Tamesis Regatta 2026: FAQs¶

Changelog¶

These answers summarise the Rules and the Event Plan; where they differ, the Rules and the Event Plan apply. If those documents do not answer your question, please email us at regatta@linacre.ox.ac.uk.

Captains¶

What schedule should my racing crews expect?¶

Unless the racing has to be changed because of river or weather conditions, each crew is guaranteed at least two races. All crews should expect to race in a heat on day one, Wed 25 Nov 2026, which will be a side-by-side race against another crew.

If your crew loses their day one heat, they will compete in the repechage, which is likely to take place the next day. If your crew wins either a heat or the repechage, you will race on the following days in a side-by-side knock-out format. We aim to publish the draw on Mon 16 Nov 2026, but cannot guarantee this. Once it is published, you will know when your boat is scheduled to race, and you will be able to follow the various permutations all the way to the final.

The timetable of racing and the draw itself may need to be changed at short notice, for instance if conditions necessitate reducing the amount of racing on any given day. We will make every effort to give as much notice of changes as possible. See the rules on the racing format.

Do we have to provide marshals?¶

Yes, just like other regattas on the Isis organised by OURCs, such as Torpids and Summer Eights. For Tamesis, clubs must provide one experienced marshal for each boat entered: two boats entered means two marshalling slots. You will need to source volunteers from your club who have marshalled previously and register their names with the Race Committee. They will also be required to attend the pre-regatta marshalling briefing on Mon 23 Nov 2026 (time and venue to be confirmed), or remotely online if in-person attendance is impossible. This mandatory briefing will cover the marshalling duties in detail.

You as a captain, or your individually nominated marshals, can fill your volunteer slots by filling out a Google form, which will be circulated to captains. See the rule on marshals.

What if we need to make a substitution?¶

You can make substitutions after entries close, and the crew does not have to be the same crew every day. Substitutions may be made freely within the eligibility rules: for example, associate members are allowed, up to two per crew, as long as they are novices. At the discretion of the Event Committee, you may also enter composite crews with other clubs if you cannot field an eight with novices from your own club.

The Race Committee must be informed of any substitutions before the crew in question boats, either on the entry system up to the online substitution deadline, or in person at Race Desk on the day of racing.

If a crew races as a friendly crew, for example if you have to substitute a senior rower into your boat on any day, then it shall remain friendly from that point on. See the rule on substitutions.

When do entries close?¶

Entries close on Wed 11 Nov 2026, 04:00. This is also the deadline for having complete and valid crews: crews that are not complete, legal and swim-tested by then will be scratched, and are not charged. See the rule on the entries deadline, and below for more details about valid crews.

What is the scratch deadline?¶

The scratch deadline is Mon 16 Nov 2026, 04:00. If you must withdraw a crew, do so before then for a full refund. If you scratch after this deadline, you will still be charged the entry fee, and still have to provide marshals based on the number of boats you entered. See the rules on fees, scratching and refunds.

How much does it cost to enter, and when are fees refunded?¶

The entry fee is £98 per crew, set by OURCs (the same as for Torpids and Summer Eights). Crews scratched before the scratch deadline are refunded in full, and crews that are incomplete at the close of entries are scratched and not charged. There are no refunds for crews scratched after the scratch deadline, or for crews that are disqualified.

If the whole regatta is cancelled before any racing has taken place, entry fees will be refunded, less any costs already incurred. Once racing has started, there will generally be no refunds if racing is lost, cancelled or changed, although we will make every effort to reduce costs where we can. See the rules on fees, scratching and refunds.

Does everyone need to be swim tested?¶

Yes: every rower and cox in your crew must have a valid swim test. You can check the swim tests of your athletes and coxes on their profiles on the OURCs system, to make sure your whole crew has been swim tested in the last 6 years.

If members of your crew are booked into a swim test after the close of entries (Wed 11 Nov 2026, 04:00), but before the regatta begins on Wed 25 Nov 2026, they might still be eligible. Please contact the OURCs Rowing Sabbatical Officer to confirm their eligibility. See the rule on swim tests.

What is a friendly crew vs a competitive crew?¶

A competitive crew must consist of one cox and eight novice rowers.

A friendly crew must consist of one cox and a minimum of five novice rowers and up to three non-novice rowers. A friendly crew can never eliminate a competitive crew:

• In a heat, the result stands as raced. If you finish behind a friendly crew, you proceed to the repechage instead of to round one, so you still race again.
• In the repechage and every later round, a competitive crew racing a friendly crew is always deemed the winner.

See the rules on friendly crews.

When is the awards ceremony?¶

The awards ceremony will be at approximately 15:00 on Sat 28 Nov 2026, on Boathouse Island, near Race Desk. Winning crews will be presented with their awards and take an official photograph. Coaches are encouraged to attend to celebrate with their crews.

Does my cox have to bring copies of Bod cards into the boat?¶

Yes: coxes must carry identification for every member of their crew while they are on the water. Each identification must include a photograph of the person. A printout or photocopy of a University card (rather than the actual card), or a coxing licence, is sufficient. Crews who fail an identity check will not be allowed to push off or, if the check takes place after racing, may be disqualified. See the rule on identification.

What if my coxes can't attend the coxing briefing on Wed 18 Nov 2026?¶

In cases of illness or academic clashes, exemptions may be given by the Event Captain of Coxes in consultation with OURCs. Exemptions must be requested in advance by email to regatta@linacre.ox.ac.uk, no later than 11am on the day of the briefing. Your email should include the cox's name and coxing history (races, coxing status etc). Exemptions can only be given to coxes who are X or S status. Coxes who have been exempted from attending the briefing are required to review the relevant information, especially the circulation pattern, which will be made available on this website and circulated to all boat clubs by email. The time and venue of the briefing are to be confirmed. See the rule on coxing licences and the briefing.

What counts as a novice rower?¶

A rower is considered to be a novice if, before Thu 1 Oct 2026, they have not competed as a rower (sculling or sweep) in any of the following:

• Any British Rowing (or foreign, regional, or international equivalent) regatta or head race.
• Any other event where they represented their school, college, or university (for example, bumps races including rowing on, Isis Winter League, Clare Novices Regatta, Oriel Regatta, etc.)

For the avoidance of doubt, rowers who learned to row before Thu 1 Oct 2026 are eligible, as long as they had not competed in any of the above before that date. See the novice definition.