The FASBC Guide to the Rowing Year
The following is intended to give you a flavour of what the pupils get up to. The dates are generally printed in the FASBC Calendar and obviously the School will provide times and dates nearer the time and keep the pupils informed of any changes to the plan. You will also find more information in the FASBC Members Rowing Handbook and the ‘How to Get There’ book of directions, parking and other tips for the full regatta circuit. The events listed in bold are the ‘majors’.
I should add a small caveat for such a list; just because an event is listed here does not mean that your son may be selected or even that a crew will be entered. The coaches make their selections based on the overall balance of a crew as a single entity – and sometimes decide not to enter an event if the crew isn’t ready or the event isn’t going to challenge them sufficiently.
Michaelmas Term
Wallingford Long Distance Head, Wallingford – Seniors
Pairs Head, Tideway London – Seniors
Head of Schuykill, Philadelphia, USA – Seniors
Fours Head, Tideway, London – Seniors
Pangbourne Head,Pangbourne – Seniors
GB Junior Trials, Boston, Lincs – Seniors
Wallingford Head, Wallingford – Seniors
Lent Term
BASHER (informal Heads race), Dorney Lake – Seniors, J16s, J15s
Wycliife Big Head, Gloucestershire – Seniors, J16s, J15s
GB Junior Trials, Boston, Lincs – Seniors
Hammersmith Head, Tideway, London – Seniors, J16s, J15s
Reading Uni Head, Reading – Seniors, J16s, J15s
Schools Head, Tideway, London – Seniors, J16s
Head of the River, Tideway, London – Seniors, J16s, J15s
Easter Rowing Camp, Temple-sur-Lot, France – Seniors, J16s, J15s
St Edwards Match, Abingdon – J14s
Gloucester Head, Gloucestershire – J14s
Schools Sculling Head, Dorney – J14s
Bedford Quads Head, Bedford – J14s
Single sculling Camp, Abingdon – J14s
Summer Term
BASHER Regatta, Dorney – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
GB Junior Small Boats Trials, Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham – Seniors
Wallingford Regatta, Dorney Lake – Seniors, J16s, J15s
Bedford Regatta, Bedford – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
National Schools Regatta, Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
Metropolitan Regatta, Dorney – Seniors
Reading Amateur Regatta, Caversham, Reading – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
Marlow Regatta, Dorney – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
BASHER 2 Regatta, Dorney – J16s, J15s
Thames Valley Park and Reading Town Regattas, TVP, Reading – Seniors, J16s, J15s, J14s
Henley Qualifying, Henley – Seniors
Henley Royal Regatta, Henley – Seniors
During Summer Holidays
GB Junior Trials, Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham – Seniors
British Championships, Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham – Seniors
Home International Regatta – Seniors
World Junior Championships, Coupe de la Jeunesse – Seniors
GB-France match – J16s
In case you are not aware this may be helpful:
- Head races are timed processional races where boats are started at intervals and timed over the course. Mainly over longer distances (10 to 18 minutes of rowing), in winter.
- Regattas are side-by-side racing and are knockout events. They vary from 2/3 lane racing (on rivers) to 6 lane racing (at Dorney and Nottingham). Usually over shorter distances (500m to 2000m) and held in the summer months.
Age groups:
- J14: 3rd year pupils, aged 14 or under on the previous 1st September. For health and safety reasons, this age group do sculling, i.e. with two oars each. Mainly in Octos (eight scullers plus cox) or Coxed Quads (four scullers plus cox).
- J15: aged 15 or under on the previous 1st September. Roughly 4th year. This is the first year of rowing or sweep oars, i.e. one oar each. Mainly eights, some coxed fours.
- J16: aged 16 or under on the previous 1st September. This is 5th year.
- Junior: aged 18 or under on the previous 1st September, the sixth form. Mainly eights and fours but some competitive pairs and singles.
- GB Junior international crews: aged 18 or under on 1st January prior to the main event.
