Rules

DUBLIN SCULLING LADDER RULES

 

1. This sculling competition is open to any sculler from the Dublin rowing clubs at Islandbridge, and to any other sculler resident in Dublin.

 

2. At the discretion of the Secretary, scullers others than those identified above may be permitted to compete.

 

3. The competition is held each season from the second Saturday in October until the last Saturday in March.

 

4. The competition starts each season on the second Saturday of October with a time trial (“the Trial”) to be raced upstream over the full Islandbridge course (bow on the wires, bow to the sewer pipe at the end of the footpath); the names of the competitors in this trial will be placed on the Ladder in the order of their timings in the Trial.

 

5. Any sculler may join the Ladder at any stage by applying and having his or her name added to the bottom of the Ladder.

 

6. The winner of the time trial will hold the Wooden Goblet until he or she is beaten in a race by a challenger.

 

7. After the time trial any competitor may challenge any other competitor who is not more than 3 places above him or her on the Ladder to race upstream over the full Islandbridge course (being the same course on which the Trial was held).

 

8. Once in each full season a competitor is allowed a free challenge of anyone above him or her on the Ladder.

 

9. If the challenger wins a race he takes his or her opponent’s place on the Ladder, and his or her opponent’s name and all intermediate names are moved down one place.

 

10. Any challenger beating the sculler who is head of the Ladder and who thereby becomes head of the Ladder is entitled to hold the Wooden Goblet.

 

11. Competitors may choose whether they wish to scull in fine or clinker boats, but the responsibility of providing a boat lies with a competitor and his or her club.

 

12. The competition will be administered by the clubs who will provide an umpire and time keepers for each challenge race.

 

13. The result of each race and the times of each competitor will be recorded in a minute book kept for that purpose by the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder.

 

14. The secretary for the season 1966/1967 will be Michael Johnston, and in subsequent seasons the secretary will be elected by a committee consisting of the captains or secretaries of each boat club with premises at Islandbridge.

 

15. The challenger must notify the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder and the secretary of the club of the challenged competitor of each challenge.

 

16. The challenged competitor must agree to a time so that the race may be held within a fortnight of receiving the challenge, or forfeit the race.

 

17. The challenger will give the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder at least 48 hours notice of the agreed time of the race so that the umpire and timekeepers may be arranged.

 

18. A jury consisting of the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder, the secretary of the Garda Síochána Boat Club and one other person to be nominated by the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder will consider any dispute and their decision will be final.

 

19. The competition is not an open event effecting the status of any competitor, but a private event between the scullers at Islandbridge; nonetheless the IARU’s rules of racing will govern every race in the competition.

 

20. The Wooden Goblet, presented by KA Masser, is a perpetual trophy, and remains the property of the Garda Boat Club; each holder of the Goblet must return it in good condition to the secretary of the Dublin Sculling Ladder when he or she is knocked from the head of the Ladder. The holder of the Wooden Goblet at the close of the season is entitled to have his name and his club inscribed on the trophy as head of the Dublin Sculling Ladder for that season.