of the day. The referees try and keep the regatta on time and consult with the LOC on any changes to the published schedule. There is usually a lot of give and take between the LOC and the referees during the day, and decisions are generally shared. Both sides want to keep the customer (ie., the competitors) happy. 

If you have any questions about the running of the event, the best place to start is with the LOC, as they will have the latest information. Referees will usually send people with questions about the regatta organization (schedules, awards, registration issues) to the LOC desk in order to minimize confusion and provide people with the latest, most up-to-date information. The worst thing for all concerned is to have multiple people giving different answers, so the goal is to have one official source of information on the event.

Minor changes to the regatta schedule are usually handled by the referees and are generally not announced or published. An example is when there is breakage at the start. The starter will ask the referee on the water to assess the situation and see if a repair can be made. If the problem is minor that race might be restarted and there would then be a slight delay in the next few races. If the repair time is estimated to take more time, it is not unusual for the starter to ask that the next race be brought to the start line in the interest of keeping then regatta on schedule. All this is usually done at the discretion of the starter without consultation of the regatta chairperson or the dockmaster. The delay is usually announced on the radio and the finish line is notified of the change in the schedule, so that they can record the correct race results.

Sometimes, there are disagreements about what is the right thing to do once the regatta starts. Usually, the major issues have to do with changes to the schedule, especially if there are weather or safety issues. In the end, both the LOC and the referees understand that competitors are there to race and we all want the races to go on if at all possible. However, the chief referee is the final arbiter of whether or not the regatta can continue if there is a safety issue. The LOC is always consulted and their input is essential to making a good decision. It also is common for the coaches to be brought into the process to make sure everyone understands what is going on. Once the decision is made, it is announced to the entire regatta, and there is usually a written note placed on the results board.

Final Thoughts

If you are at a regatta, you should always assume the regatta is on time unless an official delay is announced. If you have questions about the schedule, the best place to ask is at the registration desk, as they will be in contact with the regatta chairperson and the chief referee.

As a cautionary note, please do not trust the rumor mill. In the case I noted above, races sometimes come down the course out of order, giving the restarted race the appearance of being “behind” schedule. While that one race did not start per the published schedule, the regatta would still be on time.