Supporting competitions in 2021
As clubs prepare to open their doors again we set out the plans in place to ensure that rowers can make the most of getting back on the water this summer
Whilst competition isn’t the be all and end all of our sport, it often sets the rhythm of a rowing club’s calendar and so we are very conscious of ensuring there is a coherent plan for a return of events whilst COVID-19 restrictions continue. It is clear that this will not be a normal racing season and so we have been working with competition organisers to make adjustments to give the best possible experience for rowers at all levels.
There are four key things that we’ve been working on behind the scenes for the 2021 season to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions:
Coordinating with larger competitions
We have been working with competition organisers to facilitate and coordinate some key date changes to help as many of our larger events find suitable dates with their normal commercial venues. This means that some of these events will have a better chance of being able to take place. An example of this is the movement of Henley Women’s Regatta to 2-4 July.
Making date changes easier for other competitions
We want as many competitions as possible to be able to run and we recognise that for some competitions a date change will provide the best way to do this. We have updated the BROE system to make it easier to adjust dates and have streamlined the process to help all competitions easily make a request to change dates due to COVID-19 restrictions. If your competition would like to change date – please complete the form below.
Allowing pop-up Affiliated Competitions
Inevitably some competitions may have to cancel due to the restrictions, uncertainty or unavailability of volunteers or venue. This may leave some gaps in the calendar and equally there may be more opportunities for smaller, local competitions particularly in the early months after lockdown. For that reason, we’ve also streamlined the process for applying to run a new competition and will be more flexible around this for the 2021 season. If you would like to request to run a competition, we will aim to turn around your request in seven days. Simply fill in the form below to submit your request:
Apply for a new pop-up affiliated competition
Making the calendar more accessible
With a lot of moving parts, the rowing calendar is likely to change throughout the season as more information is available and more competitions firm up their plans. To make it easier to keep on top of what’s happening and where there might be gaps in the calendar, we will be changing the way we publish the calendar for this season so you can see the full season at a glance and we will also be listing competitions (appropriately marked) whilst they go through the process of applying.
If you have any questions or would like any support for your competition please email [email protected]
