RULES OF MOLESEY REGATTA

Last reviewed: June 2nd 2025, June 9th 2026

Rules

  • The Races will be rowed under the Rules of British Rowing.
  • Equipment and Safety
    Boats and equipment must conform to the British Rowing safety guidelines, and may be inspected by Control Commission and Regatta staff. Crews GOING AFLOAT should boat from the UPSTREAM boat raft, giving way to crews returning from the Finish, keep to the Middlesex side of Thorneycroft Island and proceed well above the start before turning and waiting for the Start Marshall’s orders. RETURNING crews should proceed downstream well beyond the Finish, turn opposite Hampton Church and come in facing upstream, using the DOWNSTREAM raft. Separate safety guidelines and a course diagram will be provided to crews when crew numbers are collected.
  • Entries
    Entries must be made through BROE, and payment must be received by the Entries Secretary before the draw. Cheques should be made payable to Molesey Amateur Regatta. No crew will be allowed to row in the Regatta if it has not paid the appropriate fee. Crew numbers will only be issued when full payment has been made. The Start Marshall will only accept crews onto the stake-boats if crew numbers are displayed. Clubs entering more than one crew for an event should designate the entries ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’.
  • Cancellation and Refunds
    Fees become due, and are not refundable, once a crew has been entered into the draw, which takes place at Molesey Boat Club or other designated location on the Sunday preceding the Regatta. Crews may cancel before this date and any fee paid will be refunded in full. In the event of cancellation of the regatta, refund of fees will be made after taking into consideration all unavoidable costs.
  • Crew numbers and weighing in
    A representative of each crew must report to Race Control at least one hour before the published time of the race to collect the crew’s number for that race. Coxswains must also report at Race Control to be weighed and issued with certificates, and must provide their own weights, which must not be attached to their person. Each representative should leave a mobile phone number for contact at the regatta.
  • Start Times
    Crews must be in the Starting Area five minutes before the start time for their race , ready to be called onto the Start at the time appointed: The start will take place without reference to absentees. Crews should allow twenty minutes to get from the raft to the Start.
  • Programme
    Each of the two days of racing is to be completed in one day. Where competitors enter more than one event, the committee reserves the right to refuse entry to a particular event if the time table becomes impossible to operate. Competitors should indicate in which event they would prefer to row. The committee also reserves the right to restrict the number of competitors in any one event, in which case entries will be accepted strictly in order of receipt of their entries and complete with fees.
  • The Course
    The Saturday course is rowed from stakeboats on the Surrey side of the river, over a distance of 1,000m downstream from opposite Aquarius Sailing Club, finishing at the culvert on the Surrey bank just below Thorneycroft Island (Platt’s Eyot).  Races will be umpired from a following launch.  The start is slightly staggered to compensate for the bend on reaching Thorneycroft Island.  The course is buoyed on the Middlesex side upstream between the Start and Thorneycroft Island, and along parts of Thorneycroft Island to the Finish. The centreline is not buoyed. In case of any obstruction in the course, the race may be stopped by the umpire and re-started. In the event of a collision or obstruction on the course, and the race needing to be stopped before the top of Thorneycroft Island, crews will be returned to stakeboats and re-started immediately. If the race is stopped after the top of Thorneycroft Island, crews will be restarted from where they were stopped, if safe, fair and practicable, with aligning done by positioning the umpire’s launch alongside the bows of the competing crews. Any lead given will be at the umpire’s total discretion. This also applies to Sunday racing, subject to re-starting being performed by the nearest available umpire (nos. 1 or 2).  The Sunday Junior course is rowed from a free start over a distance of 500m starting from about 50m downstream of the top of Thorneycroft Island and finishing at the culvert.  Races will be umpired by Umpires on the bank.  The course is partially buoyed at the edges.  The Moulsey Mile course is rowed from a free start over a 1,600m distance from the concrete blocks on the Surrey bank downstream of Sunbury Court Island to the Regatta finish (culvert).  The races will be umpired from a following launch.  The course keeps to the Surrey side at Thorneycroft Island, following the Saturday course beyond Aquarius Sailing Club.
  • Facilities
    Toilets and fresh water drinking facilities will be provided next to the boat trailer park. Boat racks and showers are no longer provided on site. Access for trailers is via Sadlers Ride off Hurst Road. Further facilities are available at Molesey Boat Club, and in the marquees.
  • Insurance
    Whilst every care will be taken of boats and gear, the committee can accept no responsibility with regard thereto, and clubs should arrange to insure their property fully and arrange for its safe-keeping. Trailers may be left overnight, but at the owner’s risk.
  • Definitions (invitation events)
    Garrick Doubles – the crew must contain one person who has fewer than 100 points across both disciplines when entries close, and is open.
    Sadler Quads – Mixed/Masters as defined by British Rowing. Must have ROW membership.
    Douglas Child Trophy – will be assigned to an event selected
    annually by the committee.
    The C.W.Kent trophy (Victor Ludorum) will be awarded to the Club which gains the most points as follows:

    • Winners of each eights event:       3 points
    • Winners of each fours or quads event       2 points
    • Winners of each doubles or singles event      1 point
  • Mooring
    No boats will be allowed to moor off the Regatta Enclosure.

“Gentlemen, as Sportsmen, are earnestly requested by the Committee to do their utmost in keeping the Course clear”