The Spring Small Boats Head will take place on Sunday March 2nd.
Due to an unprecedented level of demand all four divisions have now been suspended. We would like to thank all the clubs who have entered boats. We have set up waiting lists for each division so please enter additional crews on these lists. We will keep the entry situation under review and will endeavour to include more boats as and when we can. Waiting list crews will be prioritised based on the following criteria: the club already has other entries in the competition which are likely to be accepted ( we are up to our trailer capacity), there is competition in the event entered, date of entry.
Maidstone Spring Head 2025 Poster
Please note that whilst Clive Harlow is still the entries secretary for the Head his previous email address should not be used as it no longer works. The new email address for all entry enquiries is sbhentries@maidstoneinvicta.co.uk
Race details.
4 divisions at 9.15am, 11.00am, 12.45pm and 2.30pm.
The event is rowed over a course of approximately 2500 meters upstream from Allington to Maidstone and is run under British Rowing Rules of Racing, MSBH Rules and takes account of the guidance laid out in Row Safe. The race is open to all BR registered clubs. All competitors must be BR registered and have RACE level membership, or have purchased a day ticket for the competition via British Rowing.
Event Classes: Senior, Junior, Masters
Boat types: 4+, 4x+ (no coxless quads or fours are allowed), 2x, 2-, 1x. All fine boat types available in all events except mixed (no 2- or 1x).
Categories:
Senior; Open and Women. Crews will be grouped into event classes where appropriate. The event reserves the right to use a combination of points and information supplied by clubs to band crews. Senior Mixed will be one class.
Junior; Open and Women with event classes grouped by age from J14 to J18. (J14 may not enter 4+ or 2- as per British Rowing Rules). Under a local rule junior crews may be coxed by a senior.
Masters; Open, Women and Mixed with event classes grouped by age from Masters A to J. Where appropriate, events may be combined using the handicap system set out in the Rules of Racing. The Rules of Racing state that “the category spread can include all categories, if necessary, to give all entrants a race, but in principle the spread should not normally exceed 3 where entries allow”.
Entry Fee: £14 per seat (no charge for coxswains). Medals will be awarded where a minimum of two crews race in an event. Pennants are awarded for the fastest overall crews in the Open, Women, Junior Open and Junior Women classes (crews racing as ‘time only’ are eligible for pennants at the discretion of the Organising Committee).
Entries will open at mid-day on Monday 13th January 2025 and close at mid-day on Thursday 20th February 2025. All entries must be made via BROE. Payment should be made through BROE or by bank transfer direct to MIRC (Bank HSBC, account number 71230964, sort code 40-31-06). Payment must be received in order for crews to be accepted to race. The Organising Committee reserves the right to suspend or close entries early if the event is oversubscribed.
It is intended that the race order will be published by Tuesday 25th February latest.
For enquiries concerning entries please contact the Entries Secretary, Clive Harlow by email: sbhentries@maidstoneinvicta.co.uk
Please see below for documents relating to the race. All competitors/coaches should read these carefully. In particular the Instructions to Competitors which gives details of race rules and timings, and the Safety Plan which contains important safety information and circulation diagrams. There is also a video of the full course which should be watched by all coxes and steerers.
DOCUMENT DETAILS LINK
Event Poster Entry details, events and classifications. Maidstone Spring Head 2025
Start Order Start order by division. To follow
Course Map Course map showing main features and hazards. To follow
Instructions and Rules Competitor instructions and race rules To follow
Safety Plan Full details of safety procedures and officials responsibilities with circulation diagrams To follow
Welfare Statement MSBH Welfare and safeguarding policy To follow
Parking Map No parking for cars at the club except towing vehicles or if carrying boats. For nearest public car parks please see map. Car parking map
Risk Assessment Event risk assessment To follow
Emergency Action Plan Additional planning for a more serious incident To follow
All photographs courtesy of Clive Harlow