Instructions for Competitors

General

• The Races are held under A.R.A. Rules of Racing, subject to local rules published here.
• The Isis is just 2000 m long and very narrow in places. In order to prevent overcrowding for safety's sake, the Marshall's instructions and Navigation rules will be strictly adhered to.
• Crews should attend to the position of other crews and river users, and comply swiftly with the directives of marshals and umpires. Competitors and supporters should be courteous to other crews, officials and members of the public. The use of foul language will not be tolerated and could result in penalties.
• Doubling up is not permitted.
• Race Control is located in the bar at City Boathouse. Objections should be lodged at Race Control. The draw, timetable and results will be posted on the Bumping Races web-site at http://users.ox.ac.uk/~azzopard/bumps.html.

Parking and Trailers

See How to get here for map and directions.

• Trailers should be parked in the City Boathouse car park, and towing vehicles moved to the Council car park (marked "cars" on the map of directions). Other vehicles should also be parked in the Council car park. Parking spaces are also available at Redbridge Park & Ride.

University and College Crews

• College crews must embark from the City Boathouse, and their boats should therefore be placed there on trestles by 9.45 am.

Registration

• Participating crews should pick up their racing numbers from Race Control by 9.45 am.
• A pre-race briefing will be held in the bar of the City Boathouse at 10.00 am. Attendance is mandatory for all participating coxes, strokes, polemen and marshals.

Boating Instructions & Navigation

See Map of the Course

• Detailed instructions for embarking, disembarking and river circulation are specified in the local rules.
• All crews must embark from City of Oxford RC landing stages with their bows pointing upstream, no earlier than 3 minutes after the start of the previous race.
• Except when racing, crews must keep to the right hand side of the river above Donnington Bridge, and to the left hand side of the river below it (i.e. normal circulation is reversed below Donnington Bridge).
• Warming up should take place upstream of the Gut; any crew practicing starts or firm pressure rowing in or downstream of the Gut will be penalized.
• Crews proceeding on the right hand side of the river downstream towards the Start must stop at the marked crossing point at Donnington Bridge (see map) and await instructions from the Crossing Marshal before crossing over to left hand side of the River.
• Crews which have passed the crossing point into the start area below Donnington Bridge may not leave it, except in the course of racing.
• All crews should be near their bunglines by the 5-minute gun (see L10.4). At the very least, all crews MUST be below Donnington Bridge at this point.
• All crews MUST be on their bunglines by the firing of the 1-minute gun. (Failure to comply will incur a penalty.)
• At the end of a race, crews that have crossed the Finish line should wait in the turning area (see map) facing into the stream until the last boat remaining in the Division has crossed the line.
• On turning, crews should immediately proceed downstream on the right hand side of the river until the crossing point at Donnington Bridge, where they should stop and await instructions from Crossing Marshal.
• On crossing the river, crews should turn immediately by the houseboats at Salters' and approach the landing stages with bows pointing upstream.
• Crews may not turn in the turning area after racing except under the direction of a marshal.
•  After a race, all participating crews must have disembarked at the CORC/Falcon landing stages before the Five Minute Gun signalling the start of the next race. Failure to do so may incur a penalty.

Safety

• Boats will be inspected for compliance with the safety directives of the ARA. In particular, boats must have suitable bow balls, and heel restraints must be fitted to all shoes.
• Coxswains must wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid.
• Lifebuoys and throw bags are located at the clubhouse.
• First aid and river rescue is provided by launch covering the course and lower river area. In the event of an accident requiring assistance attract the attention of a marshal or an umpire who will be in radio contact with the rescue boat.
• A first aid team will on standby provide first aid, and will be stationed at the City Boathouse..
• First aid boxes are located in the club bar.
• The nearest telephone is located in the Club bar. The following numbers may be useful:

      Police 01865 266000
      John Radcliffe Casualty Department 01865 741166
      General Emergency 999

Use the course map to specify a river location. The rowing club's address is City of Oxford RC, City Boathouse, Meadow Lane, Donnington Bridge Road, Oxford OX4 4BL. Telephone 01865 242576.

Revised: July 11, 2001.