Torpids 2012

1. Torpids 2012 Marshalling and Umpiring College Presentation Version 1.1 14th February 2012 Written by Phil McCullough, OURCs

2. What is Bumps Racing? The best way to experience it is to see it: One of many YouTube videos of bumps racing Thirteen boats line up single-file, with a 1 ½ length gap between them. The aim is to make contact, or ‘bump’ the boat in front before getting bumped yourselves.

3. What is Bumps Racing? • A series of divisions approximately half an hour apart • Start signalled by 3 guns: • 5 minute warning • 1 minute warning • The start • Crews that bump start higher the next day

4. Introduction to your role • Two types of duty that are essential to run Torpids: • Marshals • Umpires • Marshals wear yellow bibs and stand on the bank, ensuring safety • Umpires wear red bibs and cycle alongside races, observing what happens

5. Race Organisers • Racedesk (OURCs) • Senior Umpires

6. Marshals • Supplied with a radio and liaise with crews, racedesk and the SU • Responsibilities: • River checks • Communicate with river traffic and competitors • Klaxons • Plus specific duties

7. Marshals Stand up at all times, particularly during races Look after your equipment and personal belongings. Don’t let someone take your radio or klaxon!

8. Circulation pattern We are always in one of two phases: warm-up and racing Warm-up • Above the gut, reverse circulation (crews stick to the left-hand side) • Cross over at Top Gut to normal circulation • River traffic always takes the centre Racing • Any line the crews want to take

10. River Checks • You are the eyes of the river • Report these things: • River traffic, such as kayakers, cruisers, houseboats • Swans (but not gees) • Don’t report these things: • The EA launch • The OURCs catamarans (one yellow, one white) • Crews that are in the right place

11. Example river check >> Perform one now. Remember the order: Head, Finish, Boathouses A, Boathouses B, Univ, Greenbanks, Longbridges, Top Gut, Middle Gut, Bottom Gut, Donny Bridge, Top Bunglines, Bottom Bunglines

12. Boating • Raft marshals should ensure the following: • Crews do not put their shell on the water until the last division of their gender has landed (i.e. for Men’s Div. 1, Men’s Div. 2 must have landed • Crews are legal to boat: • Heel restraints – gently lift up • Bow ball firmly fixed – give it a tug • Lifejacket over cox’s outermost layer • Cox possesses ID for all crew

13. Boating (continued) • Crews must not push off until the following launch for the division immediately before theirs goes past. Then they are safe to push off and warm up. • Make sure crews push off promptly

14. Warm-up • Crews 1-6 warm up above the gut; crews 8-13 warm up below • (Crew 13 is the sandwich boat, the top of the division below) • Crew 7 can chose one, but not both • Greenbanks, Top Gut and Bottom Gut log which crews have gone past them

15. Warm-up (continued) • With about 10 minutes to go, all crews should be below gut (5 minutes is sufficient for Div. 1 crews) • Expect a river check at this point • Alert the SU if you think someone will be late. Don’t be afraid to tell them to get moving! • With the 5 minute gun, all crews should be near their bunglines. All of them should be attached by the 1MG

16. Warm-up (continued) • Expect one final river check before the 1MG. It is vital that you report anything that might compromise the race • The 1MG fires, and then the race will start with the start gun 60 seconds later • Racedesk acknowledges all guns • Radio silence after 1MG unless there is a reason to stop the race

17. Example of the radio SU: Before I fire the 1 minute gun, let’s have a final river check, from the head please – GO. Marshals: <River check> SU: Excellent. 1MG about to be fired. BOOM SU: 1 minute gun fired. Racedesk: Racedesk acknowledges the 1 minute gun

18. Example of the radio SU: Okay, radio silence unless you have a reason to stop the race. … … BOOM SU: Race has started, race has started! Racedesk: Racedesk acknowledges the start

19. The Race In Torpids, crews who do well and bump stop racing and clear out of the racing line Crews who get bumped must carry on racing While there is the fastest racing line, crews may use the whole river. Therefore if there is a gap, there is still a way through the course.

20. The Race We rely on marshals to give commentary that we relay over the tannoy: “Queen’s down to a length off Jesus” “Corpus have bumped Linacre” “Oriel have crabbed” “Concession from the Wolfson cox”

21. The Race Once the last racing crew and the launch have gone past, crews that have bumped out return to warm-up circulation and paddle to their boathouses, alongside the crews that have just boated for the next division. >> Now is a good chance to ask your senior marshal questions.

22. Complications Sadly, Bumps racing isn’t always so simple: • Equipment failures • Klaxons • Appeals • Crashes Photo: Sarah Boddy

23. Common problems Problem: A crew complains of an equipment failure – a broken rigger, a footplate loose, an oar snapped in half. Solution: Ask them what their failure is, and ask them how long it’ll take to fix. Then, radio through to the SU with details. The SU will be able to advise.

24. Common problems Don’t: • Address this to racedesk • Radio through unless you know what the problem is. If the crew don’t know how long it’ll take to fix, the SU might be able to advise • But if you don’t tell them what the equipment failure is, the first question you’ll get asked is “what has broken and how long will it take to fix?”

25. Common problems Problem: A crew is yet to pass you at Greenbanks with the 5MG having just been fired Solution: Yell at them to get a move on. Inform the SU of their progress – they may or may not hold the division for them.

