Guide to Submitting Online

This page is intended for club representatives responsible for entering crews in the Women’s Eights Head.

Please see our Pennants & Eligibility page to help you determine for which pennant(s) your crew is eligible.

Note that some crews may be eligible for more than one Pennant, where the qualification criteria for those Pennants overlap. When making entries it is important to note that if you wish your crew to be entered for one of the WEHoRR Pennants, you must select not only your level of attainment, such as Open or Senior, but also your pennant. For example, if a crew is eligible for the Club or University Pennant in addition to being ‘Open’, it should be entered into the appropriate Event on BROE of ‘Open’ and then the Pennant should be selected from the drop-down list of “WEHoRR Pennant being entered for”. If the crew is not eligible for any Pennants, “None” should be selected.

How to Enter

  • Entries must be submitted via the British Rowing Online Entry (BROE2) services by completing a British Rowing Online entry form. (Overseas, Irish and SARA crews see note below.)
  • Payment may be made online or by cheque made payable to “Women’s Eights Head of the River Race” Payment must be received by close of entries for a crew to be accepted.
  • OVERSEAS, IRISH and SCOTTISH (SARA) CREWS – Contact British Rowing (onlineentry@britishrowing.org) and give your club details and the names of your competing crew(s). British Rowing will register your details, enabling you to enter online through British Rowing Online Services. It is advised that you do this as soon as possible and do not leave this until close to the entry deadline as this process is not instantaneous and we wouldn’t want you to miss entering.

If you are a visiting crew to the Tideway, please read the notes to visiting crews before submitting your entry.

Events Available

See Pennants and Trophies for full details.

Open – Open Club – Open University
Senior – Senior Club – Senior University
Challenge – Challenge Club – Challenge Academic
Beginner – Beginner Academic
Masters
School/Junior
Overseas – Overseas Masters – Overseas University – Overseas School/Junior

Masters

All crews wishing to race as Masters should enter the W.Mas.A.8+ category online. The age categories will be assigned for masters crews in accordance with the British Rowing Rules of Racing and the Masters Pennant is awarded based on handicapped overall times.

The WEHoRR uses the updated Handicapping data for long distance races/heads as published by the British Rowing Masters Commission. These are explained further in the revised Veteran Handicap Operating Notes for Heads received from British Rowing. Should any competitor require further information please contact British Rowing or the British Rowing Masters Commission.

School/Junior

Crews for this event may be coxed by an adult.

Overseas Crews

Overseas crews are only eligible to enter Overseas (Overseas Masters, Overseas University, and Overseas School/Junior) events.

Irish Clubs and Irish Academic institutions may apply to enter Senior, Challenge or Beginner events if evidence is provided to the WEHoRR committee showing that a different category is appropriate. This information should be supplied to the Entries Secretary before entries close. Email: entrysec@wehorr.org

Club Pennants

Crews who are eligible for one of the Club pennants (Club, Provincial Club, Medium Club, Small Club) should select ‘Club’ from the drop-down list of “WEHoRR Pennant being entered for”. These entries will be allocated into the respective club pennant by the Committee, based on the qualifying criteria. There will be a 72-hour period after the provisional draw is published for the allocations to be checked by entrants before the draw is finalised.

University and Academic Pennants

All crew members, including coxes, must be students. Alumni are not eligible.

Conditions of Entry

  • The Women’s Head accepts women’s crews only. Men are allowed to compete only as coxes.
  • Juniors: All crews containing juniors, including junior coxes, are required to provide a contact number for a responsible adult who is contactable on race day and can make decisions regarding the crew. This information can be submitted at the time of entry by expanding the ‘Notes/Special Notes’ section under the crew’s information. If you need to amend your contact information within 48 hours of race day, please send any changes directly to the Entries Secretary, on the e-mail address listed below.
  • Entries will be accepted from J15 crews (minimum age 14 on 1st September 2022). However any member of the crew who is under 15 on the day of the race must have raced in a Tideway HORR or other tidal HORR in 2023 before competing in the WEHoRR on 4th March 2023, thereby showing experience of competing on the Tideway. No competitors who are under 15 on race day will be allowed to compete unless they have fulfilled this requirement for safety reasons. Coaches must inform the Entries Secretary which tidal HORR race the crew will be competing in prior to the WEHoRR. The dates of birth of all J15 competitors will be checked and confirmation sought that the crew has raced in the HORR stated by the coach.
  • Beginner Crews: All entries secretaries must include confirmation in the notes field of the entry that at least 6 of the 9 members of the crew (rowers and cox) have competed in at least one regatta or head race run under British Rowing rules prior to racing in the WEHoRR. We also strongly recommend that all crews have reasonable experience of rowing on large/tidal rivers as well. Club secretaries, captains or coaches may be required to provide evidence of suitable experience.
  • Front-loader (bow-coxed) boats are not allowed.
  • Crews are reminded that ALL substitutions MUST be made before the race via BROE or, on the day of the race and no later than one hour before the scheduled start of the race, by informing the Entries Secretary IN PERSON. Any crew who makes a substitution without informing the event will be disqualified. The committee reserves the right to review the entries of crews who have substituted athletes to ensure that all competitors are accredited members of the clubs for which they are competing.
  • The Women’s Head is run in accordance with British Rowing’s Rules of Racing. More information is available from British Rowing.
  • Names of participants in crews may be displayed both in results, on our website, or as part of a press release. If there is a problem with this for any crews you are entering, please contact the Entries Secretary.

Close of Entries

  • Entries will close at 11.59pm on Friday 10th February 2023 or when 320 entries are accepted, whichever occurs first.
  • The start order will be published shortly after entries close. During the following 72-hour period, crews will be able to notify the Entries Secretary of any errors to the entry(s). During this time the Online Entries system will be frozen so that no substitutions can be made. Only errors with regard to WEHoRR Pennants (Club, University, etc.) can be corrected during this time.
  • Unfortunately, late entries cannot be accepted. Please also note that we do not operate a waiting list.
  • It is the responsibility of the crew to ensure that they have been entered into the correct Pennant category. Any Pennant-related errors or omissions notified to the organisers after the 72-hour period will not be changed.
  • After the 72-hour period, the Online Entries system will be opened again so that changes to crew order and substitutions under the British Rowing Rules of Racing, 7-2-4, can be made. Any substitutions which would change more than half of the crew will only be permitted on the basis of medical evidence produced by the crew or its club and must be agreed with the Entries Secretary.
  • After the draw, any substitutions which create a higher status crew will automatically move the crew to Open (so remaining eligible for the Head Pennant and given a finish position). No Pennant category changes can be made other than dropping out of a category (e.g. becoming ineligible for the Club Pennant due to substitutions made).

Awards

  • A minimum of 4 crews must enter and 3 must row for any award to be presented. However, this may be waived at the Committee’s discretion. Each case will be taken on its merits.
  • In the event of a tie, the higher-numbered crew takes precedence.

Further questions

We have more answers to common queries on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Enquiries

Enquiries about entries for the Women’s Eights Head should directed to: Entries Secretary Lesley Baguley, Email: entrysec@wehorr.org

Enquiries about British Rowing Online services should be directed to: British Rowing, Email: broe2help@britishrowing.org