Chilean umpire course

At the venue of the 2012 South American Rowing Championships, Curauma, Valparaiso, the umpires course took place. The Chilean Olympic Committee and the Chilean Rowing Federation hosted the course and invited a group of interested people from all over Chile.

Some of the participants, says organiser Eddy Kenny, travelled up to 1000km to be part of the course which took place over five days.

“Using motorboats and with the collaboration of the crews that were training, we were able to create different situations,” says Kenny. “They practiced the use of flags, vocabulary, communications and learning all of the areas on this ‘picturesque course’.”

The ten participants came from different backgrounds. Two were ex-rowers, two were parents of rowers, two masters rowers, three were national umpires and one was a woman from another sport and one a leader of a local rowing club.

Kenny says the group was very enthusiastic. At the end of the five day course the participants received certificates. The majority of them then went on to help out in the South American Rowing Championships as assistants helped by the knowledge of being on the same body of water as the one that the course was held on. 

The focus for getting more South American rowing umpires up to speed is with and eye on Rio 2016. The hope is to make sure that South American umpires will be able to be part of the Olympic Rowing Regatta.