Head Of The Charles Regatta ®

1. Head Of The Charles Regatta® Umpire Training 2008 Umpire responsibilities Rules Review & Penalties Special Focus on Safety Understanding the course Frequently Occurring Situations Written test Debrief, Q&A and Closing

2. What Makes the Head of the Charles®Special? • It’s a large (1000 crew), multi-day regatta • For the majority of participating crews, it is the only time during the year that they race on this body of water • The distinctive twists and turns of the river, its narrowness in spots and the requirement to pass through 6 multi-arch bridges, makes this a “coxswain’s race” • It can be very difficult to pass or be passed without getting in another boat’s way. I n t r o d u c t i o n

3. What’s Being Done to Help Crews Address the Special Issues of This Regatta? Through careful pre-regatta planning, the HOCR organizers intend to: • Select and train a highly experienced umpire corps. • Prepare umpires through training which clearly points out the distinctions between the standard Rules of Rowing and HOCR rules. • Minimize the potential of interference and collisions during passing situations by: • Seeding boats (limited) • Pacing events • Categorizing rowers and boats • Achieve the dual goals of: • Zero Penalties Issued in Error and • Unofficial Adjusted Results 15 minutes after the conclusion of each event. I n t r o d u c t i o n

4. What’s Different About the HOCR Rules? Umpire 2008 • The local HOCR rules have been based on: • A thorough review of the USRA Rules of Rowing – Head Race Section • Collision and penalty statistics (through 2007) • The quality and experience of the umpire corps. • The diverse quality of participating crews. • There are 2 major changes for 2008: • The aggressive passing penalty (IP) of 30 seconds has been eliminated. However, if an Umpire observes a crew forcing another crew off the racecourse and or if the action results in a collision, they may award an IS penalty. • Boats being passed must now begin to yield when the overtaking crew is within 1 full boat length (and closing) rather than ½ boat length as in past years. This means that umpires should look for yielding action on the part of overtaken crews much sooner than in the past. If crews fail to yield properly, the 60 IN penalty should be enforced. I n t r o d u c t i o n

5. What’s Different About the Officiating Team? HOCR Has Approximately 250 F/T Involved • Course 15 stations – seeing every foot of course • Umpires at stations- 50 • Lead Umpires- 15- responsible for station activities and saftey • Umpire Central- 8- collect and apply penalties- determine winners • Jury – 5- hear appeals and make decisions • Timers (Electronic and Backup) – 50 people plus 2 automatic systems and 3 manual cameras at start and finish • Cyclists- 40 to support station needs for food and drink and collect penalty forms • Emergency- 30+ first responders to cover accidents • Marshals and dockmasters- 50 at 9 locations on course and in warm up areas

6. Pages That Have Been Modified to Reflect 2008 Rules Changes • Look for changes marked inred on the following pages: • 4 • 6-this page • 18 • 23 • 25 • 26 • 65 • Also, you will see changes in Examples #3,#5,#7 and #8 in the Frequently Occurring Situations section, specifically regarding the distance between overtaking and overtaken boats. In previous years the illustrations showed ½ length of open water. All new examples use 1 boat length of water. I n t r o d u c t i o n

7. Umpire Responsibilities Key responsibilities Logistics Field of view Communication Self-Care Summary

8. Your Key Responsibilities as an Umpire • To ensure fairness and safety • To determine if there are violations of the rules, and assign the appropriate penalties to those crews committing violations • Stop a race, if there is immediate and present danger to life and limb and this is the only possible course of action to correct the situation- Lead Umpires only. R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

9. Safety – The primary goal of all actions and decisions • Officials are concerned with the safety of all competitors and volunteers/officials on the racecourse and in the training & launching areas • Primary responsibility for safety rests with individual crews & athletes • Umpires: • Look for crews/athletes in distress- in water and in boat • Lead Umpire- use Emergency Radio to notify Emergency Central • Give them detail- • (a) station location, • (b) problem location, • (c) boat, • (d) condition of oarsperson- (1) in water/boat, (2) face up/ down, (3) moving/still, (4)boat moving/stopped • Umpires are not first responders- they manage race and traffic- let Emergency take care of oarsperson- unless absolutely necessary R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

