US Rowing Judge Referee Clinic The Mystery of the Control Commission Judge-Referee Committee, 2000.

US Rowing

Judge Referee Clinic

The Mystery of the Control Commission

Judge-Referee Committee, 2000

Thank You!

Bill Collins, Thousand Oaks, California

Ray Duff, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Vic Fiebig, Springfield, Virginia

Chip Kerby, Montclair, Virginia

Kris Grudt, Gresham, Oregon

Christine Livingston, Alexandria, Virginia

Donna Livingston, Woodbridge, Virginia

Roger Messersmith, Springfield, Virginia

Mike Tremonte, Centerville, Virginia

Dean Vidal, Arlington, Virginia

The Judge Referee Committee wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the following referees who generously donated their time and expertise to compile this presentation.

About This Presentation

This presentation is one of a series being developed for Judge Referees.

These presentations are an effort on the part of the Judge Referee Committee to expand the available training materials currently available to Referees.

These presentations are developed for the purpose of Judge Referee education; they may be duplicated and distributed freely for the use of referees and any other member of the rowing community.

The Judge Referee Committee hopes to continue to develop additional presentations.

We welcome your input and comments on this, as well as all other, presentations. Please contact your regional representative or your nearest clinician with your comments.

Control Commission Mission

The Control Commission shall verify that crews and competitors comply with the Rules of Rowing regarding equipment as described in Article III and competitors as described in Article IV.

Personnel

Judge-Referees Assistant Referees Candidates Local Organizing Committee Members

A Team Effort

Chief Referee Regatta Director Dockmaster Weigh-In Staff Marshals Referees

Responsibilities

Control Commission responsibilities vary depending on the type of regatta: Local Regatta National Regatta Trials

Responsibilities at All Regattas

Weigh-Ins Boat Safety Dockmaster Start Marshal

Responsibilities at National Regattas

Weigh-Ins Boat Safety Dockmaster Start Marshal Advertising Check Athlete Verification

Responsibilities at Trials

Weigh-Ins Boat Safety Dockmaster Start Marshal Advertising Check Athlete Verification

Why we care

Promote safety and fairness Apply rules uniformly and consistently Satisfy competitor expectations Opportunity to excel

11

Agenda

Weigh-Ins Boat Safety Boat Weights Dockmaster Start Marshal Advertising Athlete Verification Drug Testing

12

Weigh-in Overview

Rules are not asterisked; LOC rules vary Different rules for rowers & coxswains

Regattas Trials

Limited guidance regarding process

13

Weigh-in for Rowers

Men Average weight must be 155 lbs or less Max weight is 160 lbs If juniors, max weight is 150 lbs

Women Max weight is 130 lbs

Coxswains aren’t counted

14

Weigh-ins for Coxswains

For women’s events, min weight is 110 lbs For men’s events, min weight is 120 lbs Lighter coxswains must carry weight

Close to the coxswain’s torso May not distribute throughout boat Extra weight “may” be checked by Starter

and at the end of the race, by the following referee

Tools, cox-boxes, clothing don’t count

15

Weigh-ins at International Regattas and Trials

Coxswains For women’s events, min weight is 50kg For men’s events, min weight is 55kg No more than 10kg of ballast permitted

Rowers Women: Avg 57kg; max is 59kg Men: Avg 70kg; max is 72.5kg

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Weigh-in Process

How often? Once each day When? During the weigh-in window

Window is one-hour long Window starts 2 hours before and ends 1

hour before scheduled time of first race in which weight is relevant

In what? Racing uniform, without shoes

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What’s not addressed

How many times can competitors weigh-in? Does it matter how heavy they are? How heavy is too heavy?

Do you round? NO! Can a protest be filed? If so, when?

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Managing the Process

Preparing the area Managing the area Respect the competitors Communicate results

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Preparing the Area

Check scales Are they correct? If more than one, equalize the scales

Check volunteers and equipment Logs, stamp pads, stamps, wrist bands Clock, radio or other communication

devices

Be ready when window opens!!!

20

Managing the Area

Think finish line decorum! One crew at a time Have coxswain prepare paperwork Coaches welcome Quiet is beautiful Prioritize “re-weighs”

De-mystify the process!!! If possible, post the weigh-in procedure for the

crews to follow

21

Respect the Competitors

Don’t have food lying around Don’t coddle; don’t be officious Don’t make weight jokes Watch what you say, and how you say it

22

Communicate Results

Mark with stamp or wrist band competitors who make weight

Report boats that don’t make weight Report boats carrying ballast and

amount Who needs to know?

