Regattas

To enter regattas and race for Melbourne Rowing Club, all crew members must be financial Student or Senior members of the Club. If you are not sure of your membership status, please check with the Club Secretary.

Each member must ensure they provide the Club with a Standing Payment Authority. The Standing Authority form and supporting guide are available from the right hand menu bar or from links on your Membership Account Statement. Please download the form and guide, register your credit card or bank account on Westpac's PayWay site, then complete, scan and email the form to the Club's Treasurer.

Failure to provide, or maintain an active, Standing Payment Authority will prevent you from being entered and from competing in regattas. Please refer to the Standing Authority Guide and Standing Authority Form if you have any questions, otherwise contact the Club Treasurer.

PayWay Regististration

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Regatta Entries are submitted to Rowing Victoria (RV) using the Rowing Online Management System (ROMS).  This system is used to submit and manage regatta entries and contains all necessary contact and personal information required to support entries.  Members must submit their regatta entries to the club's Regatta Entries Coordinator, who then records the entries in ROMS where they are validated and authorised before inclusion in the applicable regatta's program.

As a result of this system, the internal Melbourne regatta entry deadline is always 4-5 days prior to the RV published deadline. This allows time to correct any errors, omissions, eligibility, identification or approval issues as well as ascertaining boat availability and trailer space requirements. Failure to submit entries on time often means that your entries will not be submitted, will incur an additional late payment fee or lead to boat availability issues and other similar complications.

Any entries submitted after RV's regatta entry deadline must be approved by the Regatta Entry Coordinator and RV.  Any such entries will incur a late entry payment fee (an additional seat fee).

First you should check what events are available at the regatta. Make sure all proposed crew members are available and eligible (check on Rowing Victoria) to race in the selected event, are financial and have an active Standing Authority, and are willing to compete.  Entering will incur costs that will be recovered from the crew members, and crew members will need to be available most, if not all, of the day for the regatta.

When you know the event you wish to enter, and have your proposed crew, please submit your crew entry to the Regatta Entries Co-ordinator including the following information.

REGATTA:
EVENT:
CREW MEMBERS (in full please) listing from Stoke to Bow:
COXSWAIN: NO TBAs please!!
COACHES:

All members entering a regatta, should double check their entries on ROMS. Please contact the Regatta Entry Coordinator if you are unsure how to do this. If you wish to have a confirmation of entry via ROMS, please double check with RV that they have your current email address.

Participating in regattas attracts an entry fee, per 'seat', which is paid by the rower.  There will be one seat fee for every rowing member of a crew (not the coxswain) per event, so one seat fee for a single scull, 2 seat fees for a pair or double scull, 4 seat fees for a four or quad scull, and so on.  The fees vary between $8 and $40 depending on the regatta, but are generally under $15, and can be obtained from ROMS.

Regatta entry fees are charged to your Membership Account after the regatta and recovered through the Standing Authority Process as outlined under Eligibility above.

There are some regattas held on the Yarra River, but most are held at venues where travel is involved. In these cases all boats travelling to a regatta need to be transported on a trailer and transport costs such as vehicle hire and fuel costs are incurred.  We charge transport costs to members on a per seat basis so the transport costs you pay will vary depending on the number of events you compete in.

Transport costs are calculated based on actual costs incurred in transporting boats to the regatta, and allocated to your Membership Account and recovered through the Standing Authority Process.

Regatta fines are incurred when crews, and occassionally Club officials, do not comply with long standing RV rules around the conduct of regatta's. Common fines are:

• Scratching Fine:  Applies to any crew that scratches from an event between the close of RV entries and 2.30pm on the last business day prior to the regatta.   The crew's seat fee's are forfeited.
• Late Scratching Fine: Applies to crew's scratching after 2.30pm on the last business day prior to the regatta.  The fine is $100 per crew.
• Non Appearance Fine: Also known as a No Show, which is incurred if a crew does not show up for their race.  The fine is $200 per crew.