10. Fairness – The second goal of your actions and decisions • The only factors determining the outcome of any race should be the skill and abilities of the athletes and crews • The athletes are depending on you to observe the race, determine the cause of any incidents (interference, buoy violations, traffic pattern violations, etc.) and determine the penalty for infractions and to report them with full documentation • Athletes get the benefit of the doubt • Passing boats in particular get the benefit of the doubt R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

11. Umpire Roles Assigns responsibilities for all umpires at station Does station team orientation and “dry runs” of umpire activities Final approval of penalty recommendation Communicates with “umpire central” (may be delegated) regarding penalties or help needed (buoys, etc.) Responsible for making certain station in fully staffed Observe incidents in their field of view and recommend assignment of penalties Fully document incidents as they occur All other duties assigned or delegated by the lead umpire Lead Umpire (1/Station) Station Umpire : R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s Note: Umpire at the Start has a special responsibility. . . Calling umpire central after the last boat in an event clears the railroad bridge.

12. Station Process • Goal: To get a full view of developing situations to make best determination vs just looking for incidents as they happen. The process is to follow situations from entry into station to exit. • Lead Umpire at the station assigns and manages teams (1 or 2 Umps) who view situations from start of station to end of station or the conclusion of the situation • Lead Umpire scans an “all station view” and assigns teams to a specific situation on rotating /availability basis. • Team follows the situation to completion or abandonment and writes up Incident Report form. This must happen immediately or data is lost. • If situations activity demands the Lead will finish filling in the Form and the team will be reassigned to new situation • Clean up at end of race interval

13. What’s Expected of Every Umpire – Logistics • Attend training and complete test • Register Friday, and/or Sunday, at the required time, to get your gear • Make certain you have all the gear required to do your job (regatta schedule, copy of rules, materials for recording incidents, telephone, list of important phone numbers, pens/pencils, appropriate clothing for weather conditions, megaphone (emergencies only), binoculars, etc.) • Show up on time at your station- 30 minutes before race time • Return your gear (to the next shift if you are on duty, Saturday at CBC and Sunday to CBC) R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

14. Field of View • Every umpire station has been positioned in a way to afford the best field of view for the part of the course for which that station is responsible • Make certain that you have an unimpeded view of the course • Your primary focus should be in the direction of oncoming racing crews, which is where situations that you will be expected to describe develop (unless explicitly instructed otherwise) • Review the course map to understand your area of coverage, and the areas assigned to the umpires who are both up- and down-course of your position. • Many stations have Umpire Buoys, 18” high, marking their sections of the course- see penalty form for approximate location R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

15. Communication • Prior to the start of your day, work out responsibilities at the umpire station with the lead umpire • Keep clear written records of any incidents that need to be reported • Keep your telephone on at all times, and be prepared to report on an event when you receive a call from Umpire Central • Do not engage in conversations with anyone other than your partner and Umpire Central regarding incidents during the race • Only LEAD Umps should communicate with competitors (or those in the travel lane) and only when absolutely necessary for safety R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

16. Self-Care • Dress properly for a long time outside, with changing conditions • Layers • Hats! (for temperature and glare) and gloves • Raingear • Good shoes if you are standing (waterproof and warm) • Be prepared for the conditions • Sunglasses (for glare) • Suntan lotion, a drink and snack • Ballpoint pens (run less in rain) • Warm wind proof coverings –Cold and windy R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

17. Rules Review and Penalties Overview Course rules regarding buoys Crossing the race course Traffic violations Interference and Passing Contact & Collisions Conduct Miscellaneous Rules and Violations Consideration of Penalties