Dockmaster Control commission Start (and following referees)

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Agenda


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Equipment to Be Checked

Foot Quick-Release Devices (Heel Tie Downs)

Bowballs Bow Numbers Coxswain’s Cockpit

(Bow Loading Coxswains) Oar Blades

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Quick Release Device

NO HANDS!!! Pull strings max three (3) inches (7.5 cm)

“Any pull strings shall not allow the heel to rise more than three inches.”

Clog type shoes are exempt provided athlete’s feet are not tied in

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Bowballs

Must be White or Fluorescent 4 cm minimum in diameter Must be Supple or Plastic

(No Tennis Balls with Duct tape) Rule 3-105 does allow for a substitution

if an ‘equivalent provision for visibility and protection against puncture injury is included in the boat’s basic construction’

27

Bow Numbers

Indicates either the crew’s lane assignment or a participant number Be sure to check that the bow number matches

the lane assignment/participant number assigned in the program

All crews should have one to ensure clear identification at the finish

LOC and Boat Crew Responsibility The “But no one gave me a bow number” excuse

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Bow Loading Cox

70 cm long by 50 cm wide Must be free from snags and

obstructions Do not assume all boats will comply

you must check

29

Oars

Uniform Colors Composite crew exempt May have unpainted oars if all rowers in crew

have unpainted oars

Sweep - 5 mm minimum thick, 3 mm from tip Scull - 3 mm minimum thick, 2 mm from tip No “Knife Edges”

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When possible, check the boats before they approach the launch area; have referees walk through the boat storage area, marking inspected boats

Position slings along the path to the dock Make the checks BEFORE the boat starts

down the ramp to launch The time to fix problems is not on the dock

Be quick, but thorough. Keep the shells moving

Boat Safety Check Area

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Boat Safety Check Process

Communicate directly with the Coxswain

Hold boats with changes on slings Do not let them on to the dock

Recheck boats as applicable If you are delaying a boat, communicate

the crew name and the event to the starter

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Tips for Checking Boats

Have a 3 inch measuring device Mark the measurements for the

Coxswain’s cockpit on your flag for quick measurement

Wiggle the bowball to check it Check that the bow ball is supple

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Don’t be officious Be helpful in suggestions for making

boats comply

Do not talk to the rowers They are concentrating on their

upcoming race

Do not engage in banter about the legality or necessity of the rules

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The Moral of the Story...

he thing to learn from this story is that we are there to ensure the safety of all competitors. These checks should be done prior to the launching of the crews.

Be polite, be helpful, be firm, and be consistent. Explain to the Coxswain (or Coach) exactly what needs to be fixed on their boat, and offer suggestions if needed. Have measuring devices, or marked flagpoles, handy so that each boat is measured with consistency.

If possible, check the boats well before the launch times. Remember that when crews are heading down to launch, time is everything to them. When they are ready, recheck their boat as soon as possible. Communicate to the start if a boat that needs to be fixed will be late. It will save the Starter time and reassure the crew.

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Agenda


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Overview

Rules are not asterisked Limited guidance regarding process

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Equipment Check

National team trials and major Championship regattas may have boat weigh-ins. These weigh-ins may apply to all crews or just the winning crews.

The equipment of any crew may be checked at any time during the regatta, and the LOC should provide a facility for a crew to check the weight of its boat prior to racing

38

What equipment is included

The weight of a boat does not include oars, detachable loudspeaker, or electronic equipment Items that are not permanently affixed to

the boat are not included

Seats, rudders, skegs, fins, and riggers are included in the boat’s weight

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The Weights

The following are minimum weights:

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Category Weight (lbs) Weight (kgs)

1x 30.86 14

2x, 2- 59.53 27

2+ 70.55 32

4- 110.23 50

4+ 112.44 51

4x 114.64 52

4x+ 116.85 53

8+ 205.03 93

8x 213.85 97

Penalties

If a crew’s equipment is found not to comply, the crew will not be placed The Jury will decide whether to accept the

race results without the offending crew or to have the race re-rowed

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What’s not addressed

Can a protest be filed? If so, when? What is the proper process for weighing

the boat?

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Preparing the area Managing the area Respect the competitors Communicate results

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Preparing the Area

Check scales Are they correct?

