Section G: Stewards and Related Matters

    G.1     Stewards

    1. It is the responsibility of the Stewards and Judges to ensure that the championships are run in a fair and safe manner. The Stewards and Judges must have a complete knowledge of the rules of the Federation, and must at all times apply the rules in a fair, honest and practical way.
    2. Stewards should be pro-active, if they see an infringement of rules they should act on it instead of waiting for an objection.
    3. Each day, a Stewards Meeting will be held one hour before racing. Each Steward who is scheduled to steward for that day is required to attend and must sign for an access pass which will allow them access to Stewards boat at their scheduled time. Stewards passes will be person specific and will carry the name of the Steward and will only be valid for that day’s racing. The Stewards Meeting will brief stewards on key rules of racing including lane discipline, racing line at turns, any issues from the previous day’s racing, etc
    4. In all decisions a majority vote of Stewards shall apply.
    5. Three Shore Judges shall be appointed to officiate at/or on the start/finish line. The Official Starters and the Stewards must co-operate fully with one another at all times.
    6. Three Boat Stewards from different Associations must officiate at each race. A second team of Boat Judges will be appointed to specifically observe the turns. In all decisions on the Stewards Boat, a majority vote of Stewards shall apply.
    7. Boat Stewards should not officiate for more than 6 consecutive races.
    8. Where an incident occurs in a race that requires the opinion / comments from the Stewards then all Stewards who have witnessed the event should give an account of what they saw.  This in conjunction with TV evidence available should then be used to make a decision on the matter.
    9. Following the Stewards decision, Clubs involved have the right to appeal that decision to the Hearing Committee.
    10. If a crew is disqualified from a race, the Club Captain from that club must be notified of the disqualification and informed of the Club’s right to appeal the decision to the Hearing Committee before any Official Race Results are announced.
    11. The Decision of the Hearing Committee is final.

     

    G.2     Cooperation with Stewards

    All associations, club officials, club members, spectators and supporters etc. must fully cooperate with and obey the instructions of all appointed Stewards, Judges and Federation Officials at all times to ensure the safe, fair and efficient running of the Championships.

     

    G.3     Federation Officers

    All ICRF Officers have at all times the status of Stewards & accordingly, must be co-operated fully with at all times.

     

    G.4     Officer of the Day

    The Officer of the Day shall be responsible for co-ordinating the duties of all Stewards, Race Officials and Service Personnel (Course Maintenance, P.A., Safety, etc.) and liaising with Officials from the Host Committee/Association/Club and all other necessary arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the Championships.

     

    G.5     Race Organiser

    The Race Organiser shall be responsible for coordinating all operations on the Start/Finish line including coordinating the race running order, recording and issuing results, identification of boats, issuing of 10-minute warnings etc. He/She may also perform as a Steward simultaneous to the organising duties. The time warnings are at the discretion of the starter and all coxes will be informed of time warnings before the first race.

     

    G.6     Stewards Boats

    There must be a minimum of two stewards boats on the water at all times.  One must remain in a position behind the turning buoys while the other will follow the races from a safe distance from the rowing boats so as to ensure that they do not interfere with the racing.

     

    G.7     Official Starters

    • The Official Starter shall be appointed by or with the agreement of the Federation.
    • Consistent Starter’s instructions and signals to be given as follows:

    “All Boats Ready”, followed by a single gunshot or a long blast of a horn.

     

    G.8     Hearing Committee

    The Hearing Committee shall be the ‘Arbiter of Last Resort’ and shall adjudicate and issue final decisions on all appeals and objections received to decisions of the Stewards. The Hearing Committee shall where reasonably possible, consist of one member from each association and one representative from the stewards. In addition, the Federation shall appoint a Chairperson of the Hearing Committee who will be responsible for coordinating the activities of the Committee and for signing off on all decisions of the Hearing Committee. The Hearing Committee’s decision shall be final. Each person on the committee shall have one vote. In addition, in the event of a tied vote the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote. The findings of the Hearing Committee will be final. No member of the Hearing Committee shall be permitted to adjudicate on any matter involving their own club, i.e. where the outcome of the Hearing is likely to directly have a positive or negative effect on his/her club, then that person must stand aside from all deliberations and decisions affecting that particular issue. It is in order for a Substitute to take over in this instance however the Substitute shall also be bound by the provisions contained in this Rule G.8.

     

    G.9     Objections / Appeals

    a).      All objections and appeals to race incidents must be received on an official Objection form, together with the appropriate fee no later than 30 minutes from the time the last boat to finish in the disputed race crosses the finish line.

    b).     All objections and appeals received in advance of a disputed race shall be adjudicated on by the Stewards. A right to appeal shall exist to all Stewards decisions however such appeals received within two (2) races of the start of the affected race shall be adjudicated on after the disputed race has finished, i.e. If the disputed race is race No. 7, this means that the Hearing Committee will only sit prior to the race if the Appeal is received before race No. 5 has started. If the Appeal is received after race No. 5 has started, the Appeal will be heard after the race has finished. The Hearing Committee shall have the right, in such instances, to issue a retrospective decision such as may be described in rule G.11 below.

    c).       Objection forms are available from the Stewards and/or from the Federation merchandising stall. The objection fee will be refunded, if an objection is upheld, or if the objection is denied but deemed to have been reasonable and  made in good faith. See Appendix 3 for details of fee.

    d).     A club submitting an Objection or Appeal Objection or Appeal, shall be named.

