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Fresher's Challenge

Nottingham, the 2006 Freshers Challenge victors with their new Wintech eight

To help promote the retention of talented Freshers and the development of new athletes within rowing, Concept2 and BUR have joined forces again to run the Freshers Challenge, Third Edition. The Challenge is open to all universities, but only first-year, first degree athletes may compete. The "crews" can change between each round of the competition as athletes develop, or different skills are required. In 2006 Nottingham successfully "Chased the Eight" with Manchester taking the second place prize - who will benefit this year from a brand new eight in their boathouse?

Universities are obviously encouraged to enter each round. All levels of athlete may compete so long as they are year one, first degree, allowing Youth Internationals to race with and develop "Star Beginners"

The BUR Championship Competitions will be run separately to the Concept2 Freshers Challenge divisions, allowing the fullest use of the eligible athletes by each University.

Further information is available from nigel.mayglothling@nottingham.ac.uk.

Points

The fastest crews in each race round will be awarded 100 points, the next fastest 99 and so on, so a maximum total of 1200 points are available (600 Men, 600 Women). Second Teams / Crews from any University shall be deemed to be separate teams and shall be also eligible for prizes.

Prizes

Competition Format

Round 1: Sunday, November 18 2007
C2 BIRC BUSA Indoor Rowing Championships, NIA Birmingham
Online Entries Close 5pm Oct 29th on www.concept2.co.uk/birc
Freshers 1,000m Team Race, Mens 8s and Womens 8s, linked machines

Round 2: Sunday 24 February 2008
Concept2 BUR BUSA Championship Head, Trent, Nottingham
Mens & Womens Eights, 5,000m

Rounds 3&4: Saturday March 15 2008
BUSA Championship Finals Weekend, EIS, Sheffield
Round 3: M8 & W8 linked 1,000m racing
Round 4: M8 & W8 single machine 3,000m relay

Round 5: Saturday 19 April 2008
Concept2 BUSA BUR Championship Sprints (Cleveland Lakes tbc)
Mens and Womens Eights, 500m

Round 6: Monday May 5 2008
Concept2 BUSA BUR Championship Regatta, Strathclyde
Mens and Womens Eights, 2,000m

Rules

• A Fresher is defined as a student in their first year of their first degree.
• Each University or College may enter several "eights", as only their own top crews will be awarded points. Universities may row different people at each event, so "crew" line-ups can change for each round
• The British IRC as the first events will allow universities to use the biggest Fresher ergo-pullers before they have to get their feet wet!
• Hopefully having found these high scoring athletes, university coaches will then want to teach them to row, although crew formations are still allowed to change for each stage of the Concept2 Freshers Challenge. A university can use any number of athletes eligible under Bullet Point 1 to "Chase the Eight"
• The event organiser's decision will be final