To: RCA Committees, Provincial Rowing Associations, RCA Member Clubs and Associations, Umpires, Coaches, Regatta Organizers and RCA Participants (the “stakeholders”)

Under the direction of the RCA Board of Directors, a Rules of Racing Working Group has been formed to review the current RCA Rules of Racing (the “Rules”), gather submissions and proposals from all stakeholders and then propose to the RCA Board of Directors, amendments to the Rules. 

 

The Purpose and Mandate of the Working Group is as follows:

Purpose

• The Rules of Racing Review Working Group (the Working Group) shall be a duly constituted working group of the Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) Board of Directors operating under the CARA By-Laws Section 20.2. The Working Group will provide the RCA Board with recommendations for consideration to be presented to the membership for approval at a Members’ Meeting after the World Rowing Quadrennial Congress where changes to the World Rowing Rules of Racing are adopted.

Mandate

• The Working Group is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to RCA members to conduct a review and recommend for member approval any changes proposed to the RCA Rules of Racing.

Key Duties – The Working Group Will:

• Provide recommendations with respect to any World Rowing rule changes approved at the World Rowing Congress (normally held every four years following the Olympic and Paralympic Games) that should be incorporated into the RCA Rules of Racing for the purposes of alignment; and
• Consider any other changes to the RCA Rules of Racing, including those proposed by the members and stakeholders such as umpires, coaches, regatta organizers and RCA participants.

Note: World Rowing will vote on rule changes at the 2025 Quadrennial Congress to be held March 14 and 15, 2025. Proposed Rule changes may be reviewed here.

 

Call for the Working Group Membership

The Working Group consists of seven (7) individuals representative of the Canadian rowing community as follows:

• One (1) Chair
• One (1) individual nominated by the RCA Umpires Committee (UC)
• One (1) individual nominated by the RCA Safety and Events Committee (SEC)

(One of the two individuals from the RCA UC and RCA SEC should be an active World Rowing Umpire.)

• One (1) representative of the coaching community selected by the Working Group Chair
• One (1) representative of regatta organizing committees selected by the Working Group Chair
• One (1) individual to also support the administrative function of the Working Group
• One (1) RCA President as an ex-officio non-voting

We call on stakeholders in the rowing community, who are coaches and regatta organizers, to come forward and volunteer for the Working Group. In addition, we ask that one or more volunteers come forward to provide administrative support. 

Members of the Working Group will be required to attend virtual meeting and contribute to the review of the Rules of Racing. Representatives (of coaches and of organizing committees) will be expected to consult with their peers regarding rule changes.

Admin supporters will be taking minutes and assisting in preparing the rule proposals for submission to the RCA Board and finally to the Members for voting.

Please submit your expression of interest to be part of the working group together with a brief resume, including your rowing/coaching/regatta organizing experience to: rca@rowingcanada.org  

Rules of Racing Review Working Group Terms of Reference.

The deadline for expressions of interest is: Friday, March 14, 2025.

Timelines for the Review Process

 

Call for Proposals to Amend the Rules of Racing

We call on all stakeholders to make proposals to amend the Rules of Racing. The Working Group will consider all proposals from stakeholders.

The Working Group requests that Proposals to amend the Rules be submitted as follows:

1. Any proposal is to be made through a stakeholder organization: a member rowing club / member rowing organization, or a RCA committee – through the chair of the committee. Umpires and other members of the rowing community, who wish to make comments or proposals, may do so through any one of the stakeholders.
2. A submission should include the following:
   • provide the current rule title (if any) and rule number
   • provide the current rule
   • provide the Proposed Change and state how your proposed rule change would read in a revised rule of racing. Italicize and bold your proposed changes within any proposal you are making to facilitate the Working Group to identify specifically what you are proposing. 
   • provide a rationale for the proposal including examples and explanations of how the proposed change will improve safety and /or fairness to provide more equitable rowing conditions.
   • provide contact information in case the Working Group needs to get any clarification from the club/organization/committee making the proposal.

You can view the current RCA Rules of Racing here.

Stakeholders may use the Stakeholder Submission Template located here. Proposals are to be submitted in MS Word format to the Working Group at: rca@rowingcanada.org

Submissions of proposed amendments to the RCA Rules of Racing should be made no later than Friday, March 28, 2025.

Following the comment period, the Working Group will draft its recommendations for presentation to the RCA Board of Directors. The final recommendations will be voted on in January, 2026 at the RCA Semi-Annual Meeting.

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the above process, please contact us at: rca@rowingcanada.org 

Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide feedback on the RCA Rules of Racing.