18. Overview • The rules for the Head of the Charles 2008 have been updated; • Elimination of the IP Aggressive Pass Penalty • Overtaken boats must begin to yield when there is 1 boat length of water (and closing) between them and the passer. • Regarding interference penalties, the failure to yield to a passing crew is the most commonly observed offence. • A passing boat must make certain that the pass can be executed safely from beginning to completion without jeopardizing the safety of the overtaken crew. However, a crew being passed may miss a few strokes to stay safely out of the way, resulting in no penalty for the passing crew. • Penalties for repeated “Non Yield” interference are very severe, due to the safety and fairness issues involved R u l e s R e vv i e w

19. Course Rules – Buoys (Racing Crews) • “While racing, boats must stay on the course that is between the orange buoys (Boston side) and the green buoys (Cambridge side: where there are no green buoys, the Cambridge shore marks the course boundary). • Oar blades may go over the buoys but the hull must stay on the course. Each buoy violated by the hull will result in a 10-second penalty, and is reported by code (BG – Green, BR – Orange, BW – White). For example, a crew whose hull crosses three orange buoys would be reported to Umpire Central as “Boat X, BR 3.” • One missed buoy (10 sec penalty) has been known to prevent someone from winning. R u l e s R e vv i e w

20. Course Rules – Buoys (Travel Lane) Purpose: minimize interference from non racing lanes in tight areas- CBC turn and Weeks Bridge • Single file, no power strokes, no stopping, proceeding firmly • When in the travel lane (either on the way to the start, or returning to a launch site), it is the responsibility of every crew to keep clear of racing crews. • Non-racing crews must keep the hulls of their boats within the white buoys (marking tight and caution areas in the travel lane). Their blades may cross the orange buoy line without penalty unless this action interferes with the passage of a racing boat. • Buoy violations (hull outside the travel lane) will be penalized 10 seconds per buoy unless the violation results in interference with a racing crew. • Interference with a racing boat (by hull or blades) may result in disqualification. Note travel lane violations with a TL on the Incident report form- possible 30sec penalty. R u l e s R e vv i e w

21. Crossing the Race Course • When crossing the racecourse (either on the way to the start, or returning to a launch site), it is the responsibility of every crew to keep clear of racing crews. • Before attempting to cross the course, a crew must: • Make certain that there is a safe crossing interval between racing crews (typically between events) and, • Wait for a dock official or other personnel assigned to launch sites to indicate that safe crossing is permitted • Any action by a crossing crew that causes a racing crew to either slow down to avoid a collision or to alter course is considered interference. The crew so doing will receive a 60 second penalty (PC) for Poor Crossing which may be reported by starters, dock officials, marshals or umpires. • Lead Umpires can interceded in crossing situations if they believe safety is at risk R u l e s R e vv i e w

22. Traffic Violations • Traffic violations are considered under Rule #1, which states that “any boat showing disregard for safety at any time during the weekend (including practice) will be given a 60 second penalty or may be disqualified.” • “Traffic patterns should be observed during practice as well as during races.”. • Practice traffic patterns and race traffic patterns (including a map of the Charles River basin between the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and the Starting Line) are illustrated in the 2007 Official Handbook. • Traffic violations are included in SV – severe disregard for safety R u l e s R e vv i e w

23. When Does Passing Begin and End? • Beginning of the Pass (when boat ahead is required to begin their yielding movement): When passer is within 1 length of open water from stern of the crew about to be passed, and is closing the gap. (New Rule) • Completion of the Pass: When there is open water (any length) between stern of the passing boat and the bow of the passed boat. • Instructions to Umpires Regarding Interference: Because a passing situation between two boats can change from moment to moment, an umpire should resist the temptation to infer “Non Yield” interference unless they have followed the attempted passing situation over time (not just a "snapshot view") and can clearly ascertain that the boat ahead has shown no willingness to yield even when pressed and that the boat astern is blocked and clearly forced to slow. R u l e s R e vv i e w