• Use certified weights to ensure that they are correct

If more than one, equalize scales

Ensure scales are steady enough to hold the weight of a shell

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Managing the Area

Think finish line decorum One crew at a time Coaches welcome

Do not announce boat weight Give the weight to Chief Referee or Trials

Director Give the weight to the crew and/or coach

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Don’t make jokes about racing or the rules

Watch what you say Be respectful. As referees, we should

remember to respect all levels of competitors.

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he thing to know you are there to ensure that everything was done within the rules and that the fastest boat, given all the conditions are equal, will advance. The boat weight is included in keeping races fair. Weigh each boat on the same scale, or make sure you keep the scales equalized at all time. This will prevent any protests on the basis of boat weight.

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Agenda


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The Dockmaster: The Who and What

LOC appointee or Judge-Referee who is familiar with the course launch and recovery facilities

Controls the flow of the launching and recovery process – determines who gets on which dock, when, and for how much time

Last line of “defense” for boat safety equipment verifications

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Preparing for the day

Attend the pre-race meetings Know the schedule of the races Know the scratches Know the docking window for the day

• Know the intervals for first and second calls.

If you can, get an assistant To track which crews have launched To be the line of communication with start for

late arriving crews

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Managing the Process:Control Your Dock

Keep control of the dock Do not allow boats to jam up Direct the Coxswains to the exact spot you

want them at • Do not let them decide for themselves

Do not allow crews to stack equipment on the dock Ties up dock space and creates a hazard

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Managing the Launch Process

Try to maintain launch windows as closely as possible

Know the order of races and which races have been called Give preference to crews that are late Use your assistant (or LOC volunteer) to track

down crews that are missing Accommodate early launches as possible

Never leave the docks unattended

52

Managing the Final Check Process

Make sure the Coxswains understand the traffic pattern before they launch Especially if it is a novice crew or visiting crew

Do a final check of each boat for bow number and bow ball

Check Coxswain’s carrying extra weight, if applicable Note that Coxswain had weight when launching

on your schedule

53

Managing the Post-Launch Process

Do not let teammates or coach linger on the dock giving encouragement or instructions

Make sure all excess equipment are removed; e.g., shoes, water bottles, clothing

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Managing the Recovery Process

Need to recover boats on the dock as soon as possible Do not let boats stack up out on the water

For safety reasons, track returning crews Especially important during head races

Helpful if there are two dockmasters One for launching and one for recovery

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Managing the Recovery Process

Be aware of boats that will be re-launching

Be aware of any emergencies that may arise while crews are waiting and how to manage the emergency Medical emergencies Boat problems

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Knowledge and Tools

Have a general knowledge of boat and oar “problems” Have spare bow numbers and bowballs

Have communications with the Starter and Finish Line The dockmaster is essential in running a regatta

on time

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Be calm and courteous Use a megaphone instead of yelling

Be neutral Watch what you say and how you say it

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he key to being a good dockmaster is maintaining control of the situation. Have a plan of who, what, and where so that you can keep the flow onto and off of the dock constant.

Know the schedule of the races. Remember, crews are leaving to race, so try not to disrupt their focus.

Be watchful of returning crews. Make sure they have no medical emergencies that were not detected on the water.

Be accommodating to late crews – they are nervous enough and any help you can offer them will go a long way. Keep in communication with the Starter so they know which crews will be late arriving.

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Agenda


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Role of the Start Marshal

Primary role is to support the Starter Check in boats as they arrive Locate boats that have not yet arrived Maintain a smooth, timely flow of boats

from the marshalling area to the starting line

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Overview

No rules address standard Sprint Regattas; LOC rules vary

US Rules of Rowing Section 8 addresses Head Races

Rules identify penalties that may be assigned by the Marshal or Starter

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Start Marshal at Head Races

8-104 Officials (non-asterisked) “The Marshal…is responsible for organizing

participating crews into proper order and interval.”

