Changes to the Fours Head entries process for 2023

Recognising that the Fours Head has been substantially over-subscribed in recent years, the Committee has introduced significant changes to the entries process for the 2023 race.

The full entries process for 2023 is set out on our Entries page. Please read this carefully before entering.

We appreciate that it is disappointing for crews who are not accepted when entries are oversubscribed, and are grateful when this unavoidable reality is received graciously.

Summary of changes

• BROE2 will be open for entries for 10 days, after which it will be suspended. During this period, no entries received will be marked ‘Accepted’ on BROE and there will be no advantage to making an early entry – i.e. there will be no fastest finger first; the order in which we receive entries will have no longer have any bearing on which crews are accepted.
• This notwithstanding, entries will open at noon rather than our traditional 8am, recognising that many entries secretaries are travelling to work at 8am, and that we do not expect British Rowing BROE2 support to be available outside working hours, should assistance be required.
• Once the 10 day period for making entries has ended, we will accept up to our maximum of 450 entries (of which up to a third may be School/Junior), starting with crews who qualify for our Championship criteria, and then in CRI order. There are some nuances to this; see our Entries page for details. Club BROE2 administrators will therefore know whether each of their crews has been accepted within a few days of entries being suspended.
• Visiting clubs (those not based on the Tideway) no longer need to gain boating permission from a host club, or to request permission from us to bring a trailer to Putney, before making their entry; instead visiting clubs will be asked to state a preference for boating location as part of their entry and we will work with host clubs to streamline distribution of visiting crews, help ensure boating efficiency and manage the number of trailers at Putney.

Key dates

• Monday, 2 October 2023 (noon): Entries open on BROE2
• Thursday, 12 October 2023 (noon): BROE2 suspended for new entries
• Friday, 20 October 2023 (noon): Official close of entries
• Sunday, 5 November 2023 (9am): Race start.

Entries contact

Helena Smalman-Smith has taken over as Entries Secretary for the Fours Head following the retirement of Richard du Parcq after 18 years in the role. Helena has already been on the Fours Head Committee for 15 years as Chief Timekeeper, a responsibility she has now handed on. She can be contacted at entries@fourshead.org.