Draw

Useful Documents for 2026

UPDATED Tuesday 5th MAY 09:00

• Race Timetable 
• Event Entries
• Clubs
• Safety Information
• Starting Procedure
• Stakeboats in a wind

Timings for 2026

Racing starts at 08:45 and end at 18:15

Dorney will open the gates at 06:30. Please see the note below about trailers needing to arrive earlier.

Car Parking

Car parking for spectators, families etc is £15 per car.

Progression System for 2026

For each event, all crews will race against the clock in the heats, then the fastest 6 crews overall will race in the final. The lanes will be seeded so that the fastest crews get the better lanes. Events with 6 or fewer crews will be raced as straight finals.

The times for all crews, along with the draw for the final, will be available on-line at https://rowresults.co.uk/ballcup26.

This means that all competitors, crews and coaches need to note that all crews need to race to the line as there might be faster crews in the other heats. Do not slow down just because you are in the lead!

Racing Location

Due to the intermediate start not being available we will be using the main start, which is at the start end of the lake. This means that the format of racing has changed to minimise the time on the water and the amount of rowing needed to get to race. The changes are:

• Boating will be allowed 40 minutes before race time
• Crews will row up to the start on the main lake in lanes 8 and 9.
• Marshalling in lane 9 will start at the 1000m marker
• All races will be timed and the fastest 6 across all heats will go to the final. In the unlikely event of the timing not working then the top 2 or 3 crews will progress.
• After the 1st heat in each event, all crews will wait at the finish. After the 2nd heat, the fastest 6 scross the two heats will wait at the finish and the other will return to the boating area. If there is a 3rd heat, then again, the fastest 6 crews across the heats will remain at the finish and all others will return.
• After the last heat of the event, the fastest 6 will return to the start (possibly passing waiting crews) for their final.
• An umpire in a launch will sort the crews out.

Trailers arriving early

It you wish to bring a trailer early, then you need to organise this with me BEFORE SATURDAY!! Trailers arriving on Saturday can only arrive between 17:00 and 18:00, when I will be on site. Please call me on 07767 345882 to organise this.

Stake Boats

There is a very useful document for crews about getting attached.

We have a slight shortage of stake boat volunteers. If you have athletes (or non-athletes) who would like to stake-boat, then please email me and I will give you a time slot. In previous years, the rowers have really enjoyed this, to the extent that we have almost had to forced them off to allow others on!