[CUCBC Captains] Want to help with the 2018 Boat Race flags?

[Sam Deutsch]

To anyone interested in helping with the Boat Race flags please read
on/forward to your clubs...

Best,

Sam


*In London on Saturday 24th March and want to help with the Boat Race
flags?*


Dear Cambridge college rowers and coxes,



This is a request on behalf of the Boat Race organisers and timekeepers.



In 2013 the Boat Race finish judge Ben Kent and I instituted a new system
at the Boat Race finish post.  The finishline flag, dropped as the first
crew passes and then again for the second crew, is now repeated by a shadow
flag-waver onto the Surrey bank, so that the timekeepers can see it from
the following launches even if they are a long way behind a losing crew
with a large margin.  Thus started a new tradition of recruiting a college
rower or cox to do it each year, alternately from the two universities, and
this time since it's an even year we are looking for a Cambridge rowing
person.  No varsity squad connection is needed, but it needs to be someone
who is a current CU *student*, and has rowed or coxed for their Cambridge
college, preferably this season.


This year it is also rather likely that we may ask for a second
mirror-flag-waver to do the same job on the Mortlake bank at Hammersmith
Bridge, because we have had issues with seeing the Hammersmith timer's flag
lately.



So:

- Are you currently in the UK and thus quickly contactable for arrangements?

- Are you already planning to be in London on Saturday 24th March 2018?

- Would you be willing to change your plans and spend the Women's Boat Race
(16:31) Osiris-Blondie race (16:46), Isis-Goldie race (17:01) and the Boat
Race (17:32) helping by acting as the shadow flag-waver near Chiswick
Bridge or, if we need a second, at Hammersmith Bridge?

- Can you guarantee to turn up when asked to (you may need to allow
substantial travel time on Boat Race day and there is typically a meeting
for all flag-people somewhere near the Tideway in late morning)?

- Can you keep your head under pressure? (the flag-waver will need to
mirror the opposite flag, the official one, very precisely.)

If yes to all of those....

- You would need to be free in London from some time earlier on race day
(to be briefed) until after the end of the main boat race, which should be
approx 6-6:15pm.  Briefing and duty times will be organised by finish judge
Ben Kent and may include the morning (tbc).

- No expenses paid, I'm afraid, but you will have a grandstand view of the
finish line for all four races and the satisfaction of knowing you helped
the day go smoothly.  The other 2018 finish flag-wavers will be Cambridge
Blues, but we keep this job for a college boatie and you will be part of
the team.



Names submitted before noon on Sunday 18th March will be passed on by me to
the race organisers, who will have the final say.  I won't reply directly,
but the person invited will be contacted by the race officials.  If you
don't hear back from anyone it's probably because someone else got there
before you.  If the top person can't help after all, we will work down the
list.  We had a huge response from Oxford college rowers last year and
Cambridge rowers the year before, so don't bother emailing after the
deadline.  You must be a current student and we will prioritise those who
answer promptly and have competed recently for their college.

If you can answer yes to all the above questions and are interested, please
email me back at rq at rowingservice.com, stating your name, mobile phone
number, which college you rowed or coxed for and in which year(s).

Thanks very much,

Dr Rachel Quarrell
Telegraph rowing correspondent and official Boat Race timekeeper.
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