24. Interference and Passing • Interference: Violating the Right of Way of another competitor, thereby impeding their ability to row a fair and safe race. • Boats racing have the Right of Way over non-racing boats • The passing boat has Right of Way, as long as the pass can be executed safely • The right to be on the course, and safety, have a higher precedent than the right to a particular part of the course (i.e. the Right of Way does not preclude the higher responsibility of avoiding collisions, or allowing another boat to race on the course) • In 2007 most of the Jury reversals of umpire penalties dealt with • Severe collisions which were not severe enough • Aggressive passes which were not aggressive enough (hence the rule change) R u l e s R e vv i e w

25. Interference and Passing (Continued) • Responsibilities of the overtaking boat (Passer) • In passing situations, the overtaking boat has right of way (on the side of its choice) if a safe pass can be accomplished. If a pass is attempted, and there is not adequate room and time to perform the pass, the overtaking boat must delay the act of passing until it is safe to do so. • The Passer must allow time for the overtaken boat to yield safely. • If, and only if the Passer forces a boat off the course, into a fixed obstacle (bridge arch, shoreline) or hits or causes damage to the overtaken boat, will the Passer receive a 60 second penalty for or Severe Collision (see below). (New Rule) • If a Passer causes a collision during passing resulting in damage or injury, the Passer will be “severely penalized or disqualified (Rule 1). The standard penalty is 60 sec. (IS) for Severe Collisions. R u l e s R e vv i e w

26. Interference and Passing (Continued) • Responsibilities of the boat being passed • In passing situations, the boat about to be passed must yield and give suitable room to the passing boat on the side chosen by the passing boat. • Movement to yield must begin when the passing boat is within 1 length of open water (and closing) of the boat directly ahead.(New Rule) • Failure of the boat ahead to yield the line selected by the passing boat is interference, resulting in a 60 second penalty (IN) for Non-Yield (per infraction witnessed by an Umpire). • NOTE: Experience has shown that (IN) penalties are by far the most common interference violation. R u l e s R e vv i e w

27. Interference and Passing • Penalties – Non Yield by Boat Being (or About to Be) Passed • 1st infraction – 60 second penalty • 2nd infraction – 120 second penalty • 3rd infraction – Disqualification from the regatta • Umpires should only assess the “first infraction” penalty, if warranted. Add-on penalties are calculated after all Umpire stations have reported • The severity of penalties imposed for interference during passing are severe! For this reason, it is imperative that umpires see incidents as they develop, and clearly understand which boat is the passing boat, and which boat or boats are being passed. R u l e s R e vv i e w

28. Contact & Severe Collisions • Causing contact that could result in injury or damage can be considered unsportsmanlike conduct • Contacting hulls or bodies with blade or hulls is unacceptable, and will result in the offending crew being assessed a 60 second penalty. A Severe Collision (code = IS) occurs when you observe blade-to-rower or hull-to-rower contact, or contact which damages a boat. • If blatant disregard for safety is shown during an incident the offending crew may be disqualified. • Contact or action that results in the slowing of a crew or otherwise impairing their ability to race is interference • Slowing due to excessive caution by a competitor (through excessive caution or timidity or out of “politeness”) is not grounds for an interference penalty R u l e s R e vv i e w

29. Contact & Collisions (Continued) • Temporary minor contact will be tolerated for a boat to maintain possession of their water. • Blade-to blade contact is generally not grounds for interference for a passing boat attempting to gain the preferred course unless in so doing they force the slower boat off the racecourse or into an obstacle. • Crews experiencing blade-to-blade contact must disengage immediately. • Blade-to-blade contact of short duration is not grounds for interference by a boat being passed, if the boats have nowhere else to go (both cox’s/scullers are making best efforts to keep apart in restricted space) and/or if any slowing of the passing boat was negligible. R u l e s R e vv i e w