     

    G.10  Attendance at Objection / Appeal Hearing

    The Club Captain or other nominated club official will be the only representative from a club entitled by right to be heard at an Appeal Hearing affecting that club. The Hearing Committee shall have the right to call any witnesses who can give an account of what they saw or persons who did not witness an incident but whose expertise or knowledge may be able to assist the Hearing Committee to make a just decision. The Hearing Committee’s deliberations shall be done in private.

     

    G.11  Bye into a Final

    The Hearing Committee or Stewards at their discretion may grant a crew that was unfairly knocked out of a heat by way of third party interference, broken oar, gate, or tiller, a bye into the final. Alternatively, if the incident occurred early enough during the first heat, a bye into a subsequent heat in the same category may be granted. If there is no berth available in the relevant final or heat, a bye may be granted into an alternative final or heat provided that the race is of the same or higher category and the crew is qualified to take part. If a crew is deemed to have been knocked out of a final unfairly by way of third party interference only, the Hearing Committee or Stewards at their discretion may award position to that crew according to the finishing place that the crew will have been estimated by the Hearing Committee or Stewards to have achieved should they have finished the race unhindered. However, the stewards cannot overturn the results of a placed crew who were not involved in the said incident.

     

    Section H: Race Categories and Qualifying Criteria

    H.1     Race Categories

    The full list of races, Race Course & Distances, Qualifying Genders and Qualifying Boats can be found in Appendix 5.

     

    H.2     Intermediate and Intermediate Ladies Races

    Any crew or Rower  that has been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd during the current season in either Junior or Senior Men’s/Ladies races is not permitted to row Intermediate Men’s/Ladies at the All-Ireland with the following exceptions:

      1. All Rowers who are qualified to row in the Under 21 races are exempt from the restrictions stipulated in this rule 2.
      2. One single Rower from a placed Junior Men’s or Ladies crew can be a member of a valid Intermediate crew.

     

    H.3     Junior & Senior Men’s and Ladies Races

    Any crew or Rower that has been placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd during the current season in any Senior Men’s/Ladies races is not permitted to row Junior Men or Ladies at the All-Ireland with the following exceptions:

      1. All Rowers who are qualified to row in the Under 21 races are exempt from the restrictions stipulated in this rule 3.
      2. One single Rower from a placed Senior Men’s or Ladies crew can be a member of a valid Junior Men’s or Ladies

     

    H.4     Senior Mixed Race

    The qualifying criterion for a Senior Mixed crew is that each crew must contain a maximum of two men.

     

    H.5     Veteran and Pre-Veteran Mixed Races

      1. The qualifying criteria for a Mixed Veterans crew is that the crew can only contain a maximum of 2 qualified (over 45) Veteran Men Rowers and qualified (over 40) Veteran Ladies   Rowers in any combination.

               Age Qualifications are as per rule L.6.

      1. The qualifying criteria for a Pre-Veteran Mixed crew is that the crew can only contain a maximum of 2 qualified (over 35), Pre-Veteran Men Rowers and qualified (over 30), Pre-Veteran Ladies Rowers in any combination.

               Age Qualifications are as per rule L.6.

     

    H.6     Masters Races

    Both the Ladies and Men’s Masters races are categorised as Semi-Open races meaning that the crew members from each crew can come from any combination of clubs in any combination and the composite rules do not apply.

    The only eligibility requirements are that each crew member is eligible by age (Ladies over 50 on the day, Men over 55 on the day) and they must be registered with the ICRF as members of affiliated clubs.

     

    H.7     Open Classic Races

    The Open Classic races are open to all crews from anywhere in the world competing in four-oared fixed seat timber boats that are not fitted with outriggers. An outrigger is considered to be any fixing that provides a fulcrum to an oar outside of the boundaries of the gunwales of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews need not be members of clubs affiliated to the Federation and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw. Note: For Health & Safety Reasons it has been determined that the Open Classic Race shall be restricted to boats of not more than 35ft in length. A straight Open Sprint Race will be run to accommodate boats of over 35ft.

     

    H.8    Seine Boat Race(s)

    The Seine Boat Race shall be run under the rules and guidance of the South & Mid Kerry Rowing Board over a distance and course agreed with the members South & Mid Kerry Rowing Board. Only Seine Boats built to the specifications and rules of the S.M.K.R.B. shall be eligible. For information on the rules of the Seine Boat Race please contact the S.M.K.R.B.

     

    H.9    Under 12 Beginners Race

    To Qualify to row in the Under 12 Beginners race, a Rower’s 12th Birthday must have fallen on or after 1st January of the current year and this must be the Rower’s first year of being registered to row.

     

    H.10 Under 12 Races

    All Under 12 Rowers who compete in a Final shall be presented with a Certificate of Participation.

     

    H.11 Heritage Races

    The Heritage Races are open to crews competing in traditional East Coast Skiffs, Kerry 4 Oars, Slaney Cots and any other such class of traditional Irish rowing boat as may be deemed by the ICRF to provide similar qualities and levels of speed and manoeuvrability, such that a competing crew’s success or lack thereof, can be solely attributed to the abilities and qualities of the crew rather than the performance capabilities of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews need not be members of clubs affiliated to the Federation and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw.

     

    H.12 Timber Yawl Races

    The Timber Yawl Races are open to crews competing in Cork Timber Yawls and any other such class of Irish rowing boat as may be deemed by the ICRF to provide similar qualities and levels of speed and manoeuvrability, such that a competing crew’s success or lack thereof, can be solely attributed to the abilities and qualities of the crew rather than the performance capabilities of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews need not be members of clubs affiliated to the Federation and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw.

