Beach Sprint, a format of Coastal Rowing, begin with participants running to their boats at the water’s edge. They then row out around three buoys, slalom-style, for 250 metres before Rowing back to the beach. The participant then exits their boat and sprints up the beach to the finish line.
On 9 and 10 November 2024, Auckland, New Zealand, hosted the first-ever World Rowing Beach Sprint Technical Delegates training with the participation of 15 participants from American Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Vanuatu and host New Zealand.
A Technical Delegate (TD) for a Rowing Beach Sprint event ensures the competition runs smoothly, safely, and fairly. They oversee the setup, manage the race schedule, coordinate safety measures, and ensure all rules and standards are followed.
The training in Auckland, organised by World Rowing with the valuable support of Olympic Solidarity, New Zealand Olympic Committee, and Rowing New Zealand, was part of the regional technical course for coaches’ programme. It aimed to provide future Beach Sprint Technical Delegates with the foundational knowledge to be successful in the role.
The first day of training began with a warm welcome in the classroom, setting the tone for an intensive and informative session. Initial discussions focused on the role and skills of a Technical Delegate (TD), providing a solid foundation for the day’s activities. One of the critical early sessions, “Selecting a Beach Sprint Venue”, delved into the criteria for choosing an ideal beach sprint venue. The focus then shifted to the field of play requirements, including equipment and boats, and the practical aspects of laying out a course.
Afternoon sessions focused on land infrastructure, race scheduling, progression, timing, and results. The discussion then moved to on-water safety, rescue, and medical services. This session was complemented by a site visit to Long Bay Beach, where participants worked on dynamic risk assessment and began their beach measuring task to plan and agree on a layout for the venue to set up a beach sprint regatta.
The second day started with a scenario site visit followed by participants presenting their beach sprint regatta layout. Safety Boat Launch, landing and rescue, understanding the human resources needed for organising a beach sprint regatta, and the various roles required, including umpires, OC personnel, volunteers, etc. were then addressed. There was also an introduction to Ceremonies & VIPs management and Event presentation, explaining the roles of announcers, commentators, and broadcasters.
After a brief lunch break, participants continued classroom sessions covering topics including bid visits, site visits, bulletins, and meetings, and the TD’s role during the regatta, as well as gaining insights into communication and decision-making processes.
The two days intensive training included session-specific quizzes and discussion questions to keep trainees engaged and to evaluate the knowledge gained from the sessions.
Some of the key responsibilities of a TD include:
- Venue Preparation: Overseeing the setup of the beach, water areas, and all necessary infrastructure.
- Field of Play: Ensuring the race course, equipment, and boats meet the required standards.
- Safety and Medical Services: Coordinating on-water safety, rescue operations, and medical services.
- Event Management: Managing the race schedule, progression, timing, and results.
- Personnel Coordination: Working with umpires, organising committees, and volunteers.
- Communication: Facilitating effective communication among all stakeholders, including announcers, commentators, and broadcasters.
- Regatta Oversight: Supervising the event from start to finish, including ceremonies and presentations.
The training ended with a scenario assessment, presenting participants with a specific scenario and asking them individually about their action(s) should this occur in their regatta. Participants were assessed on rules and limits of responsibility as a TD, safety and risk assessment, quality of decision-making and use of tools, and clarity of communication of the decision.
The training was led by Guin Batten, World Rowing Coastal Coaching Education Discipline Lead, supported by Nick Hunter, World Rowing Umpiring Commission Educator and TD Educator Trainee, and Cameron Allen, TD Educator Trainee.
