The UK Government’s latest advice on the use of public spaces, provides a number of key points that must be addressed when we consider rowing activity.

At this stage, it is clear that normal rowing club operations would not be possible whilst adhering to these restrictions and, in particular, that gyms, club bars and other social rooms are definitely out of the question.

The social distancing aspect of the advice could be adhered to by restricting boats to only those within a household.

The current challenge for rowing clubs in this guidance remains shared surfaces.

In addition to the advice around social distancing, in another section of the UK Government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy, it states that leisure facilities will be considered for reopening (subject to being ‘COVID-19 Secure’) in step 3, tentatively scheduled for no earlier than 4 July (as shown in the diagram below).

We have been working on advice which will help clubs manage and reduce the risk of transmission of the virus and we will align this to the UK Government’s own advice on making a facility ‘COVID-19 Secure’ once this is available. There is a challenge to sports clubs and rowing clubs as there are significant ‘shared surfaces’ created by the use of shared equipment (e.g. boats, oars) and facilities (e.g. boat bays, door/gate locks, landing stages).

At this stage, without those measures in place, we cannot advise that access to any shared facilities or equipment is appropriate.

At this stage, not all waterway authorities have relaxed their restrictions on non-essential/recreational use of the waterways. As different waterway authorities diverge in their precise restrictions, we are no longer in a position to provide a blanket, national answer on this.

Therefore, our advice in relation to this is that rowers should check their local waterway authority’s current restrictions. Links to three of the major English waterway authorities’ websites are listed below, alongside their status at the time of writing.

Please note, if you are rowing near a border with Scotland or Wales, you should ensure that you do not cross any borders whilst on the water as the restrictions on the public vary in those countries.

It is imperative that we all take our responsibility for water safety seriously whilst rowing at all times. It is particularly important that we do not do anything that would risk putting additional pressure on emergency services. As always, an appropriate risk assessment should be carried out in relation to any rowing activity and appropriate measures put in place to reduce risk.

Our previously published safety alert ‘Is it safe to go afloat alone?’ and RowSafe guidance may be of assistance in carrying out this risk assessment.

Please note, there may be reduced river traffic so the likelihood of help being at hand may be reduced.

The British Rowing COVID-19 Situational Review Group considered the question of launches extensively as there are a number of reasons for and against allowing coaching launches.

Whilst it may be that certain rowers, in addition to accessing private rowing boats, may also be able to access private coaching launches, it was felt that most launches would be owned by a club or shared outside of family groups. As detailed above, we advise that clubs should remain closed (for the reasons set out above) and, as such, any shared launches cannot be accessed or used. Using shared equipment without proper cleaning procedures could also increase the risk of transmission.

In general, it is also good practice for a launch acting as safety cover to have at least one crew member in addition to the driver meaning that it will be harder to adhere to social distancing rules. Similarly if when risk assessed it is found that individual safety cover is a requirement then this brings social distancing into question when a rescue is required.

Our interpretation of UK Government advice is that it relates to allowing for exercise rather than coordinated training activity which is more akin to club activity. Therefore, for these reasons, we have taken the decision to recommend that launches are not used until further notice.

Given the current situation and likely outlook for the coming months, we have taken the decision to extend our suspension of Affiliated Competitions until 31 July 2020. We fully anticipate that this will be extended until at least the end of August.

We have taken this decision on the basis that:

• events bring together people from a wide number of households and geographic areas and therefore it will be very hard to run these in line with any Government social distancing guidance as they stand.
• Based on the UK Government’s recovery strategy, it appears that sports clubs will not be able to open until 4 July at the earliest. With the work required to organise the club’s reopening, a reasonable amount of time will be required after this for club volunteers to organise entries to competitions.
• Equally, with clubs not likely to open until 4 July at the earliest, competitions will also require time to make arrangements for the events and to have a suitable amount of time for a viable number of entries to be collected.
• For a safe return to rowing, it is important that we take a phased approach to getting back to the next normal. Individuals will require time to train and build an appropriate level of fitness and rowing-readiness to safely return to competition.