30. Unsportsmanlike Conduct • Boats or crew members showing a disregard for safety, during a race or practice, will be penalized 60 seconds (SV). If the incident is deemed severe or blatant by the observing official, the boat or crew member may be disqualified. • Use of directed and repeated profanity may result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of 60 seconds (UC). R u l e s R e vv i e w

31. Miscellaneous Rules and Violations • Boats without bow number cards when crossing the Starting line will receive a 60 second penalty • Boats starting out of sequence against the orders of the Starter will be disqualified. • Boats must finish the race with their coxswains aboard (regardless of the crew’s feelings) • Going through the right arch of the railroad trestle bridge (by the BU bridge) or the Lars Andersen Bridge, or going through the leftmost (Boston shore) arch of any bridge while racing will result in a 60 second penalty (AR). • Practicing in the racing lane between the first start and the last finish on a racing day could result in a 60 second penalty. R u l e s R e vv i e w

32. Consideration of Penalties Accuracy • When assessing a penalty, are we certain that we saw the incident from beginning to end (particularly true in passing situations)? • Do we understand the specific rules that apply to the situation that we have witnessed? • Can we accurately identify all crews involved? • Was the “victim” clearly and significantly impeded? • Was the incident avoidable? • The passing boat (Passer) should get the benefit of the doubt . R u l e s R e vv i e w

33. Special Focus on Safety Between the 2006 Regatta and today, there has been a detailed review of regatta safety.

34. New for 2007 - Safety Our overall goal – the fastest, most reliable and highest quality response to an incident! This requires that every umpire, dockmaster, marshal and race official on the course know and follow the HOCR On-Water Safety Infrastructure Guidelines and Emergency Protocol for 2008 On the Water Safety

35. Safety Logistics – Umpire Stations Each umpire station will be equipped with: • One radio, supplied by HOCR, with ability to contact Emergency Services (both with repeaters for full course coverage). These radios can only be used to communicate with Emergency and with all stations at once in order to stop a race. • Personal cell phones to contact Umpire Central in case the Radios are not working • At least one megaphone and one air horn (marine style) • Two wavable flags (RED to stop race; WHITE to signal all clear for resumption of racing) NOTE: These flags never appear unless the Lead Umpire authorizes their use. On the Water Safety

36. Safety Logistics – Emergency Services Along the course we will have . . . • Eight to ten fully equipped Emergency launches (with capacity to take on crew needing assistance) plus two DCR boats. • Six E.S. locations spaced along the shore (Mag Beach, Riverside, Weld, CBC, Tent, Finish) Each station includes: • First Aiders trained at least in Standard First Aid and CPR. (Many trained to higher levels: e.g., National Ski Patrol Outdoor Emergency Care, EMT, Paramedic, Athletic Trainer, Nurse, MD); • First Aid supplies, blankets, water, etc.; • Ham Radio operators; and • Ability to meet any swimmer pulled from the water at the nearest dock or other appropriate location for evaluation for discharge or further treatment. On the Water Safety

37. Staffing for Safety – New Roles Critical Safety Roles • Senior Lead Umpires (SLU) - located at at least three ‘hot spots’ (Corner bridges: Weeks, Anderson, Eliot). • Lead Umpires – Responsible for the response at their station • Jury Leader – Located at Umpire Central, who will monitor one of the two radios at that location and will stop any activity in which he is engaged to respond immediately to an emergency incident Note: Only SLUs or Jury Leader (at Umpire Central) will have authority to cancel a race in progress On the Water Safety

38. The Protocol – Part 1 • All Incidents are to be reported to Emergency Services Central by HOCR Radio, by Lead Umpires and Emergency Services personnel who may have observed the incident first. NOTE: Nearest Lead Umpire to report relevant facts Give them detail- station location, problem location, boat, condition of oarsperson- in water/boat, face up/ down, moving/still, boat moving/stopped • If not already on scene, E.S. Central to dispatch first responder via radio (Ham or HOCR Radio) • Emergency Services to be in charge of the injured person at the scene, with safety of victims their top priority. • Umpires will direct traffic and manage the race On the Water Safety

