Entries

Thames Ditton Regatta is held under the Rules of British Rowing. The next edition is on Saturday, 18 May 2024.

The regatta conforms to British Rowing’s ‘Row Safe: A Guide to Good Practice in Rowing’. This can be found in the British Rowing Almanack and is also available on British Rowing’s web site.

All races are upstream over a distance of approximately 900 metres with a free start. The course starts just above the downstream end of Thames Ditton Island and finishes just before the River Mole. The course will be buoyed to separate it from the marshaling lane, but there are no buoys between the racing stations.

Click here to download the event poster (the remainder of this page).

Events

Morning (from 8.30am)

Afternoon (from approx. 1.30pm)
Category Open Women Open Women
Senior1  4x, 4+ Challenge8s2, 2x Challenge8s2, 2x  4x, 4+
J15  4x+3 8+ (1st), 8+ (2nd)4, 4+, 2x3 8+ (1st), 8+ (2nd)4, 4+, 2x3 4x+3
J14 8x+3, 2x 4x+3 4x+3 8x+3, 2x
J13 4x+ 4x+
  1. Designed for J16s, Seniors and Masters.
  2. Challenge8s: Get race experience, early in the season! All crews are guaranteed to get at least 2 races. Read the Challenge8s event page for full details.
  3. These are popular events so you will be required to choose whether you would prefer the crew to race in the Top (fastest) or General Classification band, if more than 8 entries are received. Here are some guidelines for what to enter:
    • If you are entering more than one crew in an event and they’re (at least roughly) selected, at least 1 should be in Top.
    • If it’s an oct that will be racing in 1st crews at National Schools, it should be in Top UNLESS it is not expected to come in the top half of the time trial AND it’s the only oct you’re entering in that event at TDR.
    • Any crew in which half or more of the scullers came in the top half of an event at the Junior Sculling Head or ARE OF THAT STANDARD should be in Top.
    • If you have 2 matched crews, it can be acceptable to put them all in General Classification subject to the guideline above. If you have 3+ crews, at least 1 should be in Top.
    • If you have only 1 crew, it can go in either, depending on its speed: we are relying on coaches’ integrity and expect that notably quick crews (e.g. those expected to finish in the top half of the Time Trial at National Schools) are not put into GC for an ‘easy’ win.
      We reserve the right to move any crew entered in General Classification to Top. For advice, contact info@thamesdittonregatta.co.uk.
  4. Must be genuine 2nd crews. If fewer than 4 entries are received in either J15 (1st) 8+ or J15 2nd 8+ (open or women), the two events will be combined and where possible the 2nd crews will race each other in the first round.

General notes about events

  • Events will only run if a minimum of 4 entries are received. This helps ensure events remain viable if there are scratchings.
  • All senior events with more than 8 entries will be divided into bands of 4-8 crews after the close of entries by CRI. Entries in senior events may not be accepted from crews with considerably above-average CRI.
  • Doubling up within a division (morning or afternoon) is not allowed for rowers, coxes, boats or blades.
  • Plate events will be run for J14 octs and quads where possible.
  • From 2024 we no longer offer 1x events so that more people can race at this over-subscribed regatta.

Other important information about Entries

  • Entries will open on Monday, 15 April 2024.
  • ENTRIES CLOSE at 9am on SATURDAY, 11 May 2024, but are likely to be suspended before that (2 weeks before that, usually) once the regatta is full.
  • All placeholders must be filled by 9am on Saturday, 11 May 2024.
  • You can contact the Hon Entries Secretary, Helena Smalman-Smith, at info@thamesdittonregatta.co.uk or on 07765 237166, ideally not during working hours
  • In the event of the regatta being over-subscribed, your entry may be rejected. The basis on which this will be done will depend on the entries received. In general, entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • We aim to start racing 8.30am, and finish before 6pm.
  • Please ensure that your BROE2 details include a contact phone number that will be answered on Saturday, 11 May 2024, in case we need to contact you about your entries. A school switchboard number is not appropriate.
  • Entries cost £18 per rowing seat (£144 for Eights/Octs, £72 for Fours/Quads, £36 for Doubles).
  • Entry fees are due for any scratchings made after the close of entries (as further entries cannot be accepted instead after this point).
  • Please pay your entry fees at any time (note this is a change to the past years) by:
    BROE2 – we like this a lot.
    Direct transfer – we like this too. Email info@thamesdittonregatta.co.uk for our bank details or if you need to be invoiced.
    Cheque – we’re not keen on this but if you must, make these payable to ‘Thames Ditton Regatta’ with the club (if it’s a personal cheque) and events to which it applies (if it’s not for all the entries from your club)  written on the back. Bring on the day or send in advance to:

    Hon. Entries Secretary
    11 Quinton Road
    Thames Ditton
    Surrey
    KT7 0AX
  • Under no circumstances will the timetable be changed after the draw (unless it’s our mistake).
  • If the regatta has to be cancelled, we reserve the right to retain part of the entry fee to cover unrecoverable costs.