     

    H.13 St. Ayles Skiff Races

    The St. Ayles Skiff Races are open to crews competing in St. Ayles Skiffs and any other such class of rowing boat as may be deemed by the ICRF to provide similar qualities and levels of speed and manoeuvrability, such that a competing crew’s success or lack thereof, can be solely attributed to the abilities and qualities of the crew rather than the performance capabilities of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews must be members of clubs affiliated to the ICRF through a member Association and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw.

     

    H.14 Donegal Skiff Races

    The Donegal Skiff Races are open to crews competing in Donegal Skiffs and any other such class of rowing boat as may be deemed by the ICRF to provide similar qualities and levels of speed and manoeuvrability, such that a competing crew’s success or lack thereof, can be solely attributed to the abilities and qualities of the crew rather than the performance capabilities of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews must be members of clubs affiliated to the ICRF through a member Association and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw.

     

    H.15 Celtic Longboat Races

    The Celtic Longboat Races are open to crews competing in either Celtic Longboats or Pembrokeshire Longboats and any other such class of rowing boats as may be deemed by the ICRF to provide similar qualities and levels of speed and manoeuvrability, such that a competing crew’s success or lack thereof, can be solely attributed to the abilities and qualities of the crew rather than the performance capabilities of the boat. Crews must comprise of 4 oarspersons and a cox or passenger. Crews must be members of clubs affiliated to the ICRF through a member Association and there is no limit on the number of crews from any one club. All boats, without exception, must be entered in the lane draw.

     

    H.15  Novice Races

    Eligibility Criteria for participation in the Novice Categories are:

      1. Each Novice Crew Member must have first taken up rowing within the previous two years.
      2. Crew Members must not have finished 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any previous race except for Novice category races during the current rowing season only.
      3. Any club found to have fielded an ineligible Novice crew may be penalised in accordance with Rule L.10.

     

    H.16 FISA Style Coastal Rowing Races

    FISA Style Coastal Rowing Races may be offered in Single, Double & Quad classes for Men, Ladies & Mixed categories.

    FISA Coastal Rowing Competition Regulations applicable to racing procedures only such as Floating Starts, False Starts, Interference and Finish of the Race shall apply to FISA Style Coastal Rowing Races when run under the jurisdiction of the ICRF.

    Section J: The Course

    J.1      Course Lengths

    At the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships there are three course lengths which will be used.  These are:

      • Short Course –                            800 meters
      • Middle Course –                       1500 meters
      • Multi Turn Course A* –        1600 meters

    Row to the First Course, back to the Start, out to the First Course again and back again to the Finish.

      • Multi Turn Course B* – 2300 meters

    Row to the Second Course, back to the Start, out to the First Course and back again to the Finish.

      • Multi Turn Course C* – 3000 meters

    Row to the Second Course, back to the Start, out to the Second Course again and back again to the Finish. (Not Currently Used)

     

    J.2      Lane Numbers

    The station closest to the shore will be deemed to be station No. 1.  All courses must be set in a straight line i.e. all three sets of buoys to be in line with each other

    J.3      Course Layer

    The Federation may hire a course layer with a proven track record to lay the course if it is not satisfied with the host’s credentials to lay the course to the required standard for an event of national importance. This will normally but not necessarily be done in consultation with the hosts. All expenses shall be borne by the host.

     

    J.4      Course Equipment

    Equipment used to lay the course including turning buoys, associated tackle and anchorage and starting ropes, associated tackle and anchorage must be sufficient for the local area conditions.

     

    J.5      Inspection Team

    The Federation will appoint a team to inspect the course and facilities and to go through the list of requirements from the Thursday prior to the commencement of the championships. Should the need arise the team have the authority to use funds from the bond as described in Appendix 1, clause Apx 1.2 to rectify any inadequacies or they may call an emergency meeting of the Federation to review the feasibility of proceeding with the event.

     

    J.6      Monitoring of Buoys

    All starting and turning buoys must be continually monitored for the duration of the championships.  Any faults/issued that are identified must be promptly and efficiently rectified. Any necessary modifications to the course must be adequately announced via the P.A. system in order to reasonably alert all affected crews.

     

    J.7      Spacing of Buoys

    A minimum of 10 fathoms must be maintained between all starting ropes/buoys and all turning buoys.

     

    J.8      Identification of Turning Buoys

    All buoys should be clearly numbered in as large a number as can be reasonably fitted. Buoys should be colour coded in groups of 4, that is buoy 1 – Black, buoy 2 – Red, buoy 3 – Yellow and buoy 4 – Orange. This colour sequence should then be repeated for buoys 5, 6, 7 & 8 and again for 9, 10, 11 & 12. The exact same pattern of colours should be repeated on every set of buoys. The colours chosen should be easily visible and easily distinguishable from a distance.

    J.9      Dan Buoys

    Two large Dan Buoys are to be positioned at the finish line.  One each at the inner and outer extremities of the finish line.

     

    J.10    Recall Buoys

    A recall Dan Buoy is to be placed at a distance of 35 meters from the Start Line.

    Section K: The Draw

    K.1     Closing Date for Entries

    The closing date for Club entries and race entries shall be 2 weeks before the draw takes place.

     

    K.2     This No. is no longer used.

     

    K.3     Insurance

    Documentary evidence that a club holds adequate insurance cover must be submitted with club entry forms.  Clubs must also submit certificates for all lifejackets / buoyancy aids with their insurance documentation.  Clubs who do not hold adequate insurance cover or fail to produce adequate lifejacket/buoyancy aids certificates will not be permitted to participate in Federation events.

