It is the responsibility of all competitors to be familiar with all rules that follow here. Violation of any of the following rules may result in penalties or disqualification.

*Please note: 2011 rule changes highlighted below in red.

SECTION A: GENERAL ENTRY RULES

1. SPECIFICATIONS (all ages are as of race day, in number of whole years lived)

1.1. Club: Persons (coxswain included) not currently enrolled in high school*, who, in any sculling or sweep-oared competition (“master/veteran” competition excepted), DID NOT:

(A) in the current or preceding eight calendar years, finish among the top three places at the FISA World Championships or Olympic Games;

(B) in the current or preceding five calendar years, compete at the FISA World Championships or Olympic games;**

(C) in the preceding five calendar years, finish in first-place in a Championship or Lightweight event-division at the Head Of The Charles Regatta;

(D) in the preceding calendar year, earn a medal in any event-division at the Head Of The Charles Regatta; or finish among the top three places in an eight at the Canadian University Rowing Championship;

(E) in the current calendar year, compete in the quarter-finals when there were at least 17 entries, semi-finals, or finals of the Henley Royal Regatta or Henley Women’s Regatta;

(F) in the current calendar year, finish among the top 6 places at USRowing Elite National Championships in any event-division in which there are at least 12 entries or in the top four in any event-division in which there are at least six entries;

(G) in the current calendar year, finish among the top six places in any national team trials (juniors excepted), national or international championships (e.g., FISA World Cup, Pan-Am Games, FISA Junior Worlds, World Under 23 Regatta, Head Of The River Race, etc.), Copley or Jessop-Whittier events at the San Diego Crew Classic, first varsity eight event at EARC Sprints, EAWRC Sprints, South/Central Sprints, NCAA (Division I events only), PAC-10, or IRA;

(H) in the current calendar year, finish among the top three places in a 2000 meter event at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta (junior events excepted);

(I) in the current calendar year, finish in first-place in a varsity eight event at the Dad Vail Regatta, the ECAC National Invitational Collegiate Championships, the American Collegiate Rowing Championships or NCAA Finals (all divisions).

*Students enrolled in high school are permitted to enter the club singles event.
** Any athlete competing as a Senior or U23 national team member under the name of their nation's governing body in national or international competition in the current calendar year is ineligible for the Club event-division. Juniors who have competed as a junior national team member under the name of their nation’s governing body in international competition in the current calendar year are also ineligible for the Club event-division.

NB: The Regatta reserves the right to rule on any competition situation not specifically addressed above and to grant exceptions on the rules above based on competitive standards.

1.2. Men’s Collegiate* Fours/Eights: Eligible men’s rowing programs are those whose crews did not:

(A) in the current calendar year, compete in the Copley event at the San Diego Crew Classic;

(B) in the current calendar year, compete in finals (grand or petite) of a first varsity eight at the EARC Sprints or IRA Championships;

(C) in the current calendar year, finish among the top six places at the PAC-10 Championships;

(D) in the preceding calendar year, finish among the top six places in an eight at the Canadian University Rowing Championships.

1.3. Women’s Collegiate* Fours/Eights: Restricted to crews whose rowing programs are considered Division II or III status under NCAA rules or non-varsity rowing programs whose crews did not:

(A) in the current calendar year, compete in the Jessop Whittier event at the San Diego Crew Classic;

(B) in the current calendar year, compete in the finals (grand or petite) of a first varsity eight at the EAWRC or South/Central Sprints; or

(C) in the preceding calendar year, finish among the top three places in an eight at the Canadian University Championships.

*Bona fide students enrolled at and representing accredited/chartered colleges or universities and eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics are eligible for the Collegiate event-divisions. Applicants outside of North America must contact HOCR before applying for Collegiate events in order to assess that they are properly placed in this event. The HOCR will make eligibility determinations for all foreign crews.

NB: In the interest of fair competition, the Regatta reserves the right to rule on a crew’s eligibility and appropriate placement in any Collegiate event-division.

1.4. Alumni Eight: Persons who attended the same academic institution (named at the time of entry application) who are not currently enrolled at the institution in question.

1.5. Youth Singles/Doubles: Persons enrolled in high school (Youth Single: Special Medal)

1.6. Youth Fours/Eights: Persons (coxswain included) enrolled in high school.

1.7. Master Singles: At least 30 years old.

1.8. Master Doubles/Fours/Eights: Rowers’ ages average at least 40 years, none except coxswain under 30 years old.

1.9. Senior-Master Singles: At least 40 years old.

1.10. Senior-Master Doubles/Fours/Eights: Rowers’ ages average at least 50 years, none except coxswain under 30 years old.

