CRA Bumps Rules

BUMPS RULES FOR 2023

As agreed at the Delegates meeting on 1st March and 19th April 2023

A pdf version of these rules can be downloaded here: 2023 CRA Bumps Rules

CRA Bumps Rules

1. ORGANISATION

1.1. AIM OF THE EVENT The aims of the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association’s (CRA) Bumping Races are to promote the enjoyment of local rowers and the friendly rivalry between CRA affiliated Clubs and their members.

1.2. RUNNING OF THE EVENT A Bumps Committee will be responsible for the organisation, administration and adjudication of the Bumps.

1.2.a. The Bumps Committee is responsible for running a safe event, If outside factors prevent this being possible (e.g. a pandemic) the bumps committee has the authority to make decisions regarding the running of the event to make it safe (e.g. less divisions, cancellation). The Bumps committee should refer to the risk assessment in making these decisions.

1.3. CLUB RESPONSIBILITIES TO EVENT ORGANISATION Each Club shall appoint a bumps organiser whose function is to liaise between the Club, CRA Webmaster and the Bumps Committee. They will control the club’s interaction with the Event including entries, amendments and marshals etc. They must remain in close contact with the Bumps Committee by email throughout the event. The individual’s name and email address must be conveyed to the Bumps Committee by 1 March each year.

1.4. DEFINITIONS The races are to be rowed in VIIIs and the term ‘rower’ will be used throughout these Rules applying equally to men and women.

1.5. EACH CLUB’S RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION Each affiliated Club shall be entitled to one position in each of the open and women’s races that will not be subject to any getting-on races.

1.6. NOTABLE DATES Notable Dates form part of the Rules subject only to their updating each year according to the calendar.

1.7. These Rules must be considered in the round and not in isolation bearing in mind the overall Aims of the Races as described in 1.1 above.

2. ENTRY

2.1. BARRIERS TO ENTRY Any club with outstanding bumps fines as at 31st December, will not be allowed to enter the following years bumps until that fine is paid or rescinded by the Delegates.

2.2. ENTRY SUBMISSIONS Each Club must send a completed entry form to the Bumps Committee no later than 22 days before the event as detailed in Notable Dates. Either a digital copy of the entry form sent by email or the paper form posted to the Bumps Committee must be received by the deadline. This is to be accompanied by the Club’s insurance details as required under rule 2.11. Entry fees are to be paid simultaneously, either direct to the CRA’s Treasurer or by BACS to the CRA’s bank account with an e-mail confirmation to the Treasurer. The amount of the entry fee for each crew is to be determined at a Delegates meeting. If a Club is late with its entry, it will not be permitted to enter any crews in that year's event.

2.3. Initial Entries: The names of the individual rowers in each crew must be entered on the CRA’s website no later than 9 days before the event as detailed in Notable Dates. Those persons rowing under Rule 2.5 or Rule 2.6 must be clearly shown with relevant exceptions detailed where applicable. Crews rowing in the first divisions on the first night must enter the same crews on all four nights unless crew changes for exceptional reasons are approved in advance through the Dispensation process. Any crew changes planned for different days must also be shown. Any objections to the composition of the crews listed must be given to the Bumps Secretary as soon as they become known and no later than the Friday before the races.

2.4. Alterations to entries:

2.4.a. Alterations to entries prior to racing: Any subsequent alterations to crews prior to 12 noon 2 days before the first day of the event must be amended on the website as soon as they are known. If not so amended, the Club will be fined one quarter of an entry fee per crew. Any objections to the amended composition must be given to the Bumps Committee, in writing with details of objections, by 09:00 on the day before the first day of racing.

2.4.b. Alterations to entries during the event:

2.4.b.1. Substitutes into crews rowing in the first divisions must be drawn from lower boats or from a previously approved list of substitutes which must be submitted at the same time as individual rower details on the CRA website no later than 18:00 nine days before the event.
Details must entered onto the website by 16.00 on the day of substitution. After 16.00, the changes need to be additionally logged at Control. Any objections must be amended on the website, as soon as they are known.

2.4.b.2. No additional approved substitutes for first division crews can be added between 18:00 nine days before the event and the start of racing

2.4.b.3. Substitutions, being changes other than those planned in the entry process (i.e. in accordance with Rules 2.2 and 2.3) for crews outside the first divisions will be allowed thereafter but only for illness, accident or other genuine reason. Details must entered onto the website by 16.00 on the day of substitution. After 16.00, the changes need to be additionally logged at Control. Any objections must be amended on the website, as soon as they are known.

2.4.c. Substitutes may not have rowed in the current bumps in a higher boat (except when doing so as a substitute), unless there are exceptional circumstances and the substitution is approved by the Bumps Committee, and then only by a full member covered by Rule 2.5.

2.4.d. All crews actually rowing must be in accordance with all the Rules of Entry or each one will be fined the amount of an entry fee. If any changes are not notified and the website not amended then the Club will be fined one quarter of an entry fee per crew.

2.5. Eligibility: All rowing competitors who have raced since 1st January of the current year must only have competed for a CRA club or have been the CRA club representative of a composite, unless allowed under sub-paragraphs 2.5a-2.5e below or under rule 2.6, since 1 January prior to the races.

2.5.a. Anyone, who in the current academic year, was either a full-time student or full-time graduate student and who rowed or coxed in the CRA Bumping Races or the British/National Rowing Junior Championships whilst a member of a CRA affiliated Club in those years where the timing of two events clash in such a manner as to require a choice between the two (as determined by the Delegates), for at least two previous years – one year if as a Junior (J18) – before going to their current place of education. Changes of colleges or courses within the same University do not affect the meaning of “current”.

2.5.b. Anyone who has coxed or rowed in the CRA Bumping Races for at least two previous years, but who has rowed at a non CRA event in a non CRA crew or in a non-recorded composite on not more than two occasions since 1 January.

2.5.c. Anyone who has coxed or rowed in the CRA Bumping races for at least ten previous years may compete in the CRA town bumps.

2.5.d. No rower who has raced in the University Lent or the May Bumping races or with the Cambridge University Squads after 1st January in the current year of racing is eligible for the CRA Town Bumps in that year., unless eligible under rule 2.5.a

2.6. DISPENSATION CRITERIA The Delegates will consider applications for dispensation from individuals who are not eligible under Rule 2.2 or 2.5 on the following basis, provided they fulfil all the following conditions

2.6.a. These applicants must have been competing for a CRA Town Club at races throughout the season or be considered for other reasons. Candidates who have not been competing for a CRA town club at races throughout the season will need to provide strong justification of their link to the club and reason why they have been unable to compete.

2.6.b. Only one person allowed under dispensation Rule 2.6 may be included in any crew.

2.6.c. Clubs must put forward the names of candidates and reasons for their requests by submission of a fully completed dispensation request form, in accordance with instructions in Notable Dates and on the website. No entry without all of this information will be considered. The information will be displayed on the website and circulated to Clubs one week before the meeting.

2.7. DISPENSATION PROCESS It is the responsibility of the Club applying for dispensation to provide full details of the events the rower has entered for CRA Town Clubs, noting composite events etc.

2.7.a. Failure to provide the full information requested on the Dispensation Request Form or in response to a request for further details from the Bumps committee will incur a fine of one quarter of an entry fee.

2.7.b. Failure to provide information about a rower to the satisfaction of the majority of the delegates at the dispensation meeting may result in the rower for whom dispensation is sought being prohibited from taking part in the races

2.7.c. If information becomes available after the dispensation meeting which invalidates, under 2.5 or 2.6, a previously agreed dispensation, the dispensation will be withdrawn, and the crew member disqualified from the event.

2.8. CREW CRITERIA The women’s division is restricted to women.

2.8.a. The minimum age for a rower is J15, as defined by British Rowing’s regulations.

2.8.b. The minimum age for a cox is J16, as defined by British Rowing’s regulations.

2.8.c. Coxes may be of either gender and may row or cox in other divisions.

2.8.d. CRA Bumps will apply the British Rowing Trans and Non-Binary Inclusion Competition Policy when applicable. Please contact the Bumps committee for a confidential discussion if required

2.9. No rower may row in more than one crew on any given day of racing, except in exceptional circumstances as a substitute, under rule 2.4 for one evening.

2.10. Entries will only be accepted from crews comprised of bona fide members of paid-up CRA Affiliated Clubs. Before competing, Clubs must have paid the affiliation fee for the current year.

2.11. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS All crews entered must have third party insurance to cover injury to competitors; spectators and damage to property with an indemnity limit of at least £3m. A letter or certificate from an insurance company, in a prescribed form, confirming the Club’s public liability cover meets these requirements must be attached to the entry form. (see rule 2.2)

2.12. ORDERING OF CREWS Clubs must enter their crews in the anticipated order of their speed. If the order is subsequently considered to be incorrect, Clubs shall renumber their crews by 21.00 on the day before racing by amending the website and informing the Bumps Committee, together with the Club organisers, in writing.

