The aim of the training process is to produce competent umpires who will be able to officiate in a professional manner with the constant theme of BR rules 6-1-1 a & b guiding them. (Latest 2017 revision)

 

6-1-1 a. It is the primary duty of every Race Official to care for the safety of competitors, officials, other water users and the public at large.

 

6-1-1 b. Subject to 'a' above, it is the duty of all Umpires to ensure that all crews have a fair and equal opportunity of winning.

 

 

In order to do this effectively an umpire must have:

 

• A thorough knowledge of the rules of racing.

• Experience in the sport which will enable the umpire to behave in a way which is sympathetic to the competitors, bearing in mind their experience and age.

• An ability to combine both of the above in the handling of races and the situations before and after races.

 

An umpire's training shall progress in four stages.

 

Initial Application - prior to January of the training year

 

Candidates shall be invited, or submit their applications for training to the Secretary of the Regional Umpires' Commission. They shall submit details of their experience in the sport and their reasons for wishing to become an umpire.

 

There shall be a seminar in January at which the role of an umpire is made clear, and the training procedures are outlined.

 

Each candidate shall be interviewed to ensure that they are fully aware of their responsibilities and commitments during the training year.

 

After convincing themselves and the Commission that they are suitably committed to the training, the training will be modular and have three sections. Each section will be marked. The proportion of marks carried by each section will be.

 

40%  -  Written exam on the Rules of racing

40%  -  Practical exam (tabletop)

20%  -  Performance at training regattas

 

There will be a minimum mark for each section and a minimum aggregate mark.

 

Training

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Late January / Early February - Written Examination

 

Candidates must display a thorough knowledge of the BR Rules of Racing and achieve a minimum score of 80%

Those who achieve at least the minimum mark shall proceed to the next stage of training.
 

February / March - Practical Training at Events

 

It is mandatory to attend the minimum number of events. This is comprised of two training HORR events, one large, one small.

 

During the training at HORRs the candidate shall experience:

• Marshaling

• Observing

 

April

 

Attendance at one Umpire's Seminar. This is strongly advised but not compulsory for the examination.

 

May / June / July

 

It is mandatory to attend a minimum of six training events. With at least one from each of the three main regatta types in our region:

• Tideway regattas

• Upriver launch umpired regattas

• Upriver bank umpired regattas

 

Ideally, we would advise getting as much experience of events as possible. Individual training plans will be overseen by a member of the TRUC Examination panel and each candidate will also be allocated a mentor from the membership of the TRUC, to advise where necessary.

 

During the training at regattas candidates shall experience:
 

• Accompanying an experienced umpire to observe, analyse and comment on the conduct of races and their outcomes.

• Assisting an experienced umpire in starting.

• Judging under the supervision of an experienced umpire.

• Control Commission under the supervision of an experienced umpire.
   

Practical Exam

 

July - Mock and practical exam (Tabletop)

 

September - Practical exam (Tabletop)

 

The candidate shall demonstrate in launch and bank umpired regattas:

 

• An appreciation of the primacy of the safety of competitors and all others in the vicinity of a regatta.

• An understanding of the practical and safety aspects of a course, and the requirements for an umpire to officiate effectively.

• An ability to marshal and handle crews of varying ages and experience. An ability to start a race, using the standard procedures.

• An ability to control a race, handling interference, fouls and appeals. An ability to declare an outcome in a variety of scenarios.

• Those candidates who satisfy the examiners in all modules shall be deemed to have reached the standard required for a qualified umpire.

 

Practical Experience

 

August - December

 

Those who have successfully completed the training will umpire at open events under the supervision of experienced umpires until their BR licence is issued by the National Umpires' Commission in January.