     

    K.4     Race Crews

    Clubs may enter as many crews per race as they wish subject to the following conditions.

      1.    In the Ladies’ and Men’s categories, a club cannot enter a second crew in either the Intermediate, Junior or Senior races unless they have entered at least one crew in the other two races. Similarly, they cannot enter a third crew in one unless they have entered two crews in the other two races, and so on.
      2.        If one crew from a club is deemed to have deliberately or negligently committed a foul which benefits another crew from the same club, then both crews will/may be subject to penalty/disqualification.

     

    K.5     Minimum number of boats

    In order for a race to proceed in Celtic Yawl races there must be a minimum of five boats in it.   Any race not receiving the minimum 5 entries will be cancelled and efforts will be made to accommodate displaced crews in other races in which the displaced crews are qualified to compete.

     

    K.6     Maximum number of boats

    The maximum number of boats in a final depends on the venue but barring exceptional circumstances the figure will generally be 12. When the number of boats in a race, exceeds the maximum number permitted in a final, then heats will be held in order to achieve the correct number of boats for the final.

     

    K.7     Lane Draws

    Lane draws will take place on the Saturday Two weeks in advance of the championships. For races where Heats are required, draws will be held for each Heat. For races where heats are not required, draws will be held for the Finals. There will be NO draws held for Finals of races where heats were run except as described in the following: Lane positions for these Finals will be determined by Placings in the Heats. In one heat the 1st placed boat will be allocated lane 6, 2nd – lane 5, 3rd – lane 4, 4th – lane 3, 5th – lane 2 & 6th – lane 1. In the other heat the 1st placed boat will be allocated lane 7, 2nd – lane 8, 3rd – lane 9, 4th – lane 10, 5th – lane 11 & 6th – lane 12. Which heat is allocated the inside section and which the outside section will be determined by the toss of a coin after both heats have been run. For races where more than 2 heats are required, the format will be decided at the time of the draw.

    Irrespective of available technology, the method of conducting the All-Ireland Lane Draws shall be by manually utilising numbered balls which shall be blindly drawn from an opaque receptacle such as a bucket, pot or bag. i.e. Lane Draws shall not be computer generated.

     

    K.8     Race Running Order Criteria

      1. The 2 Open Classic races must be separated by at least one other race, ie. One-Design boat race.
      2. The Intermediate, Junior Men’s and Senior Men’s races to be run consecutively.
      3. The Intermediate Ladies, Junior Ladies and Senior Ladies races to be run consecutively.
      4. The Under 18 Ladies, Pre-Veteran Ladies & Mixed races are to be kept apart from the Junior and Senior Ladies races where possible.
      5. A minimum of 1 Adult race (Celtic Yawl class) must be run each day before any underage races can take place.

                     Note:               With the exception of clause e. above, all other clauses can only be guaranteed on finals day.

     

    K.9     Heat Withdrawals

    Where heats were required when making the draw, the heats shall take place, even in the event of sufficient crews withdrawing from the race and the remaining crews all qualify for the final.

     

    K.10   Race Order

    The race order is to be run as closely as possible to that listed in Appendix 4.  Celtic Yawl races / heats are to be run between Classic finals.

    Section L:  Competitors, Qualifying, Criteria & Behavior etc.

    L.1      Registration

    All competitors must be registered with the Federation. Identification cards will be issued to all registered competitors and these cards must be available for scrutiny at the championships. As a matter of course, registration cards will be checked immediately after each race at the landing station and so registration cards must be readily available to be checked by the Stewards at the landing station. Crews failing to comply will be disqualified. ID Cards for competitors aged under 18 years will have a validity of 3 years. ID Cards for adult competitors will have a validity of 5 years.

     

    L.2      Discipline

    Where there are violations of the rules, aims and/or spirits of the Federation and/or the sport of coastal rowing, or when the Federation or sport is brought into disrepute, the Federation has the right to investigate these matters and if it is found that the relevant association has failed to take appropriate corrective action, the Federation has the right to discipline the offending parties including the said association for failing act accordingly.

     

    L.3      Harassment of Officials

    The clubs of members or supporters who abuse or harass Officials, Stewards or Officers of the Federation during the course of the Championships shall be penalised. The Federation shall decide the appropriate penalty.

     

    L.4      Indiscipline at the All-Irelands

    Any incidents of serious indiscipline such as abusive, disruptive or dangerous behaviour by individuals or groups at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships will be dealt with severely including fines, disqualifications and where deemed appropriate, the expulsion of entire clubs from the Championships and the negating of earlier results and/or the calling in of the Garda or Police authorities.

     

    L.5      Crew Panels

    When entering crews in a race, each club can submit a panel of up to 6 names, from which a crew of 6 can be picked. Crews that compete in the heats must be the same crews that compete in the finals. If due to an injury or other exceptional circumstance, a crewmember has to withdraw from the finals then another rower  named on the crew panel may take his/her place. Clearance must be sought from the Stewards for any crew changes. All crews that qualify for finals will be checked immediately after their heat. Important Note: Medals will only awarded to those crew members who compete in the Final.

     

    L.6      Date of Eligibility for Age Restricted Races

    The date of eligibility for all age-restricted competitors with the exception of Veteran Men and Veteran Ladies is the 1st January of the current year. The date of eligibility for Veteran Men and Veteran Ladies is the day of the race. The following age limits are applicable and qualifying birthdays must fall:

    Race

    		  

    Requirements

    All Underage Races

    On or after 1st January of the current year

    Pre Veteran

    Men

    		 Over 35 years  on or before the day of the race

    Ladies

    		 Over 30 years on or before the day of the race

    Mixed

    		 Ladies as above, Men as above.

    Veteran

    Men

    		 Over 45 years           on or before the day of the race

    Ladies

    		 Over 40 years           on or before the day of the race.

    Mixed

    		 Ladies as above, Men as above.

    Masters

    Men

    		 Over 55 years           on or before the day of the race

    Ladies

    		 Over 50 years           on or before the day of the race.

    Mixed

    		 Ladies as above, Men as above.

     

    L.7      Eligibility & Competency of Coxswains

    All crews under the age of 18 must be in the charge of an adult Coxswain. The term adult is considered to be 18 years of age or over on the day of competition. The minimum age for Coxswains in adult races is 16 years of age on the day of competition, i.e. their 16th or 18th birthday (as appropriate) must have fallen on or before the day of the race. Refer also to rule L.8 for Child Welfare requirements.

    Effective from the 2025 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships, all Coxswains shall be required to be certificated in participation in recognised Sea Safety, Coxing and/or Coaching courses as may be proscribed by the ICRF at the time.

     

    L.8      Coxswains (Child Welfare Requirements)

    All Coxswains in races intended for competitors under the age 18 years must be the holders of current Child Welfare Certificates. All Child Welfare Certificates must be submitted to the Child Welfare Officer of the Association concerned for checking and recording purposes.

      1. Any Coxswain who is not the holder of a current Child Welfare Certificate and is found to be coxing in a race where such Certification is required, will be Disqualified from the entire Championships.
      2. That is to mean, as an individual, all previous results will be nullified and medals won will be forfeited.
      3. Similarly, as an individual, that person will be barred from competing in any further races during the current Championships (either Coxing or Rowing).
      4. These penalties do not apply to the Rowers in affected crews who will retain medals won.
      5. His/Her club will be subject to a fine of €500.00 which will be donated to the local branch of the RNLI.

    L.9      Coxswains Adherence to the Rules

    Coxswains who are found to be in breach of the rules either negligently or maliciously may be subject to sanction commensurate with the infraction.  In addition to applying to a single serious breach of the rules, this may also apply following a series of minor violations which may be deemed to be a consistent disregard of the rules and etiquette. To this end, Stewards are required to maintain a record of all infractions of the Rules and etiquette, detailing the race, club and if known, the Coxswain concerned and a brief description of the incident. Where a pattern emerges, this may be followed up by either a warning or a sanction or punishment commensurate with the infraction(s).

     

    L.10   Penalty for Illegal Age-Restricted & Novice Rowers

    If any Age Restricted Crew or Novice Crew is found to contain an Illegal Rower, that crew and all other crews from the same club will be disqualified from the entire championships. Any results achieved by crews, from that club in earlier races, will become null and void and the results of the club and previous races will be amended accordingly.

     

    L.11   Composite Rowers

    Where a crew contains members from more than one club it will be known as a composite crew.  Composite crews are only allowed to race under the following conditions:

      • Only 1 non-club member per crew i.e. from a crew of 5, at least 4 members of that crew must be full members of the club that they are representing.
      • All non-club members must be declared at the time of submission of the race entry form.
      • Club members who change clubs must re-register with the Federation as members of their new club. In the absence of re-registration, that member will be considered to be still a member his/her old club and thus will be bound by the rules governing composite crews.
      • In the case of an unforeseen emergency arising, any club may make a request, on the day to the stewards to include a non-club member in its crew. The grounds for the request must be exceptional and the club must be able to satisfy the stewards that they are unable to use one of their own club members.

     

    L.12   Persons who Compete in Other Codes

    All Clubs seeking to participate in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships are required to proactively seek to confirm if their members have rowed in any other Codes outside of Coastal Rowing within the last 3 calendar years prior to the date of the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships. “Other Codes” is defined as any registered participation in a rowing boat or vessel other that the One Design Celtic Yawl or Traditional Rowing Boats recognised by the ICRF. Clubs are required to confirm the full name, date of birth, ICRF registration number, other code(s) participated in, the start date of participation and the end date of participation where participation in Other Codes is not considered current.

    Rowers from Other Codes and the details listed above must be notified to each Association as soon as practicable by all Clubs. The Association will provide the notified list of all rowers within their affiliated Clubs to the ICRF Board at the start of each season, updating as and when required as the season progresses should further rowers from Other Codes become involved or be identified.

    At the start of each season, Associations must confirm in writing to the ICRF the regattas to be utilised across the duration of the season by the Association as qualifying regattas for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships. The ICRF Board will review the regattas identified by the Association as qualification regattas for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships. If in the view of the ICRF Board too few regattas and/or an insufficient spread of regattas across the coastal rowing season have been stipulated by the Association based on its size and activities the ICRF Board can instruct the Association to do any one of the following;

      1. Instruct the Association to identify within 7 days of notice of same by the ICRF, additional regattas to be used for qualification for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.
      2. Specify additional, reasonably accessible suitable regatta(s) to be used by the Association as qualifying events for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.

         iii.      Stipulate that all participants from other Codes participate in 100% of the Association regattas.

    The required percentage participation of qualifying regattas will be considered a minimum figure and qualifying figures will be rounded up in cases where an uneven number of regattas are run. For example, 75% of 7 declared qualifying regattas is 5 ¼, which will be rounded up to require participation in at least 6 regattas.

