The most important document for our umpires is the rules of racing – you can download a copy below
- The SRA Committee is the body responsible for decisions on all matters concerning umpiring, but each year the Committee shall, from the panel of qualified umpires, select three umpires or more, as the Committee may decide, to form a Qualified Umpires Sub-Committee to advise it on such matters. The Sub-Committee shall choose one of its members to act as Chair.
- The Sub-Committee shall have responsibility for ensuring that a high standard of umpiring is maintained. It shall make recommendations to the SRA Committee concerning the following.
- a) Appointment or disqualification of qualified and probationary umpires,
- b) the resolution of complaints and disputes about umpiring,
- c) the recipient of the Most Improved Sculler of the Year Award.
- Persons who wish to qualify as umpires should in the first instance be recommended by the captains of their clubs through a submission to the Hon. Secretary of the SRA which will be forwarded to the Chair of the Sub-Committee. They shall then be required to take a written examination, set by the Sub-Committee, on the SRA Rules of Racing and the Rules of Junior and Veteran Racing. The examination shall take place at such location and on such date as the Sub- Committee shall decide. The pass-level mark for this examination shall be set at approximately 80%. Those who pass the examination shall, with the approval of the SRA Committee, be graded Probationary Umpire. Those who fail the examination may re-take it on the next possible occasion.
- Probationary umpires shall be required to attend a number of regattas and, with the agreement of the regatta Organising Committee concerned, undertake official duties under the supervision of a qualified umpire. Such duties may include starting and aligning, judging, bank umpiring, and umpiring from a launch. Organising Committees may themselves appoint probationary umpires as judges (but not as chief judges) and as other officials under Race Regulations F3 and F4.A probationary umpire may umpire, without supervision, processional events, and events closed to the members of the umpire’s own club.
- When the Sub-Committee, in consultation with qualified umpires who have acted as supervisors, is satisfied that a probationary umpire has shown the required degree of competence on a sufficient number of occasions, it may recommend to the SRA Committee that the probationary umpire be upgraded to Qualified Umpire.
- A qualified or probationary umpire may at any time resign their appointment by writing to the Hon. Secretary of the SRA or to the Chair of the Sub-Committee.The Sub-Committee may recommend to the SRA Committee that the appointment of a qualified or probationary umpire should be terminated if, in the opinion of the Sub-Committee, that umpire is no longer capable of carrying out their duties satisfactorily.
- Qualified umpires shall be expected to make themselves available for official duties at regattas whenever possible. All umpires, both qualified and probationary, are expected to be suitably dressed for the occasion; this means wearing a jacket (preferably a blazer) and tie.
- If, in accordance with Section A3 of the SRA Rules of Racing, the holder of a BR Umpires Licence is used as an umpire at a skiff regatta, the Sub-Committee shall ensure that the umpire is made aware of the salient differences between the BR and SRA Rules of Racing.
- Each year, or at such other interval as the Sub-Committee may decide, a meeting of all qualified and probationary umpires shall be held at which any points relating to umpiring or other matters of general concern may be discussed. Umpires shall be expected to attend all these meetings if possible, but at least one in three.
- The Hon. Secretary of the SRA shall publish a list containing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all qualified and probationary umpires, and shall distribute it to all affiliated clubs and regattas and to all qualified and probationary umpires. The Hon. Secretary shall ensure that the published list is at all times up to date.