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, Second 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. To help with travelling, Round Two offers a choice of three venues (Durham, Manchester and Southampton), although you may compete at all three and "bank" your best score. 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

Points will be awarded at each round ofthe five round competition as follows:

R1	National Indoors	8 Men & 8 Women + 1km Team	Combined time = Position = Points
R2	Regional Indoors	8 M & 8 W + 3km Team Relays	Combined time = Position = Points
R3	BUR Head	M & W Eights	Combined Times = Position = Points
R4	BUR Long Course	M & W Eights	Race Positions = Position = Points
R5	BUR Short Course	M & W Eights	Race Positions = Position = Points

Clubs not completing any element will be awarded 40 points

If an element is cancelled all entrants will only be awarded 20 points, non-entrants 40 points

The lowest overall points scoring University will win the Concept2 Freshers Challenge and a brand new racing eight built to their specifications. In the event of a tie on points the University with the most first places shall win the Challenge.

Prizes

Champions	Brand new Racing Eight courtesy of C2 / Oarsport
Runners Up	New Model C2 Ergo courtesy of BUR
3rd place	£250
4th place	£200
5th place	£150
6th place	£100

Competition Format

Round One - Concept2 British Indoor Rowing Championship
a) 2km Eight Freshers Mens, Eight Fresher Women, scores extrapolated from main event
b) 4 person, 1km linked-machines race, so two teams required, top four Fresher W, 4 Fresher M

The 16 Individual times (a) will be averaged, and then added to the times for the M & W team times (b) to produce a ranking. Points will then be awarded according to overall ranking

Round Two - A choice of Regional Indoor events @ Durham, Manchester & Southampton
a) 2km Eight Fresher Men, Eight Fresher women, again extrapolated from the main event
b) M and W Team Relays based on 3km, four people using one machine

16 Individual times (a) again averaged and added to the two relay times (b). In the relay format both Mens & Womens teams are of four, who all row on one machine, with additional feet / seat holders allowed.

Round Three - BUR BUSA Championship Head of the River February 2007
The Universities Head in Nottingham, Combined M & W Fresher Eights Times

Round Four - BUR BUSA Long Course Regatta May 2007
Standard 2km course @ NWSC Nottingham, combined positions = points

Round Five - BUR BUSA Sprints May 2007
The 500m Flying Finale @ the NWSC, combined positions = points

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
• To win one of the prizes a university must compete with at least one full "crew" of eight at each event.
• British IRC and the Concept2 Challengers 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