8-105 Qualification of Officials (asterisked) “The…Marshal…shall possess a valid

US Rowing Judge-Referee license.” Exemptions may be granted by the US Rowing

Judge-Referee Committee if requested by the LOC

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Start Marshal and Penalties for Head Races

Penalties may be assigned by the Marshal or Starter For a delay, a crew can be moved back in

the starting order Exclusion Time Penalties

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What’s Not Addressed

Chief Referee can assign one or more Start Marshals for a sprint regatta based on: Coordination with LOC Experience of Rowers Size of Regatta Race intervals

65


Checking in Crews Communicating with the Starter Positioning Crews Maintaining Safety in the Marshalling

Area

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Checking In Crews

Be at your position from before the first crew arrives until the last boat leaves your area

Check boats in as they enter Marshalling area Give them directions where to go

If their race is soon, keep them close Group the crews for the next race before the

preceding race is started

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Communicating with the Starter

Start Marshall and Starter should decide the level of communications before the regatta Find out the information that the Starter

wants reported and when they would like the information

Be sure not to try to report to the Starter when they are in the process of starting an event

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Positioning Crews

Ensure crews for the next event are ready to take their place on the starting line Crews are still responsible for being at the start

on time

Keep all crews within hearing distance They need to hear when their race is called

Answer any last minute questions of crews Know the recovery dock traffic pattern

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Maintaining Safety

Be aware of all boats within the Marshalling area

Watch for any traffic pattern or LOC rule violations Do not be afraid to issue penalties

• Notify starter of all penalties issued

• If one does something, they will all soon follow

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Do not coddle; do not be officious Remain neutral to all crews; do not

wish a particular crew “Good Luck” Let the Coxswains direct their crews; if

need be, you can offer assistance to the Coxswain

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He Start Marshall is a key player to keeping the regatta running on time. Keep track of all crews in the Marshalling area so they will be easy to find when it’s their race.

Follow the instructions of the Starter as to what to report and when. For example, reporting when all boats for a race are present or the status of a missing boat.

The rowers are at the final step before their race, so direct all comments to the Coxswain. The rowers will be in their “race mode” and disturbing this can have an effect on their race.

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Agenda


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General Provisions

Provides for advertisement on equipment and clothing by manufacturers and sponsors

If a manufacturer’s area is not being used, a sponsor CANNOT use it instead

The advertisement need not be the same on equipment, oars, and clothing BUT within each of these categories, there can be only ONE manufacturer and ONE sponsor

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General Provisions

The Rules apply per crew That is, a 4+ does not need to have the

same advertisements as the 8+ from the same team

No tobacco products No alcohol advertisement for alcohol

that is greater than 15%

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General Provisions

An advertisement may consist of: Company name Company trademark And/or the name of the product/service

All the elements above may be used in combination, but they must appear together and be related to a single company or a single service Different companies’ advertisements cannot be

combined

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Determining the size

Size is determined by drawing vertical and horizontal lines at right angles from the extreme most tips of the advertisement

If an advertisement contains a background color that is different from that of the item it is on, this is counted in the size of the advertisement

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Exemptions

The Chief Referee may excuse a crew from this Rule for good cause

Exemptions may also be granted by USRowing

Advertising rules do not extend to LOC Programs, billboards, and regatta

installations

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Oars

Advertisements must be insidethe collar

Manufacturer advertisement cannot exceed 100 cm2

Sponsor advertisement cannot exceed 100 cm2 with one of the linear measurements not exceeding 5 cm

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Boat Manufacturer

The name, address, trademark and name of product may appear inside boat Cannot exceed 50 cm2

May also appear on outside of the boat Once on each side of the boat

(including gunwale and washboards) Cannot exceed 30 cm2

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Boat Sponsor

May appear once on the bow and once on the stern canvas

May also appear as follows: On 1x, 2x, 2-, 2+, once on each side 4x, 4-, 4+, 2 times each side (Maximum) 8+, 8x, 4 times each side (Maximum)

Advertisement on the sides of boats must be identical

Each advertisement, individually, cannot exceed 700 cm2

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Equipment in the Boat

Electronic Devices Internal loudspeaker may have the name

and trademark of the manufacturer

Footgear Any footgear attached to the stretcher

may have the name and trademark of the manufacturer

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Clothing

Crew’s clothing must be identical Any advertisement appearing on a crew

member’s clothing must be identical in design, size and location for each member of the crew

Headgear may be of the individual’s own choosing and need not be identical to those worn by other crew members.

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Clothing Manufacturer

Each manufacturer of a main item of clothing (e.g., shirt, shorts) may have an advertisement appear once It cannot exceed 16 cm2

Items such as socks, hats, headbands and other incidental clothing cannot have any visible manufacturer advertisements

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Clothing Sponsor

An advertisement for a sponsor can appear on a competitor’s clothingonly once For example, if the advertisement is on the

shirt, it cannot appear on the shorts of the same competitor

The advertisement cannot exceed 50 cm2

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he key to checking advertising is to know the measurements. Be sure to have a ruler or similar device that measures in centimeters. Also, have a copy of the rules for reference. Remember, the Chief Referee or USRowing may exempt a crew. Remember to check the advertising prior to the crew launching for their event.

