Umpiring Scenario - Newsletter 2

For this month’s Umpire e-Newsletter, we are going to look at three scenarios.  All of these are based on actual events that happened at recent regattas.  We hope that both are helpful and educational.

Umpiring Case 1

In the Final A of the M2-, the Fairness Committee has determined that the lanes to use for racing are lanes 0 – 5.  Based on the Fairness Committee’s decision the Starter attributed lane 3 to SRB which carried a “4” bow number.  The Starter attributed lane 4 to ROU which carried a “5” bow number.  

SRB committed a false start.  After the race was stopped, the Judge At Start informed the starter that “Lane 4” committed the false start to indicate that SRB with the bow number 4 was at fault.  The Starter believing that the Judge At Start meant the boat in lane 4 committed the false start, awarded ROU a yellow card. 

Clearly the awarding of a Yellow Card to ROU was incorrect and resulted in confusion. 

The lesson to learn is that it is very important to provide information using the name of the crew and not the lane number.  Using the lane or bow number can create confusion and lead to the incorrect consequences.

Umpiring Case 2

The racing session is using zonal umpiring with 6 umpires on the race course and races on 6 minute intervals.  Umpire 6 has the final zone of the course and is also responsible for responding to any objections raised by crews at the end of the race and raising the appropriate flag.

Umpire 6 moves out onto the course quite fast and follows the last 120 to 40m – before stopping and showing the flag.  This creates a regular wash in the finish area which is not so important with races with min. 6 min. interval, but clearly visible on a mirror lake…

One of the reasons for using zonal umpiring is to minimize washes on the rowing course.  Unless there is a situation that requires an umpire to move quickly, umpires should work to minimize wakes.

Umpiring Case 3

A lightweight men’s 4x crew presents itself to weigh-in. 

• Athlete A weighs 70.0kg.
• Athlete B weighs 70.1 kg.
• Athlete C weighs 68.0 kg.
• Athlete D weighs 72.0kg.

The average of the four athletes is 70.025kg.  Have they made weight?

Rule 31 states “1. A lightweight men’s crew (excluding coxswain) shall have an average weight not exceeding 70 kgs. No individual lightweight male rower may weigh more than 72.5 kgs.”

In this case all of the rowers are under the 72.5kg maximum.  But what about the average weigh?  Rule 31 requires an absolute 70kg maximum average.  Anything over 70.0kg is over the average and fails to make the weight.  In this case, the 70.025kg average is 0.25kg over 70.0kg maximum, thus the crew has failed to make weight.