Should you need to scratch, PLEASE email Amy (RV) amy@rowingvictoria.asn.au and save your email for future reference.  Please ensure you have notified the Captain of the scratching so that boat allocations, trailer space etc. can be adjusted.

Any regatta fines the the Club receives from RV will be allocated to the crew members concerned, recorded on your Membership Account and recovered through the Standing Authority Process.

Loading and unloading boats from the trailer for 'away' regattas requires some effort and preparation. Boats are loaded onto the trailer before it leaves MRC, unloaded at the regatta, reloaded when the regatta is over, and unloaded back at the Club's boatshed. Boat loading and unloading is supervised by the Regatta Co-ordinator.

Loading involves removing the riggers from the boat, taping them together and labelling them for easy identification.  Rowing seats in each boat are secured either by a seat tie (available in newer boats) or by tying the seat down with a foot stretcher, or by taping the seats together and placing them in the trailer.  Oars are also loaded onto the trailer for each boat that is travelling to a regatta. Boat loading generally occurs the evening before the regatta, but will vary according to the travel distance, and the regatta starting time.. Boat loading at the regatta can commence as soon as a boat is not needed for any more races.

Boat unloading involves attaching the riggers to the boat, checking the seats are secure and locating the oars for each boat. Boat unloading at the regatta can commence as soon as the trailer arrives. When the trailer returns to the Club's boatshed, boat unloading should be completed as soon as possible so everyone can get home for a well-earned shower!

It is mandatory that all crew members, excluding coxswains, must attend boat loading and unloading.

It is essential that every member equip themselves with a 10mm and 11mm spanner for their own personal use. Shifting wrenches are also useful. Other good items for the member's own personal toolkit include a tape measure, a Phillips head screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver. A bumbag is also useful, as the tools can be slung around the hips whilst rigging and unrigging, ensuring the tools are easily accessible and not lost.

All members must compete in an MRC zoot suit. Zoot suits can be ordered from Simply Oarsome with delivery between 2-3 weeks - depending on the time of year.

Anything else worn by crew members must be identical within the crew. Hats are not mandatory, but must be matching if they are worn. T-shirts or long sleeves under a zoot suit are allowed, but again must be all identical. The only exception is the coxswain who may wear long sleeves or pants under their zootie for added weather protection.

MRC has a selection of club merchandise available from hats, t-shirts to hoodies.

The crew coach will advise a plan for the day at the regatta, but there are some things to consider ensuring you are well-prepared.

Sunscreen

Mandatory, no matter how cloudy or cool the day may seem.

Food and Water

Ensure you are carrying at least 2 litres of water with you. Hydration is extremely important, and when the weather is hot, you may require twice this amount of fluid to ensure you avoid dehydration and performance degradation.

It is also important to fuel up for the race, with drinks or snacks that are low in fat, but with ready energy sources. Good suggestions include: sports drinks, bananas, banana-honey sandwiches, low-fat muesli bars or fruit bars, low-fat muffins. Lollies will give you a quick fix, but an equally quick fail if the energy is consumed, so try to choose a snack with a more complex carbohydrate in it.

Bow Numbers

Every boat competing in a race carries a bow number inserted in the bow, adjacent to the bow ball. The bow number can normally be collected within 45 minutes of the start of the event, and should be returned immediately after the race is over. Typically the bow number attracts a $10 fully refundable deposit.

On the Water

You should aim to be on the water with enough time to warm up, row up to the start area, and be ready for marshalling to the start 5 minutes before the race. You normally need to allow around 25 minutes, depending on the course and the weather conditions.

At the Start Area

You need to be in the start area at least 5 minutes before the start of your race. When the Marshallcalls you to the start line, you should listen very carefully to the official instructions and only do as the officials say. It is the job of the bow seat and 2 seat rowers to 'tap the boat' along to line up at the start or to manoeuvre the boat into position.

At the Finish Area

After your race, have a quick mouthful of fluid and return to the MRC trailer as efficiently as possible, for a post-mortem with your coach.
Make sure you return your bow number.
Happy racing!