The Skiff Racing Association (SRA) is the governing body in the United Kingdom for the sport of skiff racing. The SRA is affiliated to

British Rowing British Rowing, formerly the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA), is the national governing body for the sport of rowing (both indoor and on-water rowing). It is responsible for the training and selection of individual rowers and crews represent ...

. The objectives of the SRA are :(a) To maintain the standard of

sculling Sculling is the use of oars to propel a boat by moving them through the water on both sides of the craft, or moving one oar over the stern. A long, narrow boat with sliding seats, rigged with two oars per rower may be referred to as a scull, its ...

in skiff and kindred races :(b) To promote the interests of skiff racing and kindred sports

History

The SRA was founded on 6 February 1901 by delegates from a number of clubs and regattas under the leadership of F. S. Lowe. The SRA affiliated to the ARA (the predecessor of British Rowing) almost immediately. In the founding year there were eleven affiliations. *Broxbourne Rowing Club * Maidenhead Rowing Club * Reading Rowing Club *

The Skiff Club The Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in London, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames. The Club supports two traditional ...

*Bourne End Regatta *Cookham Regatta * Sunbury Regatta * Wargrave Regatta *Windsor and Eton Regatta * Teddington Reach Amateur Aquatic Sports * Hampton Court and Dittons Amateur Aquatic Sports and Venetian Fete The club and regatta affiliations have changed over the years with new clubs and regattas joining and old ones leaving.

Constitution

The SRA publishes a handbook to ensure that a standard set of rules is applied for racing and boat construction. The Association is run by a committee elected from the affiliated clubs and regattas at an annual meeting. A sub-committee deals specifically with the rules of racing and of the Association, and with the recruitment, training, testing and appointment of

umpires An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...

for skiff racing. The rules of racing are based on those of British Rowing closely enough that BR qualified umpires may also umpire skiff races.

Status system

The SRA operates a status system to allow scullers to compete with those of a similar standard. The status levels are (high to low) Senior, Higher, Intermediate, Novice and Entrant. When first starting skiff racing, competitors are Entrant status unless they have previously won a non-junior event under British Rowing rules. When competitors gain sufficient points, they are promoted to the next highest level. Competitors gain a full point by winning a qualifying race (a regatta race with more than 2 entries). There is also a classification for Veteran events (competitors aged over 40).

SRA events

The SRA runs three events – the Inter-Club competition, and the Singles and Doubles Marathons. All other events are organised by affiliated clubs or regattas. The Inter-Club competition has team awards for Gentleman's Singles (Lowe Cup), Gentlemen's Doubles (Davis Cup), Ladies Singles (Penny Chuter Cup) and Ladies Doubles (Churchill Cup). The Singles Marathon is competed for the Jack Rosewell Trophy, and the Doubles Marathon for the Heldmann Trophy. In addition the SRA supervises the Ormiston Trophy which is awarded to the Club that wins the highest number of points in events each season, and the "Most Improved Skiffer" award.

Current affiliated organisations

* Thames Valley Skiff Club * Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club * Dittons Skiff and Punting Club *

Wargrave Boating Club Wargrave () is a historic village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Berkshire, England. The village is primarily on the River Thames but also along the confluence of the River Loddon and lies on the border with southern Oxfordshir ...

* Granta Skiff Club * Sunbury Skiff and Punting Club * Egham Regatta *

Sunbury Amateur Regatta The Sunbury Amateur Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England with a rare visitors' boats lights display and fireworks event. It is for mainly traditional wooden types of boats with a few events for small scul ...

* Chertsey Regatta * Hampton Court and Dittons Regatta *

Skiff Championships Regatta The Skiff Championships Regatta is the premier skiff racing regatta on the River Thames in England. It is held annually at Henley on the Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend. Events and course The regatta is run under the rules of the Ski ...

(formerly Teddington Reach Regatta) * Wraysbury and Old Windsor Regatta * Walton Reach Regatta

References

{{Reflist

External links

The Skiff Racing AssociationBritish Rowing homepage
Rowing in the United Kingdom Rowing governing bodies Sports governing bodies in the United Kingdom 1901 establishments in the United Kingdom