Rowing Canada – To: RCA Board of Directors, RCA Safety & Events and Umpires Committees,
      Provincial Rowing Associations, RCA Member Clubs and Associations
      (the “stakeholders”)

Further to the consultation notice that was circulated in March 2017, we advise that under the direction of the RCA Board of Directors, a Rules of Racing Working Group has been formed to review the current RCA Rules of Racing (the “Rules”), gather submissions and proposals from all stakeholders and propose to the Members, amendments to the Rules. 
 
The Mandate of the Working Group is as follows:
 
“The Working Group is assembled every four years in the year following the Summer Olympic Games. It is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to RCA Members to conduct a review and recommend for member approval any changes proposed to the RCA Rules of Racing. Its recommendations will be presented to the Membership for approval at the Semi-Annual Meeting the year after the FISA Extraordinary Congress where changes to the International Rules of Racing are adopted.”
 
The amendment process is done in step with the FISA Rules of Racing amendment process.  FISA is currently updating its rules following their review and voting of the rule changes at the February 2017 FISA Extraordinary Congress held in Tokyo, Japan.  Any proposed rule changes to the RCA Rules of Racing, will be voted on at the January 2018 RCA semi-annual meeting.
 
Review Process
 
Included herewith are the Recommendations of the Working Group (a French version of the rules recommendations will be provided with the Semi-Annual Meeting reports). Also attached is Schedule A, which contains a summary of the material rule changes that are recommended. We ask that the recommendations be reviewed and that your input and comments be provided.
 
When commenting, please refer to the relevant rule.
 
Please provide your comments in word format to the Working Group at:   rules@rowingcanada.org
 
Submissions of comments should be made no later than Friday, Nov 10, 2017.
 
The Working Group will consider all comments and will then report their proposed recommended changes to the Board of RCA.
 
Contact Us
 
If you have any questions about the above process, please contact us at: rules@rowingcanada.org 
 
Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide feedback on the RCA Rules of Racing. You can view the current RCA Rules of Racing that at: http://www.rowingcanada.org/coaching-and-umpiring/rules-racing
 
Final Note
 
The Working Group wants to recognize the contribution of Sam Fisher, who was an original member of the group. Sam had to step away to focus on health issues. We are saddened by his recent passing and express our sincerest sympathies to his friends and family.
 
Yours truly,

RCA Rules of Racing Working Group
October 2017
 
William Donegan – Chair
Mike Bagshawe – RCA Safety and Events Committee
Al Morrow – RCA Coach Mentor and Coach Education and Development Committee
Judy Sutcliffe – RCA Umpires Committee
Peter Cookson –   Volunteer and FISA Competitive Commission