Entry procedure

 

ALL ENTRIES ARE WELCOMED – MASTERS AND JUNIORS ALIKE

Entries – procedure for 2026 – please read carefully

Molesey Head Races

The Molesey Junior Head will take place on Saturday 14 February in two divisions of 50 crews maximum, at 10 am and 12 noon.

The Molesey Veteran Head will take place on the same day at 2.30 pm, with a maximum of 65 crews.

The course is 3250 metres downstream from the blue doors at Sunbury Lock to Hampton Sailing Club. 

ENTRIES FOR BOTH WILL OPEN on 2 January and CLOSE on Saturday 7 February 2026 at noon, or earlier if/when the MVH total paid entry reaches 65 and – separately – if/when the MJH total paid entry reaches 100.

Unpaid entries cannot be accepted, as they are by definition incomplete.

As soon a Race’s trigger level is reached, the draw for that Race will be compiled – but see note (a) below re the Masters race. Rule 7.2.4 b will of course apply from the time that the MVH draw is made.   

Entries must be made through BROE; entry fees must be paid by the closing time either through BROE or by bank transfer to  20-90-56 40677833 ref. <<Event and your club TLC>> e.g. W4x- MBC.

Efforts will of course be made to contact the designated club representative(s) in the event of any problem with an entry before the draw, either side of and during the Race(s). However, if the designated individual(s) make themselves unavailable by not responding to e-mails and/or not returning ‘phone messages within a reasonable time, the Racing Secretary will proceed as seems fairest and most appropriate at the time.p

Queries:

Crew/boat Logistics: Ted Bates mobile 07951 638516 or email tbates8888@aol.com

Entries: Andrew Ruddle 07790 951070 or email marmjrmvhmjhentries@aprapr.plus.com

 

MASTERS EVENTS

Events offered:

  • Events are offered in the following boats, in all Master’s classes.
  • All events are offered separately as open, women’s or mixed events
  • Medals are offered for events with at least three starters.
  • Handicapping will be based on a standard time of approximately 9 minutes, according to conditions on the day.
  • The start order will be based on handicap letters, and not CRI points.

Category – all O/W/Mx

        Eights

Coxed Fours

Coxless Fours

Coxed Quads

Coxless Quads

Masters

*

*

*

*

*

Entry Fee

£ 152

£ 76

£ 76

£ 76

£ 76

 

IMPORTANT – Entries on BROE will be to Mas A, the only available age category. The crew’s actual category is automatically generated by BROE in its reports to the Race administrator. You are reminded of the provisions of Rule 7.2.4 d. If a crew is caught out by this Rule, it might still be granted a place – on request – but as “TIME ONLY”      

Note: –

  1. In recent years the entry for MVH has had to close a week or more before the advertised date. If this is again the case in 2026, a waiting list will come into operation. Further, if a club wishes to change boats (on a one-for-one basis), this will be accommodated if at all possible. If you wish to join the list or exchange an entry after entries close, please e-mail Andrew Ruddle. HOWEVER, no entries can be accepted or changed after the advertised closing date/time, unless it is to become Time Only.
  2. Within these classes/boats/ages, there is provision in BROE for one Guest 8o crew, which will only be permitted by a committee decision after a written request.
  3. Under no circumstances may a Guest or Time-Only crew be eligible for any prize
  4. Up to EIGHT Explore boats will be accepted (as Mixed Coxed Quads in Explore-type boats), within the overall 65 total and subject to the above rules of acceptance; participants must be comparatively new to the sport (no more than 24 months experience), belong as rowers to a club Explore group and hold a British Rowing membership of RACE or day ticket. Entries can ONLY be submitted via BROE. These restrictions do not apply to coxes, who must also have British Rowing membership.

  JUNIOR EVENTS

 

4x+ MOLE

4x+ EMBER

4x- MOLE

4x- EMBER

4+ MOLE

4+ EMBER

4-               MOLE

 

4-        EMBER

J14

O / W

O / W

 

 

 

 

 

 

J15

O / W

O / W

 

 

O / W

O / W

 

 

J16

 

 

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

J17

 

 

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

J18

 

 

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

O / W

Entry Fee £

76

76

76

76

76

76

76

76

For Junior events, medals will be awarded as follows: –

  • 3 or 4 crews racing in an event – winners only
  • 5 or more crews racing in an event – 1st and 2nd 

Conditions of entry – both events
Entries are accepted subject to the Rules of Molesey Veteran Head and Molesey Junior Head, but competitors should also note the following:

  • Crews withdrawn after the draw (“scratched”) will not be refunded their entry fees.
  • If an entry is withdrawn before entries close, a full refund will be made.
  • If either or both Heads are cancelled or curtailed because of weather conditions or other reasons outside the Heads’ control, a proportionate refund will be made taking account of costs incurred.
  • The Committee can accept no responsibility for competitors’ boats and equipment.
  • Competitors leaving boats and equipment at Molesey Boat Club do so at their own risk.

Coaches of Junior crews must read and accept the following supplementary information

EXTRA INFORMATION FOR MJH 2026 

As in previous years, the Race is primarily intended to offer a first or second racing experience to younger and novice/near-novice crews.

There are two significant changes this year.

  1. To accommodate more experienced crews who may have missed out on Head racing, there are two sets of events:-

MOLE events are for crews whose CRI points total no more than 160.

EMBER events carry no limit on CRI points.

Every event is offered in each of the Divisions.

  1. The only boats offered are quads and fours.

No club may enter more than 30 crews (30% of capacity). Coaches/captains might be asked to show some restraint if it appears that EMBER entries are pushing out MOLE ones (see above).

As usual, no cognisance will be taken of unpaid entries, either before or after entries close.   

The format will be two divisions each of 50 crews maximum; given the crews’ general level of experience, and the time required to boat all crews, it is neither practicable nor safe to exceed this number. Each offered age/boat combination will be available in each division but it might be necessary to re-allocate a small number of crews to their second choice division. It would greatly assist if coaches could advise on the BROE entry if the crew is switchable or not. You are reminded that a competitor may only race once in any event.

 Entries will close when either: –

  1. About 100-105 complete entries have been received
    or 
  2. At noon on Saturday 7 February

whichever comes first.

Before this, BROE will be SUSPENDED if the entries exceed 50 in either division. If this happens, BROE may be re-opened under certain conditions to permit entry to the division with fewer entries.   

Events will start in the order fastest-boats-first and within boat types oldest-crews-first. Within each event, Ranking Points (Max CRI) might be used as a general guide to work out the safest starting order.

Coaches are reminded that mid-February weather and river conditions can be tricky even if the Races go ahead. With this in mind they need to be completely confident that their crews are sufficiently equipped, experienced and capable. As for other Heads, any crew that is manifestly unable to complete the course may be stopped at any point and not permitted to race any further.  

A formal course and forecast assessment will be made on both Weds. 11th and Fri. 13th, at which points the Committee may decide to cancel the whole event, or certain age/boat combinations.

If any section is cancelled, it will not be re-instated if the forecast later improves.

If a crew is withdrawn by its coach because of the conditions, or if the Committee cancels certain combinations, a full refund of the crews’ entry fees will be made. 

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