    Within 7 days of an All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championship qualification regatta, the Association will furnish to the ICRF a full list of all participants, ICRF Registration numbers, their clubs, categories entered and placings. This list will clearly highlight the rowers currently identified as also rowing in Other Codes and their percentage participation in Association Regattas to date.

    Where a qualification regatta has been cancelled or abandoned due to weather or other unforeseen and unavoidable reason and it is not reasonably practicable for the Association to reschedule it, the Association will within 1 day notify the ICRF Board of the reasons for cancelation or abandonment and confirm same in writing by the signature of a minimum of two officers from two separate Clubs within 7 days. The Association will also submit to the ICRF, within 7 days of cancelation or abandonment a full list of all notified participants, ICRF Registration numbers, their clubs, categories entered and placings if some races were completed on the day.

    Subject to review of the reasons for cancelation or abandonment and the reasons presented for the impracticality of rescheduling the qualification regatta by the ICRF Board, the ICRF Board may at its discretion instruct one of the following;

      1. Specify an alternative additional, reasonably accessible suitable regatta to be used by the Association as an alternative qualifying regatta for the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships by all participants.
      2. Disregard the cancelled or abandoned qualification regatta from the calculation of percentage participation.
      3. Instruct inclusion of all notified participants in the calculation of percentage participation in Association Regattas to date as would have been reasonably expected to be the case had the event went ahead.

    Prior to the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships, on completion of the last qualifying regatta and no later than 5 calendar days prior to the commencement of the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships, Associations will highlight all rowers from Other Codes who have failed to meet the participation requirement as stipulated to the Association by the ICRF. Individuals from other Codes who have failed to meet the stipulated participation requirement will be barred from participation in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships for that year.

    In exceptional circumstances the individual can appeal in writing through their Association where an absence having a direct bearing on their attaining the stipulated participation requirements has been caused by matters outside of their control. The Association will submit the reasons for Appeal in writing to the ICRF Board on behalf of the individual rower within a reasonable time for consideration by the ICRF Board. The Association will confirm by the signature of a minimum of two officers from two separate Clubs that the information is to the best of their knowledge correct, accurate and complete.

    The ICRF Board will review the reason for absence leading directly to the failure of the participant to achieve the participation requirements. The ICRF Board can at its discretion accept the appeal and permit participation in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships. Reasonable grounds for acceptance of an appeal will include but not be limited to;

      1. Illness confirmed by the Association.
      2. Bereavement confirmed by the Association.
      3. Injury for which medical advice stipulates that a rest period is required and confirmed by the Association.
      4. Failure to attend due to reasons not reasonably considered to be in the control of the rower affected and confirmed by the Association.
      5. Absence was not as a result of prioritising Other Codes before Coastal Rowing Participation and confirmed by the Association.

    Any Club that enters an undeclared rower from Other Codes, or a rower from Other Codes who has failed to meet the participation requirement will have that crew disqualified from the Championships.

     

    L.13    Safety & Insurance

    All affiliated clubs taking part in any regattas or otherwise engaged in rowing activities be they related to competition, training or other related activities must be adequately and properly insured. Clubs must at all times ensure that best safety procedures are practiced by their members and the safety of their members and supporters and those of other clubs must always be of utmost priority. Evidence of insurance must be provided before a club can compete in the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.

     

    L.14   Club Colours

    All crews must wear their club colours. Crews failing to wear their club colours will be fined. See Appendix 3 for details of penalty. All crews who are being presented with medals / trophies must wear their club colours/uniform during the prize giving ceremony. Composite Members must wear the club colours/uniform of their own club in both the race and at the presentations.

     

    L.15   Buoyancy Aids / Lifejackets

      • In accordance with civil law, adequate Lifejackets &/or Buoyancy Aids must be carried in all boats for all persons on board. Where Lifejackets are not being worn, they must be stowed in a convenient position adjacent to each person on board allowing that person fast and unhindered access, to safely and quickly don the lifejacket in the event of an Emergency. All persons on board must be trained and briefed in the safe use of Lifejackets and a record should be kept of same.
      • Effective from the 1st January 2022 the use of a properly serviced and fitted automatic lifejackets will be mandatory for all Coxswains & Rowers
      • All competitors of or under the age of 16 years must wear a buoyancy aid / Lifejacket at all times whilst on the water. Any crew containing an under 16 competitor who is not wearing a suitable buoyancy aid will be disqualified.
        • This bullet point is due to be revised effective from 1st January 2020.
      • All Coxswains must wear and be seen to be wearing a buoyancy aid whilst on the water. Buoyancy Aids / Lifejackets must be worn over all other clothing. Any crew whose Coxswain is not wearing a suitable buoyancy aid / Lifejacket will be disqualified.
      • Life jackets must be visible on coxes at all times. e. they must not be worn under clothing. Remember, Lifejackets are not being worn to comply with the Rules, they are being worn to protect the wearer in the event of an emergency.
      • Each association is to have a check system in place to prove that all life jackets / buoyancy aids are serviced and approved for use if needed.
      • Each club should ensure that their Buoyance Aids / Lifejackets are approved by the National Safety Officer.
      • Clubs must also submit certificates for all lifejackets / buoyancy aids with their club entry forms for the All Irelands.
      • Department of The Marine Regulations in relation to the use of Buoyancy Aids / lifejackets must be obeyed at all times.