2.13. New Clubs/Crews

2.13.a. Any club which does not have a position on the river, or has not rowed in the last two year’s Bumping Races, must row their crew(s) in the CRA Time Race. The crew must fairly represent their proposed Bumps crew(s) i.e. at least six members. The Bumps Committee will then seed them into the full starting order.

2.13.b. Any crew which does not have a position on the river, or has not rowed in the last two years Bumping races may be asked by the bumps committee to row in the CRA Time Race. The crew must fairly represent their proposed Bumps crew(s) i.e. at least six members. The Bumps Committee will then seed them into the full starting order. The bumps committee will notify clubs within 24 hrs of entries closing of any crews that need to race the Time Race.

2.13.c. In the event that a club is entering multiple additional crews the bumps committee has the jurisdiction to seed boats in the lower divisions to accommodate these additional crews appropriately.

2.14. NON-PARTICIPATION: Any crew that did not participate in the previous year’s Bumps will drop four places in the current year’s order.

2.15. OVERSUBSCRIPTION There will be up to four divisions for each gender, subject to entry numbers. If the event is over-subscribed, an entry to the Time Race will be required as a getting- on race. Those crews at the bottom of Open Division Four and Women’s Division Four will be expected to take part. The number of crews required to take part will equal twice the number of additional entries seeking a position, subject to a maximum of eight from the existing crews. All crews taking part must be representative of their intended entry in accordance with rule 2.13.

2.16. REORDERING FOR SAFETY At the written request of the Club, or in special circumstances at its own discretion, the Bumps Committee may, in the interest of safety or where the committee is satisfied that the crew does not fairly represent its place in the order, place a crew in a new position other than its proper starting position.

2.17. COXES MEETINGS All coxes must attend a CRA cox’s meeting in the year of racing. At the meeting, the cox must sign in on the register in person. A list of registered coxes will be maintained for that year. Any crew racing without a registered cox will be disqualified from the whole event.

2.18. SCRATCHING If a crew is scratched on or before the first evening, other crews from that Club will row in the highest of the Club’s positions. The lowest unoccupied position for that Club will, in the following year’s starting order, drop four places. If the scratching is later than 12 noon 2 days before the first day of the event, then only that crew’s division will be affected, and the Club will be fined the amount of an entry fee.

2.19. RULE VIOLATIONS When a crew has rowed in violation of any of the rules in section 2, the offending crew, unless bumped on an evening of violation, will go down one place in the starting order on the following evening’s racing, in respect of each evening of violation. In addition, the Club will be fined up to half the amount of an entry fee in respect of each evening and may be disqualified from the current races.

3. COURSE & EQUIPMENT

3.1. THE FINISH There will be two finishing points in each division. A boat is on the course until its stern is past its finishing point. The first eight crews will row to the further point and the remainder will row the shorter distance. All crews will have the option of rowing to the further point to make a bump on any of the crews whose finish is the further point.

3.2. Finishes:
A - Concrete post about 100 yards upstream of Morley’s Holt
B – Ditton side upstream edge of the Railway Bridge brickwork
C – Front door of the White House (72 Fen Road)
D – The Railings in Long Reach
O1 and W1 - finishes A & B
O2 and W2 - finishes B & C
O3; W3; O4 and W4 - finishes C and D

3.3. SANDWICH BOATS The crews that finish at the head of a lower division will row as “sandwich boat” at the bottom of the next higher division.

3.4. NUMBERS The crew’s number must be worn by both bow and cox throughout the racing in such a way as to be clearly visible at all times. Crews not doing so may be fined up to one eighth of an entry fee.

3.5. BOAT SAFETY All boats that are raced must be fitted with a regulation bow-ball and be safe to row in. The cox must wear a life jacket or buoyancy aid. No boat will be allowed to race in contravention of these requirements. All boats where “fitted shoes” are employed must have effective heel restraints. These must be properly adjusted (rising no higher than 7cm measured at right angle to the footplate) and in working order.

3.6. ROLE OF THE BANK PARTY All crews must be accompanied throughout the race by at least one follower, who must be at least age 18 at first day of racing, who will assist the cox in the racing and also generally assist in the safety of the race.

3.7. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BANK PARTY In the interests of safety, Clubs must limit the number of followers on bicycles to a maximum of four. No follower may be under 12 years old. Followers are prohibited from any of the following: videoing from a bicycle using a hand-held device (meaning a device which requires one hand to be holding it and not on the handlebar – devices attached to the body are allowed); riding a tandem; riding a bicycle towing a child-carrying trailer or a bicycle with a child-carrying box; riding a bicycle towed by or towing a dog. Clubs must make it clear to all other spectating members and their families that use of such cycles must be entirely at the user's risk. Any crew with an excessive bank party and/or otherwise in breach of this Rule will be fined one quarter of an entry fee for the first night of the offence increasing by a similar amount for each further night of offending.

