2017 Parish Notices

Some slight niggles........

There were instances when too many cyclists were seen following crews. Marshals will be briefed and we will be fining from tonight.

We ended up running late with, no doubt, reasons for this but the only one we have been able to identify is that W1 are slow to the start as they fine tune their progress down by exercises of all sorts. Crews must keep closed up to the crew in front and get down to the start as quickly as possible with just the one interruption....doing a start at the Plough. If anyone has any other suggestions on how delays are arising based on observations tonight, we would be pleased to receive them.

We are running short of tabards when we have an abundance of them. It seems likely that race marshals are not returning them promptly at the end of the race they are marshalling. Positon marshals should exchange their tabards with their fellow Club  members when changing shifts.

An absence of crew numbers has been noticed - both bow and cox must have numbers that can be easily seen by marshals on the bank, especially at the railway bridge. If the original has been lost, make a suitable replacement up.

Some major niggles.......

UNBELIEVABLY.........some crews are failing to ensure they have reported their Bumps at control at the end of their race. Please ask your bank parties to make absolutely certain they see control write the result down; there is a lot going on at control which is often crowded so please help the marshals at control do their job for you.

The charts have now been updated from last night and the corrected start order for today is now up on the website. Please look at it NOW and plan accordingly.

Remember that the results need to be on the website promptly and while a concession is made to allow a Bump retrospectively when it has not been recorded, this is very much a last resort.

LATE CONCEDING.....there have been some really bad instances of coxes failing to concede in a timely fashion, so bringing danger into the event for no good purpose.  We usually have something of a sliding scale for late conceding through the event with fines being steadily increased during the week. Despite the best endeavours of our coxes training team - Cara and Susie - and the briefing given to marshals by Eric it seems lessons have not been learned hence we will be fining at high levels going forward.

If any Club has been identified as being especially bad you will be advised separately to save embarrassment. However, any repeat tonight and there will be some naming and shaming with reference to video footage in support.

Some closing updates and good points......

Marshal attendance has been good so please keep it up. If a marshal is not signed in then he/she was not there so risking a fine....

The beer tree has stocked up supplies to ensure a plentiful supply throughout the week so we hope crews in all Divisions will make the most of it. All the proceeds go to charity so, in this context, drinking at the beer tree is a ‘Good Deed’.

Please remember to support the Charity Café and the Ferry at the Plough.

Rosie will be returning from Ely tonight - coming up through Baits Bite and home to the downstream end of the Plough garden around 7.00 pm. Be aware going to the start. Rosie’s operators are fully au fait with our event and fit in well.

Onwards and Upwards!

All the best

Stephen

Stephen Allen

Bumps Secretary

Some slight niggles........

There were instances when too many cyclists were seen following crews. Marshals will be briefed and we will be fining from tonight.

We ended up running late with, no doubt, reasons for this but the only one we have been able to identify is that W1 are slow to the start as they fine tune their progress down by exercises of all sorts. Crews must keep closed up to the crew in front and get down to the start as quickly as possible with just the one interruption....doing a start at the Plough. If anyone has any other suggestions on how delays are arising based on observations tonight, we would be pleased to receive them.

We are running short of tabards when we have an abundance of them. It seems likely that race marshals are not returning them promptly at the end of the race they are marshalling. Positon marshals should exchange their tabards with their fellow Club  members when changing shifts.

An absence of crew numbers has been noticed - both bow and cox must have numbers that can be easily seen by marshals on the bank, especially at the railway bridge. If the original has been lost, make a suitable replacement up.

Some major niggles.......

UNBELIEVABLY.........some crews are failing to ensure they have reported their Bumps at control at the end of their race. Please ask your bank parties to make absolutely certain they see control write the result down; there is a lot going on at control which is often crowded so please help the marshals at control do their job for you.

The charts have now been updated from last night and the corrected start order for today is now up on the website. Please look at it NOW and plan accordingly.

Remember that the results need to be on the website promptly and while a concession is made to allow a Bump retrospectively when it has not been recorded, this is very much a last resort.