26. Common problems Problem: River traffic enters the course just before a division is due to start Solution: Politely ask them if they could wait at one of the mooring points until the division has passed them. Thank them for their co-operation if they do. If they don’t, tell the SU immediately.

27. How to address problems “Senior Umpire, this is Head marshal. Two kayakers have gone downstream past me and refuse to stop.” Marshal: “SU this is Longbridges” SU: “Go ahead Longbridges” Marshal: “A punt has just come from under Longbridges but have agreed to stop.” SU: “Wonderful”

28. Common problems Don’t ever: • Be rude or demanding to river traffic Please remember to thank them and send them on their way as soon as they can move on.

29. Common problems Problem: Start gun does not fire Solution: If the gun does not fire after 70 seconds from the 1MG, the SU will say “abort abort” and all crews should sit easy. Once this information is relayed, the next gun to be fired will be another 1 Minute Gun.

30. Klaxons This can be the most complex and terrifying bit for a marshal to comprehend on their first go. Take some time now to learn the rules by rote.

31. Klaxons You must klaxon if, during a race: • Anyone - spectator, rower or cox – falls in the water • First Aid is required at the scene of a crash • A dangerous crash or situation is immediately imminent • The racing line is unavoidably blocked and there are racing crews imminent

32. Klaxons – what to do • Immediately fire your klaxon, and hold it down for at least 10 seconds, or until all crews in your vicinity have held it hard. Count them in your head. • Grab your radio and turn it on so all marshals can hear your klaxon • Shout ‘klaxon klaxon klaxon’ over the radio • Once the fuss has died down, state your location and if First Aid is required. If in doubt, say “not sure” and we’ll dispatch them just in case. Then state why you klaxoned.

33. Klaxons – what to do • All crews must hold it up hard and not move an inch (except to make way for First Aid) unless racedesk says it’s safe to • Crews must immediately revert to warm-up circulation – that is, reverse above the gut, normal below it • Racedesk will say when it is safe for boats on the rafts to push off.

34. Klaxons – more explanation • If someone is in the water, immediately fire your klaxon • If you know there is going to be an imminent crash that is clearly going to be very dangerous (think: relative speeds), klaxon to try and prevent it. • A crew hitting the bank does not count as a klaxon – it only does if they’re injured.

35. Klaxons – more explanation This is certainly a crash, but the line isn’t blocked and nobody looks injured, so no need to klaxon:

36. Klaxons – more explanation • If the line is blocked, take a moment and think – is it unavoidable, and are there racing crews arriving imminently? The next few slides give an illustrated example of when and when not to fire the klaxon

37. From: http://www.ourcs.org.uk/files/file/racing/e11/Marshal%20Brief%20Case%20Study.pdf Crew B Crew A Crew A is being chased by crew B as they exit the gut. Crew B is about a length behind crew A, and the crews have kept this distance for a while.

38. Crew A’s stroke man manages to catch a horrific crab that noticeably slows them down, and sends them towards the towpath bank. The cox does not concede. The chasing crew, noticing this, take evasive action; they aim to overtake on the right hand side and go for the row past.

39. Sadly, they were too close behind, and the two crews become tangled. The two crews have bumped, and crew B is no longer part of the race. It is their duty to clear the racing line as soon as possible. Crew A must continue racing.

40. So let’s say that crew A have managed to wrestle free of their crab, but the glancing blow collision results in crew B getting a bit tangled up. >> Do you klaxon?

41. Answer: No The racing line is blocked, but because there are no crews yet in sight, the race should NOT be klaxoned. Be on standby – klaxon in hand, ready to fire in case the situation changes.

42. Now that A is free, they should make every attempt to get moving again. Let’s say that they do. In the case below, they’ve crossed over at Longbridges and will take an alternative racing line. It’s not the best line, but the racing line is the whole river. Crew B should tuck in to the bank.

43. Let’s suppose crew A weren’t being coordinated and are not going anywhere fast: >> Do you klaxon?

44. Answer: No. There are no imminent crews. But: Both crews are still entangled and going nowhere. Crew A is at risk of jeopardising the race. You should be alert and paying attention, ready to klaxon if necessary.

45. A few seconds later, it is apparent that these crews are not going anywhere fast, and two more crews are chasing each other. The racing line is unavoidably blocked, and there is no safe option left for crew C, who are being chased by D. >> Do you klaxon?

46. Answer: Yes. Crew C must stop to avoid hitting A and B, but can’t stop because D will hit them. Klaxon this race immediately. Press down for at least ten seconds, firing it directly at crews C and D.

47. Let’s suppose that crew C is not being chased by anyone, as in the above picture. >> Do you klaxon?

48. Answer: Yes. Crew C still has nowhere to go. Although in this case, since C’s cox should have enough common sense to hold it hard in enough time, you may wish to delay the klaxon a second or two to see if the blockage dissipates.

49. Tips for Klaxons • Avoid use of the word “klaxon” unless you are klaxoning the race yourself. If in doubt, ask: • “Is the race still live?” • “Has racing been stopped?” Just saying the word “klaxon” puts the division at risk, so be careful.

50. Tips for Klaxons • Often, people around you might shout “klaxon” at you. Often, they have no idea what is going on. Take a moment, and think: • Is anyone in danger? • Can I prevent an accident by klaxoning? • Does a racing crew have no safe action but to hold it up? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then klaxon