39. The Protocol – Part 2 Lead Umpires are to react in parallel with Part 1 • Lead umpires will report the incident to Emergency Services and to Umpire Central • If a race is currently in progress, then the responsible Lead Umpire will: • Report the incident to Umpire Central via radio; and • Provide directive steering guidance as appropriate to on-coming crews and determine independently whether the incident requires stopping the race or additional help, in accordance with applicable safety standards, then • If, in the sole determination of the observing SLU or Jury Leader, the race can not be safely continued due to an imminent safety threat, cancel the race. On the Water Safety

40. Stopping Race – Cancellation of Event If, and only if the Jury Leader or a Senior Lead Umpire instructs Leads at all Stations to stop a race in progress, the following happens: • Lead informs all Umpires at the station that the race is cancelled. • The Lead will immediately begin to: • (1)wave the Red flag signaling that the race has stopped, and • (2) will use the megaphone to inform all crews approaching the station that the race has stopped and that they should cease rowing (“stop - weigh ‘nough - all crews”) • The Lead can delegate one or both of these tasks if necessary On the Water Safety

41. The Protocol – Part 2 (Continued) Once an race in progress has been cancelled (as confirmed by your Lead Umpire) • Receive “all clear” condition from station with incident • Upon verbal command by Umpires, boats are to continue upstream at half pressure to FINISH line. • Boats may pull off the course to land at Magazine Beach or Cambridge-side boathouses, but would not be permitted to cross and head downstream prior to reaching the FINISH. • The goal should be to get the boats off the course reasonably quickly, to enable subsequent races to commence, without traffic jams caused by boats stopped on the course waiting to cross. We don’t need to have yet another emergency during clean-up from the first one. • The race is to be re-scheduled after the last event of the day (during predetermined time set aside for this contingency). On the Water Safety

42. Special Safety Instructions Provided to Crews (in packets) • In the event of an equipment failure (e.g., lost rudder or skeg) a crew should move to the side of the course and stop racing. In this way they avoid being a danger to themselves and to others racing. These crews should paddle when in no danger of causing collision, and follow instructions of regatta officials. • If a boat capsizes or becomes water-logged, the crew should stay with the boat (as a float) until rescued. Swimming away from the boat creates several more water hazards for following crews. A single swimmer is hard to see. • If a rower is ejected (e.g., by a crab) – the boat should stop as soon as safely possible, and remain with the ejected rower, moving off the race course if possible. On the Water Safety

43. Understanding the Course

44. The Course: Three Miles of Bridges and Curves T h e C o u r s e

45. Umpire Stations • There are 15 umpire stations along the race course, from Start to Finish. • Each station is staffed by a crew of at least two umpires • It is important that each umpire station have an unimpeded view of the race course • Each station has a unique set of challenges T h e C o u r s e

46. Frequently Occurring Situations Situations drawn from past Head of the Charles regattas. Situations using boat and course replicas Incident report form completion

47. Classic Interference Incident #1 A B Which boat gets the penalty? x C To the Finish Out of Bounds Travel Lane Buoy x Racing Lane Buoy Return Arch

48. Classic Interference Incident #1 (Continued) A B C Unless you know which is passing, you do not know who is penalized! x To the Finish Out of Bounds Travel Lane Buoy x Racing Lane Buoy Return Arch

49. Classic Interference Incident #1 (Continued) A A B B C What do you think now? x C Before After To the Finish Out of Bounds Travel Lane Buoy x Racing Lane Buoy Return Arch

50. Classic Interference Incident #1 (Continued) A B Boat C or B gets the penalty? x A B C C Before After To the Finish Out of Bounds Travel Lane Buoy x Racing Lane Buoy Return Arch