LATE CONCEDING.....there have been some really bad instances of coxes failing to concede in a timely fashion, so bringing danger into the event for no good purpose.  We usually have something of a sliding scale for late conceding through the event with fines being steadily increased during the week. Despite the best endeavours of our coxes training team - Cara and Susie - and the briefing given to marshals by Eric it seems lessons have not been learned hence we will be fining at high levels going forward.

If any Club has been identified as being especially bad you will be advised separately to save embarrassment. However, any repeat tonight and there will be some naming and shaming with reference to video footage in support.

Some closing updates and good points......

Marshal attendance has been good so please keep it up. If a marshal is not signed in then he/she was not there so risking a fine....

The beer tree has stocked up supplies to ensure a plentiful supply throughout the week so we hope crews in all Divisions will make the most of it. All the proceeds go to charity so, in this context, drinking at the beer tree is a ‘Good Deed’.

Please remember to support the Charity Café and the Ferry at the Plough.

Rosie will be returning from Ely tonight - coming up through Baits Bite and home to the downstream end of the Plough garden around 7.00 pm. Be aware going to the start. Rosie’s operators are fully au fait with our event and fit in well.

Onwards and Upwards!

All the best

Stephen

Stephen Allen

Bumps Secretary

We start with thanks to Narrowboat ‘Rosie’s skipper, Peter, who pulled a bike and some large pieces of wood out of the river for us yesterday so avoiding a potential incident.

Our thanks also to Jeremy from Radegund who has cut the undergrowth along Stourbridge Common to make life easier for the crews landing there.

Grateful thanks to both for these initiatives.

It had been mooted that numbers would be put on Stourbridge Common for crews to marshal against. However, there will be two marshals from City to assist in getting into reverse order and we would ask crews to pay attention to them so the line-up is completed with minimal fuss and bother. It speeds up crews getting down to the start and getting into position if they are in the correct, reverse, order as they pass the Railings.  

Georgina is out tonight so please allow extra time to get to the start although, hopefully, it will not be too disruptive as it is scheduled to be back at its base by 4.30 pm.......which will be when crews in the early Division are boating so please take this into account. (It has no other cruises likely to affect us this week.)

As to the wild life, a pair of Swans with their cygnet are around 1st post, and although the cygnet is about half grown, allowance should still be made in accordance with the briefings given in the coxes and marshals meetings.

From 11.30 today, I am not available online and any queries after that time need to be addressed to the Bumps committee as a whole when some of the more tekkie members may be able to respond but the usual drill applies.......report at Control which will be open from around 4.15pm/4.30pm.

Please remember usual ‘housekeeping matters’.....warn crews to make sure they have water, sun cream etc as the First Aiders are there for emergencies only.

Any encounters or incidents with the Little Red Boat should be reported fully - date, time etc - to control for feedback to the River Manager.

Please ensure that bank parties assist coxes when a Bump has been made so that the river is cleared quickly and, above all, safely. There was a serious pile-up in the Mays that saw a cox in hospital and we do not want that to be repeated this week.

Please remember that Bumps 2017 is a showcase for Cambridge rowing so please keep the event free from swearing and as good natured as the Aims require:

The aims of the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association’s (CRA) Bumping Races are to promote the enjoyment of local oarsmen and oarswomen and the friendly rivalry between CRA affiliated Clubs and their members. 

The main thing is.......Good Luck and Good Racing!

We start with thanks to Narrowboat ‘Rosie’s skipper, Peter, who pulled the attached out of the river for us yesterday so avoiding a potential incident.

Our thanks also to Jeremy from Radegund who has cut the undergrowth along Stourbridge Common to make life easier for the crews landing there.

Grateful thanks to both for these initiatives.

It had been mooted that numbers would be put on Stourbridge Common for crews to marshal against. However, there will be two marshals from City to assist in getting into reverse order and we would ask crews to pay attention to them so the line-up is completed with minimal fuss and bother. It speeds up crews getting down to the start and getting into position if they are in the correct, reverse, order as they pass the Railings.  

Georgina is out tonight so please allow extra time to get to the start although, hopefully, it will not be too disruptive as it is scheduled to be back at its base by 4.30 pm.......which will be when crews in the early Division are boating so please take this into account. (It has no other cruises likely to affect us this week.)