1.11. Grand-Master Singles: At least 50 years old.

1.12. Grand-Master Doubles/Fours/Eights: (Special Medal within Senior-Master events) Rowers’ ages average at least 60 years, none except coxswain under 30 years old.

1.13. Veteran Singles: At least 60 years old.

1.14. Veteran Doubles/Fours/Eights: (Special Medal within Senior-Master events) Rowers' ages average at least 70 years, none except coxswain under 30 years old.

1.15. Senior-Veteran Singles: At least 70 years old.

1.16. Grand-Veteran Singles: At least 75 years old (Special Medal within Senior Veteran events).

NB: For Masters events, all ages are as of race day in number of whole years lived.

1.17. Lightweight Singles: Men: not over 160 lbs. Women: not over 130 lbs.

1.18. Lightweight Fours/Eights: Men: rowers’ weights not over 165 lbs., no averaging.; Women: rowers’ weights not over 133 lbs., no averaging. No person (coxswain included) enrolled in high school.

1.19. Championship Singles: Open (unrestricted).

1.20. Championship Doubles/Fours/Eights: No person (coxswain included) enrolled in high school.

1.21. Men’s Divisions: Male rowers and scullers only (coxswain excepted).

1.22. Women’s Divisions: Female rowers and scullers only (coxswain excepted).

1.23. Coxswains: Must carry sufficient weight so as to weigh at least 100 lbs. over the entire racecourse.

1.24. Singles/Doubles: Traditional sculling racing shells, without coxswain.

1.25 Fours/Eights: Traditional sweep-oared racing-shells, with coxswain.

2. ENTRY APPLICATION

2.1. Sculling (Singles/Doubles) Entry Application: Entry Applications shall be accepted only from USA residents that are either individual members of USRowing or members of a USRowing-member institution, and from foreign nationals that are in good standing with their nation’s FISA-recognized governing body. Single scullers may submit only one Entry Application and may not subsequently be renamed or substituted-for after the entry deadline (August 1st). Doubles Entry Applications (Youth Double excepted) must include the names of both scullers and neither may be renamed or substituted for after the doubles entry deadline (September 1st). Applications to the Youth Double Event may be made by the institution (September 1st deadline); athletes must be named or can be renamed by October 1st. Institutions may submit no more than four entry applications in the Men’s Youth Double event-division and no more than four entry applications in the Women’s Youth Double event-division.

Exceptions may be made by the Managing Directors in the event of injury or illness.

2.2. Sweep-oared (Fours/Eights) Entry Application: Entry applications shall be accepted only from institutions holding “institutional membership” in their nation’s FISA-recognized governing body and/or “institutional membership” in the Head Of The Charles Regatta (by having opted to pay the Regatta’s annual Institutional Membership Fee) and that have properly registered their entry validation signature and racing colors with the Regatta by the submission of a current year’s Institutional Registration Card and payment of the Regatta’s annual Institutional Registration Fee.

Only one Institutional Registration Card will be accepted from each school, college or university rowing organization with the following exception: two Institutional Registration Cards, one for men and one for women, will be accepted from a single institution (school, college or university) in cases where men’s and women’s programs have been historically separate, or where men’s and women’s programs are organized separately.

2.3. Alumni Entry Application: Organizations submitting entries to the Alumni Eight must hold “institutional membership” in their nation's FISA-recognized governing body and/or "institutional membership" in the Head Of The Charles Regatta (by having opted to pay the Regatta's annual Institutional Membership Fee) separate of their high school, undergraduate, or graduate institution. Alumni and graduate school rowing clubs will be considered as separate institutions from their affiliated school, college, or university and will not be permitted to share entries with their affiliated academic institution.

2.4. Athlete Line-ups: The names of competitors in sweep-oared entries need not be revealed until Wednesday, October 12, 2011 by which time, crew lineups must be completed online. All coaches are responsible for requiring all named crew members to sign a waiver online by October 12th. Late changes may be made at registration. It is the responsibility of the institution to ensure that the Head Of The Charles Regatta is in possession of the correct crew lineup before the close of registration, and that all persons are eligible for the event-division in which they are listed crew-members (athlete line-ups will be posted online at www.hocr.org). Only bona fide members of an institution shall be eligible to compete in a sweep-oared entry representing that institution. Because of liability in the event of an accident on the race course, any institution which knowingly allows any of its members to assume a spurious affiliation with another institution in order to enable a particular crew to gain entry to the Regatta, or any institution which knowingly allows its name to be used by any individuals who are not bona fide members of that institution in order to enable a particular crew to gain entry to the Regatta, will be subject to sanctions by the Managing Directors.

