Dear Parents and Athletes,
Wallingford Head is run on the River Thames at Wallingford over two divisions of racing: Headington have entered crews into the first division only. Please note that all girls racing should use school transport to get to the event unless she has confirmed with the Head of Rowing that she will be meeting the group at Wallingford, If dropping your daughter off please ensure that she is there no later than 8am.
Please note that there will be no training on Sunday 28th November for those who are not racing at Wallingford.
Training on Saturday 27th November 2021
To allow the girls enough time to get two training sessions in preparation of the event on Sunday as well as load the trailer; please can all those racing at Wallingford meet at Godstow 15 minutes early at 7:45am (The bus from school will depart as normal at 7:40am). The session will end at 12pm.
Location:
The Boating location for Wallingford Head is immediately upstream of Wallingford Bridge on the northern bank of the Thames (The riverside car park)
The address is:
Crowmarsh Gifford
Wallingford
Oxon
OX10 8EB
The Draw:
Headington crews have been confirmed with the rowers this week at training. Any girls still recovering from injury or illness (or who have only just returned to training this week) will not be entered to race.
Headington have entered crews into the following events in Division 1 only:
WU23 8+, WJ18 4+ and WJ16 8+
Transport:
The bus will depart at 7:20am at the latest. Please meet outside the school gym at 7:15am. Please note that there are boarders and girls who may be sleeping. THE GIRLS MUST NOT MAKE ANY NOISE while waiting outside the boarding house. Transport is also available back from Wallingford at the end of the days racing.
You are welcome to collect your daughter from Wallingford after she has finished racing. The girls will be excused by their coaches once their boats have been derigged and loaded onto the trailer.
Itinerary: Wallingford Head - 28th November 2021
Please note that there are many girls racing and that it is their responsibility that they follow the coaches instructions and the timings below. Also, once the girls boat they may have to wait on the water before racing so they will need to make sure to have had a loo stop prior to racing and that have warm rowing kit available.
07:15: Meet outside school gym
07:20: Bus departs from Headington.
08:00: Bus arrives at Wallingford - begin rigging boats
08:45: Dressed and ready for pre-race chat at the trailer. You will then warm up and boat. There will be no time for anything else.
09:00: Earliest boating time for racing crews. Please note: rowers are responsible for ensuring that they have boated at the correct times, rowers need to have inspected the draw and made note of boating times. Crews that are late may not be allowed to race. I have instructed coaches that under no circumstances are they to chase girls to get boated!
10:00 In marshalling area (warm kit is needed as rowers may be there for a while).
10:30: Approximate start time for Division 1: it could be earlier so rowers are to row straight to the start.
After the race any breakages or other equipment issues should be reported to the coaches immediately.
from 11:00: De-Rig and load trailer. No girl may depart before the trailer is fully loaded.
12:00-13:00: Approximate departure from Wallingford.
13:00-13:45: Approximate return to Headington.
Kit and Food
The girls will need:
- Water bottles with electrolyte replacement fluid.
- Food - appropriate for race day, if you are not sure what to bring please have the girls ask their coaches
- A good breakfast before departing (eg: Porridge, toast and a banana). - Make sure to have a meal for after each race, such as pasta and banana / fruit e
- Kit: It will be cold and possibly wet so a change of kit for after each race is needed. Make sure you have enough warm and waterproof kit for when you are sitting around. Coxes and athletes will not be allowed to boat if they are not properly attired for the weather conditions.
- Wellington boots
Parking and Spectating
Please see the Wallingford Head for parking and spectator information (copied below):
Parking:
There will be 2 free car parks available for competitors and spectators to use on the day.
These will open at 06.30 and close at 16.30 promptly.
There will be limited provision for blue badge holders in the trailer park.
Accessibility: the footpaths from the car parks to the river are flat, gravel, grass and wood-chip or the alternative is to use the road.
Car Park 1 – Howbery Business Park – approx. 1.2km / 10-12 mins walk to river Postcode/Sat Nav Ref: OX10 8BA, Howbery Park, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon. Please only park on the gravel car park area as directed by car park marshals. Car Park 2 – Centre for Ecology & Hydrology – approx. 1km / 5-6mins walk to the river Postcode/Sat Nav Ref: OX10 8BB, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire Please only park in allocated parking spaces or to spaces where the car park marshals have directed you to.
As a courtesy to local residents and other town users, competitors and spectators are requested NOT to park in
residential areas and side roads in Crowmarsh Gifford
in town car parks or on grass verges
on the bypass bridge or the grass verges along the bypass verge
Spectating:
Hot drinks and food are available under the Wallingford Bridge arches (Crowmarsh side) next to the trailer park. There are also toilet blocks there.
The racing starts from just upstream of the Moulsford Railway Bridge at 10.30 and 13.30. This is a considerable way from the allocated parking in Crowmarsh Gifford, so if you want to see the racing then please come prepared and bring suitable footwear and clothing. The ground may be muddy and slippery and the weather wintry.
The best vantage point for spectators is on and around the New Bypass Bridge (what3words: ///emails.waddled.swoop) – there is no parking here so you will need to walk up from the dedicated parking areas which will take about 20-25 minutes.
The girls may only leave if when all of their equipment has been loaded onto the boat club trailer and she has been excused by her coaches. There will be a bus returning to Headington at the end of the days racing.
All rowers should read the following documents:
All safety and welfare documentation can also be found on the event website.