As to the wild life, a pair of Swans with their cygnet are around 1st post, and although the cygnet is about half grown, allowance should still be made in accordance with the briefings given in the coxes and marshals meetings.

From 11.30 today, I am not available online and any queries after that time need to be addressed to the Bumps committee as a whole when some of the more tekkie members may be able to respond but the usual drill applies.......report at Control which will be open from around 4.15pm/4.30pm.

Please remember usual ‘housekeeping matters’.....warn crews to make sure they have water, sun cream etc as the First Aiders are there for emergencies only.

Any encounters or incidents with the Little Red Boat should be reported fully - date, time etc - to control for feedback to the River Manager.

Please ensure that bank parties assist coxes when a Bump has been made so that the river is cleared quickly and, above all, safely. There was a serious pile-up in the Mays that saw a cox in hospital and we do not want that to be repeated this week.

Please remember that Bumps 2017 is a showcase for Cambridge rowing so please keep the event free from swearing and as good natured as the Aims require:

The aims of the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association’s (CRA) Bumping Races are to promote the enjoyment of local oarsmen and oarswomen and the friendly rivalry between CRA affiliated Clubs and their members. 

The main thing is.......Good Luck and Good Racing!

Generally speaking, well done all round for a First night. Hopefully time keeping etc will improve tonight and we will be on time throughout the evening. 

It is ‘the old ones’ that are always best; not reporting a Bump!

Please remind your bank parties that Bumps MUST be reported at control immediately at the end of each race.

Please also remind your coxes to concede safely and to ensure that the crew that has made the Bump immediately holds up while the crew that has been bumped paddles on before both move swiftly off the course.

We share the towpath with other users - from pedestrians to cyclists - and they should be treated with respect. Slow down when approaching anyone else - there is no ‘right’ of priority however hard a bell might be rung....and if someone is inadvertently nudged gently, apologise. If nudged firmly, stop and apologise.

If we get reports identifying Clubs we will take action.

No pre-planned movements of motor boats such as Georgina etc tonight.

One or two returning crews were seen to overtake other returning crews on the way back up the Reach last night. There must be no overtaking in the Reach. There is a Rule:

5.12 All crews in lower divisions returning after their race will maintain single file up the Reach, keeping to the towpath side. This is to allow crews going to the start to do so safely. Coxes should be aware and vigilant.

Can you please ensure that your crews are reminded to pick up their rubbish from the towpath when getting back in the boat before their race. I noticed an empty plastic beer glass - perhaps a bank party - and an empty water bottle last night. We need to leave each station with less rubbish on Friday than there was on the first night so please ask that this is checked. We have, in the past, tasked the Club with the largest number of fines to carry out a litter pick the length of the towpath but if it does not need it, we can avoid doing so.

Please encourage your crews’ family, friends and supporters to make good use of the Charity Café - between control and the beer tree - and the Ferry at the Plough.

Richard Moseley and Katrina have worked very hard on publicity and, in particular, in ensuring the Cambridge News, which was intending to stop the publication of the chart, should continue to do so. Thanks to Jess, an IT solution has been found and the News has agreed to maintain the present level of reporting, indeed to possibly increase it.

So, in addition to providing Katrina and Richard with news stories etc, please encourage your families and friends to e-mail the paper on the following lines:

“Just emailing to say thank you for maintaining the chart for the Town Bumps, it makes it much easier to follow what the crews are doing (then any reference like "my son/daughter/dad/cousin/mother..... is in XYZ 12") I was worried that following the non-appearance of the charts in the Lents and the Mays would mean you wouldn't have one for the Town Bumps".

Send this to:

sport@cambridge-news.co.uk 

And finally, apologies for any distress caused by the absence of loos at Control yesterday. I have had a full and abject apology for the ‘cock-up’ that saw three at Bait’s Bite for some inexplicable reason. The first to use a loo needs a coin or screwdriver to open the lock and the last person each day should, please, reverse the process.

The main thing is.......Good Luck and Good Racing!

All the best

Stephen

Stephen Allen

Bumps Secretary