2.5. Entry Deadlines: Singles Entry Applications must be received with payment by August 1st. Doubles, Fours and Eights Entry Applications must be received with payment by September 1st. Order of receipt prior to the applicable deadline is immaterial.

3. ENTRY ACCEPTANCE

3.1. Sculling (Singles/Doubles) Entry Acceptance: On the basis of winning a Special Medal or finishing within 5% of the winning time in the event-division in which they competed in the preceding year, Single-scullers are guaranteed entry acceptance into the singles event of their choice, provided all conditions of eligibility, deadlines, fees, etc., are met. Except for variances, which only the Managing Directors may grant, a blind draw in early August shall determine all other entry acceptances as follows: Single scullers who in the preceding year were not accepted, did not apply, or who posted a time more than 5% but within 10% of the winning time in their event-division, will be drawn first, followed by those whose times were more than 10% but within 15% of the winning time in their event-division, followed by those who did have entries accepted but failed to post times within 15% of the winning time in their event-division. The singles draw will take place in early August.

Entry acceptance for double scullers shall be conducted following the same procedure as Single Sculls. The finishing percentages apply only to double scull entry applications naming the same two individuals who competed the prior year. Any other combination will be considered a new entry. In the Youth Double only, guaranteed entries will be applied to the institution rather than to individual athletes. The doubles draw will take place in early September.

Guaranteed entry acceptance to the Grand Master Double will be determined on the basis of finishing within 5% of the winning time of the top finishing Grand Master Double within the Senior Master event-division.

3.2. Sweep-oared (Fours/Eights) Entry Acceptance: On the basis of winning a Special Medal or finishing within the top half (based on entries) of the sweep-oared event-division in which they competed the preceding year, institutions are guaranteed entry acceptance into those same event-divisions, provided all conditions of eligibility, deadlines, fees, etc., are met. If a guarantee was earned in a Club event-division, such guarantee may be transferred, at the time of entry application, to the same division (Men’s/Women’s) and boat type (Fours/Eights) in another sweep-oared event. Institutions planning to compete for the College-Championship(CC), Grand-Master (GM), and Veteran (V) Special Medals should elect to do so when submitting athlete line-ups. Designations may be made on-site at Registration.

Guaranteed entry acceptance to the Grand Master Fours and Eights will be determined on the basis of finishing within the top half of all Grand Master crews registered within the Senior Master Fours and Eights. In addition to such ‘guaranteed’ entries, an institution may submit up to four sweep-oared non-guaranteed entry applications in men’s event-divisions and up to four sweep-oared non-guaranteed entry applications in women’s event-divisions with the following restrictions:

(A) Institutions may submit only one non-guaranteed entry per event-division.
(B) Including guaranteed entries, an institution may have no more than three entries in a single event-division (i.e. if in an institution has three guaranteed entries in a single event-division, they may not submit an additional non-guaranteed entry application in that same event-division).

Except for Charity Program entries, and except for variances, which only the Managing Directors may grant, a blind draw from among the applications in each event-division shall be used where necessary to determine the final entry acceptances in each sweep-oared event-division.

3.3. Extra Entries: As compensation for providing operational assistance to the Regatta, the Managing Directors may grant the acceptance of one extra (but “non-point earning”) entry to each of a limited number of local institutions into the sweep-oared event-division of the institution’s choice.

3.4. Event-Division Sizes: In addition to Charity Program and Extra entries, the Regatta shall accept up to 1000 sweep-oared entries, 500 singles entries, 200 doubles entries with allowed minimums of 20 in single sculling event-divisions, and 15 in double sculling event-divisions and sweep-oared event-divisions, and a maximum of 75 in any one event-division subject to Rule 3.2.B.

Beyond each event-division’s allowed minimum or its number of received guaranteed entry applications, whichever is greater, and subject to the above cited maximum, the number of non-guaranteed entries accepted into an event-division shall be determined by the event-division’s proportional share of the remaining non-guaranteed entry applications received for its “boat type” (e.g., singles or doubles).

