How to read a rowing result
A rowing result gives the winner, the loser and the verdict, which is the winning margin as judged at the finish. Regattas raced on still water also give times for every crew.
Verdicts in match racing
In a two-boat race the margin is given as a distance, not a time. The unit is the length of the boat.
| Verdict | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1 foot, 3 feet | The margin was too small to express in lengths |
| Canvas | The length of the covered bow section of the boat |
| 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 length | A fraction of the boat’s length |
| 1 length, 2 1/2 lengths | Whole and part boat lengths |
| Easily | The gap was too large to be worth measuring |
| Dead heat | The judges could not separate the crews |
A length is not a fixed distance. An eight is around 18 metres long and a single scull around 8, so a win by one length in an eight is a larger gap than a win by one length in a single.
Other entries you may see
| Entry | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Row over | A crew completed the course alone because its opponent withdrew |
| NRO, not rowed out | The winner eased before the line, so the margin understates the gap |
| Disqualified | A crew was removed by the umpire, usually for a clash or a false start |
| Scratched | A crew withdrew before the race |
Times
At Henley, times are taken at two points on the course, the Barrier and Fawley, and at the finish. They are written in minutes and seconds, so 6:36 means six minutes thirty-six seconds.
Comparing times between races is risky. A headwind, a tailwind or a strong stream can change a time by half a minute over the Henley course. Two finals on the same afternoon can be compared with care. Two regattas in different years cannot.
You can see this in the archive. In 2012, rowed into a headwind on a full river, the Britannia Challenge Cup was won in 7:44. In 2008 the same event was won in 7:26.
Stations
A station is the side of the river a crew is drawn on. At Henley the stations are Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. In the Boat Race they are Middlesex and Surrey. On a bending river, or in a crosswind, one station can be worth a real advantage.
Results on still water
Multi-lane results list every crew in finishing order with its time. Many also show split times every 500 metres, which reveal where a race was won.
Head race results
A head race result is a ranked list of times. Crews are also ranked within their own category, so a crew can finish 60th overall and still win its event.