3.8. In the interests of safety, running with crews will not be allowed.

3.9. Front (bow) coxed boats will not be permitted.

3.10. SIGNALLING TO CREWS FROM THE BANK: Bank parties are permitted to use whistles to provide support to racing crews, however NO OTHER signalling devices are permitted. Please be aware that other devices such as loudhailers, airhorns or other similar devices may be used in emergencies by marshals, umpires and bank parties to stop or control the races in the interests of safety.

4. STARTING

4.1. PROGRESSION TO THE START On their first evening’s racing all crews must pass the Railway Bridge at least twenty minutes before their race is due to start. They must also be registered by the appointed Railway Bridge marshal. Any crew not so registered will not be able to proceed down to the start on that night of racing, conceding a bump (see rule 4.4) unless the marshal and the Chief Marshal or Deputy Chief Marshal are satisfied that the reason for the failure, reported by a member of the Club to one of them before the above time, is genuine.

4.2. ARRIVAL AT THE START If a boat is not at its starting position four minutes before the race is due to start, and has not notified the Bumps Committee in advance that it has scratched, the Club will be fined the amount of an entry fee unless the Bumps Committee is satisfied that the failure was caused by circumstances beyond the control of the crew.

4.3. NON-RACING CREWS WHO DON’T GIVE NOTICE If, for any reason, a crew does not race on one evening when they were due to race, then on the next evening they are due to race they must register with the Railway Bridge marshal twenty-five minutes, or with the Chief Marshal at the Gunshed fifteen minutes, before their race. Failure to do so will disqualify the crew for the rest of the event/Races. The offending crew will go down one place in the overall order for that and each of the remaining evenings of racing. The Club may be fined up to the amount of an entry fee

4.4. NON-RACING CREWS WHO DO GIVE NOTICE If a crew is scratched, disqualified or withdraws by giving at least fifteen minutes notice to the Chief Marshal, the offending crew will go down one place in the overall order for that and each of the remaining evenings of racing. The Club may be fined up to the amount of an entry fee.

4.5. PROGRESSION TO THE START Crews going to the start must go down in reverse order unless advised by the railway bridge marshal. If they are not in order at the railway bridge they should re-order before the Railings. Crews must not turn or row upstream except below their starting position. When turning they must not impede crews that need to go further downstream. Any crew doing so, unless advised by a marshal, will be fined up to half the amount of an entry fee.

4.6. ASSEMBLY Crews should assemble in reverse order per the current years marshalling instructions which will be distributed by the Bumps Committee in advance of the event.

4.7. PRACTICE STARTS Crews going to the start may only practice one racing start, at the Plough, subject to the Chief Marshal’s discretion.

4.8. START LOCATIONS The starting points will be 150 feet apart. Until the start the cox will hold the bung attached to a chain, 33 feet in length fixed to its post or, if by chance the bung is lost, 7’s rigger must remain downstream of the post. Any crew failing to observe this requirement will be liable to be bumped but cannot make a bump, unless, in the opinion of the marshal, the loss of the bung or the movement of the boat made no difference to the outcome of the race. The Club may be fined up to the amount of an entry fee. (NB pushing out poles are 14ft in length).

4.9. START PROCESS The race will be started by firing three guns. The first will be fired four minutes before the start; the second one minute before the start and the third on the start. In the event of a failure of the one minute or start gun, the next gun fired will be the one-minute gun. No crew may have more than two members actually rowing during the last ten seconds of the countdown to the start of the race

5. BUMPS

5.1. DEFINITION OF A BUMP A boat will be considered bumped when it is touched by any part of the boat following before the leading boat’s stern has passed its finishing point. The cox of a boat so bumped, or where there is an overlap under rule 5.2, must immediately acknowledge it by holding up a hand and the crew must keep rowing. A crew will be fined for conceding late at half an entry fee (before the Plough, as defined under 5.2) doubled for a second offence. After the Plough (as defined in 5.2) the fine will be one quarter of an entry fee for a first offence, doubled for a second offence. For more than two such offences, the cox will be referred to the leaders of the cox’s meetings for guidance and the Club may be further fined to the amount of an entry fee. The crew making the bump must immediately hold it up until the boats are separated, then row on to clear the river. Both crews must steer to the side of the river as quickly as possible and, in the Gut, ideally to the towpath side. (The word “boat” includes the oars unless detached from the boat.) Failing to clear the river promptly may incur a fine of one quarter of an entry fee.

