General Event Information

On this page you’ll find details of:

2026 Pricing
Event Registration
Event Details
Winter Sculling Weekly Process
Bow Numbers
Scratching From an Event
Draws
Results

2026 Pricing

Registration fee: $25
Event fee: each event is $15 except for the Scullers Head of the Yarra which is $25
T-shirt (optional): $20

Event Registration

To enter a Winter Sculling event, go to the Register page and follow the instructions there.

Event Details

The 4km Albert Park Grand Prix features a mass start and a starting grid with pole position awarded to the sculler judged to be fastest by the organisers. The race comprises one and a half anti-clockwise laps of the lake. Racing starts at 8.30am.

‘John Whiting’ Round the Island is a 6km time trial held on the Yarra. The course starts at the Judges’ Box and runs upstream, around Herring Island anti-clockwise and back to finish at the Judges’ Box. Racing starts at 8.30am.

The Handicap Series of six rounds offer scullers two race distances: 800m and 2000m. Both distances are raced downstream and finish at the Judges’ Box. 800m heats start at 8.50am, 2000m heats start at 9am.

The Head of the Maribyrnong is a 3.5km time trial starting at Essendon Canoe Club and rowing downstream to Lynches Bridge. Racing starts at 8.30am.

The Head of the Barwon, run by the Geelong Rowing Association, is 4.5km time trial starting at Queen’s Park bridge and finishes at Judges’ Box at the end of 1500m course on the Barwon Rowing Mile.

The Scullers Head of the Yarra is an 8km time trial starting at Hawthorn Rowing Club and finishing at the Judges’ Box.

Winter Sculling Weekly Process

Saturday An email is sent to all registrants advising them entries close 5pm Saturday and reminding parents of all children registered that if they wish to enter a child who is not already entered for next week’s event they must email us before Saturday night including their csv number. Late entries i.e. after 5pm Monday, are not accepted.

Monday Evening A list of all entries is sent to the handicappers.

Tuesday An email is sent to entrants reminding them to email Winter Sculling before 5pm Wednesday if they need to scratch, or make a request for boat shares, start time constraints.

Monday to Wednesday Handicappers set/adjust base times.

Thursday & Friday Night Scratchings are removed from handicap lists, race numbers assigned and a start list for head races, or in the case of the Handicap Series heats are set, and published. Any scratchings, boat share requests or late entries received after this process has started are ignored. Complaints about handicaps get a standard email reply explaining handicap process and saying “sorry, see how it goes next week”.

Bow Numbers

Bow numbers are used for all events and will be available for collection from 7.30am. No deposit is required but if you fail to bring your number back we will charge you $30. PLEASE BRING YOUR NUMBER BACK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

For races on the Yarra, bow numbers must be collected from MUBC and returned by 10.30am.

Scratching From an Event

If you have registered and entered for multiple events over several weeks, you don’t need to confirm your entry each week. However, if you need to scratch for any reason, you must scratch your race entry by sending an email to wintersculling@hotmail.com before 6.00pm on Monday each week.

We need scratchings to ensure we include everyone who wants to race, but not people who don’t plan to turn up. These emails should have the subject shown as follows: “John Smith, entry 26 July, scratch”, so that the email does not need to be opened by the person processing entries.

Please scratch if you can’t make it, half empty races aren’t much fun.

Draws

Draws are published on the Draws page by Friday lunchtime (usually) the day prior to the event. For events taking place on the Yarra, the starting order and times will also be displayed at MUBC at 7.30am race day.

No late entries will be accepted, because this causes delay in race starts, inconveniencing all competitors. (Please don’t ask to be the exception.)

Results

Results are published on the Results page by lunchtime (usually) of race day. Sometimes, results take a bit of time to sort through and compile, so we appreciate your patience as we go through the numbers.