2004 Race Timetable

Entry Procedures The following information is provided for the convenience of prospective competitors. The Committee reserves the right to alter any detail as necessary, and prospective competitors should be advised that dates and times on the Entry Forms and Instructions will supersede any information given here.
	In order to enter this year’s Race , every Club will have to: a) re-affiliate with the ARA (or WARA) for 2005 b) enter individual crews via the ARA’s on-line (OARA) system c) supply a completed entry fee advice . a) Re-affiliation is essential , as access to OARA is only granted to affiliated clubs . HORR cannot help in any way if you have problems in this area . In the same way , every crew member will have to have an up-to-date racing registration , and be recorded as a member of your club . b) The OARA website will have the entry details for HORR from the morning of 23 January. It is not possible to enter by post ; as you may well know already , there is no "first come first served" - all entries received by 19 February are treated equally under the priority rules (see below). If you used OARA for entry to the Head of the River Fours , you will see a number of comparatively small changes and enhancements . If this is your first time , we recommend that you sign up through the ARA Office as soon as possible . Note: changes to crews cannot be made after 19 February , and substitutions will have to be supplied by e-mail as set out in the entry instructions . If you have problems using OARA , you should first check their very helpful FAQ page . c) Because refunds were made to some clubs after HORR 2004 was cancelled , we have to ask all clubs to complete and return the blue "Entry Fee Advice" with payment if required . For your entry to be valid , this form MUST be received by the closing date for entries , even if no entry fee is required . It is not normally possible to accept all entries. The selection criteria for determining which crews can be accepted are given below. Those unsuccessful will be informed by letter posted by 23 February 2005
	Entry Forms have been posted to the addresses on the SARA Web Site for Clubs who have competed in the last 5 years . Clubs not receiving an Entry Form by 1 February 2005 who wish to enter should first check what address is on the Web Site and then apply to the Secretary if necessary Closing date for Domestic Entries: 10.00 pm 19 February 2005 It is not normally possible to accept all entries. The selection criteria for determining which crews can be accepted are given below. Those unsuccessful will be informed by letter posted by 23 February 2005
	The whole of Ireland is included here Entry Forms have been posted to all Clubs who have entered in the last 3 - 4 years. Clubs who have not received one should apply to the Secretary . Closing date for Overseas Entries: 10.00 pm 22 January 2005 It is not normally possible to accept all overseas entries due to space restrictions. The selection criteria for determining which crews can be accepted are given below. Clubs entering will be informed of their success or otherwise by letter or fax on 25 January 2005
	Only complete entries which have been received or entered into the OARA System by the appropriate Closing Date can be considered. For OARA System entries the blue "Entry Fee Advice" ( with payment if necessary ) must also be received by the Closing Date. The structure of the 2005 start order will be that for the 2004 race for crews with places from 2003 who were ready to row in the cancelled 2004 race. All New Entries will be inserted in blocks as described in Start Order Structure. The full Entry List will be published here by 27 February 2005 The race will start at 10.00 am on Saturday 19 March 2005

Guaranteed entries to HORR for 2005

The Head of the River Race Committee has agreed a formula for guaranteeing entry to the 2005 Race for those clubs disappointed by last year's cancellation . If the following seems rather over-elaborate , it should be borne in mind that overall entry numbers , and the "shape" of club entries , can vary greatly between years ; it is believed that the following will ensure a fair balance between all the different interest groups involved .

For British clubs & crews

Priority A - all guaranteed

1. Those crews ready to race in 2004 who had a guaranteed place from either finishing in the top 280 in 2003 or via the Head's guarantee of one place to every club .

2. First crews of clubs entering in 2005 who did not enter in 2004

Priority B - into the draw

1. Those crews ready to race in 2004 who achieved a place via the 2004 draw

2. Those crews excluded in the 2004 draw

Priority C - into the draw

1. Extra entries from those clubs involved in A1, B1 & B2 (that is , those due to race in 2004)

2. Second & third crews of new entries for 2005

The one draw will involve all priority B & C crews , but be pro-rata - that is , if the ratio of crews going into the draw is B:C , the numbers drawn out will be in that same ratio

For Overseas clubs and crews

All who were ready to race in 2004 receive guaranteed entry for 2005 - there is sufficient annual turnover for this to work without significantly disadvantaging new entrants .