     

    L.16   Oars for Under 16’s

    All competitors qualified to row in any of the Under 16 races are only permitted to row with Macon Oars (Spoon Blades). Cleaver Oars (Hatchet Blades) are expressly forbidden for use by any Rowers who are qualified to row in the Under 16 races. Any rower qualified to row in an Under 16 race that is found to be rowing with a Cleaver Oar will render his/her crew disqualified irrespective of what race he/she is competing in.  If any Under 16 Rowers are rowing in older age categories’ they are still required use Macon Oars. This is a ‘Health & Safety’ matter and there will be no exceptions made.

    L.17   Coxswains in Charge of a Boat Under the Influence of Alcohol or Other Substances

    Coxswains must not at any time take charge of a boat on the water when they are under the influence of alcohol or illegal mind altering substances. A person sitting in the rearmost seat of a boat is considered to be in charge of the boat.

    Persons adjudged to have taken charge of a boat on the water whilst they are under the influence of alcohol or illegal mind altering substances will render their crew liable to immediate disqualification and the offending person will be subject to individual punishment deemed appropriate to the level of the offence.

     

    L.18   Cooperation with Anti – Doping Procedures

    The Irish Coastal Rowing Federation, its affiliated associations and their clubs, officers and members must fully co-operate with any testing procedures etc. as may be proposed or requested by the relevant statuary sports councils, be they during competition or outside of competition or within the jurisdiction of the Federation or outside of the jurisdiction of the Federation, and any individual found to have failed any properly conducted test and who does not provide a proper and acceptable medical explanation, will be disciplined including disqualification and/or banning in line with such standards which are currently recommended and practiced by the relevant statuary and Olympic bodies.

     

    L.19   Club Captain

    Each club must appoint a Club Captain who must be declared at the time of the submission of entry forms. If this changes during event the start line must be informed. The Club Captain will be the only person permitted to speak on behalf of the club in all dealings with the Stewards.

     

    L.20   Club Captains’ Meeting

    In order to ensure a safe and efficient regatta, a Club Captains meeting will be held between the Stewards and Club Captains in advance of the commencement of racing each day.

      • Each Club is entitled to have a maximum of two representatives attend the Club Captains Meeting.
      • The Stewards will brief the Club Captains on the days racing, the venue and any other such details as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to hold a Safe, Efficient and Enjoyable regatta for competitors and spectators alike.
      • Club Captains will similarly be given the opportunity to have any of their questions and/or concerns answered or allayed.
      • Club Captains (or their Representatives) will in turn be responsible for briefing their own club members, including Coxswains of all such subject matter which may have arisen at the Club Captains meeting.

    Section M:  Race Rules and Procedures.

    M.1   Ten Minute Gun

     An audible warning (gun, siren, horn or electronic ping) will be given 10 minutes before the start of each race. It is entirely the responsibility of each club to ensure that their boats are on the line and ready to start the race within the allotted time following the sounding of the ten-minute gun.  The Time Frame is at the Starter’s discretion.

     

    M.2   Boats Failing to Turn Up on Start Line

    For each crew that fails to turn up on the line without prior notice and good reason, a separate fine will be imposed on the club concerned. Any fines imposed on the Saturday must be paid that evening. Failure to pay on time will disbar the entire club from competing on Sunday.  See Appendix 3 for details of penalty.

     

    M.3   Starters Instructions

               Coxswains must obey the starter’s instructions at all times.                                 

     

    M.4   Coxswains Arm Raised

    If a crew on the start line is not ready to start the race, the Coxswain  or strokes-man should raise his/her arm to signify to the starter that they are not ready. The starter will heed this signal but should the starter or stewards come to the view that a crew is abusing this privilege they may start the race and/or disqualify the offending crew.

     

    M.5   Coxswains to Hold Starting Rope

    Coxswains must hold the starting rope until the starting gun is fired. If any Coxswain  is found not to be holding the starting rope at the instant when the gun is fired then that crew will be disqualified.

     

    M.6   Starting Signal

    The starter will start a race by first calling the words “All Boats Ready” and shortly thereafter firing a single gunshot, Horn or Electronic Ping to signify the start of the race. The Starter must strictly and consistently adhere to this procedure.

     

    M.7   Race Recall

    The starter may recall a race if a crew breaks an oar, gate or tiller within a specified and marked distance from the start line (Recall Dan Buoy). Similarly the starter may recall a race if a crew is unfairly fouled within that same specified distance to such an extent that it puts them out of the race. The application of this rule is solely at the discretion of the Starter/Stewards meaning that if the Stewards don’t see an incident then the race will continue. The signal for a race recall is a single or series of audible shots, sirens or horns after the original race starting shot. If a crew hears these shots they must immediately stop rowing and return to the start line without delay. Any abuse of this rule will result in disqualification.

     

    M.8   Coxswains to Remain Seated

    Coxswains must remain seated at all times during the race. No standing permitted.

     

    M.9   Turning

    All boats must round their own buoy only, to starboard. They must make a full 180° turn. Boats coming out of the turn have right of way over incoming boats. However, if a boat exiting a turn does so at too wide an angle and impedes an incoming boat on a correct course then the outgoing boat will be deemed to be the offender and will be disqualified.

     

    M.10 Racing Line

    Both on the Outward and Return legs of the race each boat must remain in lane. I.e. On the middle course, the boat drawn No. 3 must pass the short course No. 3 buoy to starboard on both the outward and return legs of the race and likewise No. 3 starting buoy on the finishing line. This means that there is to be no altering course on either leg of the race. Boats that require to significantly alter course to get back into lane will be disqualified.