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Agenda


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The Role of Control Commission

The Control Commission will verify all crews and competitors, including: Substitution of competitors Replacement of competitor due to illness Weigh ins for Lightweights and Coxswains Classification by age of competitors Classification by skill of competitors

These rules are not asterisked; LOC rules may vary

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Submission of Entries

Crews seeking to enter shall submit entries, in writing, to LOC along with payment

LOC may establish two different deadlines One for general entries and another for the clubs

to identify members of a crew Regatta secretary shall not report any

information regarding the entries until the date has passed.

LOC shall provide a list with the names of the clubs and boatings of all crews being entered

89

General

Each crew member must be a bona fide member of the club Exemptions are made for composite crews and

single scullers A competitor can only represent 1 club For Championships regattas, each crew member

must be a member of USRowing or if international crew, a member of their National Rowing Federation, which is recognized by either FISA or the National Olympic Committee

90

Composite Crews

A composite crew includes competitors from more than one club

A composite crew may substitute its rowers following the rules, however, it will still remain a composite crew regardless of the subsequent substitutions

91

False Entries

Chief Referee or delegate can EXCLUDE any crew if it is determined that there was an intentional deception on the entry form Deception is the falsehood of any

information relevant to the competitive status. This includes the identity, classification, amateur standing, and affiliation of competitors

92

Substitutions

A crew may substitute up to one half of its rowers, as well as the coxswain, before the first race of the event in which the crew is entered LOC may reject this substitution if it is not done in

writing up to one hour beforeThere are no substitutions for a single scull

unless it’s due to injury or illnessAfter the first race of the event, the

composition of the crew must remain the same unless a competitor becomes injured or ill

93

Competitor Illness

If the Chief Referee finds that illness or injury prevents a rower, except a single scull, from competing, a substitution at any time before the event is completed may be made A certificate from a health professional is required unless

the Chief Referee deems it unnecessary A club may replace a single scull who has become

injured or ill any time before the first race in that event After the first race, there are no substitutions!

Participant may compete in subsequent races if returned to good health

94

Challenges

Another crew may challenge an entry up to one hour after final race in that eventWill be handled like other protests

95


Do question, but approach in a civilized manner

Handle all challenges with the same privacy you would other protests

You are not the judge of an illness or injury, the Chief Referee is.

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he verification of athletes is important because it helps to ensure the fair outcome of the event. Know the rules about substitutions and illness. Refer anyone who wants to substitute rowers to the LOC, because that is who they need to notify, in writing. Contact the Chief Referee in cases of illness/injury. Don’t be accusatory towards any crew.

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Agenda


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Overview

In general, USRowing Referees are no longer directly involved in the drug testing procedures at trials

USOC representatives will set the procedures for each testing site

The Chief will coordinate any involvement of Judge-Referees with the USOC

99

What You should know:Use of Drugs

Prohibited from rowing either in practice or in a race under the influence or effect of a drug, or other medical practice such as blood doping, that can enhance athletic capabilities, or is considered a controlled dangerous substance under the laws of the United States.

USRowing adopts the regulations and procedures of the United States and the International Olympic Committee, as well as FISA.

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What You should know:About Drug Testing at Trials

Participation in trials events is considered consent to a drug test

Apart from a positive result, all information collected as a result of these tests will be kept confidential

101

What You should know:About the Test Area

The USOC will have a separate and secure facility designated for drug testing

In general, the USOC brings all their own equipment

No one goes near the facility whilecompetitors are present

102


Don’t make jokes; do not try to make light of the situation

Watch what you say; this is a very sensitive time for athletes

Be respectful No one likes to be tested for drugs, keep

your thoughts and experiences to yourself

103


eing tested for drugs is not something anyone, especially an elite athlete, takes lightly, and neither should you.

Keep the security around the testing facility tight. Do not allow outside interference into this area. This facility is for drug testing only.

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US Rowing Judge Referee Clinic The Mystery of the Control Commission Judge-Referee Committee, 2000.

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Transcript of US Rowing Judge Referee Clinic The Mystery of the Control Commission Judge-Referee Committee, 2000.