Regattas and Heads cancelled in the UK 2000-1

The latest news about any cancellations, postponements or reschedulings are posted regularly on the Rowing Service New Information Page.

Events are listed in alphabetical order. Included are any specific messages sent by the organisers, where relevant. All were cancellations unless specified otherwise.

• The Avon County Head Race (UK) was cancelled due to dangerous river conditions.
• Bedford Head was cancelled.
• Burway Head.
• The University of Bristol Head 25th Nov was postponed. It will be run on in February or early march. People who have already entered should contact the regatta secretary for information.
• Boston Marathon. "Whether we attempt to reschedule the event in the near future is as yet undecided."
• The Cambridge Autumn Regatta (due September 9th 2001) was cancelled due to foot and mouth restrictions in place on Ditton Meadows and Stourbridge Commons.
• In Cambridge the University Fours were postponed, and may be turned into a Head race in 2001-2.
• "Regrettably, on police advice about the risks of spreading Foot & Mouth, we have had to cancel the head race due to take place here in Chester on Saturday 10th March. We're currently contacting the clubs that had entered. We'll destroy cheques received for entries. Our webmeister is away at the moment so the page will not be updated for a while." Paul Johnston, Royal Chester RC.
• The May Day Defi a Huit match between the British and French eights was cancelled due to the high water levels of the river Seine.
• Durham ARC's Junior Invitation Regatta 2001 was cancelled due to flooding.
• Evesham Head 2001.
• November's GB Junior Trials were moved from Peterborough to Boston to escape conditions.
• The Gloucester Head was cancelled (FMD): the local council were happy to let it run, but the British Waterways Board said no.
• Hampton Small Boats Head, to be rescheduled on 27th January 2001, assuming the river has come to its senses by then.
• Unhappily the rescheduled Hampton Head had to be cancelled, following the recent rain and rapid rise in waterflow on the Thames.
• The Head of the River Fours agreed that although it cannot become a precedent, they would refund all Four's Head entry fees in full this year due to the cancellation.
• The Henley Fours Head also had to be cancelled due to stream conditions. HRC very sorry.
• Irish cancellations: "Following the cancellation of both Erne Head in Enniskillen and Tribesmen Head in Galway (which has been re-organised for the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of October), Dublin Head and the Ulster Branch Head on 24th March have both been called off. This leaves the month of March void of any activity here in Ireland. The next casualty may be the private colours match between DUBC (Trinity College) and University College Dublin for the Gannon Cup a week later. A decision will not be taken on this until later." John Aiken, IARU.
  "Tribesmen Rowing Club regrets that, due to the situation surrounding the current Foot & Mouth crisis, and in the national interest, that it has become necessary to cancel the Tribesmen Head of the river, scheduled for Sunday 18th March 2001. This is the first time in fifty-two years that the Head has had to be cancelled. We hope to reschedule the event and hold it later in the year when more favourable conditions prevail.." (This is in addition to the cancellation of the Erne Head of the Enniskillen).
• The Janousek Fours Head (UK) did not happen this year, but it is hoped that it will take place in 2001 in a slightly different format.
• The Janousek Sculls 2001 was also cancelled.
• "Unfortunately the Kingston River Events Committee have been forced to cancel this event owing to the river being placed back on Red Alert. We apologise for the late notice of this cancellation and any inconvenience it will have caused."
• The Kingston Junior Fours Head was not be staged this year, due to the absence of key organisers at the Olympics. Any questions can be addressed to events@kingstonrc.co.uk.
• Kingston Small Boats Head. It is possible that the Kingston SBH may be rearranged to a date early in 2001, but that is not yet confirmed.
• It was decided that Leeds Regatta would not run this year. However, it is expected to go ahead in 2002.
• The Lent bumps in Cambridge were cancelled due to foot and mouth disease.
• Marlow Fours & Pairs Head .
• A message from the organisers of Marlow Late Spring Regatta. "Despite our best endeavours, including flyers at Staines Regatta, we have been unable to raise sufficient entries for the Marlow Late Spring Regatta, due to be held on 30 July. Accordingly, we have cancelled the event."
• The committee of the Marlow Long Distance Sculls announced that due to a short-notice civic reception which has been organised for the British Olympic squad on the same date, and which would have eaten up most of the facilities, helpers and road closures, the LDS on 21st October was cancelled.
• Yet another victim of worsening UK river conditions: Molesey Veteran Head was postponed until Saturday February 24th. For more details see the Molesey BC web site.
• Monmouth RC (UK) cancelled their plan to hold their regatta on Sunday 26th August 2001.
• Nithsdale's Junior Regatta on 31st March was cancelled as the club is in an infected (FMD) area.
• Norwich RC (UK) regrets to announce the cancellation of the Norwich Head Race on Saturday 17th February. All entrants will be refunded, details online.
• Norwich Sprint Regatta in May was cancelled due to FMD restrictions.
• Notts Sprints were cancelled due to low numbers of entries.
• I am told "Putney Amateur Regatta 2001, due to run on Saturday May 12th 2001, will not take place this year".
• Reading University Head of the River was CANCELLED due to water conditions. Many apologies to all involved. No informal racing took place.
• The weather-hit 2001 School's Head was initially postponed and then eventually dropped.
• Stourport Small Boats Head was cancelled.
• Notice from the organisers of the Teddington Sculls: "We regret to say Teddington Sculls were cancelled, owing to unfavourable river conditions. Next year's race will take place on Saturday 2nd March, conditions permitting."
• In May, the Thames Ditton Regatta was cancelled.
• Tiffin Small Boats Head. They hoped to re-run it in January or February.
• Sunday 4th Feb, Tiffin Small Boats Head rescheduled. "The EA still has Red Board warnings on this stretch of river and they do not know when they will be downgraded due to the unfavourable weather forecast for the rest of this week. Therefore with regard to the above and the continued fast stream conditions, particularly in the Marshalling Area, it is with regret that we have to cancel this event." Colin Barratt.
• Unfortunately the Upton Head of the River (January 13th) had to be cancelled because the Severn was still unrowable. For more information email Ron Paterson.
• Veteran Fours Head.
• Wallingford Head, December 2000.
• A week ahead of the event, Wallingford Head 2000 were forced to drop their postponed race completely. Due to the Farmoor reservoir no longer pumping water out of the upstream Thames (too polluted) the Isis and below was very high indeed.
• Walton Small Boats Head 2000.
• First of the British 2001-2 season: Walton Small Boats Head (UK) was cancelled due to river conditions, the only autumn head to be cancelled two years in a row.
• Mike Hnatiw says that the Welsh Head was cancelled due to FMD.
• Alas Weybridge Vets was cancelled.
• The ARA Women's General Training Weekend was cancelled.
• The Worcester Head of the River had to be cancelled due to floodwater height. Draws had already been held back to avoid the cost of unnecessary postage, and secretary Ashley Roberts said he would rip cheques up without banking them, unless you contacted him to ask for them to be returned.
• In the UK, Worcester Regatta Committee announced the cancellation of their 2001 event, due to be held on 26th May. Even after moving crews to make viable events, they had only 61 races, about 3 hours of racing.
• York Small Boats Head was postponed to November 26th.