5.2. BUMPS BEFORE THE PLOUGH Before the stern of the leading boat is past the concrete post opposite the Plough, an overlap of boats where the bow ball of the following boat is level with or ahead of the cox’s seat of the leading boat, will constitute a bump. The cox must acknowledge as for a bump.

5.3. OTHER BUMPS Notwithstanding rules 5.1 and 5.2, a bump will also be awarded when:

5.3.a. Bowball of the following boat passes the bowball of the leading boat.
5.3.b. Bowball of the following boat passes the chain bolt of the station of a non- starting boat.

5.4. BLOCKED RIVER Where a crew or crews are unable to continue rowing because the river has become blocked, or for some other reason not caused by the crew or its boat, the crews will be considered to have rowed over unless, in the opinion of the marshals, a bump or bumps would have occurred.

5.5. TECHNICAL BUMPS If, in the opinion of the Bumps committee after discussion with the Chief Marshal, a crew has wilfully disregarded any of the rules in section 5 or acted in any other unsafe way, then any bump deemed to be made may be disallowed, or they may have bump awarded against them. The Club will be fined up to the amount of an entry fee and, in exceptional cases, any of the crews involved may be disqualified from the current races.

5.6. DISPUTE PROCESS If a crew wishes to dispute a bump or a marshal’s decision, verbal representation must be made at the time to the marshal and to any other crew(s) involved. After the race, the crew must report to the control point where contact will be made with the Chief Marshal or Deputy Chief Marshal. All parties involved must report to control to await a decision. (NB Unless a dispute is reported immediately at the time and face to face, it is possible that a crew will return to the boathouse unaware of any problem. It is not practicable to bring crews back to control from the boathouses.

5.7. ROLE OF THE CHIEF MARSHAL Subject to the power of the Chief Marshal, all cases of bumps that remain disputed notwithstanding Rule 5.6 will be referred to the Bumps Committee whose decision, after hearing from a single representative from each crew involved at the control point at the end of the day’s racing, will be final.

5.8. RE-ROWS In very exceptional circumstances the Bumps Committee may order a re-row to take place half an hour before the first race on the day following the incident or at some other mutually agreed time.

5.9. REORDERING AFTER A BUMP If one boat bumps another, or a bump is given, the two crews will exchange places in the following day’s starting order whatever may have been their starting positions.

5.10. REGISTERING BUMPS All bumps must be recorded each day at the control point before the start of the following division, or, in the case of O1, at the end of their race, by a member of the Club, or Bank party of the crew claiming the bump. If a bump is not recorded the Club will be fined up to the amount of an entry fee, but the bump will, on sufficient evidence, be allowed.

5.11. CLUB ON CLUB BUMPS If a lower crew bumps a higher crew from the same Club, the Club may be fined up to half an entry fee if in Division 1; up to one quarter of an entry fee if in Division 2; up to one eighth of an entry fee if in Division 3 and nil fee if in Division 4.

5.12. PROCESS ON COMPLETION OF RACING 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.

6. MARSHALS

6.1. MARSHAL REQUIREMENTS Clubs with two or more crews must provide marshals, who must be experienced in bumping races, to help run the event safely. The number of marshals each Club must provide is the number of crews entered divided by three (rounding up any fractions of half or more) for each night of racing. All marshals shall be over 18.

6.2. ROLE OF THE MARSHAL Marshals must sign in, in person to the control point in the first instance, allowing enough time to reach their marshalling position, and then, as directed, to either the Chief Marshal at the Gunsheds or to other positions. A marshal may arrange a substitute for one or other races subject to there being an overlap to explain the role, if needs be, to their replacement.

6.3. FAILURE TO PROVIDE MARSHAL Clubs failing to provide the necessary marshals may be fined up to one quarter of an entry fee per absent Marshall in respect of each evening of failure. New marshals must attend a marshals meeting.

7. GENERAL

7.1. FINES: Fines will only be issued for the infringement of the bumps rules as stated above or for exceptional circumstances, such as foul language or behaviour likely to bring the event into disrepute, with appeal only to the delegates meeting following the bumping races. A fine under this section will start at a minimum of one half of an entry fee.

7.2. RE-APPOINTMENT OF CLUB ORGANISERS If in the opinion of the Bumps committee, a Club’s organiser is failing to process or otherwise smoothly guide the Club’s progress through the event in accordance with and to the timetable established by the Rules, the Club will, immediately on request, appoint a replacement Club organiser

APPENDIX 1

TABLE OF FINES

All fines are per crew and per offence unless otherwise stated.