     

    M.11  Boats in Collision

    Any collisions that are in the opinion of the Stewards to be either deliberate or due to negligence shall be punishable by disqualification, and a fine. See Appendix 3 for details of financial penalty

     

    M.12 Finishing Line

    All boats must cross the finish line in their own lane; failure to finish in the correct lane will result in disqualification

     

    M.13 Determination of Finishing Places

    Race results are determined in accordance with the order in which boats cross the Finishing Line.

    Excluding boats which are disqualified or subsequently disqualified:

      • First Place is awarded to the First Boat to cross the Finish Line,
      • Second Place is awarded to the Second Boat to cross the Finish Line,
      • Third Place is awarded to the Third Boat to cross the Finish Line.
      • And so on.

               In the event of a Tie, placings are determined as follows:

      • In the event of a tie for First place, placings will be allocated as follows:
        • A two way tie: 1st, 1st & 3rd only (There will be no 2nd).
        • A three way tie: 1st, 1st & 1st only (There will be no 2nd or 3rd).
      • In the event of a tie for Second place, placings will be allocated as follows:
        • 1st, 2nd & 2nd only (There will be no 3rd).
      • In the event of a tie for Third place, placings will be allocated as follows:
        • 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 3rd.

               Refer also to General Instruction E.5 regarding awarding of Medals.

     

    M.14 Finishing Signal

    A gas horn or siren will signal the finish of a race.

     

    M.15 I.D. Checking

    All Qualifying Crews from the Heats and the top five crews from the finals must remain in their boats with their valid ID Cards or present themselves to the I.D Checking station in a timely manner with their valid ID Cards (whichever is directed by the ID Checkers/Stewards) and prior to the start of the following race.

    Failure to present as directed and produce valid ID cards will result in the crew being disqualified.

     

    M.16 Coxswain

     At no point during the race may a Coxswain hold, or use an oar.  Failure to obey this rule will result in crew disqualification.

    Section N: Boats

    N.1    Identification Numbers

    Each boat must carry the identification number of its club. If during the course of the championships a club borrows a boat then the number must be changed to that of the club that is borrowing the boat. The number must be displayed on both sides of the bow and on the Coxswain ’s back. The number must be black on a white background and must be at least 8″ high X 4″ wide with the stems being a minimum of 1″ thick. Clubs are responsible for the supply of their own numbers. Any boat failing to carry the correct number will be barred from racing or disqualified. (A full list of club numbers can be found in Appendix 6)

     

    N.2    Boat Scrutiny

    All Celtic Yawl boats are liable to be checked by Representatives of the ICRF in advance of or during the weekend of the Championships.  Any boat found to be in breach of the One-Design Rules may become ineligible for competition at the championships even if the boat is returned to its original state. Refer to Appendix 2 Celtic Yawl Boat for more information.

     

    N.3    Boat Alterations

    Any Celtic Yawl that has been altered whilst the owner club is operating outside of the jurisdiction of the ICRF such that the boat is no longer compliant with ICRF Specifications, will be deemed ineligible to compete at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships or any other ICRF sanctioned regattas.

    Any Celtic Yawl that has been built to specifications outside of that as laid down by the ICRF will be deemed ineligible to compete at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships or any other ICRF sanctioned regattas. Refer to Appendix 2 Celtic Yawl Boat for more information.

    Section P:  Miscellaneous.

    P.1     Federation Flag

    The Federation flag must be flown at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships and other Federation regattas. The Irish National flag must be flown at all events held in the Republic of Ireland only.

     

    P.2     Entitlement to Host the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships Rule Book 

    The hosting of the “All-Ireland shall be awarded to members on a rotation basis. The Host association may elect an affiliated club to run the event. Should the proposed venue be found to be unsuitable by the Federation, then an alternative venue must be nominated. The Host association must comply with the rules, and requirements governing the “All Ireland” as laid down by the Federation, and all activities relating to the event must be located in or around the immediate area of the championships.  Very careful consideration of the venue will be given by the Federation.

     

    P.3     Ratification of the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships

    The date and venue of the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships must be ratified by the Federation.

     

    P.4     Duration of the Championships

    Ideally, the Championships shall be held over two days but should it become necessary or preferable, the Federation at its discretion may extend or shorten the event to better suit the circumstances.

     

    P.5     Inspection of the Host Venue

    The Federation will appoint a person or person(s) to go through the requirements list with the Host club on the Thursday immediately prior to the event to ensure that all of the requirements are in place.

     

    P.6     Association Regatta Results

    Each association must ensure that they appoint someone who will be responsible for submitting the results of their regattas to the Administrator of the Federation. Results must be received by the Administrator by the Wednesday after the event. The Administrator will then upload the results to the website.

     

    P.7     Safety Officer at Local Regattas

    At all regattas organised by clubs affiliated to either the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation or to an association that is affiliated to the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation, a Safety Officer must be appointed who will be responsible for ensuring that the regatta is run to the highest Safety Standards as are reasonably possible, thereby protecting the wellbeing and safety of Competitors, Officials, Spectators and Passers-by alike.

      • The Safety Officer shall have the power, independent of the Host Club and/or Association to make decisions affecting the regatta that will ensure the safety of all competitors and spectators.
      • The Association, Clubs, Officials, Competitors, & Spectators must cooperate fully with the Safety Officer and His/Her’s decisions and requests.
      • The Safety Officer although appointed by the Association or Host Club, shall report the National Safety Officer.
      • The Safety Officer must report all safety related incidents to the National Safety Officer who will maintain a record of all such reports.

     

    P.8     Official Medals & Trophies       

    Only Official Federation medals and trophies shall be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed crews at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.