When is a rowing race run again?
A · Advanced · The start and the race · 5 of 12A re-row is a second running of a race with some or all of its crews. The umpire orders one when it is needed for a fair result. The usual reasons are a race stopped by weather or an outside cause, interference and a dead heat that the rules say must be broken.
How it works
- Who decides: the umpire decides whether there is a re-row and which crews take part.
- The reasons listed: a race stopped before the finish by weather or another outside influence; interference, where a re-row is needed to restore a crew's chances; a dead heat where the rules require one; other special situations the umpire judges need it.
- Who is left out: where the first race was completed, the umpire may exempt one or more crews and confirm their results. The umpire may exclude a crew whose actions caused the re-row.
- The distance: the full distance of the original race.
- The timing: in principle not less than two hours after the original race and on the same day. The umpire may shorten that after consulting the president of the jury.
- Cards carry over: a yellow card given for the original race still applies in the re-row.
Tricky cases
Do all six crews have to race again?
No. The umpire chooses which crews re-row and may confirm the original results of the others.
Can crews from two different heats be put in one re-row?
Yes. Where places on time are compared across races in the same round, a re-row to restore a crew's chances may involve crews from different races.
Is a re-row shorter than the first race?
It depends on the regatta. The rule is the full distance. At an international regatta the umpire may choose a shorter distance, weighing how far the crews had already rowed and the time left before the next round.
Why the rule exists
Sometimes a result cannot be mended by moving crews up or down a place, because nobody can say where a crew that was hit or stopped would have finished. Running the race again is the only fair answer, and the two-hour gap gives the crews time to recover.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Rowing rules | As above | RR 65 and bye-law |
| International regattas | The umpire may shorten the distance | RR 65 bye-law (8) |
| After a protest or appeal | A re-row ordered by the board of the jury or the Executive Committee counts as the umpire's decision | RR 65 bye-law (6, 7) |
From the rule book
World Rowing Rules of Racing and Related Bye-Laws (Overall and Classic Rowing), Rules 65, 66 and 84 and the bye-laws to Rule 65. Last updated 1 July 2025. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Rowing Rules of Racing (PDF).