Head racing in rowing

A head race in rowing is in effect a time trial rather than a race to see who is first to cross the finish line. It is the sort of race that is more suitable for a narrow stretch of river, and it requires different skills from those of sprint racing. Basically, in a head race the crews start the course at different times and race against the clock rather than each other.

There are different types of head race, so the rules and procedures are not always the same. A good example of one kind is the Head of the River Race for eights that is held annually every March on the River Thames in London, UK (there are separate races, on different days, for men and for women). The course is the same as that used for the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, but in reverse, so that the crews go downstream from Mortlake to Putney on an ebb tide, instead of upstream on a flood tide. The other major difference is that, instead of two crews racing, the river is full of boats, maybe with hundreds of crews taking part. There is a limit of 420 entries, for safety reasons.

The crews start at about 10 second intervals, so there can be around 100 boats on the water at the same time. Crews are given a number, which is displayed on the boat, and they are called to the start line by their number. They are given a “flying start”, in that they cross the start line at race pace rather than starting from a standstill. A timekeeper must start timing as the boat crosses the line, noting the number of the boat. Another timekeeper performs the same operation at the finish line.

Overtaking is inevitable, and the rules state that crews being overtaken must give way to faster boats. Apart from that, most of the rules relate to marshalling of the boats before and after the race, the stipulation that all boats must shoot the central spans of Barnes and Hammersmith bridges, and that crews must obey the directions of umpires. There can be time penalties imposed for unsporting behaviour and disqualification for serious breaches of the rules. A crew that is offended against does not receive any time advantage.

One major difference from races such as the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is that the crews cannot be followed by a flotilla of motor boats including one containing the race umpire. The rules therefore stipulate that monitors must be posted at intervals along the course, so that any infringements can be reported and action taken. The monitors are empowered to warn a crew (via megaphones), or even stop a crew if necessary. Monitors are in radio contact with the umpire and other race officials, and can summon emergency help if needed.

Bumps racing

Another traditional type of head race is the “bumps” race”, held between the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge universities. The rivers at both places (the Isis (Thames) at Oxford and the Cam at Cambridge) are too narrow for side-by-side racing, so this form of racing has developed instead. Many successful rowers from bumps races have gone on to crew the main university boat at the annual Boat Race. The Cambridge course, on the twisty River Cam, is about 2200 metres in length, which is therefore longer than the 2000 metre straight course used in international sprint racing. The Oxford course is shorter, at 1000 metres, but usually only 13 boats compete per race.

Both universities have two annual events, known as “Torpids” and “Eights Week” at Oxford and “Lent” and “May” at Cambridge. There are variations between the events, but a typical scenario is as follows:

At Cambridge, 17 boats take part in a division, there being four men’s divisions at Lent and six in May (there are also women’s divisions). The crews are seeded as between the divisions, and in terms of their starting positions, based on past performances.

The crews are separated at the start by distance rather than by time, starting two-and-a-half lengths apart. The boats line up along the bank, with each cox holding the end of a “bungline”, which is a length of chain fixed to the bank with a large cork at the other end, which the cox holds above his head to show that his crew is ready. Just before the starting gun goes (there have been warning guns fired before this time), the boats are pushed out into the river with the coxes still holding the bungs.

When the starting gun goes, the bungs are dropped and all the boats start together, aiming to catch up with the boat in front but not be caught by the boat behind. When a boat does make up the distance a “bump” is recorded (it can either be a physical contact with the stern of a boat or an oar, or the cox of the caught boat can concede that the bow of the chasing boat has overlapped his own stern). Both boats must now retire to the side of the river to make way for following boats to proceed. When two boats have left the scene, the gap to the next boat can be quite long, and even longer if there has been another bump further down the course. A boat that does manage to bump a boat that started three places ahead is said to “overbump”. There are sometimes “double overbumps” and even “triple overbumps” on very rare occasions. A boat that completes the course without being bumped is said to “row over”.

The races are noisy affairs, with not only the cheering of the spectators (who are mainly non-rowers from the respective colleges) but a cacophony of hooters being sounded by the coaches on the bank who signal to the crews how close they are to making a bump. Naturally, the rowers in the chasing boats have their backs to the action, and the cox’s view is obstructed by eight large oarsmen!

There are generally two races per day per division, and racing takes place over four days. In the next race, boats that have bumped or been bumped will change positions, and the boat at the head of the division can move up to the next division. At the end of the day, charts are drawn up that show how each boat has progressed. The winning crew is designated “Head of the River”.

Head racing, of whatever kind, is an exciting and sometimes dangerous sport. From the spectator’s perspective it can be confusing to watch, but there is always something going on!