CRA Winter League 2024
Sunday 14 January 2024 - Sunday 18 February 2024 - Sunday 10 March 2024
2,600 metres upstream from A14 bridge to 'Top Finish' at Green Dragon Bridge
Division 1: 9:00am - Division 2: 10:40am - Division 3: 12:20pm - Division 4: 2:00pm
email: winterleague@crarowing.co.uk
Latest News
Saturday 6 April 2024
Refunds
Let us know by email if you think you are due a refund for any of the legs.
Spare Pots
There are some spare glass pots from the Winter League races, and we are offering them on a first-come-first-served basis to the participating crews. They are somewhat of a collector's item; they are engraved with a map of the Cam and the year, so not suitable for next year's race! We even have some from the 2023 edition if you raced in the previous year and think you deserve one! You might like to collect a glass pot if:
You were a substitute or coach of a winning crew that didn't get a chance to collect a pot on the day of the race.
You are a junior rower who did a personal best (or even just a good performance) on the day, and would like a memento.
This was your first race rowing or coxing and you would like a memento of the occasion.
You are a marshal for the race, and think you did a particularly good job.
Collect from the bar at 99s boathouse or email winterleague@crarowing.co.uk (either way, let us know by email that you are collecting any pots). Thanks for participating, and hope to see you next year.
Important links
We will post important race announcements and Winter League news over a WhatsApp group (announcements only). At least one member of each crew should join: follow this link. Please contact winterleague@crarowing.co.uk with any enquires.
Current version of draw. This will also show the final results and the list of winning crews awarded pots.
About the race
The Winter League is a series of three head races held on the river Cam, Cambridge. The winners for each category will be the crew with the fastest aggregate time over all three legs. CUCBC (college) prizes will be awarded for the results of the February leg only. Crews can enter any or all of the legs. The Winter League is organised for the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association by members of the Cambridge '99 Rowing Club and X-Press Boat Club.
Entries
Entries opened at 9:00am on 2 January 2024, and will stay open until midnight of the Wednesday before each leg. You can enter all three legs as soon as entries are open (we prefer that you do this). If you did not enter the race for Leg 1, you can still enter using the same entry form for legs 2 and 3 (entries for those legs will close on the Wednesday before each race).
Use the form here if you want to enter a single crew or a small number of crews. If you are making a large number of entries you might prefer to use a template Google sheet; follow the link here to make a copy of the template.
Categories - Entries are invited for all fine boat and fixed seat boats. Categories in Open / Women's / Mixed, split into:
Championship - The highest category. Crews containing members who in the past have rowed at national level events.
Club A - Below Championship level and an average of more than two BR, CRA or CUCBC event wins in last 24 months.
Club B - Below Club A level and above Novice level (see below).
Novice - A maximum of two members of the crew who have won a BR, CRA or CUCBC event.
Beginner - All members of the crew learnt to row in the previous calendar year.
Masters & Juniors - As defined by British Rowing.
Division times - Division 1: 9:00am, Division 2: 10:40am, Division 3: 12:20pm, Division 4: 2:00pm.
We will aim to include Championship crews in the same division to allow for fair racing in the top category (with 8+ and 1x Championship crews in Division 1, and all other Championship crews in Division 2).
All other crews have a free choice of division.
Entry fees
Entry fees are £10 per seat per race, with no charge for coxes. If you are competing in all three legs then please pay the full amount of £30 per seat before entries close for Leg 1.
Payment by bank transfer to:
Cambridge '99 Rowing Club Ltd
Sort code: 20-17-35
Account number: 10228613
Reference: "WL" followed by your club name and crew name.
Other entry information and conditions
Crews who do not have boating facilities on the Cam should contact us (or a host club) to agree boating arrangements.
In the unlikely event that the race is oversubscribed, we will use our discretion to prioritise larger boats and crews entering all three legs, and to disallow some 'doubling up' so that everyone gets the opportunity to race.
Crews can enter a higher category than that for which they are qualified. The Leg 1 race status of a crew will apply for all three legs unless a change upwards is required due to crew substitutions.
We might split a category if there are many entries. We might combine two categories to create racing competition if there are too few entries in a category.
If relevant, the CRA affiliation fee of £25 or co-option fee of £12 must be paid by clubs by the time of entry.
CUCBC clubs can enter any or all legs. However, university term dates might make it impractical to enter for legs 1 and 3. Therefore, we will award pots for CUCBC categories based on the Leg 2 (i.e., February) stand-alone time.
Where there are a large number of refunds needed (for example, if a leg is cancelled due to bad weather), we will make the refund after Leg 3, and will refund the amount to your club treasurer (or another selected person at your club), and they can distribute to individual crews.
Where a Championship crew chooses to race in a different division we reserve the right to withdraw them from contesting pots if they gain an advantage from more favourable weather conditions.
Withdrawals after the entries have closed for a leg (i.e., the Wednesday before the race) will only be given a refund of the entry fee at our discretion. Where a leg is cancelled (or cancelled for your race category) we would always give a refund.
Row-throughs
Row-throughs between divisions are possible, depending on numbers.
Please request a row-through using this form: https://forms.gle/uM4cZTzeTUve8cpFA
We encourage row-throughs to consider avoiding the change between divisions 1+2 (around 10am) as these divisions are usually full, and this is generally a busy time on the river. Row-throughs in the afternoon will make for easier boating.
Race communications
We will post important race announcements and Winter League news over a WhatsApp group (announcements only). If you would like to join, follow this link.
Results
We will post results on RowClock throughout the day. We plan to finalise results shortly after Division 4 has finished (probably by around 3pm). The bar at Nines Boathouse will be open after each race.
After Leg 2, college category winners will be awarded engraved pots. Pots will be available for collection from Nines Boathouse.
After Leg 3, engraved pots will be awarded to the winners of categories with three or more competing crews for all legs, and for other categories at our discretion. Pots will be available for collection from Nines Boathouse.
Competitor Information
See here for competitor information. We would like all competitors to carefully read all the instructions; however, please take special note of the following:
Please show care around moored vessels, in particular near The Plough and at Stourbridge Common.
When boating or and returning to your boathouse, please give priority to junior crews. It will be easier for everyone if you give them space on the hard for them to boat and push off.
You must be past the finish line (near Green Dragon footbridge) at least 20 minutes before your division start time.
No boating is allowed from Stourbridge Common or Ditton Meadow. Visiting crews who have not already made arrangements should contact winterleague@crarowing.co.uk