EXCERPTS FROM THE RULES OF ROWING

The Finish.

Finish Line Procedures.

Part E - The Finish

2-501 The Order of Finish; Dead Heats

(a) A crew has finished the race when its bow or any part of its hull touches the plane of the finish line.
(b) It shall be considered a dead heat if two or more crews finish the race simultaneously, or if the judges, after having used all best efforts and available resources, are unable to determine the order of finish with reasonable certainty.
(1) If a dead heat occurs in a finals race, and if a proper order of finish is necessary to determine which crews are entitled to medals or awards, the Referee shall order the crews involved in the dead heat to rerow after a rest interval. If a crew refuses to rerow, the Referee shall award the higher place being contested to the other crew, and he or she may exempt it from rerowing the course. If a rerow is not practical, the Referee may order that duplicate medals be awarded.
(2) If a dead heat occurs in a race other than a finals race, and if a proper order of finish would be necessary to determine which crews advance in the progression system, the Referee shall, wherever possible, allow all crews involved in the dead heat to advance. If such action is not possible, the Referee shall order the crews to rerow, after allowing for a rest interval, and after having taken into account the scheduled time of the next race in the event. If a crew refuses to rerow, the Referee shall award the higher place being contested to the other crew, and he or she may exempt it from rerowing the course.

2-502 Finish Line Procedure

(a) The Chief Judge and the Judges shall sit one behind and above each other so that each has a clear view of the finish line. They shall be equipped with stopwatches and a program or finish cards on which to record the order of finish.
(b) A Timer shall be stationed in the primary Referee's launch equipped with a stopwatch to record the time of the first place crew. He or she shall start the stopwatch when the Starter's red flag begins to move. The Referee may act as Timer.
(c) A Flagperson equipped with a highly visible flag shall be stationed just beyond the finish line, in such a manner as not to obstruct the view of the Judges, and visible to the Timer in the Referee's launch.
(d) As the bow of the first crew touches the finish line, the Chief Judge shall call out "One!". At that moment, the Flagperson shall quickly lower his or her flag, and the Timer in the Referee's launch shall stop his or her stopwatch. Thereafter, as the bow of each crew touches the finish line, the Chief Judge shall call out "Two", "Three", etc., and the Flagperson shall alternatively raise or lower the flag. A horn or other sound device shall signal to each crew when it crosses the finish line. This process shall be repeated until all crews have touched the finish line.
(e) At least three judges in addition to the Chief Judge shall be assigned to record the order of finish and calculate the time for each crew that finishes. They shall be provided with stopwatches capable of recording multiple intervals. The Chief Judge shall resolve any disagreements among the judges, and his or her factual findings shall be final.
(f) In lieu of the timing system described in this Rule, the local organizing committee may provide for electronic or automated timing systems.

2-503 Declaring the Race To Be Official

(a) A race is not complete until the last crew has finished the race and the Referee has declared the race to be official.
(b) After the last crew has finished the race, the Referee shall observe the crews to determine if there are any protests, or if any competitor requires assistance.
(1) Before declaring the race to be official, the Referee may require that a coxswain display any deadweight required under Rule 4-109 ("Coxswain's Weight").
(2) If no crew signals that it has a protest, and if the Referee is satisfied that the results of the race are proper, he or she shall declare the race to be official by raising a white flag. The Referee shall then announce to the Judges the time of the first place crew received from the Timer. The Chief Judge shall then acknowledge the Referee by raising a white flag.
(3) If the Referee decides to impose one of the penalties described in Rule 2-602 ("Types of Penalties") upon one of the crews, and there is no further protest as a result, the Referee shall raise a red flag, announce the penalty, and then raise a white flag and give the winning time.
(4) If there is a protest that cannot be resolved immediately, the Referee shall raise a red flag, announce the protest, and give the first place time for the information of the Judges. The Chief Judge shall thereupon inform the Chief Referee to convene the Jury.
(c) Once the Referee has raised the white flag, the results of the race shall be considered official and may be released by the Chief Judge to competitors, spectators, and the press. The results of a race that has not been declared official shall not be released.

2-504 Placement of Crews

(a) Subject to the other subsections of this Rule, crews competing in a race shall be placed by the Chief Judge according to the order of finish. Being placed shall entitle the crew to applicable awards, prizes, or advancement in the progression system.
(b) A crew that does not complete the course shall not be placed, and shall not be entitled to advance in the progression system, unless the Referee excuses the crew from completing the course due to circumstances beyond its control.
(c) In events with coxswains, a crew that touches the finish line missing its coxswain shall not be placed. A crew, including a single scull, that touches the finish line missing one or more of its rowers shall be placed.
(d) A crew whose equipment does not comply with Part A (Construction and Design) of Article III (Equipment) of these Rules shall not be placed. A crew whose competitors do not comply with applicable provisions of Article IV (Competitors), or with the announced criteria for the event, of these Rules shall not be placed.
(e) A crew that has been excluded or disqualified as described in Rule 2-602 ("Types of Penalties") shall not be placed.