Northern Region Sunday League series - 2023

 Tarnettes, winners Women’s league                  Berwick Expedition Crew, winners Open league

 

Here is the overall series league table. Click on it for a larger jpg version or here for a pdf .

 

 

     

 

 

 

How you entered in 2023

    

See in the Format and Rules section below who was eligible to enter and what teams could consist of. The entry form (Excel spreadsheet) used is downloadable here (we hope to migrate to Google in 2024). This had to be returned each month by 6.00pm on the Wednesday before the event to the entries coordinator at colinwpercy@gmail.com.

    

Host club responsibilities  

      

Host clubs were asked to note they were responsible for making sure their event was run in a safe and responsible way and that there was full insurance cover for it under their own insurance policy; this included cover for damage or loss to equipment borrowed from other clubs, unless the lending club had confirmed their cover still extended to use by the host. See British Rowing guidance document here (pdf). Clubs were asked to contact the coordinator as above if not clear about this.

   

Format for Northern Region Sunday League in 2023   

      

General

   

Aims:                   To be a fun, relaxed and social series of events.     

Target audience:   New rowers, recreational rowers and returning rowers, including retired racers     

Entrants:              Open & Women’s    

Boats:                  Stable coxed quads or fours (provided by host club, just rock up and row)

   

Entry

  

• Send an email for each event to the entries coordinator at colinwpercy@gmail.com - with entry form attached. Download the entry form here as xlsx (preferred) or pdf. Mobile number is 07985 003304 if urgent.
• Entries close at 6.00pm on the Wednesday before the event (though some flexibility may be possible for late entries).
• All teams from a club must be entered through one contact if at all possible.

    

Who can row

• All rowing team members must be:
• British Rowing Members:

- Row membership (the basic and cheapest membership level for rowers); or

- Race membership (more expensive, but means you can row in ‘proper’ rowing events).

See https://www.britishrowing.org/join on how to join. You must put the membership number on the entry form.

• 18+ on the event day (coxes may be under 18, with parental consent).
• We have dropped very specific rules about being excluded because of wins, lots of points won at regattas or heads and so on. This year as in 2022 we are leaving it to clubs to decide within the spirit of the series who to put in teams, but please do not abuse this flexibility.
• We have kept one restriction: individuals from an earlier year’s overall winning team can re-enter on condition that there are no more than two of them in any new team.
• There are no restrictions on coxes in terms of experience, points or even club, though team members are encouraged to cox to gain experience.

Composition of teams  

• Each team may consist from 4 up to 9 members - this does not include coxes.
• A team may use any of the first six team members to race during the series without penalty; using the 7th, 8th or 9th members on a particular Sunday will result in half points (on that day only). This rule is under review.
• If a team starts the series with 4 members only they may add up to the limit of 9 at later events.
• Any combination of team members can be used in different races on one day.
• Team members cannot be removed from the ‘team list’ once they have taken part.  
• Members can only represent 1 team per round, however they may change teams throughout the series.
• Coxes for a team’s races in a round can change and need not be from the team’s own club.
• Teams must wear a uniform kit or colour; preferably a main colour of their club
• New teams may join at any point throughout the series.
• Entry cost per round per team is £12, most of which goes to the host club.   

Events

   

Events types:

• Each event will be either sculling or sweep rowing, all in stable coxed quads or fours.
• Each event will be either Splash ‘n Dash side-by-side racing or Skills Head racing.

Day timings

   

Unless otherwise notified these will be:

• Registration - 11:00
• Draw - 11:30
• First Race - 12:00
• Finish at latest - 16:00

Splash ‘n Dash events

   

Distance: 200 - 300 m, side-by-side racing, two at a time.

      

• Equal number of races per team over max 4 hour period, no more than 4 per team
• Racing draw matrix drawn up in advance, but doing the draw to allocate ‘letters’ to crews done on the day
• 40 races in an afternoon max

Points system for Splash & Dash:

• 2 points for each win, 1 point for a loss (to encourage turning up)
• You are allowed to substitute team members between races.
• Points are calculated at the end of the day, added to the league table and published on the event web page (links above).

    

Skills Head events

     

Distance: Up to 1 km head (time trial) races to include a selection of required skills en route.

• Two runs over course per team, combined times used for placing
• A course map will be provided by the host club a minimum of 2 weeks before the event
• Examples of skills that could be included are below but see Hexham page for actuals:

- Emergency stops

- Backing down onto buoy

- Square blade rowing for 20 strokes

- Rigger dips

- 360 deg turn

- Blade swap from bow to stroke

- 10 roll ups  

- Feet out rowing for 20 strokes

- Blind folded rowing (maybe, opinions are divided on this)

- Other skills as and when dreamt up

Points system for Skills:

• Teams race twice, with the combined times to count.
• You are allowed to substitute team members between races.
• Extra points will be awarded for the top 4 placed teams (both Women’s and Open) on top of 4 pts
  for coming along and racing.

1st gets 4+4 = 8 pts

   

2nd gets 4+3 = 7 pts

   

3rd gets 4+2 = 6 pts

   

4th gets 4+1 = 5 pts

   

All others taking part get 4 pts

• Points are added to the league table at the end of the day and published on the event web page (links above).

Prizes

There are nice wooden series trophies (to be held for a year) with consumable prizes (can be eaten/drunk straightaway) for the Open & Women’s Teams with the most points after the final round. No prizes to be given at single events, to keep costs low.

   

This page updated on 01-10-23.

Contact: colinwpercy@gmail.com

Links to individual round pages for 2023 when ready

  

* Round 1 - Tyne ARC    * Round 2 - Berwick    * Round 3 - Tynemouth (cancelled)
* Round 4 - Cambois    * Round 5 - Talkin Tarn    * Round 6 - Hexham     

 

Pages for previous years

     

*  2012 - archive     *  2013 - archive     *  2014 - archive     *  2015 - archive      *  2016 - archive

*  2017 - archive  *  2018 - archive   *  2019 - archive    *  2022 - archive.  Not run in 2020 and 21.  

 

Background    

 

The Northern Rowing Council with the help of British Rowing set up the Northern Region Sunday League series in 2012 under the auspices of the national Explore Rowing scheme. We renamed it as the Explore Series in 2016, at the request of British Rowing, but in 2019 we reverted to the old title.

  

The series is aimed at recreational rowers, novices, recent graduates of learn to row courses and those returning to rowing after a long break. The taking part is arguably more important than the winning, though races can get pretty competitive.

 

Series winners and the final league table

2023 programme

 

The steering group worked on the programme for 2023 with participating host clubs. As each event approached a separate web page with details was created - links are at the top of this page.Here are the dates, with host clubs: