Head of the Yarra Race Categories and Start Order
3.0 Overview
Racing will be conducted over 4 brackets starting at 8.00 am on Saturday 28th November 2026.
The Youth crews & eldest masters have been allocated the first bracket to facilitate early departure after completing their racing.
The older masters are in the second bracket.
The younger masters and the Club/Open categories will be conducted in the third and fourth brackets.
3.1 Composite club crews
The Hawthorn Rowing Club has created a class to run in the club race section for both Male and Female composite eights. This class is for crews with rowing score of 1.00 or above.
Composite crews are also able to be rowed in the elite category in the A-Grade/Open section. The fastest Club crews in this category will be awarded the Champion Club medal, and if a composite Open crew is quicker, it will be awarded a medal for the fastest time.
The Hawthorn Rowing Club reserves the right to reclassify entry from the Open classes if it sees fit, in the interest of high-quality racing.
3.2 Underage Crews U17, U19 & U21 Club Crews and Composite underage School/Club crews
In line with club Championship regattas, from 2025 school-designated race categories were replaced with Underage Club/school crew categories, i.e.; Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21. All Rowers in each of these underage crews must be under the relevant age limit on the 31 December 2026 to qualify for the category.
The Hawthorn Rowing Club will allow composite school and/or Club crews to enter the underage events at a level determined by discussion prior to the closing date.
The Hawthorn Rowing Club reserves the right to refuse entry, reclassify entries or reallocate crews after the finish of the race if it sees fit.
Clubs and schools considering entering a composite underage crew should contact Hawthorn Rowing Club in good time to allow for a planned allocation.
3.3 Sections and Eligibility
3.4 Para Rowing
Athletes wishing to compete in this year’s Para Eight event must hold a Rowing Australia Provisional or National Class-action classification.If you are unsure of your classification status or require classification, please email Chad King: cking@rowingaustralia.com.au at Rowing Australia.
3.5 Coxswains
For your planning please note that it will not be possible to accommodate requests to move crews to the rear of the grid to facilitate boat/coxswain recycling. This is an outcome of racing the Head of the Yarra in race categories.
3.6 Masters Crew Handicaps
Masters crews are generally placed in the age category corresponding to the average age of the crew attained during the current year. The following handicaps are based on the Australian Masters Handicap Tables. The 1km handicap is multiplied by 8, which is the length of the Head of the Yarra Course.
Based on Rowing Australia amended Appendix 10. Masters Handicap Tables, as at June 2021.
Age Categories & Corresponding Handicaps
Provisional Handicaps - Refer to Rowing Victoria for Official Handicaps https://www.rowingvictoria.asn.au/about/rulespolicies/
Grid Positions
3.7 Ranking Process
The Hawthorn Rowing Club implements a transparent ranking system. It is recognised that a starting position at the front of a class is an advantage for a crew.
Any questions regarding ranking prior to the publication of the draw should be directed to hoy-enq@hawthornrowingclub.com
Any errors found in the application of the following rules, after publication of the draw should be referred to regattas@rowingvictoria.asn.au by the entering club. Individual crew members should direct enquiries through their own club structure. The club is responsible for the entries, not the individual rowers
Ranking will be based on the entering club’s previous year’s Head of the Yarra result for each class. If there was no entry for that club in that category in the previous year, then the entry is randomly assigned after the allocation of places to clubs which had raced the previous year.
Composite crews will form part of an entering club’s entries for that class. The club that carries the entry for submission is the club of the stroke seat of each composite crew. Clubs must not enter for another club, even if Rowing Manager allows this action. Removal of any such entries will be the consequence,
The ranking choice is made by the entering club, by ordering 1, 2, 3 etc. at entry. If no ranking is received, the earliest entry, as determined by Rowing Victoria, will be ranked highest.
The Head of the Yarra Organising Committee reserves the right to provide preferential ranking for representative first-time crews based upon their expected performance.
Results are not transferable between classes. For example, a winner in an “E” age group does not become first in an “F” age group as the crew ages. The club retains the ranking in “E”, or inherits a club ranking in “F”, or joins the random assortment after ranking of previously competing clubs in that age group.
Any changes of crew class within 6 weeks of the race, will result in loss of ranking and the crew starting from the back of the new class. The order at the back of the class will be determined by the time of receipt of changed entries.
There will be no planned break in the starting sequence of a class to ensure that there is no unfair advantage caused by increased separation of boats within a class
3.8 SUMMARY
Once all returning club entries have been allocated in order of the previous year’s result, then the remainder of on-time entries will be randomly allocated to the following starting places.
Following this, changed entries will be added in order of date of change, together with any late entries
3.9 IMPORTANT ADVICE FOR CLUBS
The ordering decision is made by the entering club. There needs to be control within the club of the process, and independent entries should not be allowed.
Clubs decide how their composite crews compete with rankings of their solely club crews.
It is very important to enter crews correctly before the closing date. Starting at the back of a large class could be a significant impediment to winning that class.