3.5. Club Singles Status: Accepted Club Singles entrants that continue to meet Club specifications as of September 1st shall be considered to have met them for the current year’s Regatta, but any that lose their Club status between the time of entry application and September 1st , must notify the Regatta immediately so as to be eligible for transfer to a less restricted singles event by October 1st.

3.6. Entry Withdrawal Deadline and Penalties: The deadline for withdrawing an entry is October 1st. No refund will be given for withdrawn entries.

Accepted Single scullers who fail to notify the Regatta in writing of their withdrawal or inability to compete on or before October 1st shall not be eligible to compete in any event in the current year’s (2011) Regatta, nor in any sculling event in the following year’s (2012) Regatta. The Regatta will replace withdrawn entries by offering entry to the next applicant or crew on the waiting list (based upon the original blind draw) for the same event-division.

3.7. Personal Competition Limits: With the sole exception of the Director’s Challenge Races, no person (including coxswains) shall be eligible to compete in more than one event-division (race) at the Regatta and any person that remains entered in a sculling event after the October 1st withdrawal deadline shall not be eligible to compete in any sweep-oared event in the current year’s Regatta.

3.8. Ineligibility Discovery: All scullers and all members of crews must be eligible for the event-division in which they are competing. Any crew containing an ineligible competitor and any sculler not eligible will be assumed to be knowingly violating the rules and will be disqualified from this and possibly future Regattas, and the institution may face further sanction.

Only bona fide members of an institution shall be eligible to compete in a sweep-oared entry representing that institution, and the names of all such competitors must be accurately reported at Regatta Registration. Following the completion of Registration, any entry discovered (either before or after competing) to include an incorrectly identified or ineligible person, shall be subject to immediate disqualification.

Objections to any entry’s eligibility may be made at the Information Booths at the Cambridge Boat Club and the Rowing and Fitness Expo at any time, but preferably before the race in question. All athlete line-ups will be posted at www.hocr.org following the close of on-site registration.

3.9. Appeals: Scullers, and institutions represented by sweep-oared entries, may appeal for relief from any ruling of ineligibility or any penalty imposed upon them by the Regatta for alleged infractions, e.g. interference, course violations, etc., but no protest alleging interference by a competing entry shall be heard. (Please refer to Appeals section following the Rules of Racing)

3.10. Seeding/Starting Order: Single scullers who properly competed in a singles event the preceding year and whose entries are accepted will start ahead of all newcomers and will be seeded in the order of their raw times recorded the preceding year. The starting position of all newcomers will be determined by a blind draw in early October. With the exception of the Youth Double, seeding of double scullers will follow the same procedure.

An institution which has an entry accepted into a Youth Double event-division or a sweep-oared event-division in which it properly competed the preceding year will start ahead of all new entrants in that event-division and will be seeded according to its finishing position in that event-division in the preceding year. The starting position of newcomers will be determined by a blind draw in early October. The Regatta reserves to right to make exceptions to the seeding policy.

4. MEDALS

4.1. First Place Medals: Two-and-one-half inch bronze medals, engraved 1st PLACE shall be awarded to all competitors in entries that post the fastest time in the event-division in which they competed.

4.2. Special Medals: Two-and-one-half inch bronze medals, engraved (a) YOUTH (b) GRAND-VETERAN (c) VETERAN (d) GRAND-MASTER or (e) COLLEGE-CHAMPIONSHIP, shall be awarded respectively to (a) the “most competitive” male and female Youth single scullers in the Regatta (basis: percent-margin over the fastest time posted in their event-division), (b) the most competitive Grand-Veteran in the men’s and women’s divisions of Senior-Veteran Singles, (c) the fastest Veteran crew in each event-division of the Senior Master 2x, 4+, and 8+, (d) the fastest Grand-Master crew in each event-division of the Senior-Master 2x, 4+ and 8+, or (e) the fastest crew made up of undergraduates representing accredited/chartered Colleges or Universities in each event-division of the Championship 4+ and Championship 8+. Institutions planning to compete for the Grand-Master or College-Championship Special Medals should elect to do so when submitting athlete line-ups with the exception of the Grand Master Double, in which the Special Medal designation must be noted at the time of entry application. Winners of special medals will not be awarded subordinate medals should they qualify. No special medal will be awarded if the first place medal winner also qualifies for a special medal.

4.3. Subordinate Medals: Subordinate Medals are awarded as follows: 2nd PLACE in event-divisions comprising at least ten entries, 3rd PLACE in those comprising at least twenty entries, 4th PLACE in those comprising at least thirty entries, and 5th PLACE in those comprising forty or more entries.