Rowingchat

Racing equivalence for masters depends on using time handicaps. Does this work well? Can it be improved? What would you change? Timestamps 02:00 What are handicaps? Welcome our guest, Christopher Anton, a World Rowing multi-lane umpire. Handicaps were introduced 1980-1990s to try and level the playing field for crews of different age. There are tables which are standard times - based on regatta distance and the masters age groups which then indicate the handicaps by age group. The younger crew starts after the older crew and if everything works perfectly, they will dead heat on the finish line. The regatta organisers publish a set of standard times before the regatta starts. Now in the UK they race over 2 or 3 categories of adjacent age groups. Scotland has a different set of tables than England. 05:30 The timetables have been derived empirically over the years. US Rowing has a formula depending on the average age of the crews which deducts